Kimberly Hennings has been named the new assistant director of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. Hennings will fill the position left vacant when the previous assistant director, Mark Troendle, left in September to serve as the library director at the public library in Stillwater, Minnesota. Hennings has been the director at the Friday Memorial Library in New Richmond since 2014.  

The Confluence Arts Center has added to its team by two. Sadie Hamill and Elaine Coughlin, both of Eau Claire, join Executive Director Kevin Miller in temporary office space in downtown Eau Claire while construction continues. Hamill will serve as the Confluence Arts Center’s executive administrator. Hamill, who has a degree in arts management, worked for the City of Eau Claire from 2005-2017. Prior to her tenure with the City, Hamill was employed by the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center, serving in marketing and bookkeeping capacities. Hamill, a visual artist, has been a member of the Janet Carson Gallery’s Visual Arts Committee for several years. Coughlin will serve as the marketing coordinator for the Confluence Arts Center. Coughlin, who has an associate’s degree in marketing from the Chippewa Valley Technical college and a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, previously worked as a business assistance specialist for the City of Eau Claire and Downtown Eau Claire, Inc. from 2014-2016. She most recently worked as marketing director for the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center.

County Materials announced that team members in its Eau Claire facility have surpassed a safety milestone of 1,000 days worked without an OSHA recordable injury. An OSHA recordable injury occurs when an employee sustains an injury that requires medical treatment beyond first aid. County Materials’ Eau Claire facility achieved this safety milestone as of October 1, 2017. Steve Hoesing, County Materials’ VP Operations, attributes this achievement to positive employee engagement, a team-focused approach to safety, and regularly scheduled safety activities involving team members.

Oakwood Mall announced that Hobby Lobby will be joining the selection of Oakwood Mall retailers in 2018. Hobby Lobby will occupy a portion of the former Macy’s building. Construction will begin in the latter part of 2017 with an anticipated opening in summer of 2018.
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Sameer Batoo, M.B.B.S., has joined the Oncology Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Batoo received a medical and surgery degree from Government Medical College Srinagar in Kashmir, India. He completed a residency and was chief resident in internal medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York. Batoo is board-certified in hematology, internal medicine and oncology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He also is certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Society of Hematology.

Physician assistant Julie Loscheider recently joined the Emergency Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Loscheider earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Concordia University in Mequon and a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from UW-La Crosse. For the last five years, she served as a physician assistant in the Emergency Department in Burlington. She is certified in advanced cardiac life support, basic life support and pediatric advanced life support. Her professional interests include abdominal care, pediatric care and trauma.

Larson Companies will break ground next week on a new 81 all-suite, Candlewood Suites hotel in Eau Claire.  The 46,000 square foot hotel is expected to be completed in the fall of 2018.  Candlewood Suites Hotel is owned by a group led by Larson Companies, under license agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group.  The project ownership group includes Richard Larson, Tim Pabich, Tim Olson and Tom Toy.  The property will be built by Royal Construction and managed by Larson Companies

Thanks to all our Chamber members who attended the 2017 Business Expo & Job Fair. With more than 2,000 people in attendance, it was another great success thanks to the support of all our sponsors, exhibitors, Committee members and volunteers. Thank you to Emily Thompson of Woods & Water Realty for chairing the Business Expo & Job Fair Committee again this year.
A special thank you to the following:
Media Sponsors: Leader-Telegram, Mid-West Family Broadcasting (WAXX and WAYY) and WEAU 13 News.
VIP Reception Sponsors: Marshfield Clinic, M3 Insurance, Ruder Ware and Wipfli
Beverage Sponsors: General Beer Northwest, Infinity Beverages Winery & Distillery, Park Ridge Distributing, Inc.,  
Seminar Room & Bag Sponsor: Manpower
Parking Lot Shuttle Provided by: Trubilt Collision Center
Exhibitors’ Lounge Sponsors: Associated Bank, Five Star Telecom, Rhom Construction and Xcel Energy with lunch served from The Hubb.
Lanyard Sponsor: Miron Construction
Bag Sponsor: Manpower
Printing Sponsor: REALiving
In-Kind Sponsors: Badger Truck, Steamatic of Western Wisconsin and Sterling Water - Culligan

Food Samples Provided by: L.E. Phillips Career Development Center, Marieke Gouda, n& Café LLC, Princeton Valley Golf Course, Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli, King Pin Management and Westgate Sportsman’s Club.

