Welcome to the Eau Claire Chamber Blog

​Royal Credit Union has named Cheryl Wirth regional director of branch operations.  She oversees the operations of Royal Credit Union branches located in the Chippewa Valley and directly leads the performance of branch managers, ensuring excellent member service and overall success at Royal branch locations. Wirth began working for Royal in 1998 and has spent the last 18 years serving as a branch manager at RCU locations in Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire. She has also worked at Royal as a teller supervisor and assistant branch manager.

Royal Credit Union also named Amy Bauer vice president of shared project services.  She is responsible for the seamless, timely, cost effective and accurate delivery of business process analysis, eLearning, and technical writing capabilities across Royal’s projects and ongoing deliverables. Bauer began working for Royal in 2007 where she served as organizational information and development manager. She has a business administration degree from UW–Stout and received her MBA at UW–Oshkosh. Bauer is a graduate of Leadership Eau Claire.

Randi Osberg of Ruder Ware LLSC has been selected as a 2015 Wisconsin Super Lawyer. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. In addition, Bryan Symes has been selected as a 2015 Wisconsin Rising Star. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.

HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital was recently recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Health Service’s Coverdell Stroke Program for becoming a Coverdell Stroke Champion. As a Coverdell Stroke Champion, the hospital continues to implement stroke quality improvement and work with emergency medical service to improve transitions of care, while sharing data and practices to improve stroke care throughout the nation. 

Royal Credit Union has named Nicole Wilson vice president of organizational talent services.  She is responsible for developing and executing talent management strategy in support of Royal’s core purpose and values, organizational strategy, and business goals, specifically in the areas of total rewards, performance management, attracting and retaining high impact talent, team member relations, organizational development, succession planning, corporate culture and engagement. Wilson began working for Royal in 2002 and has spent the last three years serving as its organizational talent services manager.  She has a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification and is a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). Wilson graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a bachelor’s of administration degree in management-human resources. She is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Eau Claire™.
​
Werner Electric has entered an agreement to purchase all DS Electric Supply’s Rockwell APR and inventory. DS Electric Supply currently services areas in the following counties; parts of Crawford, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland and Vernon. DS Electric Supply will continue to service their customers in the La Crosse and Eau Claire territories with their other electrical product lines. The acquisition of DS Electric’s Rockwell APR and inventory will expand Werner’s presence in the La Crosse market. Werner Electric is headquartered in Cottage Grove, MN with branches in Eau Claire and La Crescent, Mankato, Owatonna, Rochester, and Saint Cloud, Minnesota.

The Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation recently hosted its inaugural Golden Apple Awards banquet, which celebrated one Golden Apple Award recipient from each of the 20 schools in the Eau Claire Area School District. All honorees were nominated by their peers. Each recipient will receive $500 in unrestricted grant funding to use in their schools and classrooms, and each school will also receive $500 for their greatest needs fund thanks to the sponsorship of generous businesses in the Chippewa Valley. Recipients included: Chippewa Valley Montessori: Julie Campbell; Prairie Ridge Early Learning Center: Lyn Krochmalski; McKinley Charter School: Kevin Mahoney; Memorial High School: Bev Pierson; North High School: Molly Thorp; DeLong Middle School: Lori Koepke; Northstar Middle School: Brenda Xiong; South Middle School: Steph Rowe; Davey: Beth Duellman; Flynn: Amy Detrick; Lakeshore: Abby Seveland; Locust Lane: Mary Hayes; Longfellow: Craig Hinden; Manz: Liz Mosher; Meadowview: Robin Becker; Northwoods: Vance Mead; Putnam Heights: Anne Aubart; Robbins: Jodie Baca; Roosevelt: Deb Heath; Sherman: Katie Bergeron.

HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital announced that Carolyn Craft has been named the 2015 recipient of the hospital’s Keeper of the Tradition award. Craft joined the hospital in 1991 as director of human resources. The award honors one colleague each year who carries on the traditions of Christian hospitality, servant leadership and the integration of the mission of the Hospital Sisters into his or her everyday work and service. This year marks the 13th year the hospital has given the award, which is one of the highest colleague honors at the hospital.

HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital was recognized as a 2014 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in the United States. St. Joseph’s Hospital was recognized for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (the formation of blood clots in the vein) surgical care and immunization. The hospital is one of only 1,043 hospitals in the U.S. to achieve the 2014 Top Performer distinction. The program recognizes hospitals for improving performance on evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions. This is the second year the hospital has been recognized as a Top Performer. St. Joseph’s Hospital was recognized in 2014 as a 2013 Top Performer for the treatment of pneumonia and surgical care.
 
