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Visiting Nurse Association honored Linda Svatora with the 2012 Mary Longmaid Offutt Award. Svatora is an occupational therapist and has been an employee at VNA for more than 20 years. Svatora strives to motivate and teach her patients/ caregivers to reach a greater level of safety and independence. "She is innovative, resourceful, compassionate, professional, organized, highly skilled and continues to strive for greater excellence for her patients, herself and for VNA," said Amanda Holst, director of Certified Homecare and Svatora's supervisor. "Her innovativeness, resourcefulness and compassion are challenged daily and she meets those challenges with eagerness, willingness and drive. Her work daily reflects the VNA's mission and vision; she is most deserving of this acknowledgement." Svatora has her doctorate of occupational therapy, is a low vision specialist, and has received advanced certification in modalities. The award is named after Mary Longmaid Offutt, a past board member, officer and longtime supporter of the VNA who felt VNA should have some means of recognizing outstanding staff members with an "Employee of the Year" award. The Mary Longmaid Offutt Award is based on peer nomination and interviews, with the winner chosen by a committee of VNA board members and past winners.
The Nebraska Restaurant Association held the 24th annual Taste of Nebraska dinner and awards presentation on Monday, April 24, at Strategic Air & Space Museum in Ashland. More than 525 guests dined beneath the wings of some of the most striking aircrafts in Hangar B of the museum while enjoying an extensive buffet catered by Premier Catering. Mike Alesio and Tony Messineo of Valentino's were presented the Eastern Nebraska Hospitality Award for 2011 by Governor Dave Heineman. The Greater Nebraska Hospitality Award was awarded to Judy Daniell of Ricardo's Mexican Restaurant in Norfolk. Allied Member of the Year was presented to John Sivilla of ConAgra Foods. The 2011 Nebraska Restaurant Neighbor Awards were also presented to Dean Rasmussen of Grandmother's, John Gabel of Concord Hospitality, Inc., and Greg Lindberg of Shuck's Fish House. The Nebraska Restaurant Association would like to thank Governor Dave Heinemann and special guest Tom Osborne for their attendance at this year's awards dinner and for their continued support of the hospitality industry in Nebraska. The association would also like to thank the many sponsors that made the 24th annual Taste of Nebraska another success.
Susan Courtney, vice president, information services and chief information officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE), has been named the AIM Institute's 2012 Technology Leader of the Year. Courtney was recognized for her leadership in transforming BCBSNE's information services into a high-performing, collaborative team that is utilizing lean processes. Courtney earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where she was a Naval Flight Officer for six years. She has held managerial and executive roles at Ford Motor Company, Hormel Foods and First Data Resources. Active in community service, Courtney serves on the board of directors for the AIM Institute and as a representative to the eHealth Council. 
Mutual of Omaha has announced the appointment of Steven Bivens to vice president, Underwriting Operations. In this position, Bivens is responsible for managing new business teams and processes across the Life and Health product lines of the Individual Financial Services business unit. Bivens joined Mutual of Omaha in January 2009 as vice president, Independent Distribution Network. Prior to joining Mutual of Omaha, Bivens served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Alabama. He has also previously served as vice president, Individual Life Operations, for Protective Life Insurance Co. in Birmingham, Ala., and vice president, New Business Operations, at Kentucky Central Life Insurance Co. in Lexington, Ky. Bivens earned a bachelor's degree from Olivet College. He has also earned the professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter and Fellow, Life Management Institute. Mutual of Omaha is a full-service, multi-line organization providing insurance and financial services products for individuals, businesses and groups throughout the United States. 
Elizabeth Eynon-Kokrda has been elected chair of the board of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Council of School Attorneys. In addition to serving as chair of the council, she will sit as an ex-officio member of the board of the NSBA. The board of directors of the Council of School Attorneys oversees 3,000 members nationwide, who work to improve the practice of education law and prevent lawsuits against public schools. The council is an affiliate of the NSBA, which represents state school board associations in working with federal government agencies and national organizations that impact education across the United States, and which advocates for "equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership."
