Kress Building in downtown Idaho Falls recognized by Preservation Idaho

Built in 1929 after the Idaho Falls Fire Department moved to Shoup Avenue, the Kress Building, home now to Channel Blend, has been a downtown landmark for 85 years.

One of the crown jewels of downtown Idaho Falls has been recognized this year by Preservation Idaho, which has announced its 37th Annual Orchids and Onions Awards.

The Kress Building on Park Avenue, home now to Channel Blend, is one of three being recognized in the Excellence in Historic Preservation category.

"The renovation of this downtown landmark provides an example to other owners of historic commercial properties that historic preservation efforts can achieve astonishing results with modest investment and attention to detail," said the press release announcing the award.

Every year, Preservation Idaho hosts this awards ceremony, designed to celebrate individuals and organizations that have made positive contribution to historic preservation in Idaho.

Built in 1929 on the site of the original Idaho Falls Fire Station, the Park Avenue property between A and B streets got a makeover in 2007-08.

The upper floor of the has 10,000 square feet. New heating, ventilation and air conditioning were installed, the tin ceiling was repainted and the floors were refinished.

Employing nearly 200 people downtown, Channel Blend is a company that provides call center services and lead qualification for insurance companies and other business clients.

CEO Jeff Neiswanger said at the time he was certain that restoring the building would have a ripple effect, and he was right.

At the risk of editorializing, it's pretty obvious the '20s and '30s were a time when businessmen had a lot more pride in their names than they do today. The S.H. Kress chain of discount department stores disappeared for good in 1981, but if you look up at the pediment of the building his name endures.

In the National Trust Guide to Art Deco in America, writer David Gebhard singled out Kress stores as examples of architectural excellence: "All of these are sophisticated designs, and some ... are outstanding examples of the popular Moderne."

The 37th Annual Orchids & Onions Awards Ceremony will take place May 31 at 11 a.m. at the Mountain Cove Gym, Veterans Administration Medical Center in Boise. To read more online, visit www.preservationidaho.org/orchids-onions.

Center for Aesthetics plans May 20 Beauty and Glamour Gala

Tickets go on sale Friday for the Center for Aesthetics Beauty and Glamour Gala, which will be May 20 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Idaho Falls location, 2375 E. Sunnyside Road, Suite G.

In addition to makeup demonstrations, prize giveaways and one-night-only pricing on popular procedures, the special guest will be Michael McCarthy, national makeup artist for Colorscience.

In the 1980s, McCarthy was a makeup artist for both high fashion and retail clients in the United States and Europe. When he returned to his native Seattle, he began developing his reputation as an aesthetician with an artistic perspective, revolutionizing the industry by developing makeup studios and retail boutiques within larger salon and day spa businesses. He continued to develop his theatrical makeup skills as a principal makeup artist for the Seattle Opera.

Tickets for the event are $25, covering admission for two. Space is limited. For more information, call 529-8232.

INL executive recognized for i-STEM work

For several years, Idaho teachers have been attending i-STEM workshops where they work alongside Idaho business and industry leaders to gain skills and knowledge on how to integrate more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into their classrooms.

Now, i-STEM has earned an international award for its innovative approach on professional development. On April 24, the International Association for STEM Leaders recognized Anne Seifert of Idaho National Laboratory and Dr. Louis Nadelson of Boise State University with the STEM Professional Development Leadership Award for creating i-STEM and providing professional development to more than 1,750 teachers across Idaho.

Nadelson said the award came as a surprise. “This has been the work of many people. I have a wonderful team that includes people from K-12, state government, higher education, and business and industry. I feel lucky to provide leadership and vision toward this,” he said.

The International Association presented 15 awards. “This award shows we are on the right track, and we are at the forefront here in Idaho to address STEM education in a meaningful way,” Nadelson said.
i-STEM is coordinated statewide by the Idaho State Department of Education, Idaho Professional-Technical Education, educators, businesses and industry.

Get your foot in the door -- create a well-crafted resume

I have seen a lot of resumes throughout my career. Very few I would consider excellent, a majority could be classified as average, and some were just really bad!

That's easy for me to say, being on the other side of the hiring process, right? Maybe so, but the fact of the matter is creating a marketable resume doesn’t have to be difficult.

It is important to have a polished and professional resume in order to land an interview. The first (and possibly only) opportunity you may have to make an impression on a potential employer is your resume. So why would you not take the time and effort to carefully create the “image” of you that you want them to see on paper?

I know well-crafted resumes can take time and effort. There’s plenty to consider in creating resumes, from the format, to wording, different sections, content, font and length. I have been asked time after time what I think a resume should look like, and there’s really not any specific format I can give or blueprint for how exactly a resume should look. However, there are a few standard items I am always looking for with each resume I review.

I’ll be honest – visually appealing resumes make an impact. Think about it this way – what type of commercial has a bigger impact on you as a consumer – the 30-second local commercial promoting the sale of the century or a 30-second commercial during the SuperBowl. The answer should be the 30 second SuperBowl commercial. Granted, these commercials are created by marketing geniuses with marketing budget over what an average employee’s salary would be, but the fact of the matter is they are created to make an impact and do. Shouldn’t your resume be the same?

Aside from being visually appealing, format is always important. Streamlining your sections, subsections and bullet points, to name a few items, it makes a difference. Resumes that are inconsistent in formatting – dashes in some areas, plain text here and there, bolded text in some headings but not all, are easily put to the side and may never get a second look.

Keep in mind that over-formatting can have the same impact. So keep it simple.

Content is also crucial in a resume. I suggest having sections for a professional objective, education/training/certifications, professional experience, publications/presentations/speaking engagements, and extracurricular involvement/volunteer efforts/community service. You can always include a section with some of your highlighted skills, but if they are outlined in your professional experience, I wouldn’t double state your skills.

References aren’t crucial on a resume and can be sent as a separate attachment.

It’s important to carefully plan out what you want to say in each of these sections – and make it so the potential employer can easily review the information you are relaying. If you are too lengthy in your content – potential employers can get lost in the sea of information you are providing.

It’s also crucial to make sure you proofread. Well-crafted resumes loaded with typos will be lucky if they make it past a first review. Potential employers view this factor alone very seriously. If a candidate did not take the time to review and proofread his or her resume, then what should be expected when it comes to fulfilling job duties? Will there be time, care and attention put into work? Hard to answer yes looking at a resume from a candidate who hasn’t taken the time to sort out misspellings and grammatical errors.

While there is no magic formula for creating the perfect resume, it is important to create and maintain one that is polished and professional. It is likely to decide whether you get an interview, so take it seriously. If you need help getting a start, there are great resources available, literally at your fingertips.
Need some direction? My laptop is always open!

Monica Bitrick is an independent human resources consultant who lives and works in Idaho Falls.

17th Street Starbucks opening planned for May 12

A spokeswoman for Wadsworth Development said this morning that the new Starbucks at 900 E. 17th Street is scheduled to open next Monday, May 12.  This will be the second free-standing Starbucks in Idaho Falls.