Behind Madonna’s Child Development on Carroll Street, or Highway 104 in Suite C, are three Pawnee businesses.  The three are Administrative Services Incorporated, Black Oak Securities, Inc., and Buckeye Insurance Agency, Inc.  Dwan Gross, who is the current owner, explained that all three businesses were originally started by Alvin “Marty” Mavis, Gerald “Jerry” Garfield and Eric Stark.

Mr. Mavis from Rochester retired in 1997, Mr. Garfield from Springfield retired in 2007, and Eric Stark from Glenarm, just recently retired this past July 2021.  Dwan, who hails from Taylorville, Illinois, said that she has been with the business since 2000.  

She learned about an opening at Administrative Services in a local newspaper.  “I saw an ad in the Breeze Courier, I interviewed and have been here ever since.  In 2005, I acquired some ownership, and then became President in 2021.”

The Administrative Services office was first located in Rochester, Illinois, but has been at the Pawnee location since 2018.  Dwan said they rent space from Madonna and Lynn Strawn, who redid the space to fit their business needs and now it suits them perfectly.

​“I have a great staff, Tammy Scott from Taylorville, who has been with me for ten years, and Jami McElroy from Pawnee, who has been here for three years,” Dwan added.

The three businesses Administrative Services Incorporated, Black Oak Securities, Inc., and Buckeye Insurance Agency work together hand in hand.  The first business that started it all was Administrative Services, which was incorporated in January of 1989.  Administrative Services, Inc. specializes in employee benefits.

“Since 1989 we have been dedicated to providing our clients with not only the best benefits, but also the best service,” Dwan explains.  “As an independent firm, we can help you shop, compare, and find the best plans for your specific needs and budget.  Throughout the years we have been working to create an employee benefits package which will allow even the smallest firm to compete with the largest for good employees. We work with each client personally to make this possible.”

As part of their services, they offer Pre-Tax Plans e.g. Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Reimbursement Arrangements and Premium Only Plans, along with Insurance Plans, and Retirement Plans. “When you offer benefits like these, you need a Third Party Administrator,” Dwan said, and that’s where they come in.  We offer a variety of plan designs, no one size fits all.  We offer plans to statewide associations, both large and small corporations, and sole proprietors.”

To meet the investment needs of our clients, Black Oak Securities, Inc. was born.  “Black Oak Securities was incorporated in September of 1992,” Dwan said. 

On their website they share, “Black Oak Securities Inc. (BOS) is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a broker dealer (BD) and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).  BOS is an independent BD that has been conducting limited securities business since 1992.”

“Black Oak Securities, Inc. now has 15 registered representatives in Illinois and Missouri that work not only with employers, but with individuals as well. We can help you start saving for retirement through an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), including Roth IRAs, Rollover IRAs, etc.  We offer employer sponsored plans such as 401(k)s, Profit Sharing Plans, SIMPLE IRAs, Payroll Deduct IRAs & Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Plans.  We can even assist with saving for college for your kids.”

She goes on to say, “Our team is honest, ethical, trustworthy, truthful, timely and reliable.  We are committed to act with integrity and loyalty.  You can count on us to work diligently on your behalf as recommendations are being made.”

The other aspect of the employee benefits industry is insurance, which is how Buckeye Insurance Agency came about.  Buckeye Insurance Agency became incorporated in December of 1997.  At Buckeye they offer both group and individual health care plans along with dental, vision, life and disability insurance.  They can help with Medicare and “Obamacare” as well.

“All three businesses go hand in hand, we are a one stop shop.  With three different companies in one office, we can provide you with the ability to offer your employees a variety of benefits, many at little or no cost,” Dwan said.

While the office move to Pawnee happened in 2018, Dwan and her husband Shawne moved outside of Pawnee in 2010.  “We like the small-town atmosphere of Pawnee,” she added.

Pawnee has been a great place for business located right in the heart of central Illinois.  The business and client base are all over Illinois and Missouri.  To keep business running smoothly takes a great team, and Dwan can’t say enough of her staff.  “I couldn’t do it without them; they are very knowledgeable of the products offered and provide great customer service.”
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Open for business Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 p.m. customers can stop by or call Administrative Services Incorporated at 217-498-8450.

By Cindy Ladage

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Hair on the Square has been open for three years.  Jenny Gillick and Ashley Milner are owners of Hair on the Square, a beauty salon just off the square.  The actual business location address is 619 Douglas St., Suite B, just around the corner from Glenn Brothers Garage Door Inc. 

Just the right size for the two stylists, Jenny said about the area where their cute shop is located, “Before, this was the storage for the (Glenn Brothers) garage.”

Way back when, the location of Glenn Brother’s Garage was Harry’s, a bar and grill famous for their milk shakes and hamburgers.  Jenny and Ashley think perhaps the area where their shop is now located was once where the pool table was back when.  The building has been a few other businesses along the way, but today it is a place for Pawnee residents and those in Central Illinois to come to be pampered.

The building is owned by Glenn Brothers Garage and Tim Glenn converted the area for the stylists into their current cool workspace.  With exposed brick and the clean sleek grey color combo, it sets just the right tone for a wonderful beauty experience.  At Hair on the Square, they offer a variety of treatments.  Without ever having to leave town, you can get a haircut, color, highlights and more.  You can get a perm, waxing, a pedicure or manicure!  

On the square, this is an easy location for Pawnee residents, however, customers come a ways to the shop as well!  One of the Facebook Reviews shows one customer drives an hour one way for hair styling, providing readers an idea of the stylist’s customer base loyalty.
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Besides the services outlined above, Jenny and Ashley added that gift certificates are available.  This would make wonderful Valentine’s Day, or upcoming Mother’s Day gift.

Jenny and Ashley are experienced stylists that chose to open a shop together and pool their talents.  ‘We worked together previously,” Ashley said.  

The two met when working at another salon.  That experience showed them that working together was something they knew they would enjoy before opening their own shop.  

Pawnee has been the perfect place for their hair salon location.  Jenny, who was born and raised in Pawnee, attended cosmetology school in Springfield right out of high school and started doing hair right after graduation.  “I’ve been doing hair for 23 years now,” she added.

Ashley who also has been a Pawnee resident all her life also attended cosmetology school after high school and started working in the industry after graduation.  “I have been doing this for 18 years,” she shared.

Hair on the Square is open Tuesday from 10-7, Wednesday from 3-7, Thursday from 10-7, Friday from 8-2, and Saturday from 10-2, most of the time.  With COVID, and unexpected family needs, hours may vary slightly! 

Both Jenny and Ashley are married with children. Jenny and her husband Matthew have been married for eleven years and have two children, a girl that is eight, and a boy that is four.  Matthew works in Taylorville for a food service warehouse company.  Ashley is married to Bill, and they have two children.  Their daughter is 19 and married, and they have a daughter that is 13. Ashley’s husband Bill works for the State of Illinois at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“I love it,” Jenny said about both working in the beauty industry and working in Pawnee. “I love doing this, and when I want and need to, being here in town, I can take care of stuff at home.”
Ashley added that the community has been very supportive of their salon.  “Pawnee is a good place to do business.”  

For more information about Hair on the Square, you can find them on Facebook at (5) Hair on the Square | Facebook.  Call 217-646-9068 to book an appointment.