VIP Reception Door Prize Sponsors and Winners:

• Framed “Woodland” by Caroline Gold print donated by B-Framed Galleries – Dan Marcon of Marc-On Shooting
• Autographed Guitar by Florida Georgia Line donated by Country JAM – Debra White of Mayo Clinic Health System
• Notebook computer donated by Heartland Business Systems – Robert Budnik of Builders First Source
• Production Room Tasting donated by Infinity Beverages Winery & Distillery – Tracy Nelson of the Red Cross
• One Year Membership to the YMCA – Joanna Gohlke of L.E. Phillips Career Development Center

 
Booth Winners: Marketing students judged all the booths at the Business Expo & Job Fair. Congratulations to the following winner:

• Most Engaging Booth – WEAU 13 News
• Most Creative/Innovative Booth – Gator Garb Promotions
• Most Educational Booth – Dove Healthcare
  
  

Committee Members: Chair Emily Thompson, Woods & Water Realty; Matt Atkinson, Mid-West Family Broadcasting; Tom Bachmeier, Xcel Energy; Steve Bloechl, CliftonLarsonAllen; Lori DeMotts, Market & Johnson; Darrell Duval, Complete Insurance Services; Lexie Hennen, Regional Enterprises for Adults & Children, Inc.; Michelle Janicki, Regional Enterprises for Adults & Children; Terry McHugh, WEAU 13 News; Rollin Nelson, Impact Advertising; Jane Norby, True Compass Life Coaching; Mike Phillips, L.E. Phillips Career Development Center; Angela Welch, Woods & Water Realty; Cory Wiese, CliftonLarsonAllen; Amy Wolfe, Trubilt Collision Center and MaiVue Xiong of Weld Riley, S.C.

Volunteers: Abby Braatz, Sherwin-Williams Company; Pat Durch, Wipfli; Dan Ekblad, Overeater Wellness Coaching; Mary Glassbrenner, Group Health Cooperative; Joanna Gohlke, L.E. Phillips Career Development Center; Stephanie Herbert, Lasker Jewelers; Michelle Heinzen, Bremer Bank; Chris Howell, WEAU 13 News; Julie Kalpinski, Mayo Clinic Health System; Vanessa Klemish, Klemish & Johnson, LLC; Marianne Klinkhammer, Gator Garb Promotions; Ben Komro, RE/MAX Real Estate Group; Dawn Malcolm, Charter Bank; Nicholas Mohr, Rhom Construction; Andy Neborak, Eau Claire Express Baseball; Brandon O’Connell, Market & Johnson; Kaylynn Stahlbusch, Aging & Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County; Jared Swyter, Associated Bank; Ben Trachsel, B&B Eletric, Inc.; Bill Wallo, Weld Riley, S.C.; Katie Warner, Woods & Water Realty; Matthew Woestman, Westgate Sportsman’s Club
 
And thank you to Amy Peterson-Foss and the staff at the Eau Claire Indoor Sports Center for all their help!

Dove Healthcare – South Eau Claire on Mall Drive announced Ashley Smetana of Eau Claire as its new administrator. Smetana graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. She completed a year-long internship experience at a skilled nursing facility in Amery and served as the administrator at a skilled nursing facility in Strum for three months prior to coming to Dove Healthcare – South Eau Claire.

WESTconsin Realty, LLC welcomes Rod Hanson to WESTconsin Credit Union’s office in Eau Claire. Hanson previously worked for WESTconsin Realty in Barron where he gained much real estate experience across northwest Wisconsin. Coming to the Chippewa Valley, Hanson looks forward to serving clients in the Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls markets.

The Chippewa Valley Regional Airport will once again host a temporary application center where individuals can apply for TSA Pre✓® from Monday, October 30 – Friday, November 3, 2017. The application center will be located in the Airport Terminal (on the far North end of the Terminal). The hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – noon and 1 – 5 pm. TSA Pre✓® is an expedited screening program where members can leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt in designated screening lanes. Passengers also can keep their laptop in its case and their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make an appointment and pre-enroll at https://www.tsa.gov/precheck. After pre-enrolling, travelers can visit the temporary application center at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport to provide fingerprints and proof of citizenship or legal residency using valid required identity and citizenship/immigration documentation. An $85 fee covers a five-year membership. Approved members will receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) that can be accessed online in about a week.

Orthopedic surgeon Cory Stewart, M.D., recently joined the Orthopedic Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Stewart received a medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He completed an orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Chicago in Illinois, and a shoulder and elbow fellowship at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. While at Harvard, Stewart served as a team physician for Harvard athletics and also took part in the care of athletes from the Boston Bruins, Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. Stewart is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. His professional interests include care of shoulder and elbow related injuries, including cubital tunnel syndrome; rotator cuff tears; shoulder arthritis, shoulder instability/labral pathology; and tendonitis involving the shoulder and elbow.

The bariatric surgery program at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire has been accredited as a Low Acuity Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). The MBSAQIP standards ensure bariatric surgery patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The accredited center offers pre-operative and post-operative care designed specifically for patients who suffer from obesity. To earn the MBSAQIP designation, Mayo Clinic Health System met essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semi-annual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement.
 
