The Wisconsin Job Honor Awards, an initiative aimed at recognizing Wisconsinites who have overcome barriers to employment, has selected Larson Companies of Eau Claire as one of its top honorees for 2016. Nominations were judged by a panel of workforce experts and were presented during the Future Wisconsin Economic Summit recently hosted by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC). Larson Companies, an asset management company operating hotels and restaurants in the upper Midwest, partnered with Serryn Hawkins, her local representative from Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development – Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and created an in-house training program they dubbed the Hospitality Training Academy. Beginning with an eight-week training program for housekeepers, their success has motivated Larson Companies to expand the initiative to include cooks and eventually front desk representatives.

The obstetrical ultrasound practice at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire recently received reaccreditation by the Ultrasound Practice Council of the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine (AIUM). Under AIUM’s review, the entire obstetrical ultrasound practice was examined, including personnel, physical facilities, documentation, storage and record keeping, policies and procedures and quality assurance methods. Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire’s obstetrical ultrasound program has been accredited since 1998. The latest accreditation is for three years. Participation in AIUM’s accreditation program is voluntary.
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Occupational therapist Ellen Christensen recently joined the Rehabilitation Services Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Christensen earned her master of occupational therapy from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology at UW-Eau Claire. Christensen’s professional interests include adult and geriatric physical rehabilitation, particularly patient care involving orthopedic, surgical and multitrauma diagnoses in the acute care setting.

Cindy O’Brien, office administrator for Edina Realty Chippewa Valley and Spooner, WI. offices, was honored with the Edina Realty Emma L. Rovick Memorial Award, or “Emmy,” on Dec. 13 at a special luncheon for the award winners. Established to honor company founder Emma Rovick, the “Emmy” Award is given annually to two people: one employee and one real estate agent who exemplify Edina Realty’s core values of honesty, integrity and commitment. O’Brien joined Edina Realty in 2004, and is described as hard working and dedicated to the people in her offices. If she doesn't have an answer to a question, she works diligently until she finds it. She also sees to it that new agents get the training that they need to become successful in their careers.
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CCFBank’s Regional President of Commercial Banking Tyler Tomesh announces the promotion of Justin Harings to Commercial Banker. Previously, Harings served as a personal banker, a mortgage loan officer and a commercial loan processor for CCFBank. His most current role has been Treasury Management Operations Supervisor, which he will leave to become a Commercial Banker. His role with CCFBank will be based out of the Fairfax Street office in Altoona, where he is very involved in the Altoona Lions Club. Harings is also an Eau Claire Chamber Ambassador, a Young Professionals member and community volunteer with both Junior Achievement and the Seymour Ball Club.

The YPCV Committee will be filling open spots on the YPCV Committee.  The position will start April of 2017. If interested in applying to the committee, click here for the application. 

Applications for the open seats are due by Friday, February 10 , 2017.

If you have submitted an application in the past, we have it on file and will review it. No need to submit another one.
Only one person from a business can serve on the committee in an effort to keep it diverse.

The YPCV committee has up to 22 members.  

Our current committee members are: 

Luke Benedict, Benedict Refrigeration
Thomas B Burton, Law Office of Thomas B. Burton
Nick Goeman, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP
Nicole Hecksel, Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce
Stephanie Herbert, Lasker Jewelers
Julie Kalpinski, Royal Credit Union, Chair
Vanessa Klemish, Klemish & Johnson, LLC
Ben Komro, RE/MAX Real Estate Group
Joe Larson, Boy Scouts of America, Chippewa Valley Council
Michelle Larson, Kristo Orthodontics
Liz Lemke, Silicon Graphics International (SGI) 
Andy Neborak, Eau Claire Express Baseball
Emily Oman, Raymond James
Kaylynn Stahlbusch, Aging & Disability Resource Center
Eric Strobel, Strobel Insurance, Inc.
Daneille Strong, Weld, Riley S.C., Co-Chair
Ben Trachsel, B & B Electric, Inc.
Nick White, Live in Eau Claire, LLC
Melissa Wilson, Chippewa Valley Technical College 
Justin Zoromski, Woita & Associates LLC


Spots are filled once a year in March. Committee spots are preferably given to Chamber member businesses (although non-Chamber member applications will be reviewed). To complete a committee application, click here. Only one person from each business can serve on the committee in an effort to keep it diverse. 

