MOLINE, Ill. (March 12, 2015) - The Quad City Mallards have signed defenseman Austin Coldwell, the Mallards announced today.  

Coldwell, 25, turns professional with the Mallards after completing his senior season at the University of Alaska-Anchorage last weekend.  The 6' 0", 189-pound Vancouver, Washington, native scored four goals and totaled 12 points in 34 games with the Seawolves this year. 

Coldwell produced 14 goals and recorded 50 points in 132 career games at UAA and was twice named to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic team.  Last year he helped UAA to the program's first winning season since the Seawolves entered the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in 1993.

Coldwell spent four years in the junior ranks before heading to Anchorage.  He skated with the Bismarck Bobcats and Springfield Jr. Blues of the North American Hockey League before joining United States Hockey League's Des Moines Buccaneers for a two year stint.

Veteran Entrepreneur Says The Best Teacher Is Experience

Exorbitant student loans constitute just one reason why young people eager to experience the world may want to reconsider college, says Ed Basler, a veteran entrepreneur.

There is now $1.2 trillion worth of college debt in the United States and the average borrower will graduate $26,600 in the red, according to The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) Project on Student Debt.

"None of this guarantees a job or even that a college grad will be job-ready," says Basler, CEO of E.J. Basler Co., (www.ejbasler.com).

"After four weeks of business school I, the son of a businessman, had realized that the professor had no real-life experience running a business and that I wouldn't learn the practical principles necessary to succeed. But I stuck with business school for two years until I dropped out, and I haven't had any regrets 40 years later. Hands-on experience trumps a degree all the time."

Factor in the fact that necessary business skills evolve faster than the time it takes to earn a degree and the overall lack of preparation for the real world provided by college and the choice to save time and money is a no-brainer, says Basler.

Business owners and hiring managers should see past the college degrees of potential employees, or lack thereof, and focus on the content of an applicant's skills and character, says Basler, who offers, in his own words, the following tips for hiring.

•  Do not accept any bad attitudes. A bad attitude spreads like the flu, and if you don't stop it, it'll make your whole team sick. Good attitudes will spread too, so look to hire people with a positive nature. Is the prospective hire full of complaints about previous employers? Don't be surprised if you become the next target of such whining. No one is indispensable. I have interviewed people who were clearly bright and skilled. Yet, afterward, I felt like telling them not to let the door hit them on the way out. I've never regretted my decision to insist on good attitudes.

•  Hire friends very cautiously. They can become your best employees. Often, however, they are your worst, and they're hard to fire. Hire family members even more cautiously. Let them know the ground rules and expectations up front. And treat them like the rest of your employees. I hear horror stories all the time from business people who are suffering because of family involvement. But it can also work very well - it has worked out well for me.

•  Hire not only for skills but also for potential. Leaders can be made if trained and motivated properly. I've seen many a young person with no previous experience or knowledge of my business learn a trade or skill and prosper and excel. Many times, it's even an advantage to start from the beginning with someone who does not have the baggage of bad habits or practices from a previous employer.

•  Put people in the right positions. Test them for their personality and skill sets. There are many tests - one good one is the Meyers Briggs and the DISC profile. It's hard, sometimes, to understand where people fit, which is why we try to use testing to learn about their particular skills.

"A college degree is a generic qualification and is by no means the ultimate criteria by which you should hire talent," Basler says.

About Ed Basler

Ed Basler is a longtime entrepreneur and CEO of E.J. Basler Co., (www.ejbasler.com), which provides precision-machined parts and solutions to companies worldwide. He is a sought-after motivational speaker and president of Fresh Eyes Coaching, a firm that helps small businesses identify profit opportunities and obstacles. Ed and his wife, Cathi, also founded and ran a nationally recognized not-for-profit youth organization for 15 years. He is the author of "The Meat & Potatoes Guide to Business Survival: A Handbook for Non-MBA's & College Dropouts."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOPIC: Scott County Extension Mater Gardeners Offer Trip to Chicago Botanical Gardens

CONTACT: Scott County Extension Office, 563-359-7577

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Scott County Extension Master Gardeners Offer Trip to Chicago Botanical Gardens

Join the Scott County Master Gardeners on a fun and educational bus trip to the Chicago Botanical Antiques, Garden, & Design Show on April 17th!  The price of $50 includes cost of the bus, your ticket in to the event, and coffee & muffins on the trip to Chicago.   Send your registrations to Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, Iowa by March 20, 2015.

