Haselwander Companies, Inc. has broken ground on a new 90-unit Fairfield Inn & Suites on the northeast side of Eau Claire in the Princeton Crossing development at the intersection of Highway 53 and the North Crossing. The site of the new hotel, Princeton Crossing, is a 26-acre commercial development, which also is home to a new Kwik Trip convenience store. Additional property is currently being marketed for further highway commercial projects, restaurants and office park development. The new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott will include 90 guest rooms as well as conference facilities, a pool, patio, fitness center, and a breakfast area. It is estimated that the hotel will employ 40 upon opening. Haselwander Companies also owns the AmericInn & Suites on Eau Claire’s west side as well as Haselwander Real Estate, Haselwander Homes, and Haselwander Commercial.

Ruder Ware announced the addition of Shaughnessy Murphy to its Eau Claire attorney team. Shaughnessy advises clients on a wide variety of business transactional matters, including the organization of business entities; financing, sale and acquisition transactions; and related matters. He also assists clients who are involved in general business litigation matters. Prior to joining Ruder Ware, Murphy served as a key senior leadership aide in the U.S. House of Representatives counseling Members of Congress on a wide variety of public policy issues including agriculture, energy, transportation, trade and taxes. In 2014, Murphy was recognized on Roll Call’s “Fabulous 50” list of most influential congressional staffers. 

Pending state approval, Dove Healthcare & Affiliates will become the licensed operator of Mayo Clinic Health System nursing homes and assisted living facilities in northwest Wisconsin with plans to construct new buildings in the area in the future. The transfer of operations, planned for Oct. 1, 2015, will affect Mayo Clinic Health System nursing homes in Barron, Bloomer and Osseo, as well as its assisted living facilities in Barron and Osseo. Dove Healthcare & Affiliates will work closely with the 135 affected employees and Mayo Clinic Health System to assist with continuing employment, either with Dove Healthcare & Affiliates or within another Mayo Clinic Health System entity. The transition will not impact the care provided to nursing home and assisted living residents.

Ben Rindone recently was named director of Hospital Medicine, Courier Services and Telecom Center at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Rindone earned his master’s degree in business administration from UW-Eau Claire, and his expertise includes process improvement, data analysis, relationship building and project management. He previously had been an account representative in Corporate Health Services with Mayo Clinic Health System and worked closely with northwest Wisconsin businesses to understand their health care needs. In his new position, he is responsible for general operations and department oversight.

Susan Zukowski recently was named director of Corporate Health Services at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Zukowski has a doctorate in psychology from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and a master’s of business administration from Lakeland College in Sheboygan. For the past three years, Zukowski served as supervisor in marketing research for Mayo Clinic Health System where she helped launch the marketing research and analytics team and standardized processes for data driven decision-making. Zukowski will be responsible for the oversight of Occupational Medicine, the Worksite Wellness program and Workers’ Compensation Coordination.

Nathan Rasmussen, M.D., recently joined the Urology Department at Mayo Clinic Health System and will see patients in Eau Claire and Menomonie. Rasmussen earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmacology/environmental toxicology from the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy in Madison. He earned his medical degree at UW School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. Rasmussen completed his residency in urology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He was one of only two fellows selected for the Angevine Summer Fellowship in pathology at UW School of Medicine and Public Health. He is board-certified by the American Board of Urology.
Previously, Rasmussen was a private practice urologist in Milwaukee.

Eyad S. Al-Hattab, M.D., an oncologist, recently joined the Albert J. and Judith A. Dunlap Cancer Center at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire.  Al-Hattab earned his medical and general surgery degrees from the University of Jordan in Amman. He completed his residency at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a fellow at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York. He is board-certified with the American boards of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology. Previously, Al-Hattab worked as an assistant professor of oncology at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, and as medical director of the Cancer Care Centers at Bradford Regional Medical Center in Bradford, Pennsylvania, and Olean General Hospital in Olean, New York.

Photizo Group has recognized EO Johnson Business Technologies as a leader in managed print services (MPS). EO Johnson was one of 13 independent providers that Photizo Group selected to participate in the 2015 Leaders Index for MPS Channel Partners. Photizo Group selected the dealers based on demonstrated leadership in MPS, and this is the third year EO Johnson has been selected. The Leaders Index for MPS Channel Partners is a collection of hand-selected, independent MPS partners from around the world that are regarded as the gold standard in managed print and document services.

