Business Notes - Jan. 22

CAREER

Norlin accepts director post at CLC

Deb Norlin of Brainerd is the Director of Career, Transfer and Placement Services, a new position at Central Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples.

The job entails leadership and coordination of CLC’s Career, Transfer and Placement Services Center, including career exploration and support services, information on transfer, and job placement and internship sites for CLC students.

Norlin, who comes to CLC from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, was a Distance Learning Coordinator-Adviser on the Brainerd campus of CLC from 1998 to 2007, employed by Southwest Minnesota State University. She was Assistant Director of Enrollment Services and Alumni Director for SMSU from 1994-98 and had been employed in two other student services-related posts there since 1987.

She is a graduate of Southwest Minnesota State and earned a Master’s of Science in Educational Administration at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Guzman gains promotion

at Advantage Senior Care

Sheila (Smith) Guzman, a Brainerd native, was promoted to client services coordinator at Advantage Senior Care & PCA Services of Brainerd.

Guzman has served 18 years in the Home Health Care field in both Minnesota and Arizona. In early 2011, Guzman moved back to Brainerd and has worked with Advantage Senior Care & PCA Services in administration and billing.

Lakewood Health System Wins Akro-Mils Before and After Contest

STAPLES - Lakewood Health System has been named the nationwide winner of Akro-Mils Before & After Room Reorganization Photo Contest.

Members of Lakewood’s Material Management department, as well as members from the Emergency, Medical Surgery and Hospital Nursing departments, in cooperation with Process Improvement, were responsible for transforming Lakewood’s supply rooms using two-bin reorganization system products from Akro-Mils.

For winning the contest, Lakewood received free Akro-Mils bins. Material Management Director Melanie Bestland said the two-bin reorganization system being implemented is new to the hospital environment and has been successful and will go a long way increase patient care and decrease costs for Lakewood. This system puts everything in its place, which reduces searching for supplies, as well as eliminating unnecessary counting during supply stocking.

Akro-Mils is a nationwide manufacturer of storage and organization products, based in Akron, Ohio. For more information, contact Melanie Bestland at elaniebestland@lakewoodhealthsystem.com or (218) 894-8828.

EVENTS

BLAEDC annual meeting planned Jan. 30

The Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corp. annual meeting is planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Jan. 30 at The Lodge at Brainerd Lakes, Baxter.

Cost for the champagne chicken lunch is $15.

The event includes local business perspectives as well as a featured presentation:

“A National and Global Perspective on Economic Recovery: Bringing Clarity to Financial Markets,” presented by Charles D. Etzweiler, director of research, Nepsis Capital Management. RSVP requested to erika@growbrainerdlakes.org .

Riverwood hosts 63rd annual meeting

AITKIN - The Aitkin Community Hospital Inc., doing business as Riverwood Healthcare Center, will host its annual meeting 7 p.m., Feb. 2, at the 40 Club Convention Center in Aitkin.

Riverwood’s administration will present an overview of the finances for the organization and its operations. Other reports will cover the foundation, auxiliary, medical staff, quality of patient care, and an update on the hospital expansion and renovation project, which got under way in May 2011.

An election of directors whose terms are expiring - Jeff Ehnstrom, Jared Lundgren, Alison Matalamaki and Mike Paulbeck - will be at the meeting. Only eligible members of the corporation are permitted to vote.

The annual meeting is open to the public. Those who attend will receive Riverwood’s annual report for fiscal year 2011. The report will be available online at www.RiverwoodHealthcare.org and in the clinic and hospital lobbies in early February.

Anderson named St. Joseph’s

Foundation director

Miranda Anderson was named the Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Foundation director, Chairperson Kim Ellingson, of Bremer Bank, announced.

Anderson will also continue to serve as the Marketing and Community Relations director for Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center and Clinics.

“Anderson has a skill set and an energy level which will enable her to be successful in both these roles,” said Ellingson.

With more than 10 years of experience in marketing and communications, Anderson has also supported foundations in two previous roles. Her involvement on numerous nonprofit boards and community fundraising campaigns were also influential when selecting her to serve as the St. Joseph’s Foundation director.

The priority areas for 2012 for the St. Joseph’s Foundation include supporting those patients receiving treatment at the nationally recognized Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s Medical Center; continuing to impact heart disease in the lakes area through hands-on training and education, and increasing the amount the Community Grants awarded.

To assist in accomplishing these goals and increase the impact of the St. Joseph’s Foundation a part-time development officer will also be hired in early 2012 to focus on planned giving and major donor relationships.

Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Foundation notes accomplishments in 2011 were made through the generosity of those in our community and staff who gave to the foundation, impacting not only individuals but the health of our entire community.

To reduce the number of deaths in the lakes Area from cardiac arrest, the Take Heart program, sponsored by the St. Joseph’s Foundation, trained more than 4,000 Brainerd, Pequot Lakes, and Pillager high school students and community members in CPR, and placed 53 AEDs in community locations.

To increase health awareness and prevention; the St. Joseph’s Foundation partnered with others in our community through Community Health Initiative Grants.

To meet the practical needs of Cancer Center patients; gas cards and other non-medical expenses were covered providing care for the entire patient physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

To help manage chronic diseases affecting our community; an investment in diabetes equipment and training provided patients more resources in managing their health.

To support the development and specialized training of Essentia Health staff; financial education assistance was provided.

WORKSHOP

High Tunnel Conference planned in Baxter

BAXTER - The 2012 Minnesota Statewide High Tunnel Conference is planned Feb. 8 and 9, at The Lodge at Brainerd Lakes in Baxter.

A Beginning High Tunnel Grower workshop with a “Basics of High Tunnel Production” session is planned 8:30 a.m. to noon, Feb. 8, for beginning growers and those who need a review. The main conference will start at 12:45 pm.

Keynote speakers for this year’s conference include: Mary Gardiner from Ohio State who will present “Identifying and Enhancing Beneficial Insects;” Russ Groves from University of Wisconsin will be presenting “Managing and Controlling Whiteflies, Aphids and other High Tunnel Pests;” and Cary Rivard from Kansas State will present “The Art of Grafting High Tunnel Plants.”

Other topics include: High Tunnel Coverings, Screens and Exclusion Materials; Pushing the Financial Pencil with High Tunnels; Bumblebees and High Tunnels; Strawberry Production; Soil Fertility; The Whys and Hows of Pruning Tomatoes; High Tunnel Crop Automation; Maximizing High Tunnels for the Farm to School Program; High Tunnel Varieties; High Tunnel Grower Problem Solving Session.

For more information, or to request a brochure and registration form, contact the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Office, Grand Rapids, Minnesota at (888) 241-0885 or Sue Schuler at schul925@umn.edu , or Terry Nennich at nenni001@umn.edu , or visit the High Tunnel Website at http://hightunnels.cfans.umn.edu .

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.