BUSINESS NOTES

Koski completes hotel administrator program

BAXTER - Nanci Koski, general manager of Super 8 Motel in Baxter, completed the certified hotel administrator program.

The CHA certification combines education and experience with dedication to the industry and a high level of expertise.

Holley elected vice-chair for MAR Pro-Standards

Sheila Holley, Pequot Lakes, was elected vice chair of the MAR Professional Standards Committee beginning in 2011.

In 2012, Holley will serve as chairwoman of the Professional Standard Committee. Election to this committee demonstrates the confidence other real estate agents have in Holley's ability to uphold and apply the most stringent standards of conduct real estate professionals must practice.

Holley served as president and is currently on the board of the Greater Lakes Association of Realtors, as well as being selected the Realtor of the Year of both GLAR and MAR. Sheila currently serves on the MAR Executive Committee and the board.

Vance teaches building course

Tom Vance, real estate agent and investor in multiple Keller Williams Realty market centers, recently taught a session of the business building course CAMP 4:4:3 at Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes in Baxter.

CAMP 4:4:3 was developed by Keller Williams Realty and is designed to get agents four listings and four sales in three months. The course reveals the basic sales and customer service skills and activities, models and systems to take agents from surviving to thriving in 90 days.

Castillo becomes Sprint Store manager

BAXTER - Steph Castillo is the new manager of the Sprint store in the Grizzly Center in Baxter.

Castillo previously worked at Computer One Plus, Baxter, for eight years, where she sold and serviced Sprint phones.

Kubik named executive vice president/COO

Russell Kubik was named executive vice president/chief operations office for Edgewood Management Group.

Kubik will oversee operations at the executive level for Edgewood Management Group, including oversight of the operations of Edgewood's regional vice presidents, directors and the company's 28 senior living communities.

Prior to joining Edgewood, Kubik served as president of Regal Senior Living Inc., a health care consulting business.

AWARDS

Russell Herder gains three national awards

Russell Herder, Brainerd, recently received three National Health Information Awards, one for a television ad on behalf of Essentia Health and two for work completed for the Minnesota Department of Human Services' problem gambling program.

Essentia Health, a multi-state, not-for-profit health care system, was honored for "Long Live Kids!" a television ad promoting the organization's pediatric services in its western region. The Minnesota Department of Human Services received two awards - one for "What Are The Odds?" a video designed to increase awareness among high school students; and "Conversations" a video developed to help guide those in need to appropriate treatment resources.

The awards program is organized by the Health Information Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for consumer health information programs and materials. The judges, a panel of health information experts, ranked what are considered the best consumer health information programs and materials in the country. More than 1,000 entries were submitted by leading consumer health organizations nationwide.

Brainerd Lakes Surgery Center gains award

The Brainerd Lakes Surgery Center was recently awarded the 2009/2010 Apex Quality Award for Healthcare Excellence from CTQ Solutions.

This honor is earned by health care organizations demonstrating the highest levels of excellence in patient satisfaction throughout all health care markets served by CTQ, in all 50 states. Key performance indicators are closely tied to direct interaction with clinical staff and processes. Patient feedback associated with nurses, surgeons, anesthesiologists and recovery staff interactions are paramount drivers in the overall evaluation process. These responses, coupled with CTQ's stringent criteria, are critical drivers to earning the award.

Adventure firm gains honors

Adventure Advertising, Brainerd, was nationally recognized by the Marine Marketers of America for the design of the Striper Boat's marketing materials, earning the Best of the Product Literature category and a Neptune Award for Marketing Excellence.

The awards, which recognize outstanding work in the marketing field, were presented at the organization's annual meeting at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

EVENTS

Dine and Discover discusses Medicare Part D

PIERZ - Horizon Health's Faith in Action along with Home Savings of American and the Senior LinkAge Line are offering an opportunity to find out how the new Health Care Laws affects your Medicare benefits.

The event will discuss what the 2011 Medicare Part D enrollment requirements are. Kathy Phillips, former senior advocate with the Central Minnesota Council on Aging, will present a summary of the new law and its effects on Medicare services. She will also provide a refresher on the 2011 Medicare Part D enrollment requirements.

The event is 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nov. 23 at Horizon Health's Community Room in Pierz. A free will donation will be accepted for this seminar and lunch. Registration is required by calling Horizon Health at (320) 468-6451 or (800) 224-6451 before Nov. 17.

Chamber to sponsor Business After Hours

LITTLE FALLS - The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will conduct its next Business After Hours networking event 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday at CarCo at 13289 25th Ave. N.W., Rice.

Hosting the event is CarCo. Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to all chamber members and their employees. For more information, call the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce at (320) 632-5155. No RSVP needed.

Economist to speak in Baxter Thursday

BAXTER - Elliot Eisenberg, senior economist for the National Association of Home Builders, will talk about the economic benefits of home building in the Brainerd lakes area for an event titled "Does Growth Pay for itself?"