Bob Komro has joined the Board of Directors of Security Financial Bank. Komro is a native of Durand
and is the President of Komro Sales & Service. He attended Durand High School and graduated from UW-Stout in 1982, with a degree in Industrial Technology. He worked as a sales engineer in Pittsburg, PA in the mining and steel industry, before returning to Wisconsin in 1988 to work with Komro Sales & Service, the family business. He became the president of the business in 1995 and is a partner with his brother, Pete Komro and brother-in-law, Mike Serum. He also is a partner of Rapid Machining in Durand.

Larson Companies announced a groundbreaking ceremony for the new 135-room Staybridge Suites in Altoona will take place on June 24, 2015 at 11 am. The ceremony will be held at 1515 Bluestem Boulevard off HWY 53 in Altoona’s Northwest Quadrant of River Prairie Development. Construction of the 90,000 square foot Staybridge Suites is expected to be completed in late spring of 2016. Staybridge Suites is owned by a group led by Larson Companies, under license agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group. The project ownership group includes Richard Larson, Thomas Larson, Tim Pabich, Tim Olson and Tom Toy. The property will be built by Royal Construction and managed by Larson Companies.

Dove Healthcare - South, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, has been recognized as a 2015 recipient of the Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award for its dedication to improving the lives of residents through quality care. The award is the first of three distinctions possible through the National Quality Award Program, presented by the American Health Care Association. The program is centered on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program and assists providers of post-acute care services in achieving their performance excellence goals. Trained Examiners review each application to determine if the center has met the demands of the criteria. Dove Healthcare - South will now move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the criteria required for the Silver - Achievement in Quality Award.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin announced nce that the Big Brothers Big Sisters National Leadership Council (NLC) recognized the Northwestern Wisconsin affiliate with a 2014 Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Quality Award. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin is in its 43rd year of serving its community’s children. In 2014, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin served nearly 500 children. The affiliate expanded community-based programming into Dunn County, site-based programming into Oneida and Vilas Counties, and launched the Mentors in Motion program in both the Chippewa Valley and St. Croix Valley. Mentors in Motion is a program aimed at providing children opportunities to become more physically active and engage in learning around healthy eating habits. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin is one of 45 out of more than 300 Big Brothers Big Sisters of America agencies that was recognized for quality community programming.

John Sackett, director at Royal Credit Union, was elected by acclamation to the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) board of directors. Sackett will fill the District 4, Class C board seat, which represents credit unions with at least 106,000 natural-person members in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. Sackett is the first volunteer elected to the CUNA board since the 1996 Renewal Review recommendations changed the election procedures and composition of the board. His term will run through the 2016 annual general meeting.

Sheila Galbraith, M.D., recently joined Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire as a dermatologist. Galbraith earned her medical degree at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She completed her dermatology residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She also was a fellow in pediatric dermatology at Medical College of Wisconsin/Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She is board-certified in dermatology and pediatric dermatology with the American Board of Dermatology. She is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, Society for Pediatric Dermatology, Wisconsin Dermatological Society and Dermatology Foundation. Before joining Mayo Clinic Health System, Galbraith worked as an associate professor of dermatology at Medical College of Wisconsin. In 2012, Galbraith was recognized as one of the Best Doctors in Milwaukee by “M” magazine.

The Center for Sleep Medicine at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire recently received five-year reaccreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The department was recognized for its commitment to regulations and new advancements to ensure that sleep center patients receive the highest quality of care.  The accreditation process involved detailed inspection of facilities and employees, including an evaluation of testing procedures, patient contacts and physician training. Also, department goals must be clearly stated and include plans for positively affecting the quality of care in the community. The Center for Sleep Medicine cares for patients with the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia and restless leg syndrome.

Jeff Gau, has been named as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the Upper Midwest. The winners of the award were selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, leading CEOs, private capital investors and other regional business leaders. Gau joined Marco as a sales representative in 1984 and held various management positions before he became president in 2003 and CEO in 2007. In 2004, Marco was a $34 million company with 198 employees and seven locations in Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota. Under Gau’s leadership, Marco has grown to a $200 million company with 900 employees at 42 locations nationally. Marco donates up to five percent of its profits to the communities they serve and pays employees to lead key volunteer efforts in the community. The EY Upper Midwest program includes companies based in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Collectively, this year’s finalists generated more than $2.1 billion in revenue and provided over 7,000 jobs by the end of 2014.