March 24, 2015 Certified Handlers, Scott County Extension Office, 9:00 am-11:30 am

April 3, 2015 Pesticide Applicator Testing, Scott County Extension Office, 10:00 am-2:00 pm

April 28, 2015 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

Visit our events calendar at our web site: http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/

A Change In Thinking Can Lead To A Change In 
Behavior And Results, Says Sought-After Speaker

Hard times that sap your energy and leave you frustrated are an inevitable part of life.

Maybe you lost a job. Maybe your finances took a turn for the worse. Maybe your personal life is in disarray or a health problem emerged forcing a lifestyle change.

Such setbacks can leave people feeling afraid, uncertain, angry or unsatisfied, says Darlene Hunter, a renowned speaker and author of "Win-Ability, Navigating through Life's Challenges with a Winning Attitude," (www.darlenehunter.com).

Overcoming those emotions, she says, comes down to a person's mindset and perspective.

"Your attitude is a critical factor that can either hold you back or help you move forward," Hunter says. "Everyone needs to take the time to do a pulse check on where they are in their thinking. Is it positive or negative?"

A positive attitude comes easily when life is rosy. The real trick is persevering when things go awry so you can continue to strive toward your goals.

"The important thing to remember is that we cannot give up just because things do not work out the way we want," Hunter says. "We must be persistent and press our way through to the end."
Hunter offers five tips that can help change your thinking, which in turn will change your behavior and, ultimately, change your results.

•  Be a planner. To live your dream, you need to know what you want and have a plan for getting there. "Planning your day, week and month are critical ingredients to living your dream and purpose," Hunter says. The "how" and "why" elements are important factors in planning, as they guide you in the direction you want to go.

•  Be goal oriented. Once you set goals, the next step is to work on completing them. That's why it's important to set goals you can accomplish. Each time you can check a goal off your list, you are one step closer to what you ultimately want to achieve. "The sense of accomplishment that comes from reaching even the smallest goals will help you keep moving and striving to get your desired end," Hunter says.

•  Be driven for results. When you are driven, Hunter says, you have a compulsive and urgent desire to accomplish what you are seeking, whether it's a bonus, a promotion, additional knowledge in a particular area or some other goal. The important factor is to always know what you are seeking. Results-driven people focus on meeting objectives and delivering on the goals they set.

•  Have a winning attitude. You must be determined, dedicated and devoted to succeed. "You should never give up on your goals and dreams simply because something goes wrong or you are not getting where you hoped to be fast enough," Hunter says.

•  Be focused. When you are focused, you have a clear perception and understanding of what you want to accomplish and where you need to go to get there. "Think about long-distance runners who will run a 26-mile marathon," Hunter says. "They find their pace and then they stay with it. They may get weary and tired, but they find their zone and stay focused and concentrate on what is needed to get to the end."

"Plenty of stories can be told about people who failed in the beginning, but made it to the top of their profession because they did not give up after being told they weren't good enough," Hunter says.
"The ability to keep trying and pushing no matter how many failures or obstacles you hit is the power of perseverance and is what 'Win-Ability' is all about."

About Darlene Hunter

Darlene Hunter, (www.darlenehunter.com), is president of Darlene Hunter & Associates, LLC, a motivational / inspirational speaker, author, life and business coach, and award-winning radio talk show host. Her new book, "Win-Ability, Navigating through Life's Challenges with a Winning Attitude," is her fourth on the theme of perseverance. She is the host of "The Darlene Hunter Show", winner of the Fishbowl Radio Network 2013 Distance Show Of The Year Award. Hunter has been a top performer in management for more than 30 years.