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Minnesota American Indian Chamber honors Anderson
ONAMIA - Marge Anderson, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, was recognized for her longtime commitment to economic development.
The Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce presented Anderson with its Bear Award, honoring her achievements in using gaming revenues to diversify the band's economy, provide jobs, and expand services to band members and the community.
Anderson has served more than 25 years in the band's government. She was District I representative from 1976-1987, secretary/treasurer from 1987-1991, and chief executive from 1991-2000 and again since 2008. During that time, she has led the development and growth of Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Grand Casino Hinckley, and other band-owned businesses. She was also the driving force in the decision to use business revenues to rebuild the Mille Lacs Reservation through new schools, clinics, community centers, housing, and infrastructure ranging from roads to a wastewater treatment plant, the chamber reported.
The Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce gives the Bear Award to one individual each year who has shown an extraordinary commitment to the development and success of American Indian businesses. The award was one of five presented at the chamber's annual dinner on Dec. 16. Another honor, the Buffalo Award, was given to Mille Lacs Band-owned Woodlands National Bank in recognition of its support of other American Indian businesses.
Colonial Life appoints Boyd as sales rep
JoAnna Boyd was appointed as an agent sales representative for Colonial Life with the Joe Vreeland, At Work Insurance Agency.
Boyd will be responsible for sales growth in the Brainerd area. She has more than 20 years in business management, developing companies through teaching and administration.
Gibbs joins Lakewood Health System
STAPLES - Kelli Gibbs joined Lakewood Health System as a physician assistant-certified.
Gibbs is from St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Mont., where she focused on medication management and patient rehabilitation after strokes and/or heart attacks.
Gibbs received her bachelor's degree in athletic training from the University of Montana. She has two master's degrees: one from the University of Georgia in clinical exercise physiology, and another from South University - Savannah, Ga., in physician assistant studies.
Gibbs, who will primarily see patients out of Lakewood's Staples Clinic, belongs to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, and is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
Steffen gains top sales award for 2010
Linda Steffen was awarded as Century 21 Brainerd Realty's Top Producing Sales Associate Award for 2010.
Century 21 Brainerd Realty met at the Cragun's Legacy for its annual meeting.
Schueller joins Nisswa Insurance Agency
NISSWA - Lisa Schueller, insurance agent, joined Nisswa Insurance.
Schueller moved to the lakes area in 1999, joining Brainerd Insurance Agency and focusing on personal and professional lines of insurance.
She will be concentrating on business insurance.
Lund Boats signs with fishing-focused Traditions Media
Lund Boats recently announced a new partnership with the angling-public relations specialists at Traditions Media.
Traditions Media's immediate role will be to champion Lund's recent model introductions – such as the new Impact series.
Kramer gains award as top listing associate
Ken Kramer was awarded as Century 21 Brainerd Realty's Top Listing Associate Award for 2010.
Century 21 Brainerd Realty met at the Cragun's Legacy for its annual meeting.
Shepard earns certification
CROSSLAKE - Greg Shepard, Crosslake Edina Realtor, earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert certification awarded to real estate agents who have completed the course work preparing real estate professionals to work effectively with homeowners facing financial hardship.
It is estimated about 3 percent of all professional real estate agents receive the CDPE certification.
Olson joins Weichert Realtors-Tower Properties
Real estate agent Ryan Olson, a specialist in residential sales, has joined Weichert Realtors-Tower Properties.
Olson, Pequot Lakes, has a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of North Dakota. Prior to real estate, he worked in the field of photography.
Kovatovich earns NKBA certification
BAXTER - The Hearth Room of Baxter announced interior designer Paula Kovatovich earned her Certified Kitchen Designer certification from the National Kitchen & Bath Association. The certification program requires designers to have a minimum of seven years experience designing residential kitchen spaces.
Kovatovich graduated from Alexandria Technical College with an AAS degree in interior design and has been with The Hearth Room for nine years.
Poissant receives certification
BAXTER - Steve Poissant, Nor-Son project superintendent, recently received his Lead Safe Renovator Environmental Protection Agency Certification.
The accredited renovator course is designed for people who conduct or oversee work in pre-1978 homes and/or child-occupied facilities. The training involves a day-long course, which covers topics on lead paint, regulations, work information, cleaning activities, recordkeeping and training.
