Small Street Journal: July 15, 2016

Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) will offer new associate degree programs in digital marketing and sales management, plus technical diplomas in entrepreneurship and nail technician after recently winning approval from the state Wisconsin Technical College System Board. Also approved was a 6,800 sq. ft. addition to the CVTC West Campus for the architectural structural design program. The digital marketing program and nail technician program both will be offered starting in January 2017 and the sales management program will begin in August, all at the Eau Claire campus.

Eau Claire Regional Arts Council recently announced the featured artists for the 2016 season of Community Supported Art (CSA) and began selling member shares to the public today. Member shares cost $250 each for nine pieces of locally made art. Also included are lots of extras, “bumper crop,” like theatre tickets, prints from local galleries, free admissions to art workshops, gift certificates to local businesses and other free stuff from our sponsors. The CSA can be purchased by contacting the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center.  Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy seasonal food directly from local farms. With the same buy-local spirit in mind, are pleased to bring CSA to our community, to support local art, artists and collectors. This local project is modeled on Community Supported Art in Minnesota, created by mnartists.org and Springboard for the Arts. The nine artists selected this summer are Sandra Cress, illustrator; Jane Foos, fabric artist; Jessica Mongeon, painter and photographer; Crysten Nesseth, metal sculptor; Nancy Dutmer, fabric artist; Hope Greene, photographer; Elizabeth Larson,watercolor artist; Patti See, author; Revay Henneman, potter.  The goals of the CSA program are to support artists and to create an engaged community of local arts supporters.

The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) recently named Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire the winner of its On the Move company challenge, a wellness competition focused on fueling national corporate health initiatives to combat physical inactivity and ignite behavior change. Participating employees tracked activity through Fitbits, completed weekly move challenges and health quizzes while also engaging in online team support. Nationwide, almost 80,000 employees participated in this 12-week online challenge spanning April, May and June. The Cooperative was formally recognized as the winner of the competition on June 27, 2016. Collectively, the organization took over 87 million steps, covering about 43,000 miles. In other words, Group Health Cooperative employees walked around the world – nearly twice.

Group Health Cooperative also won a similar statewide competition piloted by WELCOA last year. In order to help encourage healthier communities in Western Wisconsin, Group Health Cooperative sponsored the participation of several local businesses in the challenge. In total, Group Health Cooperative provided $7,288 in funding for almost 1,000 area employees for the challenge. Some of these companies included Eau Claire County, awarded 6th place in the enterprise division, Stanley-Boyd School District, awarded 2nd place in the small business division Realityworks, awarded 3rd place in the small business division, as well as Weld Riley and the Eau Claire YMCA.

Dan Rickert, director of solution sales at EO Johnson Business Technologies, has been named a Young Influencer of 2016 by The Cannata Report, an industry authority on office products and workflow solutions. In this third annual report, 10 young influencers – who are ages 40 and under – are recognized as industry leaders. The report is published in the June 2016 issue of The Cannata Report.

The Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded renewed accreditation to HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital based on results of a recent on-site inspection as part of the CAP’s accreditation programs. The U.S. federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, as being equal-to or more-stringent-than the government’s own inspection program. During the CAP accreditation process, designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and record and overall management.  

Mike Erickson, physical therapist at HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, recently earned his orthopedic clinical specialist certification from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists. This certification recognizes physical therapists with advanced clinical knowledge, experience and skills in orthopedics. Erickson also holds a doctorate degree in physical therapy. 
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Oladapo Igandan, M.D., a hospitalist, recently joined the Hospital Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. A hospitalist is a physician who is dedicated full time to taking care of patients admitted to the hospital. Igandan earned his medical degree from the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State in Nigeria, and completed his internal medicine residency at Harlem Hospital Center, an affiliate of Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Prior to joining Mayo Clinic Health System, Igandan served as a physician with the Ministry of Health in Nigeria and as a medical officer at General Hospital, Port of Spain, in Trinidad and Tobago. He is a member of the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. Igandan is certified in advanced cardiovascular life support and basic life support.

The Women’s Giving Circle of Eau Claire (WGC) announced its new Young Philanthropists outreach program. One hundred young people between the ages of 22 and 39 will have the opportunity to become members of the WGC at a reduced rate. The WGC, a fund of the Eau Claire Community Foundation, was founded in 2007. Its diverse group of members uses the power of collective giving by pooling their donations in order to fund grants to nonprofit organizations that work to enhance the well-being of women and children in our community. Anyone interested in learning more about the WGC—or joining it—can explore the Women’s Giving Circle page of the Eau Claire Community Foundation website at www.eccommunityfoundation.org.