ACCOUNTING
Accounting firm of Kruggel, Lawton & Co. LLC has named Barry Hall, CPA, CGMA, as its new managing partner and appointed Daniel Smogor, CPA, CGMA, as partner-in-charge of the firm's South Bend office. Hall's role as managing partner will be to lead the firm's long-term strategy, plans for growth and overall management of the firm. He has been a partner with Kruggel Lawton CPAs since 2000. With more than 25 years of public accounting experience, he specializes in assurance, tax and consulting engagements for companies in the manufacturing, construction, transportation, wholesale, and not-for-profit industries. As partner-in-charge of the South Bend office, Smogor will oversee about 30 professionals who provide audit, tax, and business consulting services to clients. In addition, he will work closely with Hall to ensure overall goals and objectives are being met. Smogor has been a partner in the firm since 1992 and has over 30 years of experience providing tax advice and business strategy consulting for clients in a variety of industries.
BANKING
Northwest Indiana Bancorp, the holding company for Peoples Bank, announced that the board has elected Danette Garza to the board of directors for a term that ends in April 2014. Garza fills a vacancy on the board of the Bancorp as well as Peoples Bank and is a certified public accountant as well as a licensed attorney specializing in corporate, estate planning and elder law. She is currently providing legal and consulting services as an independent contractor to the firm of Austgen, Kuiper & Associates P.C. and is the owner Continental Languages LLC. Garza earned a bachelor's degree with a concentration in accounting and an MBA from Indiana University, and her law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law. Garza is the chairman of the Investment Committee of the Legacy Foundation serving on its executive board of directors and serves on the board for South Shore Arts as vice president of administration, and is a former board member for the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and Forest Ridge Academy. … NorthWest Indiana Bancorp named Benjamin Bochnowski executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Bancorp as well as its operating subsidiary, Peoples Bank. Since joining Peoples in 2010, Bochnowski has had bank-wide responsibility for project management, strategic planning and enterprise risk management. … LaPorte Savings Bank announced Rob Zborowski, CTP, of Valparaiso, is a recent graduate of the Indiana Bankers Association (IBA) Commercial Lending School. Zborowski is a Certified Treasury Professional and a Member of the Association of Financial Professionals. A graduate of Purdue University, he holds a bachelor of science degree from the School of Management.
COMMUNITY
Janis Regnier, chief volunteer officer of the YMCA of Portage Township, recently announced the appointment of Christopher Aungst as the next CEO of the YMCA of Portage Township.
CONSTRUCTION
MC Industrial, a national construction company specializing in industrial construction, recently announced the addition of industrial construction industry veteran, Gary Jaslovsky, who joined the firm as project director. Jaslovsky brings nearly 40 years of industry experience to MC Industrial's Portage location, and past clients include Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), Reliant Energy, Constellation Energy, U.S. Steel, Toyota and Wisconsin Electric. Jaslovsky holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and an MBA from Keller Graduate School.
DISTRIBUTION
Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and provider of related supply chain management and logistics services, opened a new branch in Kalamazoo, Mich. Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the largest employee-owned companies in North America, distributes electrical, communications and data networking products, and specializes in related supply chain management and logistics services.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
St. Joseph County Airport Authority board of directors welcomed new board member Dr. Jay Asdell in September. Dr. Asdell is a board certified oral surgeon serving patients at Michiana Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery LLC in South Bend.
EDUCATION
Purdue University professor R. Graham Cooks received the 2013 Dreyfus Prize in Chemical Sciences. Cooks won the prize in recognition of his innovations in the field of mass spectrometry and analytical chemistry. The international prize, given biennially by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, consists of $250,000, a citation and a medal. Cooks is associated with several Purdue research centers, including Bindley Bioscience Center, the Purdue Center for Cancer Research and the Center for Analytical Instrumentation Development. … Regina Biddings-Muro has been promoted to vice chancellor for advancement at Purdue University Calumet. In her role, she serves as the primary development, marketing and communications strategist for the campus. Biddings-Muro earned Purdue baccalaureate and master's degrees in communications at Purdue Calumet and is pursuing a doctoral degree in higher education and organizational change at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill.
