Applause for business achievements

First Posted: 3/19/2014

AWARDS

Central Insurance honored

The Central Insurance Companies received the prestigious Quantum Award at the Network of Vertafore Users Conference.

The Quantum Award recognizes insurance carriers that have made a commitment to Network of Vertafore User member agencies to offer superior work-flow productivity and profitability on both the regional and national levels. Three carriers were named finalists, and Central was selected as the regional winner.

The Network of Vertafore Users (NetVU) is an independent, national member organization committed to providing industry advocacy, world-class education and networking to its 18,000 independent insurance agency members.

Tom Weber recognized

Tom Weber, managing director of America’s IRA Centers, in Findlay, has been named 2013 National Advisor of the Year by Table Bay Financial Network, Inc. This is the second consecutive year Weber earned the prestigious title.

Weber specializes in investments, distribution planning, legacy transfer strategies, financial planing and insurance annuity programs.

Carolyn Dammeyer named to Gold Medallion Club

Carolyn M. Dammeyer, LUTCF, has been named to Western Southern Life’s Gold Medallion Club. She is a sales representative/financial advisor in the Western Southern Life’s Celina office.

Membership in the Gold Medallion Club is based on outstanding sales production, business persistence, meeting strict ethical and production requirements and upholding the heritage of conducting business with the highest level of integrity.

Dammeyer will be attending the Leaders Sales Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Roselawn Manor earns clean survey

Roselawn Manor, of Spencerville, has earned a deficiency-free survey from the State of Ohio Department of Public Health for 2014.

Nursing facilities are inspected and evaluated yearly by the Department of Public Health to ensure the facility is in compliance with federal and state regulations. On average, less than 1 percent of all Ohio nursing facilities receive a deficiency-free survey.

Otterbein Cridersville among best

Otterbein Senior Lifestyle Community in Cridersville was selected as one of the country’s “Best Nursing Homes.”

The 2014 rankings were published in the U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News determines its annual rankings through data collected from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Nursing homes with a five-star rating are named in U.S. News’ “Best Nursing Home.”

ONU honors three with Pinnacle Awards

The Dicke College of Business Administration at Ohio Northern University honored three individuals with Pinnacle Awards.

This award honors individuals who have made the highest commitment to the business college.

Eugene A. Beeler, Joanne Griffith Lipski and Mark J. Palmer were presented with this award. Beeler was honored posthumously.

Beeler served as a member of the 379th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division during WWII. After graduating from ONU in 1949 with a bachelor of arts in accounting, he became a certified public accountant and founding partner of Howard & Beeler in Lima. In 1997, Beeler established The Eugene A. Beeler, Herman and Nettie Beeler and Leota Beeler Endowment Fund at ONU to honor his parents and sister. This endowment fund created a scholarship for accounting students int eh College of Business Administration.

Lipski is a 1972 graduate of ONU and is a certified public accountant. She is a trustee of ONU and has served in that role for more than 30 years. In past years she has served as chair or vice-chair of the committee on admissions, enrollment and financial aid; the academic affairs committee, the audit committee and honorary degree committee of the board of trustees. In 2011 she was honored with The James F. Dicke College of Business Administration Outstanding Service Award and in 2012 she received a distinguished alumni award. She is active in the community and has served as co-chair for Relay for Life in Perrysburg. She is active in the First United Methodist Church in Perrysburg.

Palmer graduated from Ohio Northern University in 1979 with a bachelor of science in business administration and economics. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor in 1982 from Rutgers University. He practiced law in Columbus as an associate with Chester Saxbe Hoffman & Willcox and then with Bricker & Eckler, where he was made a partner. In 1999 he co-founded The Joseph Group Capital Management, an investment advisory firm with his brother. He is now chief executive officer of The Joseph Group. In 2011, Gov. Kasich appointed Palmer to the board of directors of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. He was reappointed to the board last year.

NEW HIRES

Niebel joins Superior Financial Services

Tim Niebel has joined Superior Financial Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Superior Federal Credit Union. Niebel is an investment advisor.

He comes to Superior with more than 16 years of investment experience, primarily in the Lima and Wapakoneta markets. Niebel will be based at the credit union’s Shawnee office.

Niebel is a graduate of Elida High School and received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Kentucky.

