Business notes

BAXTER -- Emily Nesheim and Anita Strassberg joined Panache Salon and Day Spa in Baxter.

Nesheim, with many years of experience in the salon industry, is the salon coordinator. Nesheim previously worked in an upscale day spa in Kansas City, Mo.

Strassberg, cosmetologist, previously worked in a day spa atmosphere. She specializes in waxing, sugaring and spa services.

Crow Wing Power board terms expire

Two Crow Wing Power Community Trust Board terms will soon expire.

Trustees with expiring seats are Joe Brenny, Baxter, and Robert Twiton, from the South Long Lake area near Brainerd. Applications are being accepted until April 10 for those interested in becoming a trustee. Applicants must be Crow Wing Power members and live in the Brainerd area.

The trust board has nine trustees who meet quarterly and review requests for grant funds that are obtained by Operation Round Up. The board distributes more than $80,000 annually to community projects and programs.

Each trustee is elected by the Crow Wing Power board for a three-year term. Terms begin at the date of the annual meeting or June 15. Applications will be reviewed at the April trust board meeting. The board will make recommendations in May to the full Crow Wing Power board and those directors will vote on candidates.

For more information, call Char Kinzer or Jolene Jensen at 829-2827.

Evergreen Press promotes managers

Lake Country Journal magazine's parent company, Evergreen Press announced the promotion of the department managers to principal status.

Managers are:

* Penny Nelsen, sales and marketing representative, who has been with the firm since its beginning in 1996 and is responsible for assisting business clients with their marketing in Lake Country Journal magazine.

* Aaron Hautala, art director, who also has been with the firm since 1996, is responsible for the visual aspects of both the editorial and advertising departments within the magazine.

Hautala also designs and produces marketing tools (brochures, catalogs, and advertising) for Evergreen Press' business clientele.

* Jodi Schwen, editor, has worked with the editorial department in writing and production since the magazine's beginning and was hired as its editor in 1999.

She is responsible for editorial content and the writers' contributions in Lake Country Journal magazine. Schwen also writes advertising and promotional copy for Evergreen Press' business clientele.

Hopman joins North Central Medical Supply

Al Hopman joined North Central Medical Supply in Brainerd.

Hopman has more than 25 years of maintenance and repair experience. He worked as a master technician for three major automakers and in the manufacturing field. His most recent experience was with Aspen Seating as a wheelchair seating technician.

Hopman's duties at North Central will include the development and implementation of a wheelchair maintenance program.

Mille Lacs Band names coordinator

ONAMIA -- John Mojica was named self-governance coordinator for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, a position that involves coordinating programs at the tribal level with national organizations and the federal government.

Mojica, an Onamia native, served in several band posts, including various jobs at Grand Casino Mille Lacs and, most recently, as the residential services coordinator for the Mille Lacs Reservation Housing Authority. He also worked for the band's Department of Natural Resources and the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Commission where he helped monitor the treaty harvest.

As part of his new job, Mojica will be a liaison between the Mille Lacs Band and national groups such as the Office of Self-Governance and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Some programs once administered by the federal government have been transferred to tribes but still need to be coordinated between the two levels of government. Mojica also will represent the band on national committees.

Taylor gains In-Fisherman promotion

Bart Taylor was promoted to national advertising director for In-Fisherman.

In his new position, Taylor will plan, execute and direct the advertising strategies and policies for In-Fisherman, inclusive of print, television, radio, Internet and tournament sponsorships.

Taylor joined In-Fisherman in August 2001 as a national accounts manager in the publishing division. Before joining In-Fisherman, he was president of Northern National Bank in Crosslake. The Crookston native is a University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, graduate. In-Fisherman is part of PRIMEDIA Inc., a leading producer of targeted media headquartered in New York City.

Rutske joins Wolverton

Tom Rutske recently joined Wolverton and Associates, Brainerd, a real estate appraisal and consulting firm.

Rutske recently completed three months of appraisal training with classes at Century College in White Bear Lake. He is a University of Minnesota graduate and has 30 years of business experience, mostly recently 17 years as human resources/facilities director at Universal Pensions Inc., six years as a real estate agent and broker and seven years with International Dairy Queen.

Rivers joins Northland Communications

Brent Rivers joined Northland Communication's sales department.

Rivers joins the company from Lakes Area Mailing where he was in customer service and sales. Before that he was employed with Cimarron Printing and Mailing where he held several positions over a 12-year period. Northland Communications is a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Telephone Co.

LF chamber names March employee

LITTLE FALLS -- Nancy Barthel, Little Falls, was named the March employee of the year by the Little Falls Chamber of Commerce.

Barthel has been a referral coordinator at Family Medical Center for nine years. Barthel said the job, while challenging at times, is also rewarding.

Halverson gains honor

Angie Halverson, former manager of the Brainerd Maurices store, was named a manager of the year.

Halverson, currently a district manager for a group of stores in the northern region, is among four winners nationwide from more than 400 Maurices' stores.

Kuepers Construction gains award

Kuepers Construction Inc. has been awarded a Gold Level of Achievement Award, safety training and evaluation process, for the year 2001 from the Associated Builders and Contractors at the national level.

The award was given based on Kuepers' safety program, safety training, management and employee commitment to safety and for providing a safe working environment.

LF chamber sets annual dinner

LITTLE FALLS -- The Little Falls Chamber of Commerce annual dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. March 11 in the Falls Ballroom.

The event begins with a social hour and entertainment. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. followed by a program at 7:30 p.m. and entertainment by Amy Schmidtbauer and Juliette McCoy. Cost is $18 per person. Registrations are requested by Thursday.

Lutheran Brotherhood recognizes sales, service

Darrell A. Kopplin and James Torfin gained honors for outstanding sales and service by Aid Association for Lutherans/Lutheran Brotherhood.

Kopplin, a district representative in Pequot Lakes, achieved membership in the organization's 2001 Executive's Club.

Torfin, a district representative in Brainerd, achieved membership in the organization's 2001 President's Club.

AAL/LB is a financial services organization recently formed through the merger of AAL of Appleton, Wis., and Lutheran Brotherhood of Minneapolis.