HEALTH CARE
Primary care physician Shaily Macker, M.D., recently joined Indiana University Health La Porte Physicians and accepts patients at her Westville practice. Dr. Macker, board certified in family medicine, specializes in women's health along with providing expert care to patients of all ages. … Sherry L. Mosier, BSN, RN, CNRN, SCRN, stroke coordinator at Methodist Hospitals, Gary/Merrillville, has earned SCRN certification through the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing. … Porter Health Care System welcomes four new physicians to the hospital's network, Porter Physician Group. New physicians include: family medicine physician Alex Alvarez, M.D. who will be seeing patients at DeMotte Physicians; family medicine physician Shane Bush, M.D., who will see patients at Portage Medical Group; ENT Matthew Provenzano, M.D., who will be seeing patients at Associated ENT Specialists in Valparaiso; and family medicine physician Annabel Yuen, D.O., who will see patients Westchester Medical Group in Chesterton. … Beacon Health System welcomes Ahmed Z. Elmaadawi, M.D., child and adolescent psychiatry, to the team of experts providing care at Memorial Epworth Center, in South Bend. Beacon Health System welcomes Daniel Abel, M.D., family medicine, to the team of experts providing care at Schwartz-Wiekamp Medical Group. Dr. Abel received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his family medicine residency at Community Health Network in Indianapolis. Lori Turner has been named chief marketing, innovation & customer experience officer of Beacon. The health system welcomes orthopedic trauma surgeon Christiaan Mamczak, D.O., who will join Bryan Boyer, M.D., at Beacon Medical Group Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery. Also, Beacon welcomes Vicente Gonzaga, M.D., child and adolescent psychiatry, and Narendra Singh, M.D., adult psychiatry, to Memorial Epworth Center in South Bend. Beacon Health System, the organization combining Elkhart General Hospital and Memorial Health System. … Methodist Hospitals has hired renowned neurologist Dr. Arif Dalvi, who specializes in Parkinson's and movement disorders. … X-Ray Consultants (XRC) of South Bend announced the addition of Jonathan M. McCrea, M.D., to its radiology practice. Dr. McCrea, board certified by the American Board of Radiology in diagnostic radiology, is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, receiving his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. … Saadia Alvi, M.D., has joined Franciscan Medical Specialists' department of endocrinology and is board certified in internal medicine and board-eligible in endocrinology. Dr. Alvi practices at the Munster Medical Center and at the Franciscan Medical Specialists Valparaiso office. … Arash Koochek, M.D., has joined Franciscan Medical Specialists' department of dermatology, is board certified in dermatology and practices at Franciscan Medical Specialists in Dyer. Amjad Ali, M.D., has joined the Franciscan Medical Specialists' department of infectious diseases in Hammond. Tapan Desai, M.D., has joined Franciscan Medical Specialists' department of pulmonary medicine and is located at the Munster Medical Center. Amita Thakkar, M.D., has joined Franciscan Medical Specialists' department of rheumatology and is located at the Munster Medical Center and at Franciscan Medical Specialists in Schererville. … Methodist Hospitals has been ranked as one of the best hospitals for 2013-14 in Indiana, Northern Indiana and the Chicago Metro Area by U.S. News & World Report. The annual U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings, now in its 24th year, recognizes hospitals that excel in treating the most challenging patients. … Good Hospitality Services recently donated exercise equipment to support the newly created client wellness program at Porter-Starke Services. The donation by the hotel management organization will provide clients of Porter-Starke the opportunity to improve both physical and mental wellness at the non-profit community mental health center's Valparaiso office. The Porter-Starke program was also supported by funding from the United Way of Porter County and additional donations and aims to help clients personalize their fitness routine in a familiar environment. … Michelle Rivera, who had served as a registered nurse in the infusion department since 2009 before recently accepting the position of wound skin ostomy specialist in the education department, was selected August Ambassador of the Month for Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Michigan City.
MANUFACTURING
Urschel Laboratories Inc. announced the appointment of Rick Urschel by the board of directors from vice president of operations to president/CEO. Urschel, fourth generation of the Urschel family, started working at Urschel Laboratories in 1991, and holds a management degree from Purdue University. … Bipin Doshi, president of Schafer Industries in South Bend, has announced the appointment of Thomas L. Troyan as manager of the company's gear unit, where he is responsible for three plant locations including managing customer and supplier relations. Schafer Industries' gear division has plants in South Bend and Fort Wayne as well as in Rockford, Ill. Troyan has a B.S. in industrial management and engineering from Purdue University, and an MBA in operations from Butler University.
MARKETING
VIA Marketing was recently honored with a 2013 APEX Award of Excellence for creative work executed for the design and layout of its VIA Idea email template. Based in Merrillville, VIA Marketing provides online and offline marketing solutions that include all media, websites, graphic design, and public relations.