Marshfield Clinic recently purchase Concert Health Resources, a Kaukauna-based wellness company. Concert Health Resources performs onsite employee biometric tests at businesses throughout northeastern Wisconsin and in 30 states. They use results from employee health screens and biometric tests to provide employee-focused health coaching. Concert Health Resources’ health screenings are customized to individuals and their companies. Concert Health Resources has two employees. Dr. John Butitta is an internal medicine physician and nutritionist and Virginia Schuller-Rach is a nurse. They formed the company 22 years ago to address demand by companies for wellness programs. 

HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital recently earned the 2015 Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award, which was given to hospital leaders on November 11 at the Press Ganey National Client Conference in Orlando, FL. The hospital achieved this distinction by reaching the 95th percentile for patient experience in the hospital’s emergency department for one year. The award is given annually to honor the hospitals that are in the top five percent in the country in patient satisfaction.

​The Eau Claire YMCA announced that it is receiving a gift of a new eight-court tennis center from Menards.  It’s proposed that this new facility will be constructed on land currently owned by the Eau Claire YMCA just west of the entrance to Carson Park on Menomonie Street.  The gift would replace the current five-court LE Phillips Tennis Center on Moore Street that opened in 1972 and become known as the Menard Family YMCA Tennis Center. Before construction may begin, a final site plan needs to be developed and approved by the City Council.  If all goes as planned, construction could potentially begin in Spring, 2016 with a targeted completion date of Fall, 2016.

Nurse practitioner Kelly Meinen recently joined the Hospital Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Meinen earned her master’s degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she also received intensivist training at Vanderbilt University Hospital. Meinen is certified in adult-gerontology acute care. Hospitalists provide continuity of care for patients. Because they are located in the hospital, they are available to follow up on tests, procedures and treatments throughout a patient’s stay, and for discussion with patients and families. As a result, problems can be detected earlier, and complex medical issues can be managed better.

April Anderson was promoted to principal at CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA). For more than nine years, Anderson has worked exclusively with governmental entities providing annual external audits, budget assistance and other consulting services. She has extensive experience performing single audits required by the state and federal governments. Anderson also has significant experience advising executive level management and audit committees on compliance, risk and controls.
In addition, CLA announced the hiring of Eric Winkler as a senior in the tax department, Knue Thor as a seasonal tax preparer and Lauren Bogumill as an audit intern.

The Chippewa Valley Fundraising Professionals will host its 21st Annual Celebration of Philanthropy on Thursday, November 12, 2015 at Florian Gardens in Eau Claire. Several area philanthropists will be honored with the distinguished Outstanding Philanthropist Award including Jeff and Patti Darley from Chippewa County, Marilyn Fanetti from Dunn County, and Mel and Leann Breed from Eau Claire County. Also being honored is an area youth, Daniel Ivankovic, with the Outstanding Youth Philanthropist Award. Two area fundraising professionals, Aliesha Crowe, executive director of CVTC Foundation, Inc., and Sue Bornick, executive director at the Eau Claire Community Foundation, will be awarded the 2015 Bert Swanson Memorial Scholarship recipients.

Joan Coffman, president and CEO of HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, has been selected by the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) Nominating Committee to serve on the WHA Board of Directors for a three-year term starting January 1, 2016. She is currently a member of the WHA Council on Public Policy and is president of the WHA West Central Region and serves as a board alternate for that region. Coffman joined HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital as chief operating officer in 2008 and became president and CEO in 2010.

Royal Credit Union was named a recipient of the 2014 Gold Million Dollar Lender Award, which is presented each year to lenders who have partnered with, and made a significant contribution to, supporting Wisconsin rural residents looking to become homeowners through the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) Program. In fiscal year 2014, Royal Credit Union utilized $4 million of GRH program funds by financing home purchases to help moderate income families in Wisconsin. Nearly 3,300 families across Wisconsin were able to purchase a home last year through the GRH loan program, totaling nearly $414.6 million. The Million Dollar Lender Award is given at three levels Silver, Gold and Platinum, based on the total amount of funding utilized by the lender. Silver level disbursed more than $1 million, Gold level disbursed more than $2 million and Platinum level disbursed more than $5 million during the past year. 