According to the EPA, the new lead certification is required for any and all renovation activities that disturb more than six square feet of interior or 20 square feet of exterior lead paint in residential or child-occupied facilities built before 1978. This new rule took effect on April 22.
Golden Shovel Agency launches website
LITTLE FALLS - Little Falls Web development firm Golden Shovel Agency plans to launch a revolutionary website system at the Mid-America Economic Development Council Competitiveness Conference and Site Selector Forum in Chicago Dec. 5-7.
Golden Shovel Agency announced it was the first of its kind in the industry. Economic Gateway is a joint venture between Golden Shovel Agency and Applied Data Consultants Inc., an Eau Claire, Wis. geographic information systems company.
Unlike other systems that focus solely on either web design or site locator tools, Economic Gateway combines both into one system at a cost that is affordable for organizations of all sizes. The end result is a fully functional, custom designed economic development website complete with a site selector map and a suite of economic development website modules, the company reported.
A Kansas group is the first to choose Economic Gateway as its online tool for retaining and attracting business and industry to its area and will feature the new Web Portal at the MAEDC Chicago conference.
Buermann named LF employee of the month
LITTLE FALLS - Dorine Buermann was named the employee of the month for January by the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's Outstanding Service Committee.
Buermann is employed as a resident technician at St. Camillus Place, where she has been working for 12 years. In her employer's comments, Buermann was described as a worker who goes above and beyond what is expectedby helping residents to grow and stay connected to their families.
Certified food manager training set at CLC
A Certified Food Manager course will meet 5 to 9 p.m. Jan. 11, 13, and 18 in the Business and Industry Center at Central Lakes College, Brainerd.
Certification is required in most Minnesota food establishments.
Instructor is Colette Pohlkamp.
Participants are trained and tested through the ServSafe Serving Safe Food Certification course. They will learn about potentially hazardous foods and safe food handling practices, the HACCP system of food safety, setting up standards and completion upon passing the required exam.
The course fee is $160.
Registration deadline is Jan. 4.
For more information, call (800) 933-0346 extension 8142 or 855-8142.
Lean practices course at CLC in January
Scott Stall will lead a "lean practices" class for manufacturing and service company officials wanting to be more efficient and maintain quality and the bottom line in January at the Business and Industry Center of the Central Lakes College campus in Brainerd.
This introductory Job Shop – Lean Practices course provides information suited for not only job shop and large-run manufacturers but also service companies, offices, and healthcare facilities.
The class will meet 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 13, Jan. 18 and Jan. 25 in E100. The fee is $199. Deadline to register is no later than Jan. 6. For more information, call (800) 933-0346, ext. 8142 or 855-8142.
'Power Limited' course offered at CLC
Central Lakes College, Brainerd, will host a continuing education course for holders of the Minnesota Power-Limited Technician License 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 13-Jan. 14 in the Business and Industry Center.
The course consists of 16 hours of instruction covering applicable articles and sections of the 2008 National Electrical Code, Minnesota statutes and rules governing electrical work, and a review of the basic elements of electricity and electrical calculations.
This course has been approved by the Minnesota State Board of Electricity. Students must have a calculator and the 2005 or 2008 NEC Code Book. Code books are available in class for $82.
Tuition is $300 and includes lunch.
The course is offered in collaboration with Riverland Community College.
Deadline to register is Jan. 6. For more information, call (800) 933-0346 ext. 8142 or 855-8142.
Free nursing assistant course offered
ONAMIA - The Mille Lacs Band is partnering with Central Lakes College and the Mille Lacs Health System to offer a free nursing assistant course to anyone interested in beginning a career in health care.
The course will take place from Jan. 25-March 14 at the Mille Lacs Health System hospital in Onamia. Classes will be held Monday-Thursday from 4-7:30 p.m.
People who are interested in becoming a nursing assistant and/or home health aide are encouraged to register. Tuition, supplies and uniforms will be provided through a grant from HealthForce Minnesota.
The nursing assistant course will enable students to practice and demonstrate basic nursing skills in supervised laboratory and clinical settings. Clinical sessions will be performed in a nursing home. The course will also teach nursing ethics, basic human needs, and personal care skills.
Upon completion of the three-credit college course, students will be eligible to take a test to be placed on the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry.