The committee will consider the following when reviewing applications: length in YPCV, participation in YPCV events, business, why the person wishes to serve on the committee and what they will bring to the committee. 

The committee meets on the second Thursday of each month from noon-1 pm at the Chamber office. Committee members are expected to attend 50% of the meetings and 6 YPCV events throughout the year. Please take this time commitment into consideration when applying. 

The committee term limit will be 4 years and these terms will begin on April 1, 2017 for the new committee members.   Applicants will be notified by March 11th.

​After 28 years, John Frank officially retired as an instructor at Chippewa Valley Technical College. He retires never having taken a sick day from any job in his life. A native of the Eau Claire area, Frank attended UW-Eau Claire, earning his bachelor’s degree in political science and economics, then earned his law degree from UW-Madison in 1977. Frank began practicing law, but also began his teaching career at the UW-Madison Law School. His association with CVTC started in 1978, when he helped launch a Legal Assistant program that later became a Paralegal program. He has also taught at UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout and Lakeland College. Frank also has had a distinguished career in law and politics. He has continually practiced law throughout his career. He has managed over 20 political campaigns, served as chief of staff for Congressman Steve Gunderson from 1981-89 and was deputy chief counsel/deputy minority counsel for the House Committee on Agriculture from 1993-97.

Hospitalist Zhibin Jiang, M.D., recently joined the Hospital Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. He will be dedicated full time to taking care of patients admitted to the hospital. Jiang earned his master’s degree and completed medical school at Suzhou Medical College in Suzhou, China. Prior to joining Mayo Clinic Health System, Jiang served as a hospitalist at Ministry Health Medical Group in Stevens Point.

Julie Manas, president and CEO of HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital, has recently been named to Becker's Hospital Review’s  list of "130 Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know in 2016,” which recognizes female leaders of hospitals and health systems across the country. The leaders on the list were selected based on editorial judgment and discretion of members of the Becker's editorial team, who evaluated leaders for their management and leadership skills and career accomplishments, and also read through and considered a number of nominations. Individuals cannot pay for inclusion on the list. In addition to her role as president and CEO, Manas serves as the president of the Sacred Heart Hospital Board of Directors. She is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a member of the board of trustees for the Catholic Health Association.

HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals also announced that three colleagues have been promoted to director level and have taken on expanded responsibilities:

• Angela Jager has been promoted to division director of supply chain for both Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals. Jager has more than 15 years of supply chain experience at St. Joseph’s Hospital. She is a certified materials resource professional and played a key role in the development of both hospitals’ new supply chain system.
• McKenzie (Mac) Johnson has been promoted to division director of organizational learning for both Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals. Johnson has worked at Sacred Heart Hospital for more than 10 years, where he began his hospital career in the medical records department. He has since worked in the hospital’s patient registration department and then in the organizational learning department.
• Kelli Olson has been named director of women’s and children’s services at St. Joseph’s Hospital. She will continue to serve as director of surgical services at the hospital, a position she’s held for four years. Olson holds a CNOR certification, denoting competency in the specialized field of perioperative nursing. 

EO Johnson Business Technologies has been named one of the country’s Elite Dealers by ENX magazine and ENX the Week In Imaging. The award is presented annually by the magazine to the top imaging dealers in the U.S. According to ENX magazine, 92 dealers across the United States were presented with the 2016 Elite Dealer award. The dealers for this distinction are selected based upon their growth, marketing initiatives, customer service, community involvement, workplace culture and market adaptability. This is the sixth time the company received the elite recognition. EO Johnson Business Technologies was one of only five Wisconsin companies named as an elite dealer in 2016.

Northwestern Bank will open their new River Prairie branch located at 1430 Rivers Edge Trail in Altoona on Monday, December 12th.  The new River Prairie location will replace the existing Northwestern Bank branch located at 2901 Mall Drive in Eau Claire and will be a full service bank. The Mall Drive location will be closing at 5 pm Friday, December 9th .
 
Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc., Northwest District is pleased to announce two new members joining its Board of Directors. Lyle Jankee, vice president of pricing and network development at Marten Transport in Mondovi and John Walton, founder of Advance Laser Machining Inc., will be joining the JA Northwest district Board of Directors. Jankee has worked at Marten Transport for the past 15 years where he leads the department responsible for building a freight network that is both profitable and provides a better quality life for their drivers. Walton is a senior business development manager at Advance Laser Machining. Walton is active in the community and serves as chair of the Chippewa Valley Innovation Center and is a member of the Chippewa Valley Technical College Board.

The Royal Credit Union (Royal) Foundation gifted $50,000 to Beaver Creek Reserve for the Discover the Deep Woods exhibit. Proceeds from the 2015 and 2016 RCU Charity Classic event were combined to make the $50,000 gift. The Discover the Deep Woods exhibit includes a beaver bank crawl-through, interactive scat and track wall, and hands-on fur identification. More than 50,000 people visit Beaver Creek Reserve annually. The Charity Classic has been held annually by Royal Credit Union since 1994. The event has resulted in donations of over $227,000 to area charities. The next Charity Classic will be held June 24, 2017.

Royal Credit Union (Royal) has earned the second place national-level Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Member Service Award in the over $1 Billion in assets category. The award is made by the Credit Union National Association and reflects the good Royal has accomplished with members and in the community. Royal won the first place state-level Louise Herring Award in Wisconsin, which qualified it for the national competition. Royal has demonstrated excellence and lived its core values by eliminating 100% of punitive fees and achieving a total fee reduction of $6.7 million by eliminating fees ranging from $40 to fifty cents.

The Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity (CVH4H) was presented with a generous grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation this past November. CVH4H applied for a grant to procure funds for their new project of opening a local Habitat ReStore. A Habitat ReStore is a store that specializes in selling new, donated and recycled home building supplies at a discounted rate. CVH4H plans to open the ReStore in the Eau Claire area in 2017. With a ReStore established, CVH4H will be able to generate a sustainable income that can go directly into building more homes for more families. Thanks to U.S. Bank, the ReStore is closer to becoming a reality.

Nurse practitioner Alexandro Vasquez recently joined the Emergency Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Barron and Eau Claire. Vasquez earned his doctorate of nursing practice from Brandman University in Irvine, California and a master’s degree in nursing science from the University of California-Irvine. He completed his bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston. He completed his fellowship in emergency medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Physical therapist Daniel Baehr recently joined the Rehabilitation Services Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Baehr earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and his doctor of physical therapy from Carroll University in Waukesha. His professional interests include manual therapy, balance training and working with amputees.
 
 
 

Paul Rudersdorf recently was promoted to succeed Jim Mayo as chief executive officer (CEO) and president of Security Financial Bank (SFB). Rudersdorf also has been appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of SFB and Security Financial Services Corporation (SFSC), the holding company that owns the Bank. All will be effective on January 1, 2017. Jim Mayo will continue to serve as CEO/president of SFSC during 2017. Rudersdorf joined SFB in July 2015, as the chief banking officer overseeing sales and revenue generation. His responsibilities included building teams to generate revenue for the Bank, overseeing business banking, cash management, customer call center and the retail division for all locations.

Royal Construction recently announced that Carrie Nielsen has joined its team as office manager.  Nielsen comes to Royal Construction with six years of accounting experience.  Prior to her experience as an accountant, Nielsen worked for a local website development company. In her new role as office manager, Nielsen will handle human resources, payroll and accounts receivable and payable. 

Cheryl Halida has been named the 2016 recipient of HSHS St. Joseph Hospital’s Keeper of the Tradition award. This year marks the 14th year the hospital has given the award, which is one of the highest colleague honors at the hospital. Halida joined the hospital in 1979 and currently serves as an executive assistant in the hospital’s administration department. The peer-nominated 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.

Mike Reese as joined Low Voltage Contractor’s Industrial Fire Protection team. Reese joins LVC with more than  40 years of experience, specializing in fire protection. Previously, Reese has held a variety of positions including estimator, operations manager, project manager, sales manager and vice president. With previously employers, Reese was responsible for securing large, complex fire protection jobs, the largest of which included 20,000 sprinklers. His project experience includes a MLB stadium, military hangars, university campuses, steam plants, ethanol plants, office towers, airport hangars, hotels, hospitals and Fortune 100 corporate headquarters.