The law firm of Spangler Flory, LLP is changing its name to Nodolf Flory, LLP following the resignation of Attorney William Spangler. Members of the firm are Donald R. Marjala, Jack A. Postlewaite, Brian M. Nodolf, Tanya M. Bruder, M. Laurie Klinkhammer, Peter Herrell, James Flory, and Michael Steininger. The firm offers over 100 years of combined legal experience and practices in the areas of business, real estate, litigation, government, estate planning and probate.

Eau Claire-based dentist, Tony Martin of Martin Dental, recently completed “Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach,” a continuing education course offered through the University of Minnesota. The course, designed to utilize a human systems approach to chronic pain, helped attendees better understand how individual risk factors in patients’ lives can interact to perpetuate chronic pain and, if improved, prevent it. More specifically, Martin  learned methodologies for preventing pain in the seven realms of daily life.

Several HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital colleagues have recently earned advanced certifications: Lami Harsh and Marie Kringle, both from the hospital’s sterile processing department, have recently earned their Certified Registered Central Service Technician certifications. The certification, offered through the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management, assures that sterile processing colleagues have the enhanced knowledge required to properly clean, disinfect, sterilize, store and deliver instrumentation and supplies for surgical services and other areas of the hospital. Scott Miller and Courtney Reynolds, both from the hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, recently earned their Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional certification.
The certification, offered through the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, is exclusively for cardiac rehabilitation professionals and is the only certification aligned with the published cardiac rehabilitation competencies.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin announced that Ashley LaVick has joined the organization as program director. LaVick brings with her a wealth of experience working with children and mentors. She holds a bachelor's degree in secondary art education and and a master's degree in professional development from UW-River Falls. For the past nine years, she has been active in the field of education as an art teacher. LaVick's addition to Big Brothers Big Sisters comes as Jan Proctor is set to retire after more than 30 years of serving as program director.

The 19th Annual Breakfast in the Valley was a big success thanks to more than 80 sponsors and over 300 volunteers. This event would not be possible without the Chamber members who volunteered to serve the breakfast and the Agri-Business committee that worked for several months to plan the breakfast.

A special thanks to the early risers who helped get the breakfast running whether it was making coffee, firing up the skillets, directing traffic or serving guests. We appreciate those that brought a whole team from their company. We hope it was a good team building event. We also want to thank those that came for the less exciting part of the day, clean up! Thanks to everyone for making the breakfast a great success! Save the date for the 20th Annual Breakfast in the Valley on June 10, 2016.

Agri-Business Committee
Bob Bosold, Mid-West Family Broadcasting
Mary Kay Brevig, Eau Claire Energy Cooperative
Nikki Crotteau, Chippewa Valley Energy
Jenn Engaldo, Kwik Trip, Inc.
Christine Gimber, Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci, S.C.
Dave Graham, Northwest Enterprises
Mark Hagedorn, Eau Claire County
Jim Hager, WRR Environmental Services Co., Inc.
Nick Heike, Heike Law Offices, LLC
Rita Houser, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
Steve Hunsley, Chippewa Valley Energy
Joe Knight, Leader-Telegram
Tim Laubach, Mega! CO-OP
Nick Meyer, Volume One Magazine
Nicholas Mohr, Rhom Construction LLC - CHAIR
Mahlon Peterson
Jennifer Roetter, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Jon Schultz, City of Eau Claire
Dan Schwaegel, Edward Jones
Bob Sinz, Legal/Identity Theft Shield
Mary Stabenow, Nohre & Company, S.C., CPA's
LaVern Stewart, LL Stewart Auction Service & American Realty Partner
Pat Sturz, CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP
Paul Woita, Woita & Associates
Justin Zoromski, Woita & Associates


Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor: Eau Claire Energy Cooperative

Cheese and strawberries provided by Gordy’s Market
Cheese curds provided by Chippewa Valley Energy
Coffee provided by Coffee Express and Victor Allen’s
Corn Flakes provided by General Mills
Custard provided by Culver’s
Eggs provided by Festival Foods
Ham, Cheese, Mushrooms and Onions for the eggs provided by Sam’s Club
Milk provided by Kemps and McDonald’s
Muffins provided by Mega! CO-OP
Orange Juice and Bananas provided by Kwik Trip, Inc. 

Click here to see all the breakfast sponsors! 

