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BUSINESS NOTES CAREER
Riverwood and CRMC welcome oncology physician
As part of Riverwood Healthcare Center's and Cuyuna Regional Medical Center's plans to provide oncology care services in affiliation with the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute, Dr. Ron Halvorson of Minnesota Oncology began seeing patients in Aitkin and Crosby in early January.
Halvorson is board certified in both medical oncology and hematology and has 20 years of experience in treating patients with cancer or blood disorders. He completed his medical degree at the University of Minnesota and a residency and fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Wilford Hall Medical Center, the U.S. Air Force hospital in San Antonio, Texas.
Mike Delfs, Riverwood chief operating officer, said Halverson brings experience in treating cancer and blood disorders and can tap a wide range of expertise through the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute.
Halvorson has experience with stem cell transplantation. He completed a fellowship in allogeneic and autologous bone marrow transplantation at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute in Seattle in 1991. He was a consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General concerning stem cell transplants in the early 1990s while working at Wilford Hall Medical Center. In the late 1990s, he performed the first ever autologous stem cell transplant in South Dakota while practicing at the Sanford Cancer Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.
A Minnesota native who grew up in Stewartville near Rochester, Halvorson is seeing patients weekly at Riverwood Healthcare Center and Cuyuna Regional Medical Center. He is part of a team of 51 oncologists through the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute, offering access to a wide range of oncology care and treatment.
Mille Lacs Band names commissioner of corporate affairs
ONAMIA - The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe named Indian gaming executive Michael Garrow as the new commissioner of corporate affairs.
He was sworn into office on Jan. 4.
Garrow serves as the chief executive officer and chair of the board of directors for the Mille Lacs Band's Corporate Commission, which owns and operates all of the band's businesses, including Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley, with about 6,000 machines and 1,391 hotel rooms.
Known as a turnaround expert, Garrow, who is a member of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, has extensive financing and operations experience in the Indian gaming industry, most recently as general manager of the Little River Casino Resort located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
While overseeing the Little River Band's Resort, he rebuilt the executive team and invested heavily in training programs and new marketing and slot technology which substantially increased the competitiveness and profitability of the property.
He also served as the chief executive officer of the Nez Perce Tribal Enterprises in Idaho with general managerial oversight of the Tribe's Clearwater River and It'se Ye Ye casinos located 60 miles from each other. Garrow first entered the gaming industry in 1995 as general manager of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe's Mohawk Bingo Palace. In addition, Garrow worked for Harrah's Entertainment at its Las Vegas strip property as a senior brand operations analyst.
Garrow also has been vice president of Bank of America in Las Vegas; senior financial analyst at the Molasky Group of Companies in Las Vegas; and assistant vice president of the Marshall Group in Phoenix, where he assisted the finance team in providing more than $225 million for tribal gaming projects after completing an internship on Wall Street. Garrow earned a master of business administration degree from the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business in 1994, where he majored in finance and entrepreneurship and completed his thesis on Indian gaming and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Hewitt named CEO of Thrivent Financial
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans' board announced Brad Hewitt as the organization's new president and chief executive officer.
Hewitt currently serves as Thrivent Financial's chief operating officer and will succeed retiring chairman, president, and CEO, Bruce Nicholson, effective Feb. 1. Hewitt will also join the Thrivent Financial Board of Directors.
In addition, the organization also announced a new corporate governance structure, naming Kurt M. Senske, current vice chair, lead director, and chair of the Governance Committee of the board as chair of the board.
Hewitt has more than 27 years of experience. He joined the organization in 2003 as senior vice president of Fraternal Operations and has also served as president of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation. In November 2008, he was promoted to chief operating officer. Hewitt began his career in 1982 with Minnesota Mutual Life and joined United HealthCare Corp. in 1986 as director of underwriting. From 1993-1998, he served as CFO and then as president and CEO of Diversified Pharmaceutical Services. From 1998-2003, Hewitt was the chief administrative officer of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in St. Louis, Mo.
The new governance structure will allow Hewitt to focus on running the organization while Senske leads the board.
Zauhar graduates from police academy
Sean Zauhar, graduated from the St. Paul Police Academy program Jan. 8.
Zauhar is a 1997 graduate from the Brainerd High School. He had a nine-year career with the Shakopee Police Department prior to his new career with the St. Paul Department.
