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Saturday, July 5, 2008
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BUSINESS NOTES Dahlgren-Hoff achieves certification
Betsy Dahlgren-Hoff, occupational medicine coordinator at Brainerd Medical Center, recently became certified as an occupational hearing conservationist by the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation.
As a certified occupational hearing conservationist, Dahlgren-Hoff conducts audiometric testing to help prevent hearing loss among occupational workers. She performs OSHA-certified hearing tests that can track an employee's hearing over time and identify a risk of hearing loss early. In addition, Dahlgren-Hoff works with area companies to coordinate many additional occupational safety services to protect their employees, including pre-employment drug and alcohol screenings, required vaccinations and physicals.
Grattan employees attend workshop
FORT RIPLEY - Staci Grattan; Brion Fornshell; Jean Kyllingstad, registered nurse; Karen Underhill RN; Sue Grattan; Lisa Johnson; Alison Grattan; and Jody Allord of Grattan Health Care PCA Home Health Care Agency, Fort Ripley, recently attended a workshop at the Minnesota Department of Human Services and Department of Health in St. Paul.
The three-day workshop "PCA Steps for Success" covered updated information on the personal care assistant home health care program.
Koepplin gains position
BAXTER - Trisha Koepplin is the new county executive director for the United States Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency and working part of her time in the Baxter office.
She will be the shared manager for the Crow Wing-Cass and the Aitkin-Itasca FSA offices. She is in charge of directing and managing program and administrative operations in these four counties.
Koepplin has been with FSA for about eight years. She is a graduate of Minot State University in North Dakota. She grew up on a dairy farm in New Rockford, N.D.
First Federal Bank to open Monticello branch
BAXTER - Paul Means, First Federal Bank Board chairman, announced the building of a new branch in Monticello off Interstate 94 and next to Home Depot and Target.
First Federal Bank is in Baxter.
Means said the bank was impressed with the growth in the Monticello area. The bank will include concierge service. Instead of the traditional teller line, customers will use free standing walk-up counter areas that will be staffed by universal bankers who will handle all transactions, including deposits/withdrawals, opening new accounts and setting up personal loans. The building interior is designed by HTG Architects. Kuepers Construction, the general contractor for the building, projects that bank will be open to the public in October 2008.
Great River Holding Co., with more than $325 million in assets, owns First Federal Bank, Baxter, with branches located in Baxter, Crosslake, Big Lake, Breckenridge, Morris and Benson and First Federal Bank, Bemidji, with branches located in Bemidji, Bagley, Baudette and Walker.
Sassen graduates, becomes registered nurse
Nicole Sassen, registered nurse, unit manager at Edgewood Vista Assisted Living, Brainerd, recently graduated from Central Lakes College and successfully completed her state board exam to become a RN.
Ramerth gains promotion
Westwood announced the promotion of Tim Ramerth to branch office manager leading Westwood's Brainerd office.
Ramerth has been a project manager for land development clients for several years while working at the forefront of consulting and business development for Westwood's northern region.
As branch office manager, Ramerth's additional responsibilities include office operations, employee supervision and administration. He also manages overall engineering efforts in the Brainerd office.
Ramerth has more than 15 years of experience in civil engineering design in both the public and private sectors.
Fine Line announces staff changes
Shelly Salo has joined The Fine Line Salon and Spa, with a location in Brainerd.
Salo has more than a year's experience as a hair stylist. She will work at all three locations, including the men's cutting area, Simply Fine, located at the rear of the Brainerd salon.
Jennifer Auvil and Jolene Fromm were named the new Bumble and bumble Network Educators of The Fine Line Salon and Spa.
Janco becomes team leader
BAXTER - Shannon Janco, Baxter, independent consultant with Tastefully Simple Inc., is now a team leader with the direct seller of gourmet foods.
Janco earned the promotion through sales acheivements and by adding new consultants to the team.
Peterson receives achievement award
BAXTER - Kevin Peterson, Edward Jones financial adviser in Baxter, recently received the A.F. McKenzie Achievement Award for his outstanding sales and service efforts during the past year.
Japanese researcher visited area's telecom companies
An information technology researcher for a Japanese foundation visited five Minnesota area telephone cooperatives, including one in Brainerd, to be able to advise rural communities in Japan on how to deploy broadband via fiber to the home and the economic development benefits that can result.
