Small Street Journal: September 7, 2018

Huebsch Services, a family owned and operated commercial laundry business established in 1891, was honored last week for its commitment to sustainability. The third annual Sustainable Eau Claire Awards recognized businesses, individuals, and organizations’ successful work in creating a more sustainable Eau Claire. Huebsch was recognized under the Sustainable Products and Processes category. Huebsch’s commitment to being green includes the use of solar energy, driving energy efficient vehicles, water reuse and conservation, heat reclamation, utilizing efficient chemical formulations, and offering customers reusable textiles.

Ryan Olson, CPA has become a partner at Nohre & Co., S.C. Olson consults with businesses and their owners in a number of areas including tax, audit and assurance services, tax planning strategies, financial management, perpetuation planning, and mergers and acquisitions. He currently serves as the firms’ director of marketing and business development. Olson has more than 10 years of professional experience working in the Chippewa Valley.

Science instructor Mary Puvis and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) instructor Steve Gutsch were presented with the John Frank Excellence in Education Award recently as Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) prepared to open its 2018-19 academic year. Named for retired instructor and award sponsor John Frank, the Frank Award is the highest honor for a CVTC instructor. The award comes with a $1,500 stipend.

In addition, CVTC’s Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement program instructor Rob Teutenberg was presented with the Domer Award for new faculty. Chris Wehlan, an instructor in the Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences department; and Daphne Daugherty, an Oral and Interpersonal Communications instructor were recognized for the Paul and Karen Kohler Adjunct Instructor Excellence Awards presented to them this past spring.

Chippewa Valley Technical College’s Residential Construction program recently broke ground on a new home construction project and celebrated a partnership with the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association (CVHBA).  Each year, the students in the program gain hands-on experience while building a new home from the ground up.  The students participating in the 2018-2019 program will build a home, which will be entered into the CVHBA 2019 Parade of Homes, taking place
June 8-15, 2019. The CVHBA and CVTC’s Residential Construction program are working together to address the need for more skilled workers in the construction industry. 

The Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation had a record year in grants awarded to the Eau Claire Area School District. In the 2017-18 school year, more than $120,000 was granted from the Foundation to ECASD. These gifts are made by donors, parents, businesses and community members and support several innovative projects, hands-on collaboration, immersive experiences and field trips, extra-curricular clubs, high-impact scholarships, support for students in need, playground equipment, classroom supplies, and MORE for our students and staff.

Mythri Kowlumane Laxminarayana, M.D., recently joined Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Kowlumane Laxminarayana, who goes by Dr. Laxmi, completed medical school at Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysore, India. She completed residencies in family medicine at Royal College of General Practitioners in London, U.K., and internal medicine at Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield, Wisconsin.  Dr. Laxmi is certified in advanced cardiac life support. Her professional interests include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, family planning, hypertension, osteoporosis and women’s health.