Business Briefs

Heritage Bank hires Magnuson

WILLMAR -- Heritage Bank of Willmar has hired Ross Magnuson as vice president of business banking. Magnuson has more than 22 years of banking experience, and will work with new and existing business customers to meet and identify their commercial banking needs.

He is board president for United Way of West Central Minnesota, serves as treasurer for Vinje Lutheran Church, is chairman for the Planning and Zoning Appeals Board, and is president of Willmar Booster Basketball. He and his wife, Kelly, live in Willmar and have three children.

Ziehl joins association board

WILLMAR -- Lisa Ziehl, operation director for Rice Home Medical of Willmar, has been appointed to the Midwest Association of Medical Equipment Services board of directors by a group of her peers. The seven-state organization focuses on education and legislative efforts of the medical equipment industry.

Ziehl is a Willmar native and has worked with Rice Home Medical for six years. She previously worked as operations coordinator with Nash Finch in Edina. She has a bachelor's degree in business from St. Cloud State University.

Rice names finance director

WILLMAR -- Rice Memorial Hospital announces that Marilee Vogel has been named director of finance.

As director, Vogel is responsible for implementing and improving systems that enhance financial performance by coordinating the activities of budgeting, general accounting and external financial reporting.

She began her new position on April 12.

Vogel began her career with Rice Memorial Hospital as controller for Rice Home Medical in 2000. She has served as manager of finance for Rice Hospital since 2003. Prior to her career at Rice, Vogel worked as a senior accountant at Franciscan Skemp Health System in LaCrosse, Wis.

She earned a bachelor of arts degree in accounting and economics from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. She is a member of the Health Financial Management Association, a professional organization for health care financial managers.

Vogel and her husband, Eric, have lived in Willmar since 1999. They have two adult children.

Fifield opens Quilted4You

NEW LONDON -- Nyla Fifield has opened Quilted4You, a long-arm machine quilting business, at 28 Main St. S. in New London. The business offers computerized machine quilting for quilters with the new HandiQuilter18 Avante with the Pro-Stitcher.

Although newer to machine quilting, Fifield has been quilting for approximately 30 years. She believes access to her long-arm machine quilting business in a retail location with regular hours and in close proximity to the Flying Goose Quilt Shop is a good business decision.

Quilted4You will accept all sizes of projects from table runners to king-size quilts. The availability to download quilting designs and customize those designs with the Pro-Stitcher computerized system will provide a huge difference in the patterns that she can offer.

Business hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and closed on Sunday and Monday. Fifield can be reached at 320-894-3219.

Director of revenue, reimbursement named at Rice

WILLMAR -- Rice Memorial Hospital announces that Jackie Hinderks has been named director of revenue and reimbursement.

As director, Hinderks is responsible for revenue and reimbursement functions, which include planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring, auditing, maintaining and improving systems that enhance revenue capture and reimbursement while ensuring compliance and transparency.

She is also responsible for manage the registration, reception, cashier, billing, payer contracting and collections areas, as well as the communication center.

Hinderks began her new position on April 19.

Hinderks began her career with Rice Memorial Hospital as reimbursement and reporting manager in 2008. Prior to this, she worked at HealthPartners in Bloomington as a contract consultant.

She earned a bachelor of arts degree in health care administration from Concordia College in Moorhead. She will receive her master of business administration degree this fall. She is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, where she co-chairs the regulatory committee.

Hinderks and her husband, Jeremy, live in Willmar with their two young children.

Schirm joins Home State Bank

WILLMAR -- Home State Bank announces Tammy Schirm has joined the team as consumer lender at the Willmar location. Schirm will specialize in consumer lending and will play an active role in community affairs and organizations.

A native of Appleton, Schirm has more than 11 years of experience in the financial industry. She has spent the last eight years at Wells Fargo Bank in Willmar.

Schirm serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement and as a member of Kiwanis and as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. She lives in Willmar with her husband, George, and their three children.

Rice Hospital names materials management director

WILLMAR -- Rice Memorial Hospital announces that Chuck Roelofs has been named director of materials management.

As director, Roelofs is responsible for the hospital's supply chain, which includes purchasing, shipping, receiving, general stores, value analysis, and working with all of the Rice entities both owned and managed.

Roelofs began his new position on April 12.

He began his career with Rice Memorial Hospital in 1977 as the shipping and receiving clerk as part of the Comprehensive Employment Training Act provided to Vietnam veterans. He has served in various capacities within materials management, most recently as manager of the department.

He received his associate of arts degree in liberal arts from Ridgewater College. He has been involved in related supply chain professional organizations on a local, state and national level.

Roelofs lives in Willmar with his wife, Sandy.

QC Supply acquires Gillis Ag

WILLMAR -- QC Supply of Schuyler, Neb., has acquired Gillis Ag Systems of Willmar, and Storm Lake, Iowa. The home office for the expanded company will be in Schuyler, Neb., with present distribution centers in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Missouri all operating under the QC Supply name.

