Stay current with local people, news and events
ACCOUNTING
Valuation analyst Gregory M. Clark, CPA, and a senior manager at CLH, LLC, has successfully completed the certification process with the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts to earn the Certified Valuation Analyst credential. CLH is a Michigan City-based full-service CPA firm. CLH, LLC, now has three CPAs at the firm who hold this credential, allowing the firm to grow its valuation department.
BANKING AND FINANCIAL
Deborah Robinson has been hired by Centier as senior vice president, community relations and business development. She leads a team coordinating the bank’s philanthropy, community outreach, financial wellness, and Community Investment Act initiatives. Additionally, she is responsible for market expansion strategies to build the bank’s brand. Prior to joining Centier, Robinson served as chief banking officer at First Merchants Banks … 1st Source Bank has promoted
Valerie C. (Hines) Weis to the post of vice president. She was program manager of the 1st Source Asset Advisors group. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Loyola University Chicago and has obtained her Certified Financial Planner certification … Oak Partners, a wealth management firm headquartered in Crown Point, have promoted Financial Advisors Michael Hadt and Stephen Kavois, to the position of Partner and named them members of the firm’s Board of Advisors.
Charlie Greiner has also joined the firm as a financial advisor. He comes to the firm from Stifel, Nicolaus & Company and holds a B.A. in economics from San Diego State University in addition to Series 7 and 63 certifications. … Residential mortgage lender Ruoff Home Mortgage has appointed
Aaron Davis as senior loan officer for its Crown Point office. Previously with Univision Communications, he is currently finishing his MBA from the University of Kansas and is a graduate of Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in communication …
Diana Nyman has earned the distinction of Premier Advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors. The Premier Advisor designation is held by a select group of financial advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors as measured by business production, completion of educational components, and professionalism. Nyman works in the firm’s Chesterton office … Tom Muldowney has joined Lakeside Wealth Management as a senior advisor. Muldowney concentrates on retirement planning, insurance and asset management for individual clients, and assisting corporate clients with 401(k) plan design and assisting with fiduciary responsibilities and best practices … Maurice Lounds, a financial adviser for Harvest Financial, of Schererville, has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies, the standards-setting body for fi360, an education and certification organization for financial planners. The designation is awarded after a comprehensive training program, final examination, and commitment to abide by a code of ethics and conduct standard. Maintenance of the AIF designation requires continuing education.
CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING
Korellis Roofing of Hammond has appointed Dan Stella as its workforce development manager. He has 14 years of experience in the construction industry and holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. Korellis’ former office building was also recently into transformed the new Korellis Training Center.
EDUCATION
Ivy Tech Community College has selected the faculty recipients of the 2017 President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction and the 2017 Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Instruction. This includes four faculty members from the Northwest and North Central regions. Awarded the 2017 President’s Award are full-time faculty members Darlene Dulin, Assistant Professor, Healthcare Specialist from the Northwest region and Karen Gerbasich, Associate Professor, Nursing from the North Central Region. Adjunct faculty members for the annual Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Instruction for the Northwest and North Central Regions are Valerie Rice, Business Instructor and Robert Antus, Hospitality Instructor, respectively … Indiana University Northwest announced the appointment of
Vicki Roman-Lagunas, Ph.D., as new executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. Currently serving as acting provost and professor of Spanish at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) in Chicago, Roman-Lagunas will begin her appointment as the executive vice chancellor for academic affairs on July 3. In her new role, Román-Lagunas will have responsibility for all aspects of the academic and student dimensions of the campus in coordination with Chancellor William J. Lowe and other university leaders. She earned her Ph.D. in Latin American Literature and Culture from Florida State University and graduate and undergraduate degrees in Spanish from University of Arizona and College of William and Mary. Indiana University Northwest also announced the appointment of