He resides in Elida with his wife, Brandi and their four children. He coaches youth football and softball, and volunteer as a youth leader at Lima Community Church.

Superior Financial Services is a full-service investment and brokerage firm managing more than $120 million in assets with offices in Lima, Elida and Ottawa.

Lima Senior grad accepts associate director position

Dr. Tod Fish, a 1990 Lima Senior graduate, has accepted the associate director of choral activities position at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Fish joined the Stephen F. Austin State University choral faculty after a 13-year career as a high school and middle school choral director. While teaching in Seguin, Round Rock and Lubbock, Fish’s choirs earned numerous awards, significantly increased course enrollment and saw several of his students pursue careers in the music field.

He received his bachelors and master’s degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University, where he studied conducting with Dr. Terry Eder and Dr. Tim King, studied voice with Dr. David Jones and coached with Professor Jan McDaniel and Dr. Ronald Petti.

He completed his doctorate of musical arts degree from the University of Kansas. He resides in Texas with his wife, Alice and his son, Aaron.

Fish is the son of Earl and Jackie Morton, of Cridersville, and Wayne Fish, of Lima.

Vein Care Center welcomes physician assistant

Beth Warnecke, physician assistant, has joined the Vein Care Center of Lima and Celina.

She received her education at the University of Findlay Physician Assistant Program. She received a master’s in physician assistant studies and was certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Warnecke has eight years of professional experience. Prior to accepting this position, she served as a physician assistant at the Orthopaedic Institute of Ohio.

New manager at Book ReViews in Bluffton

Dr. Christina Walton has been named the new Book Reviews manager by the Et Cetera Shop Inc. & Book Reviews’ Board. She will be responsible for managing store operations and implementing goals of the board; developing the corps of volunteers to assist with store marketing projects, book signings, creating marketing promotions to the community and increasing the use of technology, improving sales, establishing an inventory baseline, creating website design and social media and expanding online services.

As manager, Walton will maintain the integrity of Book ReViews, a nonprofit organization, whose proceeds benefit the relief work of the Mennonite Central Committee.

Prior to being named manager of Book ReViews, Walton had retired in 2011 as an assistant professor at Ashland University in Ashland and at Morehead State in Morehead, Ky. She served as an adjunct faculty at the University of Cincinnati while completing her Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in 2006 and at the University of Findlay after completing her master of arts in TESOL and bilingual education in 1995. Walton served as president of the Appalachian Writers’ Association from 2008 through 2009 while at Morehead University.

She resides in Bluffton.

Balaa joins Blanchard Valley Health

Dr. Anas Balaa has joined Blanchard Valley Health System’s Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine medical practice. He will provide care for lung-related conditions such as asthma, COPD, bronchitis, emphysema, reactive airway disease, sarcoidosis and more.

Dr. Balaa earned his medical degree from the University of Damascus in Damascus, Syria. He completed his internal medicine residency and fellowship in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Toledo Medical Center, in Toledo. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in the sub-specialities of pulmonary disease, critical care medicine and sleep medicine.

MarcWright Benefits Group adds two agents

MarcWright Benefits Group, of Lima, has added Wendy Baxter and Renatta Wright, two independent insurance agents, to its staff.

Wendy Baxter recently obtained her license in life, health and accident insurance through the State of Ohio. She is a seasoned business professional from the Lima area and brings more than 15 years of marketing and management expertise. She will serve as a benefits consultant for MarcWright Benefits Group.

Renatta Wright is a licensed Benefits Consultant and brings more than 25 years of sales, management and public relations experience. She will be responsible for agent development, sales and implementing solutions that fit individual clients and businesses as a whole.

MarcWright Benefits Group provides benefit consulting services and solutions for small, medium and large size businesses.

NEW OFFICES

Minute Men Staffing Services comes to Wapakoneta

Minute Men Staffing Services has opened a new office in Wapakoneta. It is located at 116 E. Auglaize St., Wapakoneta. Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number is: 855-206-7554.

Minute Men is one of the largest independently owned and operated human resource providers in the United States. With more than 50 years experience recruiting and screening candidates for temporary, temp to hire and long term assignments, Minute Men takes pride in matching qualified staffing solutions for light industrial customer service.

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