Small Street Journal: July 28, 2017

Brandon Riechers has been named president & chief executive officer of Royal Credit Union. The decision was unanimously approved by the Royal Credit Union Board of Directors.  Randy Beck has been serving as interim president & CEO since April 15, following the departure of Rudy Pereira. Riechers will be the fourth CEO to lead the credit union since it was created in 1964. Riechers started at Royal in 1996 as a branch financial sales representative while he was a student at UW-Eau Claire. He advanced through several leadership roles at Royal in lending, and has served as executive vice president chief lending officer since 2012. Riechers holds finance and management information systems BBA degrees from UW-Eau Claire and will graduate with his MBA from UW-Eau Claire in December, 2017. He is also a graduate of CUNA Management School and the Cardwell CEO Leadership program.

Associated Bank announced the addition of Nick White to the Chippewa Valley team. White will be working out of the Regis Court office as a business banker. White brings more than 10 years of sales experience as well as other varied skills from his work in marketing, human services, hospitality and non-profit development. Most recently he held the position of sales and marketing director for the Local Lounge as well as the community improvement planner for Live in Eau Claire. In addition to his employment, White is co-owner of Local Partners LLC and Northwest Sports Factory LLC.

The Chippewa Valley Free Clinic (CVFC) announced that Sean Tarpenning, DDS, has accepted the volunteer position of dental director at CVFC.  He will be the first to hold the newly created position since the clinic began offering basic dental services in its Tuesday clinics earlier this year. Tarpenning also volunteers as part of the rotation of dentists who serve the clinic’s patients on Tuesday evenings. Along with the Clinic’s medical director, Dr. Lori Whitis, he will provide oversite and advice for patient care and services offered. Tarpenning graduated from the University Of Minnesota School Of Dentistry in 2000 and has been practicing dentistry in Eau Claire for the past 17 years with Dr. Thomas J. Hebert. 

Robin Schultz, emergency medical services director at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital, recently earned her master of science in nursing degree in leadership and management from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City. Schultz also holds a bachelor of science in nursing degree from the same university. Schultz has served Sacred Heart Hospital for 17 years.

HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital has named the following officers to its medical staff:

• James Ottevaere, MD, has been named president of Sacred Heart Hospital’s medical staff. He earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan and completed his residency at the University of Colorado in Denver. Ottevaere is board certified in anesthesiology and is affiliated with Eau Claire Anesthesiologists. He previously served as the chair for the anesthesia department. He just completed a two-year term as vice president of the hospital’s medical staff.  
• Peter Hanson, MD, has been named vice president of Sacred Heart Hospital’s medical staff. He earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa and completed his residency at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Hanson is board certified in diagnostic radiology and is affiliated with Medical X-Ray Consultants. He currently serves as the chair of the radiology department and is a member of the performance improvement committee and the procedure review panel. He just completed a two-year term as secretary-treasurer of the medical staff.
• Josiah Nelson, MD, has been named secretary-treasurer of Sacred Heart Hospital’s medical staff. He earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa, and completed his residency in urology at UW-Madison. Nelson is board certified in urology and is affiliated with OakLeaf Medical Network. He is currently a member of the hospital’s OR management committee. 

HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital has named the following officers to its medical staff:

• Mark Southard, MD, has been re-elected as president of St. Joseph’s Hospital’s medical staff. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee. Southard is board certified in diagnostic radiology and is affiliated with Medical X-ray Consultants. He currently serves as the chair of the hospital’s radiology department.
• Jill Hasenberg, DO, has been re-elected as vice president of St. Joseph’s Hospital’s medical staff. She earned her degree in osteopathic medicine from Des Moines University and completed her residency in family practice at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Appleton. Hasenberg is board certified in family medicine and is affiliated with OakLeaf Clinics.
• Greg Burnett, MD, has been re-elected as secretary-treasurer of St. Joseph’s Hospital’s medical staff. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed his residency in obstetrics/gynecology at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS.  Burnett also holds a master’s degree in health care management from Harvard University School of Public Health. He is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and is affiliated with Marshfield Clinic. Dr. Burnett currently serves as chair of the hospital’s obstetrics/pediatrics department.

Students with an associate degree from Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) will have an affordable and flexible option to earn a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) degree, thanks to a partnership announced with Herzing University. Herzing University is an accredited private nonprofit institution with 11 campuses in eight states, and an acclaimed online division. Following completion of an associate degree and application to Herzing’s DEGREE UP program, students can pursue credit from both CVTC and Herzing University simultaneously. The partnership will allow students to take advantage of CVTC’s tuition rates for many required bachelor’s-level courses, making the next stage in their education more affordable.

EO Johnson Business Technologies’ Locknet® Managed IT Services ranks among the world’s most progressive 501 Managed Service Providers (MSPs) according to MSPmentor’s 10th-annual MSP 501 Worldwide Company Rankings. The top MSP 501 companies ranked this year include organizations from around the world and from diverse technology and business backgrounds. Collectively, they amassed $14.48 billion in total revenue (based on 2016 results), up more than 15 percent from a year earlier. This is the sixth consecutive year Locknet® has been recognized by MSPmentor, ranking in the Global Edition 2014 - 2016 and in their North America’s top 200 list in 2012 and 2013.

Physical therapist Jennifer Plaetz recently joined the Physical Therapy Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Plaetz earned her bachelor’s degree in health sciences and doctorate of physical therapy degree from the College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association. Her professional interests include women’s pelvic health; athletic performance, especially for runners; and learning new and challenging things.

Tasha Bjork recently began her new role as the administrative director in Primary Care – Access and Scheduling at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Bjork has been with Mayo Clinic Health System since 2011 and has held positions in Human Resources, Quality Resources, and Management Engineering and Internal Consulting. She received a bachelor’s degree from UW-Stout and is working to complete an MBA in health care and business management from Lakeland University in Plymouth, Wisconsin.

Inga Forde, M.D., recently joined the Pulmonology Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. In addition, she will care for patients in the Critical Care Unit and provide Center for Sleep Medicine consultations. Forde completed medical school at the University of the West Indies, Barbados. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Education, St. Michael’s Medical Center, in Newark, New Jersey. Forde completed fellowships in critical care and sleep medicine at the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education in Rochester, Minnesota, and pulmonary medicine at Yale New Haven Health, Bridgeport Hospital, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Ophthalmologist Dong-wouk Park, M.D., recently joined the Eye Care Center at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Park received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology from LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. He received his medical degree from Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago, Illinois, and completed his residency at Casey Eye Institute at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. Prior to completing medical school, Dr. Park served two years in the Korean military.

Emeka Amadi, M.D., recently joined the Hospital Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Amadi completed medical school at the University of Nigeria in Enugu, where he also underwent his early residency training in general surgery. Amadi completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in Bronx, New York. Amadi’s professional interests include critical care and vascular medicine. He also is interested in medical teaching and quality improvement. He is certified in advanced cardiac life support and basic life support.