Fiber Connectivity Increases Commercial Property Values 3 Spotlight on Pomeroy Development 4 Rainbow Simplifies Fiber Internet for Multi-Dwelling Units 6 Returning to Your Roots 7 connections www.rainbowtel.net 800-892-0163 FALL 2022 • VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 2 BUSINESS Past Meets Present at Pomeroy Development
2 Fall 2022 Business Connections is a publication of Rainbow Communications, 608 Main St., Everest, KS 66424. Editorial and Circulation Contact: Kaycee Slough, 628 Oregon St., Hiawatha, KS 66434 800-892-0163 Extra issues are available to business customer employees on a limited basis while supplies last. Contact: Kaycee Slough, 628 Oregon St., Hiawatha, KS 66434 800-892-0163 All brand names and product names used in this publication are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright® 2022 by Rainbow Communications and Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. Postmaster send changes to: Kaycee Slough Rainbow Communications 628 Oregon St. Hiawatha, KS 66434 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Fiber can be the “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. In this Fall ‘22 Business Connections issue, we focus our attention on fiber’s impact on commercial property. Fiber Connectivity Increases Commercial Property Values, as you’ll learn on page 3. Its importance has increased substantially since high-speed Internet became an “I can’t live without it” essential for prospective residents and commercial tenants. On pages 4 and 5, there’s a Business Spotlight on Pomeroy Development, which specializes in historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects such as 1913 Apartments in Atchison. Owner Justin Pregont is passionate about giving old buildings a new life, and the transformations include Fiber Internet from Rainbow. Rainbow Simplifies Fiber Internet for Multi-Dwelling Units, and we explore how Rainbow works with these property owners on page 6. Then on page 7’s Returning to Your Roots, Dr. Melinda Pregont of Trusted Care Chiropractic talks about building a business and building a family in her hometown of Atchison. Want to add the “secret sauce” of fiber to a commercial property (or to a business of another type)? Contact Rainbow, and let’s get cooking. Sincerely, Rainbow Business Solutions Department connections BUSINESS L to R: Angie Kreider Director of Business Development Jonny Kane Business Solutions Representative Deanna Lanter Business Solutions Representative Mike Regenstein Business Solutions Representative Suzanne Schuster Business Solutions Representative Jerad Enneking Business Solutions Manager FALL 2022
BUSINESS connections Fall 2022 3 Conventional wisdom says the three most important factors in real estate are “location, location, location.” While location still matters in choosing a commercial property, fiber connectivity may soon make its way onto that famous list due to its impact on tenant demand and valuation. Fiber Connectivity Increases Commercial Property Values Did you know some buildings are now rated based on their WiredScore? That’s the digital connectivity rating system for real estate used by leading landlords in 12 countries, and the WiredScore score can impact the value of the property. In fact, fiber connectivity has been found to increase the value of physical real estate by a few percentage points. Connectivity to be Competitive The importance of fiber connectivity has increased substantially as high-speed Internet went from being a “nice to have” item to being an “I can’t live without it” essential for prospective residents and commercial tenants. In 2022 and beyond, most commercial property will need to offer fiber connectivity to be competitive in the marketplace. After all, people are working with many times more data on more devices than they did several years ago, so bandwidth is a major concern. Tenants now expect fast and reliable broadband as much as they expect adequate power, heating, air conditioning, and parking. For commercial properties, the availability of fiber connectivity can even make or break a rental agreement. This isn’t surprising, since fiber connectivity enables employees and work-from-home residents to confidently perform critical work and stay connected. Businesses can operate much more efficiently in buildings with access to next-generation Gig Internet—with its symmetrical download and upload speeds and 99.9% reliability. Benefits Beyond the Tenants It’s not only the tenants in a commercial property who benefit from fiber connectivity. Developers and commercial property owners benefit as well. In addition to the positive impact on tenant demand and valuation, fiber connectivity can help them improve building security since fiber cables are far less vulnerable to cyberattacks. Fiber also enables the expanded use of smart thermostats and lighting as well as other IoT technologies to increase building efficiency and reduce costs. What’s more, the community at large reaps rewards when commercial properties within it offer fiber connectivity. It aids in economic growth by helping to attract new businesses and residents and support the growth of existing businesses. The Rainbow Fiber-Optic Network provides fiber connectivity to our customers. Call 800-892-0163 to learn more. Tenants want access to fast and reliable broadband
