Gator Jack's opening in old Winger's location

James Pace amid the remodeling in the old Winger's restaurant, soon to reopen as Gator Jack's.

You might not have noticed, but the old Winger's building on Hitt Road has changed from blue to green. It will soon be the second location of Gator Jack's, a Rigby restaurant operated for seven years by James and Kimberly Pace.

Pace said he hopes to be open by Dec. 1, but admitted it might be more like the middle of the month. The interior of the 3,300-square-foot restaurant is being remodeled to give it a "swampier" motif. Gator Jack's specializes in Cajun food, fried chicken, gator tail, etc.

Originally from California, Pace's experience includes operating a bed and breakfast in Saco, Maine. He came to eastern Idaho in 2004 to attend BYU-Idaho, after which he started Gator Jack's near the North Rigby exit on U.S. Highway 20.

If you want to know more, the Facebook page is as good a place to look as any: https://www.facebook.com/GatorJacks.

Rocknak's opening Postal Service shipping center

Brian Rocknak of Rocknak's Hardware

Rocknak's Hardware will be opening a U.S. Postal Service mail and shipping center in its store. When that will happen is a good question, but they hope it will be in time for the holiday rush.

Idaho Falls' west side has been without such a location since Walker's closed in the spring. Brian Rocknak said the USPS approached several businesses in the area, and that he and his father, Dave, decided it made good business sense, as it would bring more people in the door.

The contract was signed in October, and they are now waiting for fixtures and training from the Postal Service. They plan to be hiring three people to help out, he said.

A west side retail mainstay since 1996, when Dave Rocknak bought Jones Hardware, Rocknak's has carved out a niche for itself on a few different fronts. "This is the best year we have had since we opened the new store in 2005," Brian Rocknak said.

Right now, their hottest selling item is .22-caliber shells. "For some reason, everybody else is having a hard time getting them, but we've got a few sources and have been able to keep them in stock, he said.

Also, the store's special focus on bird seed and bird feeders has made it a destination for a lot of people in the areas. "I never thought it would be that big a part of our business, but it has," he said.

Take a Chance: Hire a Veteran

In all my years in HR management, Mike, the mechanics laborer, is my most memorable hire and recruit.

The position was with a company in Boise that did industrial repairs for major companies and corporations. It was entry-level, supporting more of the technical and high skilled positions. The work was laborious and the pay was low. We were not hopeful about finding solid candidates, because unemployment was low at the time and the job offered no benefits. It would be a challenge finding someone willing and able to do the work, let alone stay with it more than a few days.

Then we met Mike. After 10 years in the United States Army, working with tanks and combat equipment, he had decided he needed a change. With a couple of tours in Iraq under his belt he headed off into the civilian world to find a new career.

I’ll never forget looking at his resume and being surprised how with his extensive experience he hadn’t found a job after leaving the Army. Actually, I was completely shocked.

I asked him why he thought he hadn’t found a job.  His response was just as surprising. He looked at me, paused for a moment and said, “I guess what I did in the Army doesn’t really make sense to a lot of companies and I don’t have the right skills or experience to fit their needs.”  He said his search had been so disheartening and disappointing he was considering rejoining the military.

I hired Mike on the spot. His supervisor, who was a very tough manager to please, respected Mike so much that he told people every mechanics laborer needed to be “just like Mike.” Mike worked hard and moved up in the company.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that more than 800,000 veterans are currently unemployed nationally. According to a 2012 study, 60 percent of veterans listed “finding a job” as the greatest challenge in transitioning to civilian life.

As we wake up and hurry off to work on Veteran’s Day, many of the people who fought for our freedom would like to be doing the same. Veterans deserve a chance to prove themselves as solid candidates. They deserve more than the opportunity to shake hands and pass out resumes at career fairs.

Employers who choose to unfairly evaluate or consider veterans for open positions could face discriminatory legal liabilities. However, the loss for not considering veterans goes well beyond lawsuits. Employers who choose not to consider veterans as candidates are missing out on a large pool of high-caliber candidates.

While logistics technician, paratrooper or even combat infantry might seem like military jobs with
non-transferable skills, they actually are. Regardless of job title, military service provides high-level leadership development and vocational training to all service members. Many times this extensive and high-intensity training comes in a non-traditional and high-stress environment. Veterans are accustomed to working in diverse and cross-functional teams to accomplish common goals. They are detail oriented and adapt quickly. They have the ability to handle conflicting priorities and expectations and hold others accountable for their responsibilities. High levels of compliance and discipline are engrained into their mindsets and work ethics.  Dedication, loyalty, team-work and perseverance are also traits that can’t be forgotten when considering veterans as employees.

So the question is why wouldn’t a company consider a veteran as a candidate?  Companies like JP Morgan Chase, Disney, Capital One, Toyota, Johnson and Johnson and Verizon have come up with programs to recruit and hire veterans and are wondering why other companies aren’t doing the same.

I am not suggesting that employers simply hire a veteran over another candidate just because of the veteran’s status. I am suggesting, however, that if you have entry level positions, a general pool of candidates, or are in a situation where you are considering Candidate A vs. Veteran Candidate B that you take an extra look at that veteran’s resume and really consider the potential.

As a business owner and proud wife of a veteran, I am dedicated to giving those who have served a chance to find careers and opportunities and enjoy the American dream they fought for. I challenge you today to take a stand and make a difference for these brave men and women. Isn’t your freedom worth it?

Monica Bitrick is CEO of Bitrick Consulting Group, an Idaho Falls human resources company.

I.F. Ad Fed taking entries for 2015 Gem Awards

The Idaho Falls Advertising Federation is taking entries for the 2015 edition of the Eastern Idaho Gem Awards. The competition is open to any company, organization or individual that produced advertising work at facilities here in eastern Idaho. The finished work must have appeared in 2014.

Once again, winners and others (there are no losers!) will be recognized at a blowout in late February or early March. You can find all the entry materials and instructions here.  Early-bird deadline is Dec. 9. Late deadline is Jan.12.

To make things more fun, IFAF is holding a LEGO® Building Contest on its Facebook page, now through January. It's an all-ages contest with sweet prizes, so build us something neat. You know you want to be a LEGO® Building Master. Prove it!

Victor man named to national utilities co-op board

Jay Hanson

Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative’s board president, Jay Hanson of Victor, has been elected to the board of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation. Hanson will represent District 9, which is comprised of 12 western states and territories.

Formed in 1969, CFC is a non-profit finance cooperative created and owned by America’s electric cooperative utilities, and is guided by a 23-member board of directors that represent ten geographically defined districts. It helps ensure access to low-cost funding for electric cooperatives.
Hanson has been on Fall River Electric’s board for the past nine years. Before that, he spent 33 years as an agricultural extension agent for the University of Idaho and the University of Wyoming.

CFC was instrumental in helping Fall River Electric secure $14 million in clean renewable energy bonds, to finance the Chester hydroelectric project. “In addition to assisting us toward securing the financing, CFC’s fixed interest rate of 1.4 percent will save our owner-members over $9 million when compared to conventional financing options,” said Bryan Case, Fall River’s  CEO and general manager.