Union Bank promotes Nelson and Moritz
Union Bank Trust has promoted Chad Nelson to vice president-manager in greater Nebraska and Amanda Moritz to officer-branch manager in Grand Island.
Nelson has been with the bank for 10 years and began his career as branch manager of the Fairbury branch. He transferred to Grand Island as branch manager in 2009.
With his promotion, Nelson will oversee and lead the retail and lending aspects of Union Bank’s 12 locations across greater Nebraska. Nelson earned a bachelor of science in business administration from Doane College in Crete.
Moritz has been with the bank for 11 years and was a branch supervisor and consumer loan specialist in Lincoln before transferring to Grand Island as branch supervisor in 2009. With her promotion, Moritz will be responsible for staff management and fostering a culture of customer service, as well as business development, mortgage, consumer and commercial lending.
Moritz attended Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. She serves on the board for the Boys and Girls Club of Central Nebraska and is a member of the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Group.
Grand Island law firm hires Malm, Hruza
Tim Malm has joined the Leininger, Smith, Johnson, Baack, Placzek Allen law firm in Grand Island.
He received a bachelor of arts from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2009, double majoring in history and political science. He graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois with his juris doctