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CAREER
Hughes is new co-owner of BST Baxter Clinic
BAXTER — Officials with Big Stone Therapies Inc. announced that Baxter Big Stone Therapies Clinic Manager/Physical Therapist David Hughes is now co-owner of the Baxter clinic.
Hughes will continue in his role as clinic manager and practicing therapist in addition to new responsibilities as an owner.
Hughes has been with the Baxter Big Stone Therapies clinic since the clinic opened its doors five-and-a-half years ago. He is originally from Lime Springs, Iowa.
Hughes is one of three clinic managers/physical therapists in the Big Stone Therapies company who are co-owners of their clinic. The others include Mike Vig in Morris, and Trisha Rieffenberger in Watertown, S.D.
“David’s clinical and leadership skills will lend themselves well to his new ownership role at BST Baxter,” said Wade VanDover, Big Stone Therapies CEO. “We applaud his efforts and look forward to working with him in this new role.”
Magazine editor to lead workshop Feb. 23
Jodi Schwen, editor of the Lake Country Journal Magazine, will lead a writers workshop, Finding What’s Right to Write (for You!) at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in Room E203 on the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College.
The workshop is sponsored by the Center for Lifelong Learning at CLC.
The act of writing is hard work, said Schwen, who intends to help participants build on individual creativity and writing interests. She will discuss genres of writing (fiction, memoir, family history, etc.) and explore ways to bring your writing passions to life.
The Internet has made it easier to access websites; yet it’s more challenging to narrow publishing choices. The days of paging laboriously through a hefty writers market book are gone. The workshop will help participants take their writing to the next level, whether writing for publication, personal satisfaction, or just to find a writers group and genre.
Schwen has been editor-in-chief of the award-winning Lake Country Journal since 1999. Schwens published credits also include Guideposts and Minnesota Monthly magazines. She has written original dramas and monologues and presented workshops on journaling, creativity and how to freelance.
Her masters thesis researched the narratives of breast cancer patients. The thesis was published in 2010 and includes a drama she wrote, titled, “One Person Away” based on the true stories of breast cancer survivors.
Cost to attend this event is $5 for non-members or free for those with a Center for Lifelong Learning membership. For information go to www.clcmn.edu/lifelonglearning.
Historical Society partners with
Butler Project to secure grant
AITKIN — The Aitkin County Historical Society, on behalf of the Butler Project, is the recipient of grant funding from The Blandin Foundation.
The Blandin Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids and founded by Charles K. Blandin in 1941. It is Minnesota’s largest rural-based and rural-focused foundation. Its mission is to strengthen communities in rural Minnesota with a vision of building healthy rural communities grounded in strong economies where the burdens and benefits are widely shared. The grant will be used for architectural, structural and engineering study plans and costs and for permit fees associated with the renovation of the Butler Building.
Work on the first phase of the Butler renovation is underway, with demolition completed and restoration work ready to begin. The original plan was to restore the building in three phases with the first phase having an Internet café and six retail stores on the first floor. With help from the Blandin Foundation and other grantors, the plan now is to complete all three floors in a timely fashion giving full theater and event space on the second floor and providing two restaurants in the basement … The Grotto and the Rathskeller, a microbrewery.
The Butler Project plans to restore the Butler Building and turn its three levels into a destination for retail, dining and event space. Those interested in leasing opportunities can contact Project Manager Susan Ackerman via email at sackrmn@aol.com, or contact owner Sylvia Allen at (732) 241-1144.
Janco attends Tastefully
Simple regional meeting
Tastefully Simple consultant Shannon Janco attended the food company’s Tastefully Simple On Tour event in Bloomington, one of 16 regional meetings held across the country.
At the two-day event, Janco enjoyed recognition celebrations, participated in trainings and learned about Tastefully Simple’s new spring-summer product line, available March 1. More than 24,000 consultants nationwide have the option to attend the meetings, giving Janco many opportunities to network and learn from her peers.
Parsons gains promotion at College Possible Twin Cities
Brainerd native Alyssa Parsons was promoted to associate development officer at Twin Cities nonprofit College Possible.
As associate development officer, Parsons supports the external relations team by implementing organizational fundraising plans to help meet annual revenue goals. Parsons attended Concordia College in Moorhead where she majored in English and Spanish, edited marketing materials for a local nonprofit, taught after-school Spanish, and was a member of the Cobber track and cross country running teams.
Parson’s college experience engendered a passion for equal access to higher education, and she joined College Possible as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the 2008-2009 school year, assisting with institutional fundraising and development. After her term of service, she worked as a Hospitality Management Intern in the mountains of Andalusia, Spain, and for an insurance broker in Minneapolis upon her return to the U.S. She is returning to College Possible full time. College Possible works to make college admission and success possible for low-income students in the Twin Cities by providing after-school college access programming to 1,500 juniors and seniors at 19 public high schools. The organization also serves 3,100 college program participants they work to earn their college degrees.
“My college experience played a formative role in shaping my values and sense of self, and I want everyone to have access to the same opportunities I did,” Parsons said in a news release.
In her new role as associate development officer, Parsons will secure the funding necessary to help College Possible serve more students across the Twin Cities metro area.
College Possible Twin Cities was able to expand from serving 35 students in 2001 to 7,600 students this year.
Theurer taks part
in hospital program
STAPLES — Mary Theurer, chair of the Lakewood Health System District Board, took part in a voluntary hospital board member certification program through the Minnesota Hospital Association at the MHA Trustee Winter Leadership Conference in early January in Minneapolis.
The training helps trustees brush up on leadership skills and governance best practice methods. It also verifies trustees’ efforts to be informed about healthcare issues. As a participant, Theurer completed 35 education units in topics such as ethics, government regulations and patient safety and quality.
Theuer spent nearly 40 years working in various aspects of the healthcare field. Being retired offers her the opportunity to engage in many volunteer activities. She has been a member of Lakewood’s District Board for three years and was recently elected chair. Theurer is also in her second term on the Staples Community Foundation Board of Directors. In November, she was elected to the Staples City Council and serves on the Public Works Committee.
Minnesota Council on Foundations
elects officers, directors
The Minnesota Council on Foundations, a regional association of grantmakers, elected new board officers and directors.
Officers elected for 2012 are: Kevin Walker, president and CEO of Northwest Area Foundation, was elected board chair; Carolyn Roby, vice president, Wells Fargo Foundation Minnesota, was elected vice chair; Kari Suzuki, director of operations, Otto Bremer Foundation, was elected secretary; and Nancy Nelson, vice president, chief actuary, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota, was elected treasurer.
New directors elected to three-year terms ending in 2014 are: Brad Kruse, program director, Hugh J. Andersen Foundation; Gary Nan Tie, trustee, Jerome Foundation; and Tim Thorpe, trustee, James R. Thorpe Foundation. Walker; Suzuki; Mark Hiemenz, partner relations officer, Minnesota Philanthropy Partners; and Mark Lindberg, director of relief, recovery and development, Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, were each elected to a second three-year term. LaTresse Snead, community relations team lead, Tastefully Simple, was elected to fill a vacancy; her term will end in 2013.
Ziegler CAT promotes
Hoeft to vice president
Andreas Hoeft, recently promoted to vice president ag division, started his full-time employment with Ziegler CAT in 2006, working as an ag product specialist.
He became a Six Sigma Black Belt in 2007, and then served in a variety of construction and industrial-related positions from 2007–2011, including compact equipment territory manager, customer support representative for the Twin Cities area. He was heavy equipment territory manager in Des Moines, Iowa, product support sales manager for Ziegler Power Systems, and, most recently, truck business development manager, where he was responsible for leading the launch of the new CAT vocational truck.
In September 2011, Hoeft returned to the ag division as the ag strategy manager. His broad background will enable him to bring a wide range of knowledge and experience to his new leadership role.
EVENT
Everhart to perform at chamber meeting
LITTLE FALLS — The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce invited chamber and community members to its 124th annual meeting Thursday at the Falls Ballroom.
The featured entertainment for this event is Glen Everhart, musician and comedian.
Everhart, Maplewood, is an accomplished musician. Everhart started his musical life on the backyard swing set with songs from the radio. His singing career continued at church and in the middle and high school choirs. After graduating from St. Cloud State University in 1979, he became an elementary school music teacher in Cold Spring. In 1987, Everhart provided music five nights a week at Metrodome Holiday Inn, followed by a 10-year career with an acoustic duo with long-time friend Ted Fyder creating “Fyder and Everhart.” Cost to attend the chamber’ annual meeting is $30 per person which includes the meal. RSVP is requested by 5 p.m. Monday by calling the chamber at (320) 632-5155 or via the chamber’s website at www.littlefallsmnchamber.com.
How to submit a business note:
The Dispatch welcomes business notes submissions via email to renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com, via an online form at www.brainerddispatch.com, by fax to (218) 829-0211, mail to Brainerd Dispatch, P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN 56401 or use the drop-off box in the alley next to the Dispatch building on James Street. Questions are welcome to Renee Richardson at 855-5852.