Ryan Shelton as its new athletic director. Shelton is a two-time IU Northwest alumnus and head coach of the women’s basketball team for the last 10 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 2000, and a master’s degree in public affairs in 2005, both at IU Northwest. For the last 17 years, he was the lead graphic designer for the Office of Marketing and Communications, a position he held while coaching the RedHawks women’s basketball team. As head coach of women’s basketball, Shelton led the team to eight winning seasons in the past nine years, including six 20-win seasons, five national tournament appearances and multiple conference championships. In March, he was named the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ (NAIA) Association of Independent Institution (AII) Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth time. In his new role, Shelton will continue to serve as head coach of the women’s basketball team, and also take on the responsibility of overseeing IU Northwest’s six other NAIA Division II teams: men’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country and golf, and women’s volleyball. Joining Shelton in the head office is Anna Villanueva, who was recently named assistant athletic director. Villanueva is a former RedHawk who lettered in volleyball for four years, and basketball for three years, while studying at IU Northwest. Starting as a student worker in the Office of Student Activities, she worked her way up to director of operations. Villanueva earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at IU Northwest in 2005 and a master’s degree in sports management from Southern New Hampshire University in 2013 … Purdue University Northwest has appointed two, key academic administrators. Anne Gregory has been named director of PNW’s School of Education and Counseling within the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences and Dietmar Rempfer, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and professor of applied mathematics at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), has been appointed as director of the School of Engineering within PNW’s College of Engineering and Sciences. Both appointments become effective July 1. Gregory recently served as professor and chair of the Department of Literacy and Elementary Education at Northern Illinois University, and has more than 25 years of experience as a professional educator. In addition to her current position at Northern Illinois, she has served as chair and professor of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Western Illinois University. She also has been president of the Faculty Senate at Boise State (Idaho) University. She is a former elementary school teacher who has advanced literacy among elementary students as part of Purdue University’s highly-regarded Reading Recovery program. In his new appointment, Rempfer will provide oversight responsibility to PNW’s Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Offering a distinguished background in higher education at IIT, Rempfer has served administratively as interim chair of the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering and as Associate Dean of IIT’s Armour College of Engineering. He also has been campus lead of the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation at IIT. The Purdue University Board of Trustees recently approved the promotion of 13 Purdue University Northwest faculty members effective with the start of the 2017-18 academic year. Academic tenure is attained on promotion to the rank of associate professor. Candidates promoted to this rank have accumulated a record of accomplishments and show potential of continued professional growth and recognition. Faculty members promoted to full professor have achieved a significant record in all three areas of accomplishments: learning, discovery, and engagement. Promoted to full professor are Carin Chuang of Munster (Information Systems), Masoud Fathizadeh of Oak Brook Ill., (Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology), Emily Hixon of Hebron (Education), David Nalbone of Valparaiso, (Psychology), John Spores of Valparaiso, (Psychology), Kathleen Tobin of Hammond (History) and Hairong Zhao, of Munster (Computer Science). Those promoted to associate professor were Ricardo Calix of Schererville (Computer Information Technology), Magesh Chandramouli of Schererville (Computer Graphics Technology), Tae-Hoon Kim of Munster (Computer Information Technology), Manghui Tu of Munster (Computer Information Technology), Florian Vauleon of Portage (French) and Chen Ye of Highland (Information Systems).
ENGINEERING
John Beatrice, president of Compumark Industries Inc., a process control and field engineering company in St. John, was recently elected president of ISA NORIN, the Northern Indiana arm of the International Society of Automation. The society is composed of engineers and other professionals in specialized technical occupations …
Lakhpat G. Chandnani has established a new consulting business, LGC Structural Engineers, LLC in Schererville, Indiana. He was with Superior Engineering, in Hammond, for 16 years as civil/structural engineering manager. LGC Structural Engineers provides structural engineering services and structural evaluation reports.
GOVERNMENT
The Indiana chapter of the American Planning Association has selected the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority’s comprehensive strategic plan update as its 2017 Outstanding Transportation Plan Award winner. The updated focused on commuter rail expansion in Northwest Indiana and outlined plans for transit-oriented development over the next two decades.
