BUSINESS Spotlight:  St. Nicholas Catholic School

St. Nicholas Catholic School has a long, rich tradition of promoting academic excellence, encouraging spiritual and character growth, and fostering a sense of community and service to others. Established in 1958, the school has grown over the years to currently serve 170 students in pre-school through 6^th grade.

As the only fully accredited private school in the Mini-Cassia area, St. Nicholas Catholic School serves the entire community and incorporates the schoolwide expectations of faith, Learning, and Service into their daily teaching and practices. Students receive excellent academic instruction based on state standards, as well as Spanish, Music, PE, and Faith instruction.

In partnership with PMT, the school has fully integrated technology into their curriculum. Student learning tools include 1:1 devices powered by PMT’s fiber-optic Internet. Each child at St. Nicholas has access to a device that’s connected to Wi-Fi to help them in their learning.

As enrollment at the school continues to grow, St. Nicholas is expanding into nearby facilities. To make communication systems, technology, and the Internet work seamlessly between the buildings, PMT connected the campus with fiber-optics and new cabling. This will serve the new expansion as they open a new library, computer lab, administrative office, and Spanish classroom and allow for future growth.

The school has also relied on PMT since their opening to provide the most up-to-date phone systems and for dependable phone service. Additionally, PMT has installed flood sensors in the basements of the buildings and maintains their server.

“In the world of education, technology is wonderful. It allows us to better help students on an individual basis,” states Colleen Johnson, St. Nicholas Catholic School Principal. “We rely on PMT as a technology partner to help us power learning and operations, and to stay connected to students, teachers, parents, and staff.”

PMT is grateful to have St. Nicholas Catholic School as a customer, and if their students are any indication, the future looks bright.

Business Spotlight: Kimberly Nurseries

Wind.  This was the driving force that started Kimberly Nurseries over 100 years ago.  In 1907, Kimberly Nurseries was born out of a necessity for trees for the Magic Valley settlers to use for windbreaks and fruit trees.  Since then, Kimberly Nurseries has grown and diversified.

Fast forward to today, and Kimberly Nurseries specializes in designing and installing landscaping throughout the Magic Valley. From new builds to renovations, commercial to residential, small budgets to large, Kimberly Nurseries’ goal is to bring their clients’ outdoor vision to life.  In addition to landscaping, Kimberly Nurseries also does sprinklers and irrigation, as well as landscape maintenance.

Kimberly Nurseries works hard to be the best in the landscape industry.  They are the only landscape business in Idaho that is accredited with the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).  Being a NALP member means that the Kimberly Nurseries team is certified in landscape installs, hardscapes, softscapes, and irrigation.  Kimberly Nurseries ensures their team is trained and educated to offer the best value to their customers. “Anyone with a wheel-barrow and shovel can say they are a landscaper,” says Kimberly Nurseries General Manager John Williams, “but at Kimberly Nurseries, we want to offer the best value to our clients.  We are professional and offer a quality job, so it will grow and last well into the future of our client’s needs.  That is where the value is.”

Kimberly Nurseries saw the value of PMT and switched their communication services to PMT. As more of their office applications, software and communications with client moves to cloud based, a steady, reliable Internet connection is a must.  The pandemic brought on the need for a strong upload speed to do virtual meetings with clients and interview potential employees throughout the country.  In addition to Internet, PMT also provides their phone system, and local and long-distance calling over our fiber-optic network. “PMT provides us with the best quality communications,” states Williams, “They are very professional and provided a smooth transition. We are pleased we switched our service provider to PMT.”

In the words of Warren Buffett, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” If you are looking for value in the landscape industry, look no further than Kimberly Nurseries.  If you need communication services for your home or office, we hope you look to PMT.

Business Spotlight: 2^nd South Market

In 2017, while on a family vacation in Denver, Colorado, Dave Buddecke mistakenly went through the wrong door. What he saw on the other side of that door filled him with a vision of something that he had to bring back home. On the other side of the door was a food hall – something that Dave nor the rest of his family had ever experienced before. After enjoying a beer and people watching for about an hour, Dave went and got the rest of his family to come to see the special place he had stumbled upon.

