Catholic Charities Bureau

Frank and Marilyn Christopherson of Superior are finalists for the 2008 National Volunteer of the Year award. They advanced the social ministry of the Superior-based Catholic Charities Bureau by working with local parishes, serving on the agency’s board, advocating for social change, developing new programs, and raising funds.

Deer River HealthCare Center

The nonprofit healthcare center’s Meridian Medical Clinic in Grand Rapids announced the addition of Trevor Yartz, PA. He has practiced as a physician assistant in the Bemidji area since 1992.

Farmers Insurance

The insurance company’s district office presented Bonnie J. Perkins with the agent of the year award. She operates an office in the Hartley Building in Duluth and has 13 years of experience in insurance and financial services.

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College

The college’s Ruth A. Myers Library/Ojibwe Archives is one of 236 libraries nationwide to receive a set of books, online resources and a user’s guide from the Washington D.C.-based Institute of Museum and Library Services. The college library in Cloquet is amid a multi-million dollar expansion project, scheduled to be finished in August 2008.

Grandma’s Restaurant Co.

The Duluth-based restaurant and retail company promoted the following employees:

• LeeAnn Smith to service and beverage manager of Bellisio’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar.

• Jeffrey Fursetzer to sous chef of Grandma’s Sports Garden.

• Kristoffer Jackson to service & beverage/night club manager of Grandma’s Sports Garden Bar.

Hanft Fride

The 25th anniversary edition of “Best Lawyers in America” includes Richard Burns, William Burns and John Kelly of the Duluth-based law firm. Selection is based on a peer-review survey that comprises more than two million evaluations by the country’s top attorneys.

Johnson, Killen & Seiler

Minnesota Law & Politics magazine selected Joe Roby and Robert Zallar from the Duluth law firm among its top 40 employment law attorneys. The article appears in the Who’s Who in Employment Law, April/May 2008 issue.

LHB, Inc.

The architectural and design firm announced the following hires in the Duluth office:

• Tony Hanson joined the Public Works Civil Group as an engineering senior technician.

• John Townsend joined the Integrated Building Design Group as an electrical project manager.

• Christopher Miller joined the Public Works Structures Group as a structural designer.

• Nicole Morse joined the Public Works Civil Group as an engineering technician.

• Megan Morton joined the Public Works Civil Group as a civil designer.

Maki, Ledin, Bick & Olson, S.C.

James R. Phelan was admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin and has joined the Superior-based law firm. He is in general practice including civil litigation, criminal, family and corporate law. He graduated with honors from Baylor University School of Law in 2007.

Members Cooperative Credit Union

Dean Fries joined the Cloquet-based credit union as business lending manager/business lender. Fries has more than 20 years of commercial lending experience, most recently as senior commercial lender at Pioneer National Bank in Duluth.

Financial advisor Cameron Nelson was recognized as a President’s Council performer by the CUNA Mutual Group, the highest recognition a financial advisor licensed through CUNA Brokerage Services can achieve.

North Shore Bank of Commerce

The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency granted the Duluth bank a Partners in Affordable Housing Award for Outstanding Production in Emerging Markets. The award recognizes the bank’s commitment to serving the mortgage needs of low and moderate-income families in the region.

The Northspan Group Inc.

Jennifer Hawkins, senior economic development analyst at Minnesota Power, joined the board of directors of the Duluth-based private nonprofit development organization. The board also named its officers for 2008: Dan Markham of Reuben Johnson & Son, Inc. as chairman; Debora Almirall of Republic Bank as vice chairwoman; and Robert Ryan of Odyssey Development as secretary/treasurer.

Pro Print

The Duluth printing facility hired Lynn Tarnowski as pre-press manager. She has 19 years of experience in graphic design and art production coordination. She previously worked in the art departments of the Superior Daily Telegram and the Duluth Budgeteer.

Republic Bank

The Duluth-area bank announced the following hires and promotions:

• Shawn Crowser is branch manager of the new Hermantown Square location. He was a personal banker and financial specialist at U.S. Bank.

• Eric Siljendahl joined as branch manager of the bank’s Miller Hill location. He has 11 years of lending and management experience at Wells Fargo Financial.

• Cara Sullivan was promoted from personal banker to credit analyst.

• Danielle Lewis was promoted to credit analyst. She joined Republic Bank in 2004 and has worked as a teller supervisor and personal banker.

St. Mary’s/Duluth Clinic Health System

Tobacco cessation counselor Bridget Benson joined the Quitplan Center, which provides services for free or at minimal cost to Minnesota residents at the Duluth-based healthcare system’s Heart Center. Benson was a therapist for Northwood Children’s Services.

Sansio

The Duluth healthcare software company announced the following promotions:

• Jeremy Krube from lead developer to product manager.

• Tara Yesberger to project manager.

• Tony Gjerdahl to lead developer.

• Eric Nelson to product manager. He served as development manager and then as project manager for more than eight years.

• Tony Kuntz to lead developer.

Share Advantage Credit Union

Maggie Roper joined the Duluth credit union as a loan manager. She has more than 28 years of experience, most recently at Duluth Teachers Credit Union.

Jessica Crawford is a member service representative. She has more than four years experience, most recently with Northern Communities Credit Union.

United Way of Greater Duluth

Deborah McCauley was hired as marketing director of the nonprofit network. She ran her own consultancy assisting local and national businesses with strategic planning, media planning, graphic and Web design and creative communications. Her work has appeared in Robb Report, Forbes and other publications.

Waddell & Reed Inc.

Linnea Samborski joined the Duluth office of the financial advisor. She was the portfolio manager for U.S. Bank.

Weichert Realtors-Twin Ports

Co-Owners Tom Bridge and Kurt Bartell completed the Weichert Management Academy, four days of educational sessions in Naples, FL. The program is a requisite training course for new members of the Weichert Real Estate Affiliates network.

• May NewsMakers -4/30/2008
• Duluth CPA among 15 named to governor’s tax reform commission -4/25/2008
• April NewsMakers -4/2/2008
• Kraus-Anderson -3/24/2008
• The Lake Superior Initiative -3/17/2008