With the help of a public vote Shelby Wodarck , is the winner of Royal Credit Union’s ultimate job search and the second Young & Free Royal spokesperson, called a “Spokester.” As the spokesperson for Young & Free Royal, Wodarck becomes a paid team member of Royal Credit Union for one year. She will serve as a reporter and advocate for her age group, attending events and creating original online videos and blogs to keep content fresh at YoungFreeRoyal.com. Wodarck is a student at UW-Eau Claire and expects to earn a degree in psychology in December.

ADG Architects recently opened a new office in Minnesota. Market Sector Leader Michael Clark, who joined ADG Architects in May, will lead project management and support from the Minneapolis area office, pertaining primarily to projects for Five Bugles Design, the emergency service facilities division of ADG Architects. Clark’s 28 year career has focused almost exclusively on projects in the public sector and includes management positions with prominent architectural firms. ADG’s Emergency Service Facilities division, Five Bugles Design, provides planning and design services solely to the public safety service industry.

Kenny Lampro, a respiratory therapist at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital, was recently given the Wisconsin Society for Respiratory Care’s (WSRC) Anne Flaten Presidential Award. The award is presented to a WSRC member who shows exemplary leadership, service, creativity and dedication to the specialty of respiratory care and advancing the profession.

To prepare students for careers in the science and technology industry that goes into creating those products, UW-Eau Claire will offer a new degree in materials science and engineering beginning in the fall 2016. The UW System Board of Regents recently approved the new degree program. Materials science and engineering applies the tools of basic science in designing a solution to a problem that benefits from a better understanding of the behavior of materials, their development or their novel application to modern technologies. Graduates in the materials science and engineering field find employment in microelectronics, energy production and storage, biomedical applications, aerospace, information technology, nanotechnology, manufacturing and materials production.

The UW-Eau Claire staff of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) were recently honored as recipients of a UW System Academic Staff Excellence Award. ORSP, designated in 1988 by the UW System Board of Regents as the system's Center of Excellence for Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration, excels at providing development opportunities for faculty, staff and students to ensure students have transformative research experiences, said UW-Eau Claire Chancellor James Schmidt.

The Board of Directors of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) elected Gregory Haselwander  to be a life director at the Association’s IBS Board of Directors’ Meeting. Haselwander is the VP sales and marketing of Haselwander Companies Inc in Eau Claire. He has been a member of NAHB for 14 years and has served as a voting director for 10 years. In order to be eligible for election as a life director, NAHB builder and associate members must have served as a voting director for more than 10 years, have attended at least two board meetings each year and be recommended by their local or state association.

Citizens Community Federal N.A. (NASDAQ: CZWI) recently launched its new brand as CCFBank. The new brand includes a new logo and tagline that features a commitment to "Delivering Excellence". The rebrand is an effort to simplify the bank’s brand.

Two HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital colleagues in the sterile processing department have recently earned advanced certifications: Sabrina Kent, a sterile processing technician, recently earned her Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) certification. This certification recognizes an individual who has the enhanced knowledge required to properly clean, disinfect, sterilize, store and deliver instrumentation and supplies for surgical services and other areas of the hospital. Joni Baker, CRCST, recently earned her Certified Instrument Specialist (CIS) certification. This certification recognizes an individual who has demonstrated the experience, knowledge and skills necessary to provide competent services as an advanced instrument specialist.

After undergoing an on-site evaluation and demonstrating compliance with nationally developed standards for stroke care, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire has been recertified as a Primary Stroke Center, earning The Joint Commission’s Certificate of Distinction. Certification signifies dedication to fostering better outcomes for patients and demonstrates that the Eau Claire program meets the critical elements of performance necessary to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients. The two-year recertification was received as a result of a Joint Commission on-site review in January. The facility first certified in 2006.

Chippewa Valley Free Clinic announced an addition to its clinic services. In addition to the regular Tuesday walk-in clinics, beginning June 4 another walk-in clinic will be offered on the first and third Thursdays of every month, at the same time as its diabetic appointment clinic. Registration for walk-in patients will be from 9 until 10 a.m. only, and patients will be seen between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Also, medication refill services will now be held during clinic hours only. Other services, as listed below, remain the same.

Ambassador of the Month
Kate Banchy, Spectrum Insurance Group
The Ambassador Executive Committee is pleased to announce Kate Banchy was selected Ambassador of the month in May 2015 for her participation in Chamber and Ambassador activities. Thank you, Kate, for all your time and hard work.