Business notes

Laura Miller, nail technician, joined the Fine Line Salon and Spa in Brainerd. She has been doing nails for eight years and specializes in acrylic pink and white nails.

Two gain bank promotions

Tom Norman and Donna Magnuson gained U.S. Bank promotions.

Norman has been promoted to market president of the Brainerd branch. Norman has been a commercial banker in the Brainerd office and will continue to lead this department, as well as represent the bank in the community. Norman has been with U.S. Bank for 23 years.

Magnuson was promoted to branch manager of the Brainerd office. Magnuson's responsibilities include focusing on customer service, the U.S. Bank Five Star Service Guarantee and overseeing branch operations. She is a 10-year bank employee.

New manager named at Fifth Avenue

Bill Kostohryz was named store manager of Fifth Avenue Furniture on Mill Avenue in Brainerd.

His previous experience was in furniture and electronics group merchandise for 12 years at Montgomery Ward. He was store manager at Kordel Furniture on Highway 371 North for two years.

Kostohryz's duties include overall operation of the store.

Dehen elected MMA speaker of the house

Dr. James Dehen was elected speaker of the house by the Minnesota Medical Association's House of Delegates.

The MMA is a professional organization of about 9,300 physicians, fellows, residents and medical students in Minnesota. Dehen's responsibilities include presiding over meetings of the MMA House of Delegates and performing parliamentary duties to govern the actions of the house.

Dehen is a private general surgeon at Brainerd Medical Center and Brainerd City Council president. He is a MMA Board trustee, MMA executive committee member and Minnesota Medical Political Action Committee board member. He previously served the MMA as vice speaker of the house, as MMA committee on medical practice and planning chairman and MMA strategic planning committee chairman.

Richter joins New Concepts Salon

Ann Meier-Richter joined the partnership at New Concepts Salon, Brainerd.

She has been working in the Brainerd lakes area for eight years. She specializes in color/foils texture services, waxes and family haircutting.

ACTIVITIES

CTC stockholder meeting set Oct. 14

Consolidated Telecommunications Co. will host its annual stockholders meeting Oct. 14 at the Brainerd National Guard Armory.

Registration begins at noon with the meeting beginning at 1 p.m. Ballots for the election of directors have been mailed and should be returned by Oct. 10. Candidates for directors include:

* District 2, Nokay Lake, Sullivan Lake and Freedhem, Richard Fischer, Paul Nieman, Jerry Palm and Jim Potvin.

* District 3, Merrifield and Outing, Ralph Yeager.

CTC is a full-service telecommunications company based in Brainerd.

Businesses honored for community service

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and its Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley honored all of their outstanding vendors with a dinner at Grand Casino Hinckley Tuesday and presented four local organizations with awards for their contributions to the region's economy.

Mille Lacs Band Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin recognized Productive Alternatives Inc. and Pine Habilitation and Supported Employment (PHASE) with the Mino Miziwe Aki (Better World) awards.

Productive Alternatives, which has locations in Little Falls, Fergus Falls, and Brainerd, helps mentally and physically challenged people find employment. Sandstone-based PHASE offers day training and other services to Pine County residents with developmental and other disabilities.

Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley employ a number of Productive Alternatives clients and PHASE participants. Steve Skauge, president of Productive Alternatives Inc., and Lori Koski, PHASE's vocational coordinator, accepted the awards.

Outstanding Partner awards were presented to Hinckley Chevrolet by Grand Casino Hinckley General Manager Mel Towle, and to Garrison Disposal by Grand Casino Mille Lacs General Manager Brad Kalk.

Hinckley Chevrolet has worked with Grand Casino Hinckley since the car dealership opened four years ago near the city's downtown, while Aitkin-based Garrison Disposal, which provides solid waste disposal and recycling services, has worked with Grand Casino Mille Lacs since the casino was under construction more than a decade ago. Bill Strusinski Sr., president of Hinckley Chevrolet, and Paul Fischer, president of Garrison Disposal, accepted the awards on behalf of their companies.

WORKSHOPS

'Going Into Business' class set Oct. 9

"Going Into Business for Yourself" will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Business and Industry Center at Central Lakes College in Brainerd.

The seminar covers all areas of business startup, offers advice on how to become and stay profitable and how to finance a new venture. Business structure and required government filings are discussed. Follow-up counseling is available from the Small Business Development Center's consultant team.

Pre-registration is required. Cost is $40 per person or $60 for participant and one additional business partner.

For more information, call (800) 933-0346, ext. 8142 or 855-8142.

Personal insurance info seminar set Oct. 16

A personal insurance information seminar is set from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Oct. 16 at Timbermist Conference and Banquet Center next to the Chaparral on Crow Wing County State Aid Highway 3.

Brainerd Insurance Agency Inc. is hosting the seminar.

Business News submissions are welcome via several methods.

Submissions should be addressed in care of Renee Richardson, Brainerd Dispatch, P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN, 56401, or sent by fax to 829-7735, or by e-mail to renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com.

Photos may be submitted by e-mail, mail or may be taken at The Dispatch by appointment.

Drop-off submissions are accepted at the news receptionist's desk at The Dispatch or after-hours by using the drop-off box near the building's side entrance in the alley.

Questions about submissions are welcome at 855-5852.