HEALTHCARE
Dr. Robert W. Moses of Moses Eye Care Center was recently awarded the Meritorious Service Award at the Indiana Optometric Association’s 120th annual spring convention in April in Indianapolis. The Meritorious Service Award is given to a member in recognition for service to the profession of optometry. This award recognized his role as Indiana Optometric Association’s Third Party Committee Chair and his efforts to ensure that vision care and medical eye care services are available to all Hoosiers. Dr. Moses opened his optometric practice in Merrillville in 1975 and provides eye health care at nine locations throughout Northwest Indiana …
Drew Keesbury has been selected as chief financial officer for LaPorte Hospital and Starke Hospital. Keesbury most recently assistant as CFO and interim CFO at Porter Regional Hospital and previously as controller for Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne. LaPorte and Starke hospitals also announced the appointment of Anetra Jones, who will serve as the chief nursing officer. Jones holds an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing from Florida Community College, and both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Care Organization and Policy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She comes to LaPorte most recently from Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, N.C., where she has served as Chief Nursing Officer since 2013. …
Tracey Knapp has been named vice president of the La Porte Physician Network and Porter Physician Group. This combined medical group includes more than 130 providers across seven counties, and offers multiple specialty medical services. Knapp most recently served as administrator for Porter Physician Group and started her healthcare career as a practice manager at the University of Colorado … Methodist Hospitals has welcomed
Perry Zack, D.O., to the Methodist Physician Group. He is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and has served Northwest Indiana families for more than 20 years. His focus is on preventive care and promoting a healthy lifestyle. His practice is located in Merrillville. Methodist Hospitals also named Jacqueline Hoekema and Constance Adams as co-directors of the Methodist Hospitals Heart & Vascular Institute. Hoekema is the new director over business operations and Adams is the new director over clinical and quality.
INSURANCE
The American Star Excellence in Customer Experience Certification Program has recognized Jean Kohler, an American Family Insurance agent in Valparaiso, for providing outstanding customer service. The distinction was determined through an evaluation process conducted under guidelines established through the program. The process consists of a customer satisfaction survey which measures customers’ overall experience with their current American Family agent
LEGAL
The American Institute of Family Law Attorneys has recognized family law attorney Michael Langer with Langer & Langer as a 10 Best Family Law Attorney for Client Satisfaction for the third year. Three lawyers at the Valparaiso firm were also recently featured on the Super Lawyers Website, www.superlawyers.com. Super Lawyers selects attorneys from all firm sizes and more than 70 practice areas throughout the United States.
Steven Langer has been featured by Super Lawyers since 2008 and was recently selected for the “Super Lawyers Top 50: 2017 Indiana Super Lawyers” List. John F. Schmoll has been selected from 2004 to 2006 and 2008 to 2017.
Tara Worthley, who joined the firm in 2005, has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2012 to 2017 … Reminger Co., LPA has welcomed attorney Erica M. Maar to the law firm’s Crown Point office. Prior to joining Reminger, she served as a federal judicial extern with the Honorable Judge Christopher Nuechterlein. She graduated magna cum laude from Valparaiso University School of Law and previously worked at a financial services firm … Tricia G. Bellich, Paul Kosteski, and Kyle Lawrence have joined the firm of Bryce Downey & Lenkov LLC in its Schererville office. Bellich joins as an income member, with extensive experience handling workers’ compensation and employment law matters through the appellate level in the states of Indiana and Illinois. Kosteski joins as an associate, practicing workers’ compensation defense. Lawrence also joins as an associate, practicing general liability and workers’ compensation defense.
NON PROFIT
The Association for the Wolf Lake Initiative (AWLI) has selected Richard Chambers of Hammond as its Ford Motor Company Fund Graduate Intern for 2017. He will be assisting with the day-to-day operation of AWLI.
REAL ESTATE
Ana Lavanholi has joined Weichert Realtors-Wold Group’s Schererville office.
