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Foundation honors outgoing trustees
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LITTLE FALLS - Three Initiative Foundation Trustees recently left their positions at the end of 2009 after serving for a combined 20 years.
Gloria Contreras Edin of Inver Grove Heights and G. George Wallin of Big Lake have both served as trustees since 2000. Jim Anderson of Crosslake and Key Largo, Fla,. has been a trustee since 2007.
Each outgoing trustee was invited to name a favorite charitable recipient for a special grant. And $1,000 grants have been made to: Perseverancia (Cold Spring), to support opportunities for Latina leaders, in recognition of Edin; Saron Lutheran Church of Big Lake for the hospitality committee, in recognition Wallin; Kinship Partners Inc. of Brainerd to support a youth mentoring program, in recognition of Anderson.
WSN professionals earn licenses
BAXTER - Widseth Smith Nolting employees Jeremy Tautges and Bryan Bye and have passed the exams and met the education and experience requirements necessary to become registered professional engineers by the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience, and Interior Design.
Jeremy Tautges, PE of WSN's Brainerd/Baxter office, is a mechanical engineer in Minnesota and has been with WSN since 2007. His responsibilities include project coordination, design and specifications for mechanical (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and industrial processes) and plumbing piping systems for educational and commercial facilities. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and member of the WSN Green Team, which strives to improve WSN's green practices.
Bryan Bye, PE, of WSN's Alexandria office, is a civil engineer in Minnesota and joined WSN in 2007. He is responsible for water and sewer design, site planning and residential development, stormwater pollution prevention plans, wastewater facilities plans, and feasibility studies.
Other duties include construction inspection, surveying and drafting.
CTC Board recognized for leadership
Five Consolidated Telephone Co. board members were recently recognized for their commitment to furthering their education in telecommunications.
Kathy Kobliska, Paul Nieman Jr., Jerry Palm, Edward "Bud" Swecker and Mike Wetzel, along with CEO/General Manager Kevin Larson, were awarded NTCA's Excellence in Leadership Certificate for 2008-2009. The National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, is a nonprofit association that represents more than 580 rural telephone cooperatives and small commercial companies. To obtain the EIL Certificate, the board members attended nine or more NTCA seminars or conferences in any three consecutive calendar years.
Horizon Health announces scholarship opportunities
PIERZ - Horizon Health Inc., a nonprofit health care provider, announces six health care scholarships for graduating seniors.
Scholarships of $250 will be awarded to graduating seniors chosen from each of the following Morrison County Schools: Little Falls, Pierz, Royalton, Staples/Motley, Swanville and Upsala. High School seniors who plan to continue their education to pursue careers in health services, social work or long term care are encouraged to apply.
Applicants must have maintained a high school grade point average of 3.0 or higher and plan on a program lasting nine months or more. Recipients will be chosen on the basis of scholastic and school achievement, home and community involvement and an essay describing their educational goals. Students may obtain scholarship application forms from their high school counselor or Horizon Health.
Schleicher joins Adventure in Brainerd
Eric Schleicher joined Adventure advertising in Brainerd as digital cinema producer to complement the company's in-house video and digital graphics capabilities.
Schleicher is a recent graduate from Northern Michigan University with a fine arts degree in digital cinema. The production side of Adventure - Adventure Studios - complements the advertising agency's capabilities, but operates independently. Adventure reports Schleicher won Best of Show at the Senior Exhibition: Luminance Show in Marquette, Mich.
Grant supports training at Riverwood
Jessa Hastings
AITKIN - Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Brainerd Lakes Affiliate, awarded a $3,125 grant to Riverwood Foundation to support training for a certified lymphedema therapist for post-operative breast cancer patients living in Aitkin County and the surrounding area.
Lymphedema is a swelling of a body part, most often the extremities, from abnormal accumulation of protein rich edema fluid in the affected area. Lymphedema can develop when lymphatic vessels are missing or impaired or when lymph nodes and vessels are removed in surgery or injured during radiation therapy.
Jessa Hastings, registered physical therapist at Riverwood, completed 135 classroom hours of CDT coursework from Klose Training & Consulting in August 2009 to become a certified lymphedema therapist. In the past six months,
Weller awarded scholarship
Kellie Weller
WADENA - Kellie Weller, Tri-County Health Care human resource manager in Wadena, was recently awarded a $1,375 scholarship from the SHRM Foundation, an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management.
HR professionals pursuing degrees in HR-related fields or professional certification were eligible to apply. One hundred scholarship winners from across the U.S. were selected based on their work experience, HR career plans, volunteer activity and financial need.
The annual scholarship program is underwritten by the J. J. Keller Foundation.
Weller has been employed with Tri-County Health Care since August 2005 when she attained the position of human resource manager. She obtained a bachelor's degree in human resources management from Concordia University in St. Paul and recently obtained her master's degree in organizational management with an emphasis in human resources. Weller also serves as the scholarship director for Health Care Human Resources Association of Minnesota and is president-elect for the Lakes Country Human Resources Association that represents HR professionals throughout the area.
Nelson joins Riverwood as audiologist
AITKIN - Dr. Sarah Nelson, an audiologist, joined Riverwood Healthcare Center and began offering services at its Specialty Clinic in Aitkin in late January.
Dr. Sarah Nelson
Nelson specializes in diagnostic evaluations of hearing and hearing aid dispensing. She also helps with customizing hearing aids for patients' special hearing needs and is able to test patients 3 years and older in the clinic.
