The South Bend Alumni Association recently honored a couple, Greg and Mary Downes, inducting them into the Community Hall of Fame. This is fitting recognition for a lifetime played at a hall-of-fame level by Mary and Greg.

It got me thinking about my own legacy. Twenty-five years from now, will I be hall-worthy? If not, it won’t be because I was missing an example of leadership, duty, and compassion in the community. It won’t be because I didn’t have the opportunity to regularly and consistently observe the lesson – as President Kennedy borrowed from Luke 12:48 – that “to whom much is given, much is required.” And it won’t be because I didn’t have someone challenging my thinking and wondering if I’ve done my part. That’s because I’ve had the honor and good fortune of working for and alongside Greg for the past dozen years at Gibson. Luckily, this meant I also had a number of moments to engage with Mary, too.

Millennials are the largest generation of employees and for the first time in history, five generations of Americans are now in the workforce. The generational differences present a unique challenge for employers, especially when it comes to values and preferred communication styles.

January 31st will be here before you know it, and with it the deadline to file 1099 tax forms. In a perfect world, this deadline is met with security and peace of mind. In the real world? Not so much. We’ve seen many companies who couldn’t tell us where W-9s were kept or if the accounting department collected them at all. If you, like many companies, dread the deadline each year, there is still time. Read below to understand best practices for filing 1099s, why obtaining and maintaining your company’s vendors’ W-9s is important, and how to prepare for success for the approaching deadline.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Patrick Frazier, owner and executive coach for The Coaching Authority. We hope you enjoy Patrick’s wisdom and perspective.

Your attitude determines your altitude – in business and in life. You can’t change someone else’s attitude for them. But this powerful adage is a great reminder that you can put in front of anyone who needs an attitude adjustment. I want to talk about a few of the many ways each of us can develop a winning attitude every day. It is what leaders do.

Tragic stories of loss at the hands of opioids have become all too common. The misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, specifically opioids, has become an epidemic. It is a massive problem impacting our friends, families, communities, and the workforce.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Craig Sroda, author of YOU in the SWEET SPOT and Intentional Living. We hope you enjoy Craig’s wisdom and perspective.

I had my blind spot covered recently. We were going to make a hire and I totally didn’t see something I should have. You would think after 25 years of hiring people I would be in tune with what we are looking for, which is the case most of the time but not all the time.

We all have blind spots in life and business - and it can be a staggering 30% of our life. That means almost 1/3 of our life we can use someone else weighing in to validate what we see and what we are thinking. The key is to get whatever you are working on exposed by someone that you can trust and who can keep you accountable.

Opening your home to friends and family can be a fun way to celebrate birthdays, holidays, and more. You want to provide your guests with an enjoyable experience, but you also want to make sure they stay safe while visiting. Taking a few extra measures while planning could save you and your guests from potential injury and liability. Before your next gathering at home, consider the following:

Box cutters and utility knives are useful tools we find at work and home. From the shipping and receiving department at a warehouse and a retail store’s stock room to an office resource room and even your own garage – box cutters and utility knives are used quite regularly in a variety of environments.

Though it seems simple and not nearly as dangerous as many other tools you may encounter, improper use of box cutters can still result in injury. We often overlook this risk. A little education can go a long way to stopping these preventable injuries at home and in the workplace.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Tammy Boetsma, CEO of Hacienda Mexican Restaurants, LaSenorita Mexican Restaurants, and BarBici Italian Street Food. We hope you enjoy Tammy's wisdom and perspective.

This summer my husband Mark and I rode our motorcycles from our home in northern Indiana to the Pacific Ocean and back. Riding to the west coast on my bike is a trip I’ve wanted to make for many years. In taking this trip, I was attempting to reach a personal, long-term goal of mine!

Emergency room, urgent care, telemedicine, nurse hotline, specialist, primary care…there are a variety health care options when you’re faced with an injury or illness, but which should you choose?

This is likely a question your employees face on a regular basis. Choosing the most appropriate option can save them time and money, while the wrong choice can be costly for them and for your organization. Are you helping employees understand how to make this decision?