The Schemmer Associates Inc. (Schemmer), a full-service, multidiscipline architectural, engineering and planning firm, announced today the firm's stockholders have elected Jason J. Heinze, P.E., S.E., to serve on the board of directors. Heinze has excelled as a project manager and project engineer, bringing with him a diverse background for coordinating structural design during each phase throughout project development. "Jason will bring a unique and valuable perspective to our board," said Schemmer CEO and President Frank Comisar. "His vast knowledge and years of experience will be a valuable asset to Schemmer. We are looking forward to his contribution." Heinze has served as project engineer for numerous projects throughout Nebraska and Iowa for more than a decade. Heinze is a registered professional engineer in the states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Mexico and South Dakota. In 1996, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is also National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) certified and a LEED®-accredited professional. Since 2007, Heinze has worked on a wide variety of projects with Schemmer in areas such as industrial and commercial buildings, retirement communities and educational facilities. The breadth of this experience demonstrates his commitment to Schemmer and its mission to provide clients' quality professional consulting services. In addition to Heinze, the stockholders also re-elected Frank W. Comisar, R. William Cramer, Mark J. Higgins, Charles D. Huddleston, Jeffrey P. Wageman, Stephen D. Kathol and Bradley T. Farmer to the firm's board of directors. Douglas G. Holle was elected to serve as Liaison to the board of directors. The Schemmer Associates Inc. is a full-service, multi-discipline architectural, engineering and planning firm focused on meeting their clients' diverse needs. Headquartered in Omaha, Schemmer has regional offices in Lincoln; Des Moines and Council Bluffs, Iowa; and Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla. 
Ben Miller, a CPA valuation expert with Seim Johnson, LLP, located in Omaha, has recently been awarded the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) credential by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The ABV credential, established in 1998 by the AICPA, is granted to qualified CPAs with considerable professional experience in business valuation. Miller met the requirements to earn the ABV credential, which include passing a rigorous exam, demonstrating significant business experience in the area of financial forensics as well as completing a minimum of 75 hours of life-long learning and education activities in the area of valuation. The ABV credential is granted exclusively to CPAs who are members in good standing of the AICPA which binds them to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. CPAs who have earned the ABV credential must be recertified every three years to maintain their credential. Located in Omaha, Seim Johnson, LLP is one of the leading, locally owned accounting and consulting firms in the state. Established in 1975, Seim Johnson provides services to clients in Nebraska, the Midwest, and across the United States. Today, they employ more than 80 team members and provide services to individuals, privately owned businesses, nonprofit organizations and clients in specialized industries including; construction and real estate development, nonprofit and governmental, health care, manufacturing and distribution, and financial services. 
Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P. is pleased to announce that Cristin McGarry Berkhausen has joined the firm. Berkhausen is a native of Omaha. She graduated from Creighton University (B.A., cum laude, 2003) (J.D., magna cum laude, 2007). Berkhausen worked in private practice for five years before joining the firm. Her practice focuses primarily on general civil litigation, commercial litigation, and insurance defense. She also specializes in employment law, representing and advising clients in federal and state courts and administrative agencies on employment matters including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims under Title VII, the ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and similar law, as well as wrongful termination, breach of contract and restrictive covenant agreements. Cline Williams, a full service law firm, presently has more than 50 attorneys representing and assisting individual and institutional clients in litigation, alternative dispute resolution, administrative law and government relations, banking and financial institutions, bankruptcy and creditors rights, business organizations, communications and media law, employee benefits and deferred compensation, family law, franchising and distribution, health care, intellectual property and technology law, investigations, regulation and criminal defense, labor and employment, real estate and environmental law, securities, taxation, tax-exempt organizations and trust and estates. The firm has offices across Nebraska in Omaha, Lincoln, Aurora and Scottsbluff; and in Fort Collins, Colorado. |
SolutionOne is proud to announce the addition of Cody Webster to the senior management team. As vice president of service, Webster is responsible for delivering quality service to all customers. Webster has an extensive background in the document technology industry. He has more than 20 years of management, customer and field service experience. In the document technology industry Webster has worked for a national dealer managing a field service force, customer service, and operations centers. SolutionOne provides customized solutions for the printing and document management technology needs of business. As the recipient of the 2009 BBB Integrity Award, SolutionOne focuses on ethical business practices that include customers, employees, and the community they serve. They are motivated by a 75 year commitment to present the best possible customer experience and deliver world class service with knowledge and expertise.
Dan Gomez has joined Mutual of Omaha Bank as senior vice president of commercial banking in Omaha. Based out of the bank's location at 17041 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Gomez will work with Nebraska businesses, offering a comprehensive menu of commercial banking services, including business deposit accounts, treasury services, merchant services, business loans and full scale commercial financing. Gomez brings more than 30 years of banking experience to Mutual of Omaha Bank, including senior officer roles at several Omaha banks. He earned his bachelor's degree in banking and finance from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). Gomez is an active leader in the community and currently serves on the board of directors for the Omaha Community Playhouse, the presidents council for Heartland Family Service, the finance committee for Girls Inc., the UNO Hispanic Advisory Committee and the UNO Athletic Advisory Board. He also is a past board member of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, where he served for six years.