Royal Credit Union (RCU) also recently received the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) 2015 Community Credit Union of the Year Award. RCU was named the 1st place winner in the more than $250M in assets category. The award recognizes credit unions that embody credit union ideals, get involved in their community and meet the needs of their own diverse member-bases. Each credit union applicant is judged on three criteria: Member Impact, Community Impact and Financial Impact.
​
Marco was named by Great Place to Work® as one of the best small and medium workplaces in the United States on their annual 2015 Best Small & Medium Workplaces list, published today in Fortune magazine. Ranked #14, this is the second consecutive year Marco has received this honor. Divided into two categories, Small (25-250 employees) and Medium (251-999 employees), the list has recognized companies with exceptional workplace cultures for the past 11 years.

Citizens Community Bancorp, Inc. (NasdaqGM: CZWI) (the "Company"), parent company of Citizens Community Federal N.A. (the “Bank”), has entered into a purchase agreement with Central Bank of Golden Valley, Minnesota, to purchase certain assets from, and assume all deposit liabilities of Central Bank’s Rice Lake and Barron branch banking operations pending regulatory approval. The transaction is expected to be finalized in our second fiscal quarter of 2016.

Terri Nordin, M.D., has been named director of the new Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency Program in northwest Wisconsin. Nordin will lead the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency Program planned to open in July 2017 with the first class graduating in 2020. She will work with other Mayo Clinic physicians and staff in and around Eau Claire to recruit and train high-caliber residents. During the course of their three-year training, the physician residents will see patients at Mayo Clinic Health System sites in Eau Claire, as well as in rural sites in the Barron, Bloomer, Menomonie and Osseo areas. Mayo Clinic also is collaborating with HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and Marshfield Clinic for residents to receive training at their facilities. Nordin received her bachelor’s degree in family and consumer science studies from Iowa State University in Ames. She earned her medical degree from the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City, where she also completed a research fellowship. She completed her family medicine residency and clinical fellowship in maternity care and served as an assistant professor at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Starting in December, patients at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire will have another option for removing cataracts — a laser. Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery provides precise and bladeless corneal incisions, reducing possible flap complications associated with traditional cataract surgery, as well as a more reliable result from the procedure. Traditionally, surgeons manually perform the corneal incision and then remove the old lens, replacing it with a new one. Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire is the first Mayo Clinic site in the nation to offer femtosecond laser services.

Physician Assistant Aimee Nelson recently joined the Emergency Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Nelson earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Buffalo in New York. She received her master’s degree in physician assistant studies at A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona. She is certified in emergency medicine and as an emergency medical technician. Her professional interests include emergency medicine, emergency medical services and pre-hospital care.

Three HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital colleagues have recently earned advanced certifications: Mary Enerson, RN, and Andrea Falkner, RN, both in the hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation department, recently earned their Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) accreditation. The CRRN accreditation is certified by the American Board of Nursing Specialties. Nurses who achieve this credential demonstrate knowledge, experience and commitment to excellence in comprehensive care for people with physical disabilities and chronic illnesses in all specialties and settings of rehabilitation. Tracy Mateus, RN, in the hospital’s surgical services department, recently earned her CNOR accreditation. CNOR certification is the documented validation of the professional achievement of identified standards of practice by an individual registered nurse providing care for patients before, during and after surgery. Nurses who attain this certification demonstrate their dedication to providing excellence in perioperative care.

Tina Theisen has been named 2015 Realtor of the Year by the Realtors Association of Northwestern Wisconsin. Theisen has been a realtor since 2005 and is broker and co-owner of RE/MAX Real Estate Group in Eau Claire.  This award recognizes Theisen’s leadership as outgoing president of the RANWW, her service to the Realtors Association Board of Directors and her commitment to promoting the real estate industry and protecting home owners’ rights.

Luke Kempen, director of the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UW-Eau Claire, has been awarded the 2015 America’s SBDC State Star Award for Wisconsin.  The State Star Award acknowledges Kempen’s work helping small business owners start, improve and grow their companies.  Over the past two years, with his leadership and direct assistance, clients served by the SBDC in Eau Claire generated more than $23 million in business capital, added 92 jobs and started more than 44 new business enterprises.    
​
Heartland Contractors, a leading provider of residential and commercial construction is giving back to the community with monthly donations to charitable organizations. These organizations were chosen to receive donations from Heartland Helps for the month September: 2015 Baja 1000 Support, Jaycee Show Fund-EC, Boys & Girls Club- Men Who Cook Benefit for Scott Vehrenkamp, Chippewa Family YMCA Rock the Dome. To have your organization considered for October, please submit to info@heartlandwi.com.