Dave and his wife Lisa came back from their trip, and they could not shake the experience they had at the food hall in Denver. Together they decided that they would open up 2nd South Market, the first food hall in Idaho. In 2019 they purchased the vacant Salvation Army Building in downtown Twin Falls and got to work renovating the building. They kept and repurposed as much as they could of the historic building. The open and light-filled building houses seven unique vendors: Lucy’s New York Style Pizzeria, Poke & Sushi Hut, The Tap House, Full Steam Espresso, Cloverleaf Creamery, Rosti Xpress Mexican Food, and The Smokey Bone. 2nd South Market is located at 210 2nd Ave South in Twin Falls.  They are open every day of the week. To see the unique menus of each vendor and their hours, visit www.2ndsouthmarket.com.

Once they started their remodel, Dave came to PMT for their communication needs. “I have had PMT services in other businesses I have worked with, and I knew they would take care of us,” states Dave. PMT provides 2^nd South Market with phone lines and a fiber optic Internet connection.  PMT has setup a managed Wi-Fi network so there is a secure private connection that the vendors can use to process credit cards and run their point-of-sale systems, as well as a public network that guests can enjoy during their dining experience.  With managed Wi-Fi from PMT, 2^nd South Marketyoutuvb can rest assured that their Wi-Fi network is being taken care of by professionals, and they can focus on their business.

Dave and Lisa have truly created a unique indoor and outdoor dining experience in Twin Falls. The open space is a comfortable, family-friendly place to dine. Everyone can get the food they desire and connect over their meal in the large open seating area.

Thank you, 2nd South Market, for trusting PMT to connect you.

In 2018, father and son, Ardel and Jesse Wickel, decided they needed to diversify the family farm and bought a tire store. Fast forward to today, and the side business that the duo purchased has exploded in growth.

Wickel Tire Pros, which started with four employees, now has 35 employees and 20 service trucks. The business recently moved to a newly remodeled 23,000-square-foot building at 539 Overland Ave in Burley.

The Wickels’ attribute much of their growth to the trust they’ve built with their customers. “From the beginning, I’ve always told my crew that I don’t want to be the biggest tire store. I want to be the best. I want to do the best job for our customers and provide the best quality,” states Jesse Wickel.

Wickel and his crew always think of what works best and is safest for their customers. They test tires on their own vehicles to know what works in our unique area and give personalized recommendations. Coming from a farming background, the Wickels’ know how vital prompt service is to their customers and will answer a call in the middle of the night to get a farmer back up and running as quickly as possible.

In addition to the sale, installation, and repair of tires, Wickel also offers complete under- car services such as oil changes, brakes, shocks, struts, alignment, and transmission work.

When Wickel Tire Pros started remodeling its new location, they asked PMT for a complete communications package including design, installation, and maintenance. PMT provides local and long-distance calling, as well as a phone system that seamlessly connects to the on-call technician after hours. PMT also out- fitted the business with an Internet circuit strong enough to run all the diagnostic machines, office computers, and Wi-Fi for customers. Cable TV service is available for customers in the waiting room. For peace of mind, PMT installed 32 security cameras so vehicles are monitored at all times.

Since all of these services are under one contract, the business can count on PMT to resolve any technical issues, day or night, at no additional cost. “Our managed services let Wickel Tire Pros focus on what it’s good at and leave the IT portion to PMT. If a printer stops working or a camera goes down, PMT will be there to fix it,” states Bryan Beckstead, PMT Account Executive.

PMT is excited to see the growth of Wickel Tire Pros and is grateful the Wickels’ trust us to help them connect with and serve their customers.

The community of Rupert was developed as a result of the Minidoka Project, which was created under the Reclamation Act of l902. This act, signed by Teddy Roosevelt, made it possible to irrigate and “reclaim” desert ground for agricultural purposes.