The purpose of this course is to recruit and train low income, first generation, students of color, and American Indians in professional health careers.
Students must register for the course by Jan. 21. For more information, Mille Lacs Band members should contact Deb Campbell at (320) 532-4741 and non-Mille Lacs Band members should contact Jean Mershon at 855-8236.
Walmart grant to preserve wildlife habitat
Walmart's Acres for America program is helping preserve an additional 212,000 acres in four states this year for critical wildlife habitat, recreation and to maintain a sustainable forestry operation.
Walmart, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, created Acres for America, a 10-year, $35 million commitment to purchase and preserve one acre of wildlife habitat in the U.S. for every acre of land developed by the company. During the next five years, Walmart and NFWF will focus on preserving lands critical to protecting migration routes, iconic wildlife, watersheds and forests.
In Minnesota, the work protects land in the Upper Mississippi Forest Conservation Easement, protecting more than 60,000 acres of wetlands, streams and lakeshore habitat in Northern Minnesota critical to preserving bird species, including the ruffled grouse, American woodcock and golden-winged warbler. Additionally, the Blandin Paper Company will continue operating its sustainable forestry practices on the land, supporting more than 3,000 families in the region. The public can access the lands for hunting, hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing and berry picking.
Grand Casino Mille Lacs Awards $1,000 to Riverwood Foundation
Grand Casino Mille Lacs has awarded Riverwood Foundation $1,000 as part of their 12 Days of Giving Program.
This is a fun promotion where guests can earn points to select from thousands of holiday gifts. Grand Casino didn't stop there. They wanted to celebrate the holiday season by giving back, which is why they have given $1,000 daily for 12 days to 12 worthy organizations.
Grand Casino chose the organizations based on their service to children, families or the environment. On Dec. 8 Grand Casino Mille Lacs honored Riverwood Foundation with a $1,000 donation. Riverwood Healthcare Center provides quality healthcare and services to residents of Aitkin County and surrounding communities.
Mille Lacs Band donates more than $29,000
ONAMIA - The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe donated $29,666 in monetary and in-kind contributions to a variety of nonprofit organizations and other charitable causes in November.
Every month, the band contributes to community programs in Minnesota and nationwide. So far in 2010, the Band has donated $505,275.
In November, the Mille Lacs Band donated $1,000 to Breath of Life, a program located in Brainerd for dependent adults and their caregivers. The donation will help provide services that give caregivers a break from full-time care so they can maintain their own physical and emotional well-being.
The Mille Lacs Band also donated $1,000 to the Mille Lacs County Search and Rescue team. The donation will be used to purchase land search equipment, including GPS devices. The 30-member team helps the sheriff's office during search and rescue missions throughout the county, including Mille Lacs Lake.
The McGregor Area School district received $6,000 from the Mille Lacs Band for its playground initiative. A committee of parents, community members, students, and school district staff are building a new playground to increase children's physical activity, improve their social skills, and provide a safe place for children to play.
Other notable area contributions included Kinship of Crow Wing County, a nonprofit youth development program in Brainerd.
In November, the Band donated to organizations and causes in Aitkin, Anoka, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Chisago, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Pope, Ramsey, Rice, Saint Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Steele, Todd, Wabasha, Washington, and Wright counties.
The band also donated in the Wisconsin counties of Barron, Burnett, Dunn, and Saint Croix.
Aitkin/Crow Wing County BAR Association donates
The Aitkin/Crow Wing County BAR Association, in a unanimous vote taken at their bi-annual meeting, expanded their support of local nonprofit organizations to include the Collaborative Service Team at Crosby/Ironton Junior and Senior High School, the local Chapter of the Marine Corps League Toys for Kids program, and the customary grants to the Brainerd High School Moot Court program.
The week of Dec. 20 saw the distribution of funds to these three associations.
Brook Mallak, BAR association president, stated: "We had a slight surplus of funds this year. It was agreed among the members that we could go beyond the normal support in the legal area and extend into the community a little extra help during this season of giving."
CenterPoint Energy contributes to holiday project
CenterPoint Energy employees, retirees and family members volunteered and contributed a $1,700 gift to the Holiday Sharing Tree project this year to help 900 families. The Holiday Sharing Tree is a joint effort by area businesses, local service groups and volunteers, who make it possible for those in need in to receive gifts during the holidays.