The new Iowa and Minnesota locations will continue doing business as Gillis Ag Systems. Besides the five distribution centers, the company has farm and ranch stores in Schuyler and Omaha, Neb.

For more information about the company, visit www.qcsupply.com and www.gillisag.com .

Meeker Co-op elects board members

LITCHFIELD -- More than 960 members and guests gathered for Meeker Cooperative's 75th annual meeting April 12.

Re-elected to three-year terms on the board of directors were James Wirz, District 3; Jeffrey Anderson, District 5; and Larry Huhn, District 8.

Swensen joins Lighthouse Counseling

WILLMAR -- Molly Em Swensen has joined the staff of Lighthouse Counseling, Ltd., of Willmar and Hutchinson. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology and criminal justice from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter and earned her master of arts degree in counseling and psychotherapy with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy from Adler Graduate School in Richfield.

Swensen has worked with children, adolescents, and families in individual and group settings for more than nine years. She has provided in-home counseling and school-based counseling to children and their families to strengthen relationships and improve school performance, counselling and support to individuals and families struggling with grief, trauma and loss, and victims of sexual abuse. Also, she has co-facilitated psycho-education and group therapy for adult sexual offenders.

Business Awards

* Pastor Randy Christensen, children's pastor of the Assembly of God church in Willmar, won the award for "All-Around Clown'' at the World Clown Association Convention in Winnipeg, Canada. More than 150 clowns from seven countries attended education classes and performances and competed in clown performance areas. Christensen taught classes and conducted a worship service experience (as Mr. Oxford P. Nutts). He competed in four categories and won second place in clown makeup and wardrobe design, second place in solo clown comedy routine, first place tie in parade performance, and first place in group clown comedy routine (performing with Ben Christensen).

* Sue Nelson, registered nurse, has received the Nursing Excellence Award from the Redwood Area Hospital.

Nelson works as a case manager in the home care department and has been employed at the Redwood Area Hospital for almost 28 years.

She was cited for her ability to be a leader, mentor and change agent during a time of constant change in the health care environment.

City of Willmar Building Permits

April 19 to 23, 2010

Rice Hospital, City of Willmar, 301 Becker Ave. S.W., 1,500-square-foot renovation of fluoroscopy department, $97,500.

Jon Huseby, 1805 Third St. N.E., finish basement, $15,700.

Warren and Jan Crackel, 1809 Lower Trentwood Circle N.E., new home and garage, $192,034.

Gary Guenther, 707 17th St. S.W., residential reroof, $2,100.

Jason Grund, 2212 20th Ave. S.W., residential re-side, $5,000.

Kyle Christianson, 625 14th St. S.W., install 18 wall support anchors, $9,140.

John Perman, 417 Litchfield Ave. S.E., construct 10-foot by 12-foot deck, $2,600.

Thomas Eischens, 2709 10th St. S.W., residential reroof half of twin home, $3,360.

Verna Miller, 2707 10th St. S.W., residential reroof half of twin home, $3,360.

Blanca Areralo, 512 Charlotte St. S.E., construct 8-foot by 4-foot front deck with stairs, $675.

Lonnie Huisenga, 516 Fourth St. S.E., remove garage for new construction, $0.

Lonnie Huisenga, 516 Fourth St. S.E., construct 24-foot by 30-foot detached garage and 172-square-foot deck, $27,010.

Jeremy Nelson, 607 Fourth St. S.W., construct 10-foot by 19-foot deck and move existing garage, $3,500.

Ken Klinghagen, 816 13th St. S.W., residential reroof, $1,450.

Michael and Kay Johnson, 800 17th St. S.W., residential re-side/build out facia on gable ends, $2,700.

Beverly Baseman, 1411 11th St. S.W., construct 12-foot by 14-foot detached screen porch, $6,061.

Northern Metal Recycling, 3850 First Ave. S.W., remove building destroyed by snow, $0.

John Rogers, 2304 24th St. S.W., construct 12-foot by 22-foot garage addition, $9,525.

Bruce Mootz, 1004 Fifth St. S.W., garage reroof, $625.

Bill Leenstra, 1419 Kandiyohi Ave. S.W., repair fire damage, $2,500.

Jose I. Rodriguez, 2812 Eighth Ave. N.W., residential deck, $1,728.

Jill and Armando Lara, 1601 Seventh Ave. S.E., residential reroof, $1,000.

T&T Investors, 1600 Fifth St. S.W., commercial reroof 7,658 square feet, $69,500.

Scott Quitmeyer, 320 12th St. N.W., residential reroof, $2,000.

All information is from the City of Willmar Building Inspection Report. The value of the project is rounded to the nearest dollar.

Calendar

Chamber Connection AM

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.

May

Friday -- Ridgewater College, 2101 15th Ave. N.W.

14 -- Excel Overhead Door, 514 Pacific Ave. S.W.

21 -- Willmar Stingers Baseball, Taunton Field.