Business Notes

UCare Minnesota hired Julie Vreeland as the organization's Medicare marketing representative in the greater Brainerd lakes area.

Vreeland is responsible for supporting sales goals by enrolling new members in UCare for Seniors and other UCare products. She conducts group sales meetings throughout the Brainerd lakes community and assists prospects by phone and in person. She also maintains relationships with key community-based organizations.

Before joining UCare, Vreeland was Mille Lacs Community Development Corp. executive director. She facilitated business development in the community and helped procure funding for an assisted living project. Previously, she had a number of positions at Minnesota Technology Inc., including regional director, partnership director and most recently community development director.

Vreeland served as president of the Moorhead Area Chamber of Commerce and the Burnsville Chamber of Commerce. She has a bachelor's degree in mass communications/public relations from St. Cloud State University and is a U.S. Chamber of Commerce graduate.

UCare Minnesota is an independent, nonprofit health maintenance organization providing health care and administrative services to 130,000 members.

Brainerd DECA students attend conference

Brainerd students recently attended a state conference for DECA, a professional marketing organization for students, at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis.

They competed using their skills and knowledge in business.

Jason Klaverkamp placed ninth in the state in retail merchandising, management level. Kristi Takasaki placed 10th in the same event.

Other students who attended or participated in the state conference were Matt Posch, Justin Holton, J.D. Berns, Chris Santiago, Billy Bigler, D.J. Boelter and Wayne Compton.

Bergman gains promotion

Kathy Bergman, a Brainerd native, was named a shareholder of BWBR Architects of St. Paul.

Bergman has been with BWBR since 1997 and has worked primarily on health-care facilities. Recent projects included work at North Memorial Medical Center and Rice Memorial Hospital. She is the daughter of Mary Ketterling and the late Maynard Ketterling. She graduated from Brainerd High School in 1988. She graduated from North Dakota State University in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in architecture and a bachelor's degree in environmental design.

Dumke, Bjerkness gain Integra promotions

Integra Telecom announced the promotions of Michael Dumke to customer care manager and Mike Bjerkness to repair supervisor.

Dumke is in his fourth year of employment with Integra Telecom and most recently served as the customer account manager for Brainerd lakes area customers. He was promoted to the manager of customer care and will oversee the Baxter call center and customer account management for Integra's Minnesota north locations and Fargo, N.D. Dumke has work-related experience specializing in customer account management and call center leadership and support.

Bjerkness worked in the repair department of Integra Telecom for the past four years and recently was promoted to repair supervisor. He will oversee the repair representatives who focus on the troubles and escalation issues for Integra's Minnesota north and Fargo, N.D., customer base. Bjerkness is a Brainerd High School graduate and has been employed with Integra Telecom since March 2000.

WSN promotes, adds staff

Widseth Smith Nolting, Baxter, hired Daniel Moore for its information technology department and promoted Brent Morris to computer systems manager.

Moore has more than 12 years of experience in IT support, including troubleshooting, repairing, updating and replacing computer hardware/software systems. His responsibilities include all aspects of computer hardware and software while continually monitoring current and new technology as related to the company's needs. He also is responsible for database development, refinement and maintenance. Moore earned an associate's degree from Brainerd Community College in 1991.

Morris joined WSN in 1997 with experience in freelance graphic design, Web design, computer-aided design drafting, three-dimensional modeling and computer and printer tech support. As the computer systems manager, he is responsible for working with and supervising the IT department to ensure that computer resources are used efficiently and effectively throughout WSN's five locations. Morris received a bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University in 1992.

Duy reopens business

Business owner Tami Duy reopened Head Over Heels Spalon inside the Shimmer Shack Tanning building on Highway 371 North.

Duy is a Central Lakes College graduate. Her education includes Regency Beauty Academy in St. Cloud. Duy has training and experience in hair cutting, coloring and texturizing services.

Duy owned Head Over Heels at 623 Maple in downtown Brainerd. Other work experience includes Panache Day Salon and Spa in Baxter as a stylist and Glacial Waters Spa at Grand View Lodge as salon manager. Duy has been employed and/or self-employed in the salon industry in the Brainerd area for 11 years.

LaPointe joins Woodland Bank

Roger LaPointe joined Woodland Bank as manager of its future Jenkins office.

Construction continues on the bank, which is expected to open in June. LaPointe was branch manager of the U.S. Bank office in Pine River for three years. He also was vice president of lending at Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union in Brainerd for 22 years.

LaPointe attended the University of Minnesota and Central Lakes College in Brainerd. He is a Pine River Chamber of Commerce Board member, Pine River Area Economic Development Board secretary, Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Board member and Pine River-Backus Family Center Board member.

WORKSHOPS

Congress of Minnesota Resorts announces spring workshop

The Congress of Minnesota Resorts announced its spring workshop beginning with registration at 8:15 a.m. March 29 at the Holiday Inn Lakeside in Detroit Lakes.

Key speakers include Charles Marohn, a professional planner with the Community Growth Institute. He will lead a thorough examination of planned unit developments and why there are so many questions about PUDs these days.

Curt Walvatne from Talent Productions is expected to motivate, inspire and get resort owners revved up for the upcoming season. Other topics include the recent shoreline management rules, a legislative update and cracker-barrel sessions.

All resorters are welcome. For more information, contact the Congress of Minnesota Resorts office at (888) 761-4245 or e-mail cmroffice@tds.net by March 25.

Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association offers workshop

Innkeeping for Beginners is offered by Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association April 23-24 in Stillwater.

The Water Street Inn in Stillwater also will host the MBBA Conference from April 24-26.

Jerry Phillips, veteran innkeeper and owner of the Rittenhouse in Bayfield, Wis., and past director of the Professional Association of Innkeepers International and past president of Select Registry, will speak at the event. He will share information on writing a business plan, zoning and health issues, marketing and Web design and how to manage an inn. Veteran innkeepers will join in the second day for a question-and-answer session.

For more information, contact Pam Thorsen at (651) 438-7499 or e-mail info@minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org. Registration is available online.

Business planning course set in April in Brainerd

The Northeast Entrepreneur Fund will hold a CORE FOUR Business Planning Course in Brainerd on Tuesday nights beginning April 5.

The course consists of four three-hour class sessions once per week for four weeks from 6-9 p.m. each night at Central Lakes College in Brainerd.

CORE FOUR is designed to help people develop ideas and understand the business planning process. The four core elements of business planning -- success planning, market planning, cash flow planning and operations planning -- are presented. People with business ideas, struggling business owners, owners of growing businesses and those seeking business financing are encouraged to attend. There is a fee for the course and financial assistance may be available to eligible participants.

Pre-registration is required. For more information, call (800) 422-0374 or e-mail to info@entrepreneurfund.org. Registration deadline is April 1.

The CORE FOUR Business Planning Course also is available as an e-learning course and individuals may buy the CORE FOUR manual from the Entrepreneur Fund. The Northeast Entrepreneur Fund is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to assist individuals in the region with starting, stabilizing and expanding their own businesses. Services provided include training, one-on-one consulting and flexible loans.