The Minidoka Project began in l904 and consisted of the construction of Minidoka Dam and associated canals northeast of Rupert in Minidoka County. As the town grew, the need for healthcare increased, and a physician named Dr. Frazier saw the need in Rupert and proceeded to build a hospital. Dr. Frazier did all the work himself, and the Hospital was completed in 1926. The Hospital was known as Rupert General Hospital and was located on what is now the corner of 6th and G Street – and is owned and used as office space by PMT today.

Dr. Frazier owned and operated the Hospital until 1928. After that, the Hospital exchanged ownership several times until Minidoka County built Minidoka Memorial Hospital (MMH) to retain physicians and patients. MMH opened its doors in 1960.

MMH is the joint operation of Minidoka County’s only Hospital and Nursing Home located in Rupert, Idaho. Services offered include surgery, inpatient and outpatient treatments, Long-Term Care, Home Health, ambulance, and occupational health. The Hospital employs over 380 people, making it one of the county’s largest employers.

MMH’s goal is to make it easier for residents of Minidoka County to get quality care without having to travel out-of-town. Over the past 10 years they have added several specialists to their team, including an ENT, Internists, Orthopedic Surgeons, and a Neuro Surgeon – quite an accomplishment for the size and population on Minidoka County.

MMH has also been collecting awards. They are the recent recipients of the Nationally recognized Verdantix Innovation Award for their Quality Program using state-of-the-art software technology.

Since the Hospital opened its doors in 1960, PMT has been providing phone service to MMH. As the Hospital grew and technology progressed, PMT has continued to be MMH’s communications provider of choice for phone and internet service. PMT has connected multiple buildings owned by the Hospital with fiber optics and upgraded their phone system, so all the phones on the campus are connected seamlessly. With more medical devices reliant on internet service and conducting general business, “Minidoka Memorial’s relationship with PMT is vital to the successful treatment of our patients. More and more of the equipment and technology that we use is reliant on the fiber connection that is provided by PMT, from our Electronic Medical Record to the transfer of digital images and everything in-between. Our patients are the beneficiaries of the services PMT provides.” Jason Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer, Minidoka Memorial Hospital.

PMT values the relationship we have built with MMH over the last six decades and looks forward to their continued success and growth as they care for the residents of Minidoka and the surrounding counties.

In the early 1900s, the Magic Valley started to bloom in large part thanks to a visionary man named Stanley Milner. He financed the construction of the Milner Dam and the Twin Falls canal system, bringing water to the high desert of Idaho.

In 2018, Tom Nickel had the vision to bolster the Twin Falls downtown revitalization by designing a brewery and restaurant in the historical building located on Shoshone and Second Street. Over the years, this building has housed the Elks Lodge, the public library, and the Historical Ballroom. The brewery and restaurant that Tom Nickel created is Milner’s Gate – Idaho Craft Brewery, named after Stanley Milner.

Milner’s Gate is a 10-barrel brewing facility with the largest of the stainless steel and copper tanks on the basement floor extending to the main floor to create a one-of-a-kind view in the dining area. The business features a full bar and currently offers 11 exclusive craft beers. Its culinary team has curated a large menu with creative interpretations of classic American and bistro fare to appeal to a wide range of palettes.

In addition to its dine-in service, Milner’s Gate and its sister restaurant Elevation 486 provide catering and host corporate gatherings and weddings. Both restaurants rely heavily on PMT Internet to run their point-of-sale systems and provide Wi-Fi for groups using their conference and meeting rooms.

“One of the easiest decisions we made during the year-long process of renovating an old historical building was getting our Internet services through PMT. We use PMT Internet for everything. All of our programs run on it. And we’ve never had our Internet go down or cause problems so we couldn’t ring stuff in, process credit cards, etc. That’s pretty remarkable. Plus, fast and efficient fiber services are only the tip of the iceberg as far as what you get when you partner with PMT. They are some of the most professional, hard-working, and friendly team of people you will ever encounter. Their commitment to our community is truly remarkable,” states Malan Erke, Marketing & Events Manager.