Out of 24 graduates, Zauhar received the top honors in marksmanship and academics. He is the son of Jill Zauhar Backberg and Bob Backberg, Baxter.
Urness named foundation executive director
Shelli Urness was selected executive director of St. Joseph's Foundation.
She will be responsible for fund development through special projects, annual campaigns and planned giving. She will also oversee the Volunteer Services area at Brainerd Lakes Health.
Urness, Nisswa, had been employed by Riverwood Foundation in Aitkin as the foundation director, and had also worked at Bremer Bank in Brainerd as a nonprofit resource specialist.
She has spent most of her career working in fundraising, project management, marketing and public relations in both the private and nonprofit sectors. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and recently obtained a master's degree from the College of St. Scholastica. In addition, she holds a mini MBA in nonprofit management from the College of St. Thomas.
Jensen elected Minnesota Board of Psychology chair
BAXTER - Jerry Jensen, LP of Cedarbrook Center in Baxter, was elected chairman of the Minnesota Board of Psychology for 2010.
The Board of Psychology is an 11-member body appointed by the governor. The board makes all final decisions on licensing psychologists and regulating their professional conduct and ethical behavior.
Jensen served as board vice-chairman for the past two years and continues to serve as the chairman of the board's Application Review Committee. As board chair, he supervises the board's executive director and chairs meetings in Minneapolis twice a month.
At Cedarbrook Center in Baxter, Jensen provides counseling and marriage enrichment for individuals and couples. He gives presentations on relationship development and personal growth. He has developed Focus for Success - a program that helps improve focus and attention using NASA-inspired computer technology and educational excellence.
Family Medical Center becomes affiliate
LITTLE FALLS - Family Medical Center, Little Falls, became an affiliate of Unity Family Healthcare, a comprehensive health care organization that includes St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls among other facilities in central Minnesota.
Family Medical Center has 21 health care providers specializing in family practice, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and general surgery.
Carl Vaagenes, UFH president and chief executive officer, said a shared vision to form an integrated health care organization was what brought the organizations together. Paul Cameron, vice chairman of the UFH board of directors and a member of the steering committee for the integration agreement, said the integration will create a stronger, more viable health care system and create opportunities in recruitment of doctors and other medical professionals as well as enhance customer service.
The UHF system includes medical facilities from Albany Area Hospital & Medical Center to Avon Medical Center to the Randall Lakes Area Clinic to Community Medical Center in Pierz to its home base in Little Falls and cornerstone facilities of St. Gabriel's Hospital, Little Falls Orthopedics and Family Medical Center. Other facilities include St. Camillus Place, a home for adults with development disabilities, Alverna Apartments senior housing and Unity Family Home Care & Hospice with St. Gabriel's. UFH is sponsored by Catholic Health Initiatives, a national health care ministry.
Through the agreement, Family Medical Center's 17 doctors and nearly 100 other health care professionals and support staff become Unity Family Healthcare employees. An implementation team is putting together the plan to fully integrate the day-to-day operations of both organizations, which now includes more than 600 employee and 31 physicians and other health care providers.
Matter-Hines gains recognition
Amy Matter-Hines was recognized for her work performance by the DNR Northeast Region and awarded the Employee Recognition Award for Fourth Quarter 2009.
Matter-Hines is described as a dedicated employee who does an exceptional job serving park visitors and is knowledgeable about a wide array of natural resources topics. She has worked for nine years at Crow Wing State Park.
She organized the park office in a manner to properly coordinate campground reservations, serve customers and process park and forestry revenue. She handled her usual park tasks, but had to allow time and effort to train three new employees in office procedures and customer service.
EVENTS
Chamber to host Commerce & Labor Committee
LITTLE FALLS - The House of Representative's Commerce & Labor Committee will be in Little Falls 12:30-1:30 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce in the historic Cass Gilbert Depot, 200 First Street N.W.
Committee Chair Joe Atkins, (DFL-Inver Grove Heights) and Vice Chair Leon Lillie (DFL-North St. Paul) are traveling throughout the state gathering testimony from business owners on pending legislation as it impacts their business.
