Small Street Journal: September 8, 2017

​Andrew Guzzo has joined Merchants Bank as regional president for Merchants’ Southern Region, which includes Eau Claire. Guzzo’s primary responsibility will be to provide leadership for Merchants Bank’s Winona locations, along with meaningful community engagement for the Winona area. Additionally, Guzzo will have supervisory responsibility for the strong team of market presidents in Eau Claire and Onalaska, WI, and Minnesota locations in La Crescent, Caledonia, Spring Grove, St. Charles and Rushford and Lanesboro. Since the retirement of former MFGI President & CEO Rod Nelson in January, Evans has been serving as the Winona Bank president, as well as overseeing the banking operations for all of Merchants Bank’s 21 locations, in addition to his role as MFGI president and CEO. 

One of the badger state’s most advanced centers for Women and Infants Services is coming to HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire. The renovation of the Women and Infants Services center will start in September and is scheduled to be completed in early 2019 at an approximate cost of $8.7 million. The project will involve redesigning the entire third floor of the hospital with labor/delivery/recovery/postpartum rooms and an expanded neonatal intensive care unit. This will continue our focus on patient comfort, safety and relaxation. Capital for the project has been raised in part by HSHS Sacred Heart Foundation with community support.

Royal Credit Union Executive Vice President of Risk Management Randy Beck recently retired. Beck joined Royal Credit Union in 1976 and over the last 41 years has served in a variety of roles at the credit union. He started the real estate lending program, developed Royal’s business lending program and led several departments during his tenure including branch operations, information systems and collections. In his current role Beck is in charge of facilities and oversees risk and compliance for the credit union. In April, Beck was selected by the Royal Credit Union Board of Directors to serve as interim president & CEO following the resignation of Rudy Pereira. Beck delayed his planned May retirement date and served in the role until Brandon Riechers was hired on July 31. Beck plans to stay in Eau Claire following retirement.

Tony Scalzo has joined Merchants Bank in Eau Claire as a mortgage lender. Scalzo will continue to maintain a focus on lending in and around the Spooner area, as well as the area north of U.S. Highway 8. Scalzo started his work in the banking industry in 2008 and has built a strong record of building relationships, especially in home mortgage lending. Scalzo is the immediate past president of the Spooner Lions Club, and he is an affiliate member of the Realtors Association of Northwest Wisconsin. 

Physician assistant Morgan Hodges recently joined the Emergency Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Hodges earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. She completed her master’s degree in physician assistant studies at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago, Illinois. She is certified in advanced cardiac and basic life support.

Nurse practitioner Jennifer Henriksen also recently joined Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Henriksen earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin. Prior to joining Mayo Clinic Health System, Henriksen worked as a registered nurse at Froedtert Clinical Cancer Center in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. She is certified by the American Heart Association in basic life support.

Carla Williams, M.D., recently joined the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Williams earned her bachelor’s degree in biology and Spanish from Carroll College in Helena, Montana. She completed medical school at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and completed a residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. She is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Prior to joining Mayo Clinic Health System, Williams was employed by Ob Hospitalist Group in Yakima and Olympia, Washington.