New members join Franciscan Health Foundation board
The Franciscan Health Foundation of Northern Indiana welcomed four new board members in May, according to a release.
Joining the 16-member board are Denise Fithian, RN, of the Franciscan Health Woodland Outpatient Surgery Center Michigan City; Anthony Geisen, operations manager/funeral director for Geisen Funeral Homes in Crown Point; Chase Lowden, financial adviser for Airey Financial Group/One America in Merrillville and Jolanta Moore, DBA, CPA, CGMA, audit partner for McMahon & Associates, Certified Public Accountants P.C. in Munster.
The Franciscan Health Foundation exists to support the programs and services of Franciscan Alliance. More information about the Franciscan Health Foundation and its programs is available online or by calling 219-661-3401.
39 complete Leadership Northwest Indiana program
New Leadership Northwest Indiana (LNI) graduates have been announced by the Leadership Institute at Purdue Northwest (PNW), according to a release.
The leadership program, facilitated by a team that includes faculty members from PNW’s College of Business, as well as leadership practitioners, meets once a month for 8 months.
Members of the 2023-24 LNI cohort include: Ehab Atwa, Pratt Industries; Deja Bailey, HealthVisions Midwest; Angie Barber, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana; Freddie Batchelor, Enterprise of Destiny and TEAM Enterprise; Grace Black, HealthLinc;Juanita Boland, HealthVisions Midwest; Stephen Bolanowski, Hammond Group Inc.; Richard Botts, Hammond Group Inc.; Jennifer Bussey, Hammond Development Corp.; Dion Campbell, La Porte County Juvenile Services Center ;Shana Caruthers, Conscious Discipline LLC.; Lourdes Chavez, Geminus; Angela Comsa, Regional Health Systems; Airiel Crenshaw, Sojourner Truth House; Jonathan Davis, Lake County Public Library; Chanda Dixon, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana; Anthony Escobedo, Dunes Learning Center; Liliana Franco Lopez, Michigan City Economic Development Corp.; Anna Gromer, La Porte County Public Library; Katie R. Holderby, Purdue University Northwest; Jennifer Homan, Franciscan Health Crown Point; Nicholas Kaoukis, Hammond Group Inc. / Hammond Expanders; Carl Kurek, Lakeshore Public Media; and Rosemary Lopez-Malagon, Ivy Tech Community College -Lake County Campus; Christina Maldonado, Purdue University Northwest; Wendy McLaurin, City of Gary; Juan Moreno, City of Hammond; Barbara Mossman, General Insurance Services; Ashley Nguyen, NorthShore Health Centers; Christopher Place, Emergency Medical Technician
trainee; Tony Rodriguez, Tonn and Blank Construction; Anita Ross, LaPorte County Juvenile Services Center; Quinn Samuelson, General Insurance Services; Dhirien Shah, Karma Cigar Bar; Colleen Thomiszer, Hammond Group Inc.; Austin Traxler, Tonn and Blank Construction; Jennifer Tucker, U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration; Lauren Varga, Unity Foundation of LaPorte County; and Jacqueline Walton, AMST- Kentucky Trailer.
Valparaiso University recognized for MBA program
Valparaiso University has been named the winner of the “Best University to obtain an MBA” award in the Northwest Indiana region by Northwest Indiana Business Magazine’s 2024 Best of Business Awards, according to a release.
Winners were chosen based on reader responses to a survey on the best business institutions in seven categories, the release said.
The MBA program at Valparaiso University has been recognized by a variety of other institutions for its quality, value, and environmentally responsible, sustainable practices, including Money magazine, U.S. News and World Report and Princeton Review, the release said. For more information, visit valpo.edu/mba/.
Social service agency rebranded as CoAction
Northwest Indiana Community Action (NWICA) has been rebranded as CoAction, a release said.
Guided by its new identity, CoAction envisions the people of Northwest Indiana flourishing regardless of income, ability or age, the release said.
Since its inception in 1965, CoAction, formerly NWICA, has been at the forefront of advocating for those in need. As a designated Community Action Agency, Area Agency on Aging, Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), and local WIC sponsor, the organization assists approximately 50,000 people annually, the release said.
Duneland Schools honor 10 teacher and staff retirees
Duneland School Corp. honored 10 retiring teachers and support staff for their years of service recently at a reception hosted at the Duneland School Corp. Administration Center, a release said.
Retiring Duneland teachers and support staff have a combined total of 242 years of service at the end of this school year, the release said. The following retirees honored included:
● Jack Campbell, 54 years; Bailly Elementary physical education teacher
● Catherine Dean, 22 years; Chesterton High School social studies teacher
● Daniel Dolph, 8 years; DSC bus driver
● Lisa Filipek, 5 years; Westchester Intermediate 6th grade science teacher
● Mary Henrich, 15 years; DSC custodian at Chesterton Middle School
● Victoria Hickle, 18 years; DSC child nutrition at Westchester Intermediate School
● Daniel Lynch, 31 years; Chesterton High School biology teacher
● Nancy Moats, 36 years; Bailly Elementary School 2nd grade teacher
● James “Kurt” Plescher, 25 years; DSC groundskeeper
● John Snyder, 28 years; Chesterton High School physical education/health teacher
Shirley Heinze Land Trust raises $301K at spring benefit
Shirley Heinze Land Trust‘s annual spring benefit raised more than $301,000 at the May 4 event, according to a release.
Key to this success was a match challenge by Dale and Nancy Nichols, Leslie Shad and Joseph Brennan, Mary Ann Tittle, Anne and Tim Walsh, Cleveland-Cliffs, and NIPSCO to match all pre-event donations up to $100,000, the release said.
Since 1981, Shirley Heinze Land Trust has preserved and restored natural lands and waters in northwestern Indiana, including more than 3,300 acres in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, St. Joseph, Starke, and Marshall counties, the release said.
For more information, visit www.heinzetrust.org, call 219-242-8558, or access its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/heinzetrust.
