Business Notes March 15

CAREER

Adamek gains specialist designation

CROSSLAKE - Mary DuBois Adamek, of Crosslake, was awarded the certified residential specialist (CRS) designation by the Council of Residential Specialists, the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors.

Real estate agents who receive the CRS Designation have completed advanced professional training and demonstrated outstanding professional achievement in residential real estate. Nationwide, 3 percent of real estate agents have earned the credential.

Adamek has been a sales associate with Edina Realty, Inc. of Crosslake since 2005.

Mary

Adamek

Harris joins Adventure Advertising

Adventure Advertising, a full-service advertising agency with offices in Minneapolis, St. Cloud and Brainerd, hired Thako Harris on Jan. 19.

Harris will handle project management for several of Adventure's national accounts while contributing to new business development.

Prior to joining Adventure, Harris served as a project manager at Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis. He managed campaigns in digital, interactive, broadcast and print production for accounts including Subaru, GNC, Kellogg School of Management and Jack Links. Harris will operate from Adventure's downtown Minneapolis office and be critical in the selection and hiring of new staff at that location. Adventure reported Harris will be based primarily in Minneapolis but will be working on accounts serviced out of all the companies offices.

Thako

Harris

MicroNet Welcomes New Employees

NISSWA - MicroNet, Inc., Nisswa, which develops membership management software like ChamberMaster and MemberZone, announced the addition of two employees.

Dan Hopson is a new account manager and will be working in support for the ChamberMaster and MemberZone brands. He comes to MicroNet from Minnesota Power in Duluth where he worked as an engineer/information technology (IT) intern. He has a bachelor of science degree in computer science and minor in mathematics from the University of Minnesota

Duluth.

Scott Pederson is the new quality assurance and documentation specialist and will be working on testing the software and writing user help documents. He comes to the company from Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Distinctive Properties of Minnesota. He has a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Minnesota.

Visit Brainerd represents the Brainerd area at two vacation shows

Visit Brainerd recently represented the Brainerd Lakes Area at the Fargo Sportsman and Vacation Show at the Fargo Dome.

This year the tourism bureau was joined by several new partners including the Nisswa Chamber of Commerce. Representatives from Lakes Jam Music Festival and Destiny Cruise Lines were also on hand. The Fargo show as well as the Northwest Sport Show March 25-29h at the Minneapolis Convention Center are part of the largest marketing push of the year for the organization utilizing shows, print ads, video, and digital ads in a five state region to promote the Brainerd lakes area as Minnesota's premier vacation destination, reported Richard Polipnick, Visit Brainerd executive director.

U.S. Bank, Thrivent Financial gain recognition

U.S. Bank, and Thrivent Financial announced they were recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, as a 2015 World's Most Ethical Company.

The World's Most Ethical Companies designation recognizes those organizations that have had a material impact on the way business is conducted by fostering a culture of ethics and transparency at every level of the company.

"We are thrilled to be honored as a World's Most Ethical Company, which is a distinct recognition for a large U.S.-based banking company," said Richard Davis, chairman, president and chief executive officer for U.S. Bank, in a news release.

Being an honoree underscores U.S. Bank's commitment to leading ethical business standards and practices ensuring long-term value creation for key stakeholders, including customers, employees, suppliers, regulators and investors, the company reported.

EVENTS

Spalding House hosts Business After Hours

CROSBY - The Spalding House is hosting the next Cuyuna Lakes Chamber Business After Hours from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at 1 W. Main St. in Crosby.

Business After Hours is open to chamber members and the public.

The event includes refreshments, beer tasting and raffle prizes. The entry fee is $2 per person. Advance registration is recommended. For more information, contact the chamber at 218-546-8131.

Friday Morning Coffee goes to the zoo

LITTLE FALLS - Friends of Pine Grove Zoo are hosting the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce' Chamber's next Friday Morning Coffee.

Chamber members, employees and guests are invited to attend from 7:30-9 a.m. March 20 at Pine Grove Zoo, 1200 W. Broadway in Little Falls for Friday Morning Coffee.

Free estate planning seminar set in Little Falls

LITTLE FALLS - Thrivent Financial is hosting a free educational workshop on estate preservation.

Called "Estate Strategy Essentials," the one-hour workshop is planned at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Little Falls Senior Center, 510 Seventh St. NE, Little Falls.

The workshop is being presented by Carlyle Olsen, Financial Associate with Thrivent Financial. The "Estate Strategy Essentials" workshop helps participants understand the essential elements of any good estate strategy: wills, trusts, powers of attorney, charitable giving, living wills, and medical powers of attorney. For more information, contact Carlyle Olsen at 320-632-1655.

The Dispatch welcomes business notes submissions via email 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.

More business notes may be part of the Business Extra section in Monday's edition.