HIRES AND PROMOTIONS
The Radisson Hotel in Duluth announced the following promotions and hires. Earel Furzland, a Barnum native who has been with the hotel for the past four years, was promoted to front-office manager. He will be responsible for the operations of the front desk and all guest relations. Furzland started as night auditor in 2006 and worked his way up to accounting manager.
Lisa Pederson was hired as accounting manager for Radisson Duluth. She previously was employed by Oliver Companies Inc. and has more than 12 years experience in hotel finance.
Jeremy Schrupp was been hired as catering manager for JJ Astor Restaurant, Lounge and View and the hotel. He is responsible for expanding the Radisson's catering program, attending local events and meeting with prospective banquet and wedding clients.
Veronica Richards joined J. Lydia Salon as a stylist. She has 10 years of experience and specializes in cut, color and waxing and enjoys doing men's cuts.
Hibbing native Peter Raukar joined Johnson, Killen & Seiler PA as an associate attorney. Raukar graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 1999 with a bachelor's degree and received his law degree, with honors, from
Rutgers University School of Law in 2004.
His career started in the Michigan Court of Appeals, where he assisted the court in resolving hundreds of appeals during his tenure. His practice at Johnson, Killen & Seiler will focus on transactional matters, civil litigation, labor and employment law and appellate practice.
Re/Max 1 of Duluth hired Mary Binsfield and Kevin Rappana as real estate agents. Binsfield has been an active Realtor for seven years and is licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She specialized in relocation, residential and rural properties.
Rappana is a Duluth native and earned business degrees in marketing and management from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He counsels buyers and sellers and is looking to expand his business working with
residential properties, land and investments.
The Human Development Center hired James S. Worlobah as chief financial officer. His job duties include overseeing HDC's finance department, 12 employees and a $17 million budget. Worlobah earned a master's degree in finance from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. He previously was employed by Augsburg College in Minneapolis as budget/financial analyst. Before that, Worlobah was director of senior programs at East Side Neighborhood Services Inc. for 11 years.
Krech Ojard & Associates announced the following hires. Josie Olson was hired as a civil engineer. Olson graduated from North Dakota State University in Fargo with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and holds specialized expertise in maintenance and engineering, as well as transmission line design.
Eric Hennessy was hired as a mechanical designer. Hennessy graduated from Lake Superior College in Duluth with an associate degree in computer-aided design.
Seth Waterhouse was hired as a mechanical engineer in training. Waterhouse graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a master's degree in engineering management. He also holds bachelor's degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering.
Aaron Soderlund was hired as a mechanical engineer in training. Soderlund graduated from North Dakota State University with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering.
Michael Yoder was hired as a mechanical engineer in training. Yoder graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He is a professional member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Derek Plehal was hired as a structural engineer in training. Plehal graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. He is a registered engineer in training in the state of Minnesota and a
professional member of the American Institute of Steel Construction.
The following physicians have joined the staff at St. Luke's. Dr. Brad Irwin and Dr. Max Miranda both joined St. Luke's Gastroenterology Associates.
Irwin received his medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, where he also completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in gastroenterology. He is board certified in internal medicine and board eligible in gastroenterology.
Miranda received his medical degree from the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Greenwich Hospital, affiliated with the Yale School of Medicine, in New Haven, Conn., and his fellowship in digestive diseases at West Virginia University Hospitals in Morgantown, W. Va. He is board certified in internal medicine and board eligible in gastroenterology.
Dr. Scott Mikesell joined St. Luke's Cardiology Associates. Mikesell received his medical degree in osteopathic medicine from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Ill. He completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowships in cardiology and interventional cardiology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. He is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology and board eligible in interventional cardiology.
Dr. Jeffrey Speer joined St. Luke's Anesthesia Associates. Speer received his medical degree from the University of
Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison and completed his residency and internship at the Department of Anesthesiology at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
Bold-choice Theatre Co., part of Choice, unlimited in Duluth, received the Outstanding Producing/ Performing Group Involving People with Disabilities award during the 13th
annual Arts Access Awards Sept. 13 in St. Paul.
The awards are presented by VSA Minnesota to recognize outstanding accomplishments by artists, arts organizations, advocates and educators that help create a community where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in and access the arts.
The theatre, directed by Annie Roseen, has created and toured shows by people with and without disabilities.
VSA Minnesota is an affiliate of VSA: The International Organization on Arts & Disability.
Re/Max 1 in Superior announced Jim Staelens and Tom and Dana "Action" Acton Team were named top listing agents for August and Maria Letsos and Tom and Dana "Action" Acton Team were named top selling agents for August.
Hanft Fride was recognized as one of the best law firms in America by U.S. News and World Report. More than 9,000 clients -- including every Fortune
100 company and 587 of the Fortune 1,000 companies -- provided 194,370 firm
practice-area evaluations.
In addition, more than 8,000 lawyers also provided input through evaluations. These surveys were combined with existing evaluations to determine rankings.
A 30-second television spot for the Floor to Ceiling store in Duluth is a national finalist in the "Single Commercial Over 500,000 Subscribers" category of the Cable Advertising Bureau awards. The spot was written, directed, designed and animated by Nelson & Co. and co-produced by Nelson & Co. and Charter Media's Ron Flesvig of Duluth and Melissa Kagerbauer of Madison. A winner will be announced in early November.
NEW BUSINESS/GRAND OPENING
Art in the Alley, 912 Hammond Ave., Superior, owned and operated by Dan Edmunds and Tami LaPole Edmunds, announced the grand opening of a second store, Art in the Alley Marketplace. The new store is in the same building as the Art in the Alley bead store, but on the Broadway Street side of the building. The new store features items made by local artists, such as jewelry, clothing, candles and home decor. A grand opening celebration is Thursday through Saturday in the store. Call (218) 348-5009 for information.
CERTIFICATIONS AND ACCREDITATIONS
Eileen Gannon and Melissa Kindgren, real estate agents with Edmunds Co. LLP, completed a three-day seminar on Master
Marketing of Real Estate, which was developed and taught by Hobbs/Herder Learning Center in Newport Beach, Calif.
REOPENING
The recently renovated Country Kitchen Restaurant in Hibbing has reopened in the Graysher Shopping Center. The franchise is owned by Keny Adams, a member of the Country Kitchen family and owner/operator of the Mountain Iron location. Marlene Larson of Chisholm is the restaurant's general manager. Larson has 23 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is an in-store training coordinator for Country Kitchen International.
Visit www.countrykitchenrestaurants.com for more information.
GROUNDBREAKING
The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday to mark the beginning of construction on a new casino, 50-room hotel, conference center, restaurant, lounge and indoor/outdoor pool. The new casino will be across Highway 13 from the current location near the Lake Superior shoreline and will be named Legendary Waters Resort and Casino.
It will be owned and operated by the Red Cliff Band.
RELOCATIONS
Sharon Lipinski announced her business, Kindred Kloset Women's Consignment Boutique, has moved to 2306 Mountain Shadow Drive in the Village Square Mall. It will be open for business beginning at 10 a.m. Friday.
NAME CHANGE
On-Site Professional Cleaning, owned and operated by Kevin Buck, will become ServPro of the Twin Ports, effective Friday. ServPro is a national company with more than 1,500 independently owned franchises. By joining the nationwide system, Buck gains resources and operating procedures he hopes will help make the company's service even better. Call (218) 727-2575 for more information. 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@duluth news.com, or fax (218) 720-4120.