Sara Eckloff, M.D., recently joined the Radiology Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Eckloff completed medical school at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City. She completed an internship at Forest Park Hospital in St. Louis, Missour, and a residency and fellowship in musculoskeletal radiology at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis. Eckloff is certified in basic and advanced cardiac life support. She is a member of the Radiological Society of North America and Society of Skeletal Radiology. Eckloff’s professional interests include injections and musculoskeletal radiology.
 

HSHS Western Wisconsin Division administrators announced that Charisse Oland, Ed.D, FACHE, has accepted the position of president and CEO of HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital. She will begin serving St. Joseph’s on Monday, Nov. 27. The position at St. Joseph’s became available when Joan Coffman, former president and CEO, moved to Decatur, Ill., to take the same position at HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital. Oland, who will transition from Rusk County Memorial Hospital CEO to take this position, is not a stranger to HSHS Western Wisconsin Division. In 2010, she served as regional director of strategy and business development for the division. She led the development of a five-year strategic plan to clinically integrate medical group practices and master facility planning in collaboration with the senior executive team. She also administered a nationally recognized community health needs assessment process for the health care community in Western Wisconsin. In 2012, Oland became CEO of Rusk County Memorial Hospital and clinics in Ladysmith. Recently, Oland received her doctorate in leadership from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn

Larson Companies recently announced plans for an 81 all-suite, Candlewood Suites Hotel in Eau Claire.  Located just off Interstate 94, exit 68, the Candlewood Suites Hotel is expected to open in the fall of 2018. An investment of more than $8 million is being made to develop this new property. The facility will employ approximately 35 staff members ranging from hourly to management positions. The 46,000 square foot, Candlewood Suites being developed will be more efficient to build, operate and maintain. The Candlewood Suites Hotel is owned by a group led by Larson Companies, under a license agreement with. The project ownership group includes Richard Larson, Tim Pabich, Tim Olson and Tom Toy. The property will be managed by Larson Companies.
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Internationally recognized oncologist Scott H. Okuno, M.D., has been named medical director of the Oncology Department for Mayo Clinic Health System in northwest Wisconsin and Cancer Coordinating Committee chair for all of Mayo Clinic Health System. Okuno is board-certified in medical oncology, specializing in bone and soft tissue sarcomas. He serves as medical officer for the Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration, a group of institutions across the U.S. and Europe dedicated to clinical trials and research for sarcoma patients. He also is chairman of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology’s Audit Committee, which reviews and certifies the clinical trials programs of cancer centers across the U.S. Okuno is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Connective Tissue Oncology Society, and Midwest Sarcoma Trials Partnership. In addition, he is professor of Oncology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Sarah E. James, M.D., a radiation oncologist, recently joined the Albert J. and Judith A. Dunlap Cancer Center at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. James received a doctorate in anatomy and cell biology and a medical degree from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. She completed a residency in radiation oncology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Her professional interests include symptom control innovations for cancer patients.
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Muhanad Mohamed, M.B.B.S., recently joined the Infectious Diseases Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Mohamed earned a medical degree from the University of Khartoum-Sudan. He earned a master of public health degree from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. Mohamed completed a residency in internal medicine at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in Queens, New York, and a fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. He is a diplomate and board-certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He also is a member of the American College of Physicians and Infectious Disease Society of America. His special interests include antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, HIV and tropical infectious diseases.

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc., Northwest District announced that Amy Bauer and Tena Hoag will join its Board of Directors. Bauer, vice president of shared project services at Royal Credit Union, earned her business administration degree from UW-Stout and he r MBA from UW-Oshkosh. Hoag, chief financial officer at Advance Laser Machining, Inc. earned her undergraduate degree and MBA from UW-Eau Claire. In the years since then, she has been actively pursuing adventure across Wisconsin, Minnesota and Florida, with Jennie-O Turkey Store, McCain Foods, HJ Heinz, and Phillips Medisize. 

SDS Architects announced that Olivia Hammer, interior designer, has joined its team of architects and designers in Eau Claire. Hammer is a 2016 graduate of UW-Stout and has spent the past 18 months working for an architectural firm in the LaCrosse area. She has experience in designing commercial interiors, educational facilities, healthcare and more.

The Wisconsin Hospital Association’s foundation has announced that HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals’ “Question, Persuade, Refer Gatekeeper Training” program is a recipient of the WHA Foundation’s 2017 Global Vision Community Partnership Award. This annual competitive grant award is presented to a community health initiative that successfully addresses a documented community health need. For three years, the two hospitals have been offering free sessions for anyone in the community who would like to learn how to recognize the warning signs that someone may be thinking about suicide and how to help them. The training, called “QPR” for short, is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save a life. Within three years, more than 5,700 Chippewa Valley community members have been trained by colleagues at the two hospitals how to identify and refer their friends, family, coworkers to appropriate mental health resources when they needed it most.