PMT is grateful for visionaries who found a way to distribute water throughout the valley, and to those that continue to look forward and spread magic to the place we call home.

Goode Motor Auto Group has a long history in Southern Idaho. In fact, it’s the oldest Ford dealership in the state, with family roots going back to the early 1900s in Rupert, Idaho.

In 1917 Alonzo Read and his business partner, C.A. Jones, acquired their first Idaho Ford franchise, known as Jones Read Ford Motor Company. About 10 years later, Read sold his interest in the dealership, and in 1938 the Goode family purchased it and renamed it Goode Motor.

In 1978 Garth Williams was hired by Goode Motor as a car salesman. He worked hard, rose through the ranks, and ultimately became the general manager of the dealership and part owner along with the Goode family. After the Goode family sold their interest to Garth Williams, he retained the name Goode Ford because of the long-standing positive image in the community. In 2006, Garth’s son-in-law, Matt Cook, left his law practice in Texas to join the company, learn the car business and become Garth’s partner. In a fascinating twist of fate, it turns out that Matt is the great-grandson of Alonzo Read, the original founder of the first Ford dealership in Idaho. That means that the oldest Ford dealership in Idaho is run today by the same family that started it in 1917! In 2016, Garth retired and his son, Brandon Williams, and son-in-law, Pablo Silvaz, purchased an interest in Goode Ford, and now these families actively manage all aspects of the Goode dealerships.

Over the years, Goode Motor has grown rapidly — from one location in Rupert (now Goode Ford in Burley) to three additional dealership rooftops in Southern Idaho: Goode Motor Overland in Burley, Goode Motor Volkswagen Mazda in Twin Falls, Silver Creek Ford in Hailey, along with a Centralized Reconditioning Center in Twin Falls. This kind of growth has helped transform Goode Motor’s mission for employees, their families, and the surrounding communities in several ways.

After purchasing the Volkswagen/Mazda location in Twin Falls, Matt decided it was time for a new mission statement created by the heart and soul of Goode Motor, its people. He gathered every employee from all dealerships into one room. As a team, they decided who Goode Motor is and what Goode Motor stands for. And here is what they came up with as a team:

Soon after the mission statement was brought to life, a second phase focused on giving back to surrounding communities. Today every Goode Motor dealership sponsors projects known as Goode Gives Back. Each dealership hosts a community fundraising event for local schools and various nonprofit endeavors. Goode Ford has hosted several Drive 4UR School Fall Carnival events for Burley High School and several elementary schools. Goode Motor VW Mazda hosts an annual golf scramble, where it raises funds for numerous projects for elementary schools in the Twin Falls School District, including a walk-path for Harrison Elementary and a Mentor Program for Perrine Elementary. Silver Creek Ford partnered with the Sun Valley Road Rally to raise thousands of dollars for the local Drug Coalition. All in all, the Goode Gives Back program has raised over $75,000 for community needs in the past few years.

As a family-owned dealership, Goode Motor is passionate about treating guests and employees like family. Goode Motor’s promise is to act with uncompromised integrity while delivering uncommon courtesy. From its employee-created mission statement to its Goode Gives Back endeavors, Goode Motor works to provide continual growth and improvement for its families, employees, businesses, and communities.

PMT helps Goode Motor connect with its customers by providing Internet service at all locations as well as business-class phone services for over 100 phone lines using SIP trunking and Internet protocol. This offers more advanced features than a traditional phone system plus no costly hardware investments, which reduces costs for Good Motor.

“Switching to PMT has been a night-and-day difference,” said Matt Cook. “We no longer have the technical issues we were experiencing with our previous provider, and PMT’s customer service is a breath of fresh air. I know the employees on a first-name basis, and I know that if we ever have a problem, it will be resolved promptly. When I call PMT, they answer the phone and a local representative is always available to help.”

Uncommon courtesy and community-minded people — what you’ll find at PMT and Goode Motor Auto Group.