The event is noon to 1 p.m. with lunch Thursday at The Lodge at Brainerd Lakes in Baxter with the housing study from 1-3 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Mid-Minnesota Builders Association.

Topics include the economic impact of a single family home construction, how many jobs construction creates, among others.

Cost is $15 per person, including lunch and a summary of the report. For more information, call the MMBA at 829-4982. A night session may be added depending on the response.

WORKSHOPS

Certified lead renovator course scheduled

A course at Central Lakes College will train individuals how to become certified lead-based paint renovators.

The course, which relates to proper lead safety work practices, is offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 23.

Participants will learn why one should be concerned about lead paint, EPA/HUD regulations, recordkeeping, training non-certified workers, and state-specific regulations.

The class meets in the Business and Industry Center on the Brainerd campus. It is taught by Midwest Environmental Consulting LLC. Lunch is on your own.

Mid-Minnesota Builders Association members pay $200, non-members $225. Deadline to registration is Nov. 16.

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

Supervisory leadership series set for Staples campus

STAPLES - The Staples campus of Central Lakes College offers a series of employee productivity and leadership skills training workshops starting Nov. 18 and scheduled for Dec. 2 and 16 as well as Jan. 6 and 27.

"Supervision and Leadership: The Road to Productivity and Effectiveness" is an employee development opportunity designed to help individuals and their organizations enhance performance.

The sessions focus on changing customer, employee, and organizational expectations, and the increased need for everyone to work together.

Eloise Thorson is the instructor for the class that will be from 8:30-11:30 a.m. on five Thursdays in E100 at the Staples campus. The fee is $375, including books and materials.

Registration is requested at least seven days in advance by calling 855-8142 or (800) 933-0346, ext. 8142 or going to www.clcmn.edu/BUSIND.

DONATIONS

Operation Round-Up donations distributed

The Crow Wing Power Community Trust Board donated $48,000 to area community programs during their fourth quarter meeting held in October.

Operation Round-Up funds were distributed to the following projects: $250 to Initiative Foundation, Little Falls; $250 to Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corp.; $250 to Cass County Economic Development; $250 to Cuyuna Range Economic Development; $250 to Community Development of Morrison County; $10,000 to Lutheran Social Service, Reach out for Warmth; Crow Wing County; $7,000 to Salvation Army, Emergency Heat Share, 3 county; $5,000 to Bi-County Community Action Heat Share, Cass County; $3,000 to Tri-County Action Heat Share, Morrison County; $1,000 to Lakes Area Senior Activity Center, Brainerd; $3,000 to Lakes Area Restorative Justice Project, Pequot Lakes; $1,000 to Hands of Hope Resource Center, Little Falls; $250 to Crow Wing Fatherhood Task Force; $2,000 to Mounted Eagles, Brainerd; $1,500 to Breath of Life Adult Day Service, Brainerd; $500 to Community Care Program, Brainerd; $2,000 to Faith in Action for Cass County, Hackensack; $2,000 to Healthy Brains for Children, Brainerd; $2,500 to Crisis Line and Referral Service, Brainerd; $2,000 to United Way Imagination Library, Brainerd; $500 to Pine River/Backus Elementary School; and $3,500 to Private Cooperative Member Crisis Medical Support.

Operation Round-Up is funded by participating members of Crow Wing Power who allow the cooperative to round up their electric bills to the nearest whole dollar. The additional change is pooled and distributed quarterly. Since the program's inception in late 1996, Round-Up has donated more than $1,910,000 to community projects and programs in Cass, Crow Wing and Morrison counties.

The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for Jan. 27. Grant forms can be obtained by calling Crow Wing Power at 829-2827 or (800) 648-9401 or at www.cwpower.com. The deadline for grant applications is Jan. 10.

Caribbean Beach Tanning Salon's collects Cans for Tans

BAXTER - Caribbean Beach Tanning Salon, Baxter, is working with the Brainerd Lakes Salvation Army to collect canned goods for its food shelf during the week of Nov. 8-14. Each person who drops off a canned good will receive one free tanning session.

Century 21 Brainerd Realty agents donate to food shelf

Century 21 Brainerd Realty of Baxter attended a hunt at Dog Lake Birds and Clays east of Brainerd and donated proceeds of the hunt, pheasants, to the area food shelf.

Sears donates to Brainerd School District

BAXTER - The Sears Store in Baxter donated $2,002.42 to the Brainerd School District.

The donation is a result of customer support during the Save and Give Event, which allowed Sears Hometown Stores across the country to partner with a local charity and support their communities by donating 3 percent of net sales proceeds to a local charitable organization.

Mary Kolkind, owner of the Baxter Sears Hometown Store, said they were delighted to raise more than $2,000 and in these difficult economic times it is fortunate to have a community that is ready to lend a helping hand.

How to submit a business note

The Dispatch welcomes business notes submissions via e-mail to renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com, or fax to (218) 829-0211, mail to Brainerd Dispatch, P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN 56401 or use the drop-off box in the alley next to the Dispatch building on James Street. Questions are welcome to Renee Richardson at 855-5852.