Karen Konz has been hired as the new program director for Girls on the Run of the Chippewa Valley (GOTR). Konz, who recently retired from the state of Wisconsin, will help shape girls lives through GOTR and also have time to set and challenge new personal fitness goals. 

Christopher Jorgenson, director of UW-Eau Claire’s Women’s & LGBTQ Resource Center, is UW-Eau Claire’s recipient of the UW System’s Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ People. With the involvement of 10 student interns from diverse areas of academic study, Jorgenson leads the planning of programs and events throughout the academic year. Under Jorgenson’s leadership, the Women’s & LGBTQ Resource Center was named 2012 Organization of the Year by the Fair Wisconsin Education Fund.

Dr. Dandrielle Lewis, assistant professor of mathematics, is UW-Eau Claire’s recipient of the UW System Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award. Lewis, who joined UW-Eau Claire’s faculty in 2011, has served since that time on the Advisory Board of the UW System Women and Science Program. The program’s mission is to attract and retain more women and minority students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by promoting systematic changes in the ways that science and science education are regarded and carried out within the UW System. Since 2013, Lewis also has directed UW-Eau Claire's Sonia Kovalevsky Math Days for high school and middle school girls, a program to encourage girls to pursue higher education and careers in STEM through exposure to STEM opportunities, workshops and panels, and networking opportunities with prominent women who use STEM in their careers.

EO Johnson Business Technologies has received the CompTIA Managed Print Trustmark™, a respected industry credential that signifies its adherence to best practices for technology service delivery and customer interaction. The Trustmark was developed by CompTIA, the non-profit association for the information technology industry, in collaboration with industry experts and leaders to identify businesses that have made a commitment to the highest levels of integrity and sustained quality service. The Trustmark is designed specifically for technology businesses offering on premise print services via a managed services business model.

HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital announced the leadership appointments of Josh Rizzo and Brandy Sikkora. Rizzo has been appointed as director of philanthropy for St. Joseph’s Hospital. Rizzo previously served as interim director of philanthropy for the hospital, and prior to that, as philanthropy specialist for the hospital. Prior to joining St. Joseph’s Hospital, Rizzo served as development coordinator for Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity. Sikora has been appointed as director of volunteer services for St. Joseph’s Hospital. Sikora previously served as manager of volunteer services for the hospital, and prior to that, as guest services representative for the hospital. Prior to joining St. Joseph’s Hospital, Sikora served as a manager at 29 Pines.

The Partners of HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital received the 2015 Wisconsin Award for Volunteer Excellence (WAVE Award) by the Partners of Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA), for the Dementia Friendly Business Initiative. The award was presented in Madison at the Partners of WHA Annual Convention. The Dementia Friendly Business Initiative was created last July to show a high level of public awareness and understanding of dementia. Chippewa Falls businesses and their employees have since been trained to help serve those who may have a form of dementia. The initiative is a collaboration between the Partners of HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, Chippewa Health Improvement Partnership, Chippewa Falls Main Street and a Chippewa County dementia coalition. The Partners provided funding for materials and trained volunteers to educate businesses on customer service techniques to assist those with dementia.

Physician assistant Erin Spritzer recently joined the Orthopedic Center at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Spritzer holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from UW-River Falls. She earned her a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. Spritzer is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and Physician Assistants Orthopaedic Surgery. Previously, Spritzer worked as a physician assistant in orthopedic surgery at Integrated Medical Services in Goodyear, Arizona, and at Mayo Clinic Health System in Owatonna, Minnesota.

Cheryl Rihn, infection prevention manager for HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals, recently earned her certification for Infection Control from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. An internationally-held credential, approximately 6,000 infection control professionals worldwide have achieved this voluntary certification. Rihn has served as infection prevention manager for both hospitals since June 2013. Prior to that, she served as infection prevention specialist for HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital. Rihn also previously served in nursing roles at both hospitals.

​Holiday Inn Eau Claire South was awarded the IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) 2015 Newcomer Award as one of the best properties to join the IHG system within the last year as a new development property. Holiday Inn Eau Claire South was recognized during the 2015 IHG Americas Investors and Leadership Conference where only four Holiday Inn Hotels in the Americas were selected to receive the award. Award recipients needed to consistently demonstrate the highest standards of quality and customer service as compared to all Holiday Inns in North America. Holiday Inn Eau Claire South is ranked 17th overall out of 758 full-service Holiday Inn Hotels in North America for highest standards and overall guest satisfaction. Holiday Inn South had an overall guest satisfaction rating of 90.97.
​
Dr. Cheryl Lapp, professor of nursing at UW-Eau Claire, recently received the 2015 Suzanne Van Ort Award for Creativity and Scholarships from the College of Nursing and Health Services. Lapp received the award for her development of a University Honors Program course titled Empathy Enhancement for the Helping Professions, which uses an innovative teaching strategy focusing on theater applications. 