CoSentry is pleased to announce Michael Miller has joined the company as Channel Partner Manager where he will be responsible for development of partner and agency relationships and to promote and market CoSentry's full complement of Data Center solutions and Managed Services across the US. Miller brings more than 30 years of success in the Omaha business community to CoSentry. His experience with telecommunications, Data Center and partner development will further expand CoSentry into new markets. Miller stated his career with UPRR managing telecommunication projects followed by launching successful business ventures Media Integrators and Emagine Technologies. In addition, he was with Qwest Communications as a major account executive and most recently with the Scott Data Center where he was director of sales.
Five Nines is excited to announce the addition of Ross Eichele as a support desk engineer. He graduated from Union College in 2008 with degrees in computer information systems and business administration. Eichele then spent three years working for a local company as a support desk technician. In his current position, he supports all of Five Nines' clients remotely. In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife, traveling and participating in as many sports as he can. "Ross has been a great addition to the Five Nines family," said Greg Young, service manager of Support Teams at Five Nines. "We all appreciate his focus and attention to detail in providing excellent customer service to our clients." Five Nines Technology Group is the area's leading provider of managed services, IT services, and consulting. Five Nines was recently ranked 13th at CRN Fast Growth 100 for being the fastest growing solution provider in managed services. Five Nines also received the 2010 Nebraska Small Business of the Year award given by the U.S. Small Business Association. Five Nines is focused on each and every client to help them leverage technology as a business asset. For more information about Five Nines, call 402-253-0990.
Woods & Aitken, LLP is pleased to announce that Jeffery T. Peetz has been elected to the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel. Jeffery T. Peetz, a Sidney, Neb., native, has been elected as a fellow to the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC) which is comprised of approximately 2,600 of the nation's top estate and trust attorneys. Membership requires nomination, review at the state and national levels, and election by the ACTEC Board of Regents. As a partner of Woods & Aitken, Peetz's practice has focused on estate and trust planning and administration including estate litigation matters, and business and wealth succession planning. As group leader of the Estate Planning and Estate and Trust Administration Practice Group, he also works with clients in community banking, financial institutions, and agricultural law matters. In 2008, Peetz was recognized by the Nebraska Planned Giving Council as a recipient of its Sowers Award for outstanding contributions to planned giving in Nebraska. Peetz has served in various leadership roles in many state-wide charitable organizations, Lincoln charitable organizations, and is the past chairperson of the Lincoln Community Foundation. Since 1921, Woods & Aitken LLP has focused its practice of law on achieving long-term clients success. Their commitment to client service and the longevity of their client relationships has afforded Woods & Aitken the opportunity to emerge as a regional and national leader in the practice of construction, telecommunications, estate planning, estate and trust administration, and banking and finance law. 
Orthman Manufacturing, based in Lexington, Neb., is pleased to announce the promotion of Brian Sucha to vice president of Finance. Sucha will be responsible for all accounting and finance-related activities for Orthman Manufacturing and its subsidiaries. "I am excited about Brian's new role with Orthman. Along with his high level cost focus, Brian also brings a relationship ability to manage our financing partners," said Orthman President John McCoy. "Brian will play a key role in providing world solutions for our growing global accounting needs." said McCoy. The company currently exports Orthman products to 12 foreign countries, with plans to expand that global market even farther. Sucha is originally from Schuyler, Neb., and holds a B.S. in business administration with an accounting emphasis from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He acted as controller for Harv Farm Supply in Giltner, Neb., and then Champion Home Builders in York before joining the Orthman team as corporate controller in 2009. He and his wife, Dawn, live in Gothenburg with their children Blake, Regan and Kirsten. Founded in 1967, Orthman Manufacturing is the maker of heavy duty agricultural and industrial equipment. Founded by Henry Orthman on the Orthman farmstead, Orthman remains a family-owned enterprise which embraces its original "by a farmer, for the farmer" mentality.
Creative marketing communications firm Bozell today announced the promotion of Chris Tipton to associate creative director - digital. In this newly created role, he will oversee all digital creative projects from concept through completion, and ensure creative consistency and integrity throughout integrated marketing campaigns. "Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and creative leadership to our organization," said Jerry Stoner, executive creative director. "In his new role, we're confident our online executions will achieve even greater heights." Tipton has nine years of digital experience and joined Bozell as part of the Orajen acquisition in 2008. He previously served as interactive art director and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2003. Bozell is a creative marketing communications company head-quartered in Omaha. Bozell's focus is on their clients' customers, understanding marketplace attitudes and behaviors to create winning marketing and sales strategies as well as impactful advertising, digital marketing, social media, public relations and technology solutions that produce results. |