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 4 Fall 2022 Passionate about breathing new life into historic buildings Pregont now owns Pomeroy Development, which creates residential, commercial, and mixed-use real estate assets in underserved rural communities throughout Kansas. The company’s name was inspired by Samuel Clarke Pomeroy (January 3, 1816 – August 27, 1891). Pomeroy was the mayor of Atchison from 1858 to 1859; the second president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad; and a U.S. senator from Kansas during the American Civil War. As a civic-minded leader who believed in investing in his local community through development, Pomeroy embodies what Pomeroy Development is all about. What’s Old Becomes New Again Historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects, such as these in Atchison, Kansas, are a specialty of Pomeroy Development: • 1913 Apartments –The former YMCA is now a 17-unit building featuring a beautiful blend of classic and contemporary interior finishes. • Old Fire Station Loft – A 3,000-square-foot residence located on the second floor of the old fire station in downtown Atchison. • Central School Apartments – Originally built in 1938 as a neighborhood elementary school, the building was redeveloped into 13 apartments. • Red Light Lofts –The Red Light Gallery building is a mixed-use, traditional storefront building in downtown Atchison. Pomeroy Development’s signature style includes historically authentic restorations, higher quality finishes, and premium locations. Pregont noted, “Each property has its own story to tell, and we strive to make it shine in its own unique way.” FromYMCA to Apartments The story of 1913 Apartments began with the building’s original purpose as a YMCA boarding house with 50+ rooms. After the new $11 million YMCA building was constructed next door in Pomeroy Development Justin Pregont is fromAtchison and grew up noticing its historic buildings. “You don’t have to be an architect to appreciate the ‘wow’ in buildings from the early 1900s.The detail in them is so different,” he said.
Fall 2022 5 BUSINESS connections Pregont’s Thoughts on Rainbow Justin Pregont, Owner of Pomeroy Development, had no trouble developing messages about Rainbow. Here are some of his thoughts on what it’s been like as a Rainbow business customer: “ Working with Rainbow has been awesome for me. All it takes is a phone call and they’ll meet me on site.” “ There’s always a real person I can call and talk to at Rainbow—someone with a pulse and a soul. It’s so much easier to work with someone you personally know.” “ With Rainbow, it’s not just a transaction. Rainbow truly cares about the community and is interested in much more than just making money.They’re doing all the right things.” 2016, some Atchison residents thought the old building should be torn down and replaced with a parking lot. Not surprisingly, Pregont didn’t share that view. He said, “It was insanely important to me to repurpose the beautiful old YMCA. I knew it would make a great apartment building.” In a press release about 1913 Apartments when the building opened in 2020, Pregont listed the top five features— premium countertops, slate-toned appliances, an elevator to all four levels, laundry facilities in each unit, and “the fastest internet available to any residential building in Atchison.”That last feature was thanks to Rainbow. Modernizing with Rainbow Fiber Jerad Enneking, Business Solutions Manager, said, “1913 Apartments was the first building Rainbow installed fiber to in Atchison, and it was an MDU (multi-dwelling unit) project. We ran direct fiber access into its 17 apartments during the renovation process, when the walls were opened up. Given the building’s historic nature, it was important to get the lines into each unit in an inconspicuous way.” Tenants of 1913 Apartments now have easy access to Rainbow’s Fiber Internet, Premium Wi-Fi, and Residential Phone services. All a tenant has to do is call Rainbow. Enneking said, “Rainbow has a good relationship with Pomeroy Development, and we understand Justin Pregont’s vision. It’s our pleasure to install modern technology in historic buildings and help enhance the Atchison community.” An Easy Process What does Pregont appreciate most about doing business with Rainbow? Pregont replied, “I appreciate many things. First of all, Rainbow is present in the Atchison community. Their employees are active in civic organizations and events, and I see them out and about. It’s so much easier to work with someone you personally know. With Rainbow, it’s not just a transaction. Rainbow truly cares about the community and is interested in much more than just making money. They’re doing all the right things.” He continued, “Working with Rainbow has been awesome for me. All it takes is a phone call, and they’ll meet me on site. I see Rainbow as an anti-bureaucratic company. They make the process extraordinarily easy on me as the customer.”
