Biz Buzz for April 19

By news@duluthnewstribune.com

April 19, 2010 09:30 AM

HIRES AND PROMOTIONS

The U.S. Air Force announced SSgt. Dave Overstreet recently was assigned to the Air Force recruiting office in Duluth. Overstreet is a recent graduate of the Air Force Recruiting School in San Antonio, where he was trained in the job classification system, testing and enlistment processing procedures and public speaking. Before his assignment he was an air transportation journeyman to the 621st Contingency Response Wing at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey.

Dentist Adam Huneke joined the staff of Summit Dental at 2730 Piedmont Ave. in Duluth. Summit Dental also is expanding its hours to 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to noon Friday. The phone number is (218) 722-1846.

Bryan Lent was promoted to assistant vice president of lending at Duluth Teachers Credit Union. Lent has been a consumer lender at the credit union for two years and has eight years of lending experience.

Nancy Lavoy was hired as a real estate agent at Re/Max 1 in Duluth. Lavoy has been an active agent for 21 years and is a previous Re/Max agent with her Graduate Realtor Institute designation. She is licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Compudyne hired Denise Gillson as director of operations and Chris Johnson as an account representative. Gillson, a native of Hill City, Minn., works out of the Hibbing location and is responsible for the operational policies, objectives and activities for the areas of accounting, human resources and inventory management. She has more than 15 years of experience in accounting, human resources and operations management, both internally and as a corporate consultant. She was previously the director of business intelligence at ShopNBC in Eden Prairie, Minn. She earned a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management, and will be completing her master's degree in August.

Johnson, of Virginia, is based in the Duluth location. His primary responsibilities include coordinating sales as well as managing and developing new and current client relationships. He was previously with Leeds Precision Instruments in Minneapolis and has more than 10 years of sales experience. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a bachelor's degree in cell biology.

Laughingstock Design hired Becky Gourde as communications coordinator, responsible for drafting written content, executing communications efforts, and contributing to public relations activities and events. Gourde, a native of Fargo, N.D., earned a bachelor's degree in English from the College of St. Scholastica. She has experience in several areas of the communications field, including donor recruitment at Memorial Blood Centers in Duluth and St. Paul and development at Trollwood Performing Arts School in Fargo.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Greg Vergamini, a physical therapist and athletic trainer with SMDC Health System, will be awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Wisconsin Athletic Trainer's Association during its annual meeting and symposium Friday in Eau Claire. Vergamini practices out of Northwestern High School's Tiger Fitness Center in Maple. He's been practicing athletic training since 1974, physical therapy since 1976 and has been with SMDC since 1982.

Wheel Fun announced Rodney Knight, owner of the Wheel Fun rentals location in Canal Park, was named 2009 Franchisee of the Year. The award recipient is chosen based on a number of criteria including local marketing efforts, territory expansion and total revenue. Knight's Wheel Fun locations offer pedal-powered recreational cycles and boats Go to www.wheelfunrentals.com for more information.

St. Luke's Human Resources received the 2010 Premier Partner Award from workers compensation insurer SFM. St. Luke's is one of only five employers to receive the award from a pool of 13,000 employers. The Premier Partner Award recognizes outstanding performance in employee safety. St. Luke's partners with Liscomb Hood Mason Agency in Duluth and SFM in its workers compensation services.

Duluth Airport Authority Executive Director Brian Ryks received the award for Outstanding Leadership in the Promotion of Aviation in Minnesota at the Minnesota Council of Airports annual meeting April 16 at the Inn on Lake Superior in Duluth. The prestigious award recognizes Ryks, who's been with the Duluth airport since 2002, for making a significant contribution to the betterment of aviation.

Re/Max 1 in Duluth announced Dave Holck was named sales leader for March and Jonathan Thornton was listing leader. GRAND OPENING/OPEN HOUSE

Superior Business Solutions Inc., a Xerox-authorized sales agency, is moving to Suite 260 of the Stanley Center at 404 W. Superior St. To celebrate their move and Earth Day, Superior Business Solutions will hold an open house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the business. There will be informative green technology and document management seminars throughout the day and refreshments will be served. A donation also will be made to Hartley Nature Center by Superior Business Solutions for each participant who registers and attends the event. Call Jonathan Asp at (218) 340-8769 or e-mail jonathan.asp@officesalesagent.com for more information. Go to www.seeuthere.com/XeroxSBSDuluthApril22 to register.

FORMER RESIDENTS

Duluth native Richard K. Arras was appointed president and chief operating officer of Perkins Restaurants and Bakeries. From 1988-98, Arras served as president and CEO of Boston Market, and has held leadership positions including president and CEO of Shoney's Restaurants and president and chief operating officer of Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores throughout his 30-year career.

Arras graduated from Hermantown High School in 1969 and then from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He holds a master's degree in business administration from Memphis State University.

CERTIFICATIONS AND ACCREDITATIONS

Gary B. Anderson achieved certification as a Phoenix Rising yoga therapy practitioner on March 31. In his training, he progressed through three levels, which included classes at the Phoenix Rising Center in Bristol, Vt. The final eight months of the certification process focused on an applied practicum with 550 supervised hours and weekly mentoring and skills analysis. Anderson has practiced as a yoga instructor in the Northland for the past eight years, offering classes at several locations including the College of St. Scholastica, on the Fond du Lac reservation and through Community Education in Two Harbors.

Call Anderson (218) 391-7404 or e-mail garyoga@cpinternet.com .

The following people earned certification as human resource generalists from the Center for Continuing Education/Extension at UWS: Laura Kircher, Lake Superior Consulting LLC, Duluth; Janet Paulson, Murphy Oil USA, Superior; Kerri Edblad, Duluth Area Family YMCA; Michelle Barry, Choice, Unlimited, Duluth; Patrick Diver, Fond du Lac Reservation, Cloquet; Pam Orr, Domestic Violence Escape, or DOVE; Becki Nelson, Ikonics Corp., Duluth; Christine Farley, Duluth; and Steve R. Johnson, Duluth.

Tom Acton, a real estate agent at Re/Max 1 in Duluth, recently received licensing for Minnesota. Biz Buzz is a collection of business news tidbits from around the region. Send your business openings or closings, personnel changes or other news of interest in the business community to Biz Buzz, Duluth News Tribune, 424 W. First St., Duluth, MN 55802, e-mail biz@duluthnews.com , or fax (218) 720-4120.