SPORTS & RECREATION
Steve Chelios has joined Midwest Training and Ice Center in Dyer as hockey director. Chelios played five seasons of Canadian Junior hockey and attended training camps with the Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers. He played 12 seasons of minor league professional hockey. For 12 years, he was the Director and Head Instructor for the Chelios Children’s Foundation & Hockey Schools. … Patti’s All-American, in Dyer, has promoted
Diane Spevacekto to vice president of operations and
Rhonda Zaluckyj to vice president of sales. Spevacekto, formerly the general manager, and Zaluckyj, formerly assistant general manager, will continue with their already established duties while now having more prominent roles in class curriculum, staff, facility, and customer service procedures.
TOURISM
The Jasper County Economic Development Organization (JCEDO) announced the appointment of
Richelle Winstead as the new director of tourism and community relations. She will lead Jasper County’s tourism and associated marketing activities and will also oversee JCEDO’s community and business relations activities.
GOVERNOR HOLCOMB SIGNS DOUBLE TRACKING BILL
In mid-May, Indiana Governor Holcomb held a ceremonial signing ceremony in Michigan City for HEA 1144, a crucial rail transit development bill for the Northwest Indiana region. Although it includes a number of improvements and additions, including the West Lake Corridor from Hammond to Dyer, the aspect that officials refer to as a game-changer is the addition of a second full rail track along the existing South Shore Line from Gary to Michigan City. Allowing greater movement and fewer bottlenecks, this double-tracking will greatly improve service for commuters and drastically decrease their travel times, even for those coming from places further east such as South Bend. According to the bill itself, HEA 1144 “establishes a rail transit corridor in Northwest Indiana.” Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority CEO Bill Hanna called the signing “historic,” saying these projects were the biggest such projects in more than 100 years. Clarence Hulse, Economic Development Corporation of Michigan City’s executive director, reflected that for both his city and for the entire region, these projects will have a significant positive impact on efforts to attract new talent and new investment. The RDA Board of Directors also approved an annual commitment of up to $3 million over the next 30 years to contribute toward these projects, representing the portions of Lake and Porter counties. With legislative support and committed funding support, the project is expected to begin construction in 2019 and be operational in 2020.
IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNOUNCES NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Ivy Tech Community College has announced a new organizational structure focused on better serving its students and the state, by aligning with community needs at the campus level, and empowering the campuses to be responsive and agile to local needs. Where multiple campuses formerly reported to regional leadership, they will now see those positions aligned at a campus level. Campuses will be self-sustaining units with a chancellor as the executive in charge. Campus chancellors will be announced June 15 to August 1, and staff will transition over the next year into more effective campus-aligned, student-focused roles. In the new structure, Ivy Tech will have 19 campuses that include: Lake County (Gary/East Chicago), Valparaiso, South Bend/Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Indianapolis, Bloomington, Evansville, Kokomo, Muncie, Terre Haute, Columbus, Sellersburg, Michigan City, Marion, Anderson, Richmond, Lawrenceburg, and Madison. In addition, the Community College will offer classes at 26 educational sites across the states including those in Northern Indiana, Warsaw, Avon, LaPorte, and Rochester. Faculty Councils will be formed at the campus level and statewide, allowing faculty to have a broader voice in academic policy, procedures and engagement in the strategic plan implementation. Ivy Tech is in development of a new strategic plan to be unveiled in December 2017.
IU NORTHWEST ARTS AND SCIENCES BUILDING DEDICATION
IU Northwest announces the public opening and dedication of the Arts & Sciences building on Friday, August 25. That evening, special guests and community members will attend the very first performance – a complimentary concert by the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra – in the new theatre. The show will kick off entertainment brought to the region by not only Theatre Northwest, the performance company of IU Northwest’s Department of Performing Arts, but also other area groups, which will collectively transform the campus’s southeast corner into a destination for the arts. At three stories tall and 126,300 square feet, the new structure will not only serve as an important asset for both IU Northwest and Ivy Tech Community College campuses, which will share space in the building, but also the entire community. Half of the $45 million building will house IU Northwest’s fine and performing arts programs, as well as academic and administration space for the College of Arts and Sciences. Ivy Tech will occupy 30 percent of the building, including science programs and a “one-stop shop” for enrollment and admission services. The remainder of the building will include classrooms and informal study spaces for both campuses.
