Business memoranda: 02/05/2012

Business

February 5, 2012

FROM STAFF REPORTS ---- The Record Eagle Sun Feb 05, 2012, 07:14 AM EST

Retirement

-- Steve Yancho, chief of natural resources at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, retired Dec. 31 after 36 years with the National Park Service — nearly 34 of them at the Lakeshore. Yancho, a Michigan native and graduate of the Michigan Technological University School of Forestry, started with the National Park Service in 1974 as a seasonal ranger. After a series of appointments at Isle Royale National Park and Fire Island National Seashore, he began working at Sleeping Bear Dunes in 1978.

Recognition

-- Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors, in Traverse City, named Ken Schmidt as a finalist of Coldwell Banker Real Estate's Chandler Barton Spirit Award. The annual award recognizes an outstanding individual or individuals who exemplify a can-do attitude and hold firmly to a business purpose through innovation, creativity and the drive to preserve despite obstacles or setbacks.

-- Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival was ranked among the Top 25 Shows in North America by the North American Riders Group (NARG). It's the second consecutive year the show based in Acme Township received the recognition. The event is owned and managed by Alexandra Rheinheimer.

-- Colleen Paveglio, marketing director for Traverse City's Downtown Development Authority, was named 2012 Best Special Events Planner by Michigan Meetings + Events Magazine. It's among the publication's Hall of Fame awards presented to individuals for contributions to the state's meetings and events industry. She will be honored at an event in May in Detroit.

Personnel

-- Michael Chisholm, DPT; Rachel Ahleman, PTA; and Heather Plummer, DPT, ATC, have joined the staff of FAST Physical Therapy in Traverse City. Chisholm, who specializes in neck and back pain, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle problems, and orthopedic injuries, works at the Fit For You location on Garfield Avenue. Ahleman's experience includes aquatics, pediatrics, and neurological, orthopedic and sport rehabilitation. Plummer's experience emphasizes treating athletic injuries, low back/neck pain, pre- and post-surgical orthopedic, CVA, vestibular and pediatric torticollis. Ahelman and Plummer work in the Copper Ridge location.

-- Brace Kern joined the law firm of Dingeman, Dancer, & Christopherson in Traverse City in December. He is practicing in the areas of civil litigation, health-care law, personal injury and wrongful death, trucking and snowmobile accidents, criminal law, and medical marijuana defense.

-- Janese Horton is the new human resource coordinator for the Traverse City Record-Eagle. Horton is managing partner for the Mapleton Hill Studio in Traverse City and a former business manager and controller for Wooden Hammer Ltd. in Elk Rapids. She's also worked for The Minervini Group and for Michigan filmmakers Jeff Daniels and Rich Brauer. She also was a co-founder and president of The Committee to Preserve Building 50.

Certification

-- Nicole Hulet, of Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors, has earned the Coldwell Banker Previews International Property Specialist designation. To date, only 8 percent of more than 97,000 Coldwell Banker sales associates have been awarded this designation.

Expansion

-- Frontier Computer Corp., in Traverse City, is a new preferred North American distributor for Peplink Multi-WAN Routers. Peplink is a global leader in internet load balancing and VPN bonding solutions. Frontier will roll out the first Peplink Customer Care Program in North America with a 24/7 answering service support ticker system.