As a result of her research, Yoko Kawai Kurimoto, a principal of Penguin Environmental Design and native of Japan now living in Hamden, Conn. found that rural Minnesota is well ahead of other states in fiber deployment. When selecting which state of examine, Kawai found that Minnesota seemed to have the highest concentration of local fiber deployment of any state.
"We wondered why Minnesota is ahead," she said in a news release. "So we can bring this information and Minnesota's example to Japanese rural communities."
Kawai researched what Consolidated Telecommunications Co. of Brainerd was doing. She met with Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar, along with others from the telecom industry, including the president of CTC Bud Swecker and CTC's CEO/general manager, Kevin Larson. The visits were coordinated by the Minnesota Telecom Alliance.
Scholarships available to attend Business Venture
First Integrity Bank NA and BestPrep are seeking a student from Staples/Motley High School to sponsor for their Minnesota Business Venture program this summer.
MBV is a unique one-week summer program that provides preparation for college and career decisions. A full scholarship will be awarded on behalf of First Integrity Bank NA for one student from Staples/Motley High School. BestPrep will match the bank's scholarship for a second student to attend. All expenses will be covered with the exception of transportation for the program conducted at G.R. Herberger College of Business at St. Cloud State University July 13-18 and by the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship at St. John's University July 27-Aug. 1.
Throughout the week at MBV, the students work in teams to create a business plan, learn from volunteer business professionals who act as mentors and have fun learning without a textbook. Students participate in a variety of competitions throughout the week. The students also have the opportunity to listen to speakers on a variety of topics. The students stay in the dorms on the college campuses. The program is offered for students who have completed grades 9-12.
Interested students can obtain an application by contacting Jenny Mu–oz, Minnesota Business Venture Associate, at (763) 398-0090 ext. 228 or jmunoz@bestprep.org with any questions.
Nisswa at Night planned July 15
NISSWA - The Nisswa Chamber of Commerce networking event, Nisswa at Night, is planned from 5:30-7 p.m. July 15 and hosted by Buffalo Plaid, Main Street, Nisswa.
Participants may see the store's expansion, have appetizers, refreshments and door prize. This event is open to Nisswa Chamber members and their employees. RSVP is requested by calling (218) 963-2620 or e-mail mary@nisswa.com.
Volunteer Recognition Night planned Thursday
The Brainerd Lakes Chamber is thanking its team of volunteers with two free tickets to the Blue Thunder baseball game on Thursday.
A special Business After Hours will take place prior to the game, sponsored by Famous Dave's, Holiday Inn Express, and Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union. This Business After Hours begins at 4:30 p.m. in the Mills Field picnic area. Volunteers may attend with their game ticket for food, prizes and socializing.
The team of volunteers will take the field to receive recognition in front of the entire crowd. The Blue Thunder will take on the Rochester Honkers.
Each volunteer will receive two tickets and may bring a person of their choice. Additional tickets can be purchased by volunteers or chamber members for $4 each. Tickets can be purchased or picked up at any of the four chamber locations.
Cry for Mr. Sunshine
Associated Press
The new co-worker sitting next to you is a real beam of light. Everyone loves him.
But don't be jealous - he's more likely to have his high hopes dashed after the honeymoon glow of the new job has worn off, and more likely to seek out another job.
A study of recent recipients of business degrees found that those with "positive affects," or very cheerful dispositions, tended to expect high salaries - about $100,000 more over the course of a career than the rest of us. When higher pay doesn't materialize, they're more likely to crash and burn, then seek out a new position, said Dr. Olivia O'Neill, head of the study and a management professor at the University of Georgia.
"These people change jobs as many as five times in four years," said O'Neill. "Presumably they keep thinking the next job's going to be better than the previous one."
But it's not. The disappointments keep building, salaries don't rise as much as anticipated, and the stress of dealing with new people, responsibilities and major life changes constantly can floor even the most positive.
O'Neill recommended staying on with one organization, even if it is not your dream job. Constantly seeking out new companies seems to doom positive people: They suffer from more than just career dissatisfaction.
"These are the unhappiest people," said O'Neill. "They're unhappy with their whole life."
O'Neill collaborated with Laura Stanley, Kanu Priya and Charles O'Reilly on the study. They tested 132 MBA graduates from 1987-1995, once while they were students and then twice more over an eight-year span.
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