PHILANTHROPY
Esther Diaz has joined Legacy Foundation, a community foundation and philanthropic partner in Lake County, as its director of The Think Tank. Diaz joins Legacy Foundation with nearly 20 years of experience in both programs and nonprofit management. Erika Fizer has been welcomed as the foundation's program officer, and will be responsible for the management of Legacy Foundation's scholarship program and grant administration. Fizer earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington and a master's degree from Indiana University Northwest, where she studied nonprofit management and human services.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Longtime Northwest Indiana leader and educator Bill Thon and Dyer-based training and development company NorthStar360 announced a strategic partnership. Thon, no stranger to training, spent more than eight years as executive director of the Corporate College for Ivy Tech Community College/ Northwest. Additionally, he served 17 years in various manufacturing, human resources and training roles at Rieter Automotive. NorthStar360 helps businesses maximize their success through comprehensive hiring practices and in-depth employee training and development programs.
REAL ESTATE
Bradley Company of South Bend welcomes Angela Brister as marketing director. Brister will manage and support marketing, communication and research initiatives across eight regional offices in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan and will coordinate marketing efforts and personnel in each of these offices to ensure continuity of brand and messaging in all departments, as well as elevate the marketing efforts and services to both Bradley Company's external and internal clients.
SMALL BUSINESS
FirstLight HomeCare of Valparaiso, a provider of non-medical, in-home care, recently opened its doors. Owners Jim and Michelle Alex offer services through FirstLight Homecare including medication reminders, companionship, respite care for caregivers, and a dementia care program.
TOURISM
Mark Newman, Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) executive director, and Speros A. Batistatos, president and CEO for the South Shore Convention and Visitors authority, announced the 2013 Recognition of Service Excellence Awards (ROSE) at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster. The ROSE Awards honor front-line employees who go above and beyond the call of duty on a regular basis. Presented by the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, winners include Kimberly Uzelac, 54 Main Bistro; Gina Desadier, Ameristar Casino; Rebecca Jones, Cabela's; Lillian Soto, Comfort Inn & Suites; Linda Fiorenzo, Hampton Inn; Ray Matheny, Hilton Garden Inn; Dawn Gomez, Horseshoe Casino; Latoya Stubbs, Horseshoe Casino; Trent Pendley, Martin Binder Jewelry; Matthew Baker, Radisson Hotel; Margaret Ulloa, Teibel's Family Restaurant; Jill Albright, The Free Enterprise System.
TRANSPORTATION
Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson of Gary announced appointments to the board of the Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority and welcomed the new appointment of Lake County's representative on the board. Appointments include James Cooper, vice president and account manager at JP Morgan Chase in Chicago; Denise Dillard, (Lake County appointment), vice president of government and external affairs at the Methodist Hospitals, where she also previously served as the vice president of human resources; Michael Doyne, president of Doyne's Marine Inc., in Portage; Shontrai Irving, attorney at State Farm insurance in Crown Point; Alesia Pritchett, director of business services/grant management for the School City of Hammond.
BRIEFS
NIPSCO Warns of Phone Scam Targeting Utility Customers
Spurred by customer reports, NIPSCO is warning customers about a bill payment scam in which victims are asked to purchase a prepaid debit card to settle an overdue balance. Customers have reported receiving unsolicited phone calls from individuals falsely claiming to be NIPSCO representatives. The scammers threaten disconnection of the customer's electric service if an immediate payment is not made. They direct the customer to purchase a prepaid debit card–many reports specifically reference a “Green Dot Debit Card”–and call back with a receipt and PIN, giving the scammers access to the card's funds. Both residential and business customers have been targeted by the scammers. A number of reports have come from Spanish-speaking customers.
In an effort to keep customers safe from scams, NIPSCO reminds customers:
* NIPSCO never asks for customers who are behind on payments to purchase a prepaid debit card to avoid disconnection. Customers have the following payment options: online, by phone, by mail or in person at one of NIPSCO's authorized payment locations.
* Never give personal information, including Social Security numbers and banking information, to unconfirmed sources. NIPSCO only asks for a Social Security number when a customer is applying for new service.
* If you are unsure about the legitimacy of any programs or offers claiming to be affiliated with NIPSCO, call the 24-hour customer service center at 800-4NIPSCO (800-464-7726).
* Legitimate bill assistance programs are available to qualifying customers. For more information on these offerings, visit NIPSCO.com/PaymentAssistance.