6 Fall 2022 7 Ways Businesses Benefit from Remote Work Discussions of remote work often concentrate on the benefits enjoyed by employees such as avoiding commutes, reducing the expense of professional clothing, and improving work-life balance. However, businesses can also benefit in many ways: 1. Expenses for office space, supplies, and utilities can be reduced. 2. Workplace flexibility has been shown to increase employee motivation and productivity. 3. Youmaybe able tomore easily recruit the best employees because you’re not limited by geographical restrictions. 4. Remote employees across the country enable your business to operate in more time zones. 5. Having employees work from home can reduce absenteeism, tardiness, and their associated costs. 6. Employees with this flexible work arrangement tend to bemore grateful and loyal, which decreases turnover rates and new-hire training costs. 7. The time employees save by not driving to work can be spent working for your business instead. If your business is compatible with remote work, it makes sense to consider adding or expanding this option for employees. It’s a true winwin arrangement. Rainbow defines a multi-dwelling unit (MDU) as a four-plex and above in terms of the number of units. Common examples of multidwelling units are apartment buildings, condominiums, dormitories, and senior living facilities. When a property owner of an MDU is interested in having the building connected to the Rainbow Fiber-Optic Network, the first step is a meeting to discuss how to proceed. Planning factors could include: • Age and layout of building • Status of construction or renovation • Interest in having an exclusive Internet provider Jerad Enneking, Business Solutions Manager, said, “Rainbow’s goal is to run our fiber lines into each unit with as little disruption as possible. Every building is different, so there’s no ‘one size fits all’ MDU solution. A building built in 1900 was obviously not designed to run Internet through. We sometimes have to get creative, particularly when we’re installing in an occupied building rather than one being built or renovated.” MDU property owners can choose to have an exclusive contract with Rainbow to be the building’s only Internet provider. How would this benefit the property owner? Enneking replied, “Other Internet providers may have installed multiple lines to each unit in the past, which can end up being a mess. For the property owner, an exclusive contract with Rainbow means the simplicity of having one point of contact for Internet issues.” Being able to offer tenants access to the ultra-fast speeds of Rainbow Fiber Internet is a sales advantage for property owners, as is the ease of signing up for service. “All the tenant needs to do is choose a Fiber Internet speed and call Rainbow. We then flip a switch to begin service, whether that’s just Internet or Internet plus PremiumWi-Fi and/or Residential Phone. No technician visit is required, since the building is ready to go at that point,” said Enneking. In addition, Rainbow can provideWi-Fi coverage in an MDU’s fitness room, business area, or other community spaces. To learn more about fiber installation in an MDU, call Rainbow at 800-892-0163. Rainbow Simplifies Fiber Internet for Multi-Dwelling Units
BUSINESS connections Fall 2022 7 In this magazine, we periodically highlight people in our community whose career path brought them back to their roots in northeast Kansas. For this issue, we feature Dr. Melinda Pregont of Trusted Care Chiropractic in Atchison. Dr. Melinda Pregont was raised in Highland and Atchison, and she attended colleges in Atchison and Kansas City. “I have fond memories of growing up in both Highland and Atchison, but Atchison is home for me. I’ll never forget playing summer rec basketball, my first job in the kitchen at Jerry’s Again, serving tables at Lopez, and hanging out with high school friends, some of whom have become lifelong friends. I truly feel, however, that my fondest memories are yet to come as Justin and I build our businesses in Atchison, and more importantly, raise our family here,” said Dr. Pregont. (She’s married to Justin Pregont, owner of Pomeroy Development.) Dr. Pregont is a 2012 magna cum laude graduate of Cleveland Chiropractic College—Kansas City, where she earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. She specializes in acupuncture, pediatrics, pregnancy, and sports chiropractic care at Trusted Care Chiropractic. She noted, “I love the connectedness of small towns. Stories seem to last for generations and can instantly reacquaint you after even decades of distance. I have chiropractic clients who will drive from Highland to receive care from me in Atchison because they knew me frommy early years in Highland. I take pride in that. Many of those families treated me as if I was their own, and to be able to give back that same love and respect has been gratifying.” How would Dr. Pregont describe Atchison today? She replied, “Things are happening here! I’m so proud and honored to be a part of this change. What I love about a small community is being able to see the fruits of my labor. In my opinion, Atchison has had very progressive and aggressive city leadership for the past 10 years, and these people were major catalysts for growth. They gave entrepreneurs like me the confidence and financial stability to open up shop. I’ve felt beyond supported in my business ventures not only by local government, but by the community at large.” Returning to Your Roots
UNLOCK NEW POSSIBILITIES WITH FIBER Fiber gives you more. Instant cloud access. HD video conferencing. Faster backups. The Rainbow Fiber-Optic Network offers nearly unlimited bandwidth solutions to unlock your business potential. 800-892-0163 Call for availability and pricing.
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