Registered nurse Christine Boe has been named inpatient director of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Boe will be responsible for operations of the Family Birth Center. Boe has worked as nursing supervisor in Surgical Prep & Recovery at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Previously, she worked at Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center in OB-GYN, gastroenterology, hepatology and central pharmacy. Boe completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Winona State University in Minnesota. She is working toward her master’s degree in nursing management and organizational leadership at American Sentinel University in Aurora, Colorado.

​Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP (Baker Tilly) has announced Kim Shult as the location leader for the firm’s satellite office in Eau Claire. Shult, a partner in the firm’s public sector practice, has been with Baker Tilly since 1996 and was named partner in 2014. In her role as Eau Claire location leader, Shult will have responsibility for staff development, client satisfaction and office management. Shult is a graduate of UW- Eau Claire. She is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, participated in the Chamber’s Leadership Eau Claire™ Class of 2014 and serves on the Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild Board of Directors.

Badgerland Printing USA, Inc., a Western Wisconsin-based company, recently hired Mike Isaksson as the organization’s new vice president of sales. Isaksson brings more than 30 years of printing experience, most recently serving as executive vice president of Horizons Business Solutions, a full-service business services company specializing in mergers and acquisitions in the printing industry. Isaksson is excited to utilize his past experiences with Badgerland’s existing and new customers. With capabilities that include printing on paper, plastics, wood, metal, and almost any substrate, the company can meet a wide array of marketing printing needs.
​
EO Johnson Business Technologies has been named a 2014 GreatAmerica Prestige Dealer by GreatAmerica Financial Services. The award recognizes EO Johnson’s strong ethical foundation and business practices. GreatAmerica recognized EO Johnson because of the company’s leadership qualities and long-term vision. GreatAmerica is a nationwide provider of commercial equipment and technology financing.

Michele Ries, Ph.D., recently joined Behavioral Health at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire as a clinical neuropsychologist. Ries earned her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in neuropsychology, along with her master’s degree, from the University of Memphis in Tennessee. She completed a fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at UW-Madison. She continued her work in neuroimaging research at UW-Madison for the next six years and has published 26 peer-reviewed empirical manuscripts, review articles and book chapters on brain and behavioral changes that result from Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury and epilepsy. Prior to joining Mayo Clinic Health System, she worked as a clinical neuropsychologist in the Dean Health System in Madison. 

Certified nurse-midwife Margaret Landry has joined Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Landry received her bachelor’s degree in nursing at tUW-Eau Claire and her master’s degree in nursing-midwifery at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She is certified by the American College of Nurse Midwives. Before joining Mayo Clinic Health System, Landry worked at Gundersen Health System and Keil Clinic, both in La Crosse.

Mayo Clinic Health System nurse practitioner Vicky Buhr has been selected to participate in the Leadership Program of The American Association of Nurse Practitioners. AANP is the largest national professional membership organization for nurse practitioners of all specialties. The 12-month program, in its second year, is designed to develop the next generation of nurse practitioner leaders through initiatives that will provide a broad vision of the role in the current and future health care environment. Nurse practitioners selected for the program are serving in clinical, administrative or educational roles, and demonstrate the potential to assume roles of increasing national leadership within AANP and throughout the nation.

ReforMedicine, a private direct pay family practice clinic on Eau Claire’s south side, has announced the addition of a provider to their team and extended hours.  Christina Funk, a board certified family nurse practitioner, recently joined the ReforMedicine team. Funk earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from North Dakota State University and master’s degree from UW-Eau Claire. Most recently, Funk worked in nursing education at Chippewa Valley Technical College and as a nurse practitioner at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in nursing practice degree from UW-Eau Claire with anticipated completion in the Spring of 2016. The ReforMedicine offices have extended their open hours to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, and open 8 a.m. to noon on the first, second and fourth Saturdays of each month.   

