Small Street Journal: March 16, 2018

Pablo Center at the Confluence recently announced that the Confluence Council, Inc. Board of Directors has hired Jason Jon Anderson as its next executive director. Anderson has been serving as acting executive director since last October. Before serving as the acting executive director, Anderson oversaw Conferences & Event services in all University venues, as well as in other performance venues on and off campus for UW-Eau Claire. He also was responsible for the development and administration of conferences, camps, campus-wide special events, festivals and other large events held on and off campus. Scheduled to open September of 2018, the Pablo Center at the Confluence will include a 1,200‐seat theatre and a flexible 400-seat theatre, rehearsal, dance and community rooms; visual arts studio and galleries, labs for sound and lighting, set and exhibit design, recording arts, multimedia production and costume design; a scene shop equipped to support the maker space and vocational training initiatives; administrative offices for management, UW-Eau Claire faculty and Visit Eau Claire staff.
 
Jim Buyze, PGA of Wild Ridge Golf Course and Mill Run Golf Course, was recently awarded the Horton Smith Award from the Wisconsin Section PGA. The Horton Smith Award is given annually to the member that contributes to education programs for the betterment of the members and apprentices in the WPGA. It is the second time that Buyze has been honored by the Wisconsin Section with the Horton Smith award, with the first accolade coming in 2000. The Sterling, Illinois native recently completed his twenty-sixth year of PGA membership. In total this is Buyze’s third WPGA special award as he was also presented with the WPGA Resort Merchandiser of the Year honor back in 1996.

EO Johnson Business Technologies announced that Leif Christianson has joined the company as Locknet director of operations. In his new role, Christianson will oversee the day-to-day activities of EO Johnson’s Locknet Managed IT Services. Christianson’s areas of specific responsibility include the compliance, project management, purchasing, business analysis and field-tech teams, as well as Locknet’s industry leading Support Center team. He brings a deep IT background to Locknet and a thorough understanding of FFIEC IT regulations. His most recent position was as senior vice President – chief operations officer for Peoples State Bank in Wausau.

Area businesses have the opportunity to upgrade the skills and productivity of their employees through training programs funded in part by the State of Wisconsin Workforce Advancement Training (WAT) grants. Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) is accepting requests for consideration for such training programs that would begin after July 1, 2018. The grants promote increased investment in the development of incumbent workers, improve business productivity and competitiveness and strengthen the state’s economic base by expanding technical college training services to business and industry. The training can include any combination of academic, occupational, and employability topics or courses. Approved grants will provide up to a 50 percent discount on training with CVTC. Already this fiscal year, 57 companies have taken part in WAT grant trainings through CVTC. Employers interested in this opportunity should complete the Request for Consideration Online Application found at www.cvtc.edu/TrainingGrants no later than Monday, April 2, 2018.