There are 229 bills pending with the Commerce & Labor Committee for the Legislative Session starting in February. This committee addresses issues ranging from business insurance, construction codes and vehicle sales to licensing, permitting and regulations pertaining to charitable gambling, gaming and the lottery. A complete listing of bills before the Commerce & Labor Committee can be found at http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/committee.
The business community is invited and encouraged to attend this session. No RSVP is needed.
For more information, contact Debora K. Boelz, chamber president/chief executive officer, at (320) 632-5155 or dboelz@littlefallsmnchamber.com.
Chamber to host annual meeting Feb. 25
LITTLE FALLS - The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce is inviting all chamber and community members to its 122nd annual meeting Feb. 25 at the Falls Ballroom in Little Falls.
The chamber will present the 2009 Small and Large Businesses of the Year as well as the Volunteer of the Year awards.
The guest speaker for this event is Mike Max, a reporter and anchor at WCCO. He currently hosts WCCO Sports Tonight with Mike Max on WCCO Radio. On a national level, Max hosted Sports Connection on the Midwest Sports Channel. His message for the annual meeting audience will be on the five reasons people succeed.
The chamber will congratulate the 2009 Chair of the Chamber Board Sandy Smith, GoldSmith Jewelers, on a successful year and welcome 2010 Chair of the Chamber Board Doug Veillette, Dairy Queen. Outgoing board members to be honored during this event are Tom Chatfield, Fallsburg Woodworking and Jacki DeVine.
The chamber member businesses that are corporate sponsors for this event have the opportunity to provide information about their business to the attendees.
Cost is $25 per person with advance reservation required to: The Chamber, 200 First St. N.W., Little Falls, MN 56345 or by going online to www.littlefallsmnchamber.com.
St. Joseph's Auxiliary hosts fundraiser
St. Joseph's Medical Center Auxiliary will host a fundraiser from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Joseph's Feb. 3, and 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 4 in Thabes I and Thabes II conference rooms on the lower level.
The sale will feature affordable accessories for women and men of all ages. Everything for sale will be $6. There will be more than 1,000 items. St. Joseph's Auxiliary will receive 17 percent of the proceeds.
WORKSHOPS
Management and marketing 'FastTrac' set at CLC
The Business and Industry Center on the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College will host an eight-week course for business owners and managers to optimize profit.
Financial Management and Marketing Systems will be taught from 6-8:30 p.m. Feb. 2, 9, 16, and 23 and March 2, 9, 16, and 23. Jay Bock is the instructor.
The course is described as practical and hands-on, and it is personalized with individual assistance designed to help entrepreneurs who have experience running their business.
Participants will study product pricing for optimizing business profits, budgeting to monitor business revenues and expenses and cost control options for the small business.
They will also create a break-even analysis of the business and study the effect of different business decisions using break-even analysis. They will design a marketing strategy to create the desired business image.
Deadline to register is Jan. 26, with pre-payment required. For more information, call (800) 933-0346, ext. 8142 or 855-8142.
Electrical technician course offered at CLC
Central Lakes College, Brainerd, will host a continuing education course for holders of the Minnesota Power-Limited Technician License from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 4 and 5 in the Business and Industry Center.
The course consists of 16 hours of instruction covering applicable articles and sections of the 2008 National Electrical Code, Minnesota statutes and rules governing electrical work and a review of the basic elements of electricity and electrical calculations.
This course has been approved by the Minnesota State Board of Electricity.
Students must have a calculator and the 2005 or 2008 NEC Code Book. Code books are available in class for $82. Tuition is $300 and includes lunch. Instruction is provided by Riverland Community College.
The deadline to register is Jan. 28. For more information, call (800) 933-0346 ext. 8142 or (218) 855-8142.
OFF THE WIRE
Macy's to open first Bloomingdale's Outlet stores
NEW YORK (AP) - Macy's Inc. said Thursday it will open its first Bloomingdale's bargain-priced outlet stores this summer and fall in a bid to attract value-conscious shoppers.
The department store operator said the move to open four such stores is a response to consumers' focus on value.
This is Macy's first foray into the outlet store arena. The stores, dubbed Bloomingdale's Outlet, will open at outlet malls in New Jersey, Florida and Virginia.
CEO Terry J. Lundgren said in a statement the company had been studying the off-the-mall outlet business for some time, and the timing now is right given the consumer's particular focus on value in addition to fashion and quality.
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