Business Columns

It is my privilege to introduce you to McHenry Area Chamber member Elite Furniture owned by Jeff Kleinschmidt.

Americans were planning to spend a little bit more on dad this Father’s Day. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2013 Father’s Day spending survey, the average person will shell out $119 on dad’s gifts this year, up from $117 last year. Total spending for Father’s Day is expected to reach $13.3 billion.

Dear Dave,

When I was 8 years old (Anne), a wonderful thing happened! My family visited relatives in Erie, Pa., where my uncle worked as an executive for Marx Toys. I remember walking into the toy store back room that doubled as my cousin’s bedroom.

Summer has its own set of unique challenges for employers, like balancing employees’ vacation requests and enforcing the dress code despite the rising temperatures. But this time of year also presents a serious safety concern. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, thousands of workers across the country every year suffer from serious heat-related illnesses, which have killed – on average – more than 30 workers annually since 2003.

It used to be relatively simple to plan for retirement: You’d just circle the date on the calendar when your pension was set to kick in and have your co-workers start planning your send-off party.