Joan Coffman, president and CEO of HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, and fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), was awarded the 2015 Wisconsin ACHE Regent Senior Executive Award today at the ACHE-WI 2015 Annual Conference. Coffman joined St. Joseph’s Hospital in 2008 as chief operating officer and was named president and CEO in April 2010. ACHE is an organization with more than 40,000 healthcare leaders from around the world who are dedicated to improving healthcare delivery. Membership gives people the opportunity to be among leaders in healthcare management, grow professionally, enjoy greater satisfaction and career potential and contribute to and give back to their profession. The Fellowship credential (FACHE) is a symbol of professionalism, ethical decision making, competence and leadership and serves as an essential qualification for executive leadership.

HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals are pleased to announce the following leadership appointments: Molly Lauer has been appointed as director of patient relations for HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals. Lauer has served at St. Joseph’s Hospital since November 2012 with responsibility for patient experience. Julia Lyons has been appointed as executive director of case management and the clinical documentation program for HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals. Lyons joined Sacred Heart Hospital in January 2013 as director of quality and moved to the two hospitals’ division oversight in July 2014. 

Marco, Inc. has been named #79 on The Channel Company’s 2015 CRN Fast Growth 150 list. Based on gross revenue over the two-year period from 2012 to 2014, The Fast Growth 150 list ranks solution providers based in North America with significant economic growth. These companies have excelled in growing their operations and constantly providing essential services to their customers. Since 2010, Marco has grown from 350 employees to over 900 employees today. The company now has 42 locations with offices in Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Nebraska.

SDS Architects announced that the firm has recently been retained for the following projects: River Valley School District Study, Spring Green, WI; R. J. Jurowski construction office addition and remodel, Whitehall, Wisconsin; Heartland Contractors Projects in Eau Claire. SDS Architects has been retained to design several significant multi-family housing projects for Chippewa Valley-based Heartland Contractors.  Heartland also has retained SDS Architects as designer on a commercial hangar at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport.

UW-Eau Claire has welcomed Dr. Yaakov Levi as the next individual to hold the longstanding professorship funded by the L.E. Phillips Religious Studies Professor Award. Levi’s position is the university’s first and only privately sponsored visiting professorship, funded since its inception in 1976 by the L.E. Phillips Family Foundation through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation. The professorship is intended to support an educator in the department of philosophy and religious studies who has expertise on the Holocaust and Jewish studies. At UW-Eau Claire, Levi teaches courses on the Old Testament and Hebrew Bible, the Holocaust and Judaism. 

Monica Frederick has joined Royal Construction as vice president of business development. In her new role, Frederick will focus on building relationships with clients, consultants, industry stakeholders and supporting the organization’s business development and marketing strategy. Frederick earned her bachelor’s in political science – legal studies from UW-Eau Claire. She spent the last five years as a marketing and event specialist at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and has also worked in business development and marketing at RW Scobie and the Eau Claire YMCA.   

Jim Geary has joined EO Johnson Business Technologies as director of business development. In this new role for EO Johnson, Geary will work extensively in EO Johnson’s existing and new markets to support increased sales, work closely with EO Johnson vendors/manufacturers, and work with EO Johnson’s Marketing department to further EO Johnson’s brand. Geary brings to his new position a wealth of experience within the office solutions industry. He has spent the last 29 years in technology leadership, and for the majority of that time focused on leading award-winning teams that implemented IT, print, and software integration to help customers with information workflow.

HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital’s Hearing & Balance Center has been certified as a Dementia-Friendly Community Business by the Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Eau Claire County. The Hearing & Balance Center colleagues have been trained in approaching and interacting with persons with dementia and their caregivers. A recent study by Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., at Johns Hopkins University indicates that hearing loss can be linked to the risk of dementia. “According to the study, those over 60 years of age with hearing loss are at a significantly higher risk or developing dementia,” said Shawna Lee, audiologist.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recently recognized Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire as a statewide leader in worksite wellness with a Gold Level award from the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health. The award recognizes employers that promote a work environment that encourages and enables their employees to improve their health and well-being. Locally groups who have implemented health promotion programs with Group Health Cooperative have experienced lower health care costs compared to other groups, and have seen dramatic improvement in health statistics.  

Pawan Karanam, M.D., an oncologist and hematologist, recently joined the Albert J. and Judith A. Dunlap Cancer Center at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Karanam earned his medical degree from Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad, India. He completed a residency in radiation oncology and practiced clinical oncology for 10 years at MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Center in Hyderabad, India. After moving to the United States, Karanam completed a residency in internal medicine at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Then, he completed hematology/oncology fellowship at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse before joining Mayo Clinic Health System. He is board-certified in internal medicine and board-eligible in medical oncology/hematology. Medical oncology specializes in treating cancer with chemotherapy. Hematology includes diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the blood.