Newsmakers May 24

Harvey Harvala, P.E., chairman of the board for LHB Engineers and Architects, has been appointed as the Civil Engineer Board Member for a four-year term on the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design. The Board is responsible for implementing Minnesota statutes and rules that regulate these professions. Harvala is a former president of LHB and is an experienced consulting engineer with expertise in civll/structural investigations.

Westwood

Westwood, the Benedictine Health Center’s independent and assisted living apartments for seniors in Duluth, was recently recognized as a Benedictine Health System Benchmark Facility for its quality of care. Westwood received the highest overall satisfaction score based on a survey sent to 638 residents who live in the 12 Benedictine Health Center’s housing facilities. The Benedictine Health Center is sponsored by the Benedictine Health System, a non-profit Catholic health system based in Duluth.

Investment Centers of America, Inc.

Dale M. Olsen, an investment representative with Investment Centers of America, Inc., located at Community Bank in Superior, recently attended a company-sponsored Retirement Plan Conference in Minneapolis. The conference focused on retirement plan options for businesses and individuals, with over 147 investment representatives in attendance. Investment Centers of America, Inc. was founded in 1985 and provides non-deposit securities and insurance products through independent offices located in the lobbies of community banks.

Creative Mechanism

Todd Wing and Mike Saurer opened Creative Mechanism, an advertising agency, in a Canal park warehouse in Duluth. Their partnership includes over 35 combined years of experience in advertising, design, and business strategy.

St. Luke’s

Doris Nordbye, RN, MA, has been named manager of operating room and anesthesia at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth. Nordbye, who is from the Twin Cities, brings 20 years of health care and management experience, and will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of St. Luke’s Operating room and anesthesia, including 24-hour accountability for human resources, fiscal management, coordination and evaluation of patient care, surgeon and staff relationships, and supply/equipment coordination.

Virginia Regional Medical Center

Karen Fiducia has been named interim administrator for Virginia Regional Medical Center, for a three to six-month term until a permanent administrator is hired. Fiducia has served as interim administrator for six hospitals across the country, with an extensive background in healthcare and hospital administration.

United Way of Greater Duluth

Terry Dunham has been named campaign and marketing director for United Way of Greater Duluth. Dunham most recently owned and operated her own business, Terry Dunham Communications, where she produced communications materials and provided pulic relations and marketing services for a variety of organizations in Duluth and on the Iron Range.

University of Minnesota Duluth

Susan Pelayo-Woodward and Deborah Shubat have been awarded the University of Minnesota’s President’s Award for Outstanding Service. Pelayo-Woodward is the director of the UMD Hispanic/Latino/Chicana Learning Resource Center and Shubat is greenhouse director, UMD Department of Biology. The award was established in 1997 to recognize faculty and staff who have provided exceptional service to the University.