A Brainerd native, Nelson owns and operates a private audiology practice in Baxter. Previously, she worked as senior audiologist at Brainerd Medical Center, working with infant through geriatric patients and offering full diagnostic services.
After completing her bachelor of science degree in speech, language and hearing sciences at Moorhead State University, she went on to earn a master's degree in audiology at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. In 2007, she earned her doctorate degree of audiology at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, School of Audiology.
Nelson is seeing patients several Fridays a month in Aitkin.
Story to attend National Memory Walk Conference
Alicia Story of the Good Samaritan Society was selected to attend the 2010 National Memory Walk Conference.
The Minnesota /North Dakota Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is able to invite one volunteer to join them at the annual National Memory Walk Conference, Esther Gieschen, Northern Regional Center Director nominated Story for her work done in the Brainerd lakes area first memory walk. The 2009 event brought more than 500 walkers from the area in a quest to end Alzheimer's.
Alicia Story
As part of the 2010 Memory Walk Conference, Story will be traveling to Anaheim, Calif., to represent the MN/ND Chapter this Feb. 4.
Story will be working with chapters of the Alzheimer's Association from around the country to: run world class events; build the volunteer infrastructure for the Memory Walk; attract and retain sponsors and participants.
Story is the marketing director for the Good Samaritan Society Communities of Brainerd and Pine River. For more information about the Memory Walk and how to get involved in the second annual Brainerd Lakes Walk, Sept. 25, go online to www.alz.org/memorywalk.
Buxton joins WSN's land survey team
Scott Buxton, licensed surveyor, recently joined Widseth Smith Nolting's land survey team.
A 1989 graduate of Brainerd High School, Buxton has more than 21 years of survey- and engineering-related experience in Minnesota.
Latte 'n' Learn looks at reducing office clutter
Latte 'n' Learn, a Brainerd Lakes Chamber educational event, tackles office clutter with "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle the Clutter in Your Business."
An expert panel plans to offer tips on how to remove the clutter from your office, what things you can get money for, what things need to be destroyed, and what items can be recycled - from documents to electronics and furniture. This event is 7:30-8:30 a.m. Feb. 10 at the Country Inn and Suites 15058 Dellwood Drive in Baxter and will feature panelists Geoff Gorvin, Paper Storm; Scott Johnson, The Office Shop, Inc.; and Mike Rens, Hughes Technologies, Inc.
Advanced registration is recommended. For more information, go online to www.explorebrainerdlakes.com or call 829-2838. Cost is $10 and includes materials and coffee.
Business After Hours planned on Feb. 9
Brainerd Lakes Health is hosting Business After Hours from 4:30-6 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Heart and Vascular Center at St. Joseph's Medical Center, 523 Third St. N., Brainerd.
Chamber members are invited to attend this free event. Participants are also invited to bring door prizes. Advanced registration is recommended.
For more information, go online to www.explorebrainerdlakes.com, or call 829-2838.
Staples-Motley Chamber meeting planned Feb. 11
STAPLES - The Staples-Motley Area Chamber of Commerce annual membership meeting begins with a 6 p.m. social time Feb. 11 at T-Maxwells in Staples.
A 6:30 p.m. pork tenderloin dinner and program is planned along with door prizes.
Tickets are $12 Available at the chamber office, Curves, and Simplicity Salon and Spa.
Chamber hosts legislative conference calls
During the legislative session, the Brainerd Lakes Chamber is participating in a series of legislative conference calls featuring updates on business issues at the Capitol offered by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
Participants may join Brainerd Lakes Chamber staff and other business leaders at the Pequot Lakes Chamber Office, 31095 Government Drive, Pequot Lakes, or Brainerd Lakes Chamber Office, 124 N. Sixth St., Brainerd, to participate in the call.
The calls are only open to members of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber. Other chambers across the state also participate in the series, so attendees hear questions and comments from business people across the state.
Call Format: 7:30-7:45 a.m. "listen only" format. At 7:45 a.m. all lines will be opened up to allow questions. Calls are available 7:30-8 a.m.. at the Pequot Lakes and Brainerd Lakes chamber offices on Feb. 12, Feb. 26, March 12, March 26, April 9, April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7, May 14.
There is no cost to participate in these calls, however registration is required. For more information go to www.explorebrainerdlakes.com or contact Lisa Paxton at lpaxton@explorebrainerdlakes.com or (218) 822-7111.
Producer meeting to address ACRE program
STAPLES - The Farm Business Management program at Central Lakes College, Staples, will host a free producer meeting to address questions regarding the ACRE program, milk and crop marketing opportunities as well as the latest strategies using crop insurance.
All area producers are encourage to attend, at no cost. The meeting is planned from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at the CLC Staples campus.
For more information, contact Bob Rick at 820-8699 or Keith Olander at (763) 257-2881.
Export Essentials Series begins in February
Small Business Development Center partners with Minnesota Trade Office to host Export Essentials Series for February, March and April 2010.
The Minnesota Trade Office and North Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center in partnership with Brainerd Lakes Chamber and other business and economic development organizations in central Minnesota are behind a three-series program on growing business through exporting.
Export Process: An Introduction to Exporting. Export Process offers an overview of the exporting process, including assessing your export readiness; making the sale, arranging shipments and collecting payment is planned from 9 a.m.12 p.m. Feb. 17 with a networking lunch to follow at the Central Lakes College Business & Industry Center, E208. Cost is $50 which includes lunch.
For more information, e-mail mto.edu@state.mn.us.