BUSINESS NOTES
Bremer Financial CEO announces retirement
Stan Dardis, chief executive officer of Bremer Financial, has announced he will retire effective April 1.
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A 33-year veteran of banking and financial services, Dardis was named chief executive officer of Bremer and elected to its board of directors in 1998. The Bremer Board of Directors has approved Patrick Donovan, president and chief operating officer of Bremer, as Dardis' successor.
Donovan was named executive vice president and chief operating officer for Bremer in 2002. Donovan has more than 25 years of banking experience, spending time at Wells Fargo as president and chief operating officer, where he was responsible for banking operations throughout Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio. In addition, Donovan has held management positions in the retail banking, business banking, private banking and trust divisions of First Bank and Norwest.
Prior to joining Bremer, Dardis had a varied career. After serving in the United States Air Force as an instructor pilot in the advanced jet program, he began his banking career as an agricultural loan officer at Norwest Bank in Aberdeen, S.D. From there, he became vice president of credit and banking services and director at First National Bank in Bowman, N.D., and then executive vice president, senior lender at Norwest Bank in Fargo, N.D., and president, chief executive officer and director of Metropolitan Federal Bank.
Dardis is a graduate of North Dakota State University and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. In 1994, Dardis received the Honored Alumnus Award from NDSU. He also is a trustee of the NDSU Development Foundation and past president of the Alumni Association.
Dardis currently serves as a director of the Capital City Partnership. He is chairman of the Opportunity Housing Investment Fund, which serves to improve the quality and availability of affordable housing in East St. Paul. He is a director of the Wilder Foundation and co-chair of the Wilder Capital Campaign. In addition, Dardis is the chairman of the Business Task Force for Heading Home MN to end homelessness in Minnesota. Dardis also is a director of the Central Corridor task force and a member of the St. Paul Rotary.
Dinah Sundberg
Sundberg earns CDPE designation
BAXTER - Dinah Sundberg in the Baxter Edina Realty office has earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert designation.
Sundberg's training prepares her to work with property owners who may be in a short sale situation. A short sale occurs when the seller must sell their home at a price less than the existing mortgage dollar amount. Sellers must meet certain criteria to qualify as being in a distressed economic situation.
Sundberg said that short sales require careful attention to detail and a willingness to invest the time to work with the seller, the lender and a buyer. These are complicated transactions and constant communication with the lender is crucial. Every lender has different requirements but all lenders must comply with Minnesota law.
Oehrlein attends training
Lottie Oehrlein of Chrysalis Cosmetic Injections and Permanent Make Up Services attended a three-day fitness convention Feb. 19-21 in Prior Lake.
Lottie Oehrlein
The convention showcased new personal training and fitness routines and provided additional knowledge and support about helping people reach and maintain healthy bodies weights.
Brossard visiting specialist in Staples
STAPLES - Dr. Iris Brossard, a neurologist and visiting specialist from CentraCare Clinic-River Campus, is working at the Lakewood Health System Staples Clinic on the second Thursday of each month.
Brossard will diagnose and treat neurological disorders in all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous systems.
Brossard finished her medical degree at Albany Medical College in New York. She also completed a neurology residency at the University of Colorado, Denver, and an electroencephalography and epilepsy fellowship at the University of Massachusetts at Worcester Medical Center.
Dr. Iris Brossard
Landis+Gyr announces promotions
PEQUOT LAKES - Landis+Gyr, formerly Hunt Technologies, announced the following promotions at its Pequot Lakes facility:
Matt Anakkala to tech trainer II, KC Brager to SW tech support representative III, Josiah Dabill to HW tech II, Dean Dye to SW test tech III, Jake Harsha to senior technical writer, Suesann Hill to system test engineer II, Steve Mott to senior project manager, Bob Nacey to HW tech support representative II, Cheri Petterson to technical trainer III, Kevin Reinhart to HW tech support representative II, August Schack to software architect, Paul Shaeffer to field service representative II, Taylor Torgerson to project manager, Bonnie Wenker to director MMS product management and Jon Walter to field service representative III.
Crosslake real estate offices merge
CROSSLAKE - Two of Crosslake's real estate offices, RE/MAX Lakes Area Realty and The Real Estate Company of Crosslake, have recently merged.
The newly created office is located at 35548 County Road 66.
Patrick Wiebusch, who owns and operates RE/MAX Lakes Area Realty, and Ted and Terry Pederson, who previously owned and operated The Real Estate Company of Crosslake, made the decision to join forces.
Mississippi Connections to host Chamber's Friday Morning Coffee
LITTLE FALLS - The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce invites all chamber members, employees and guests to the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, 200 First St. N.W., Little Falls, from 7:30-9 a.m. on Friday for Friday Morning Coffee.
Announcements and introductions will be at 8:15 a.m. Sponsoring this month is the networking group Mississippi Connections.
Nisswa Women's Club meeting planned Thursday
NISSWA - The Nisswa Women's Club will host its monthly membership meeting at noon Thursday with a social time from 11:30 a.m. to noon at the Boathouse Eatery, Quarterdeck Resort, on Gull Lake.
The program will be "Women Welcoming Women" presented by Mary Roberts.
Hostesses for the meeting are Nancy Knowles (chair), Elaine Johnson, Kristin Knowles, Jo Quam and Juli Friedrichs. The inspirational will be given by Lois I. Jensen.
The March meeting will include a collection of food items and monetary donations for the Lakes Area Food Shelf.
Stress management seminar planned March 24
An Occupational Stress Management program, managing occupational stress and employee productivity with speaker Brian Luke Seaward is planned from 2-5 p.m. March 24 at the Chalberg Theater at Central Lakes College in Brainerd.
Seminar check-in time is 1:30 p.m. at the Business and Industry Center at the college.
Seaward is an international expert in the fields of stress management and health promotion. He's taught stress management techniques with various heads of state and coached relaxation techniques to several Olympic athletes and leaders of multinational corporations. Seminar organizers pointed to the stressful nature of today's workplace with dramatic business changes.
Cost to attend is $55 per person and includes a book with three SHRM recertification credit hours awarded for the seminar.
The seminar targets business owners, human resource personnel, law enforcement, managers, therapists, supervisors, teachers, professionals, counselors, employees and parents.
Event sponsors include the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, Small Business Development Center, Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, Little Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau, Department of Employment and Economic Development, CLC Business & Industry Center, Lakes Area Human Resource Association and Lakes Area Safety and Health Organization.
Morrison County United Way now taking funding requests
The Morrison County United Way has announced the opening of funding requests for 2010.
To be considered for funding, inquiring 501(c)3 agencies must be located in Morrison County and complete proper documentation by April 1. In 2009, the Morrison County United Way provided more than $80,000 to 14 nonprofit organizations in Morrison County.
To request your funding packet contact the Morrison County United Way Office at (320) 632-5102 or via e-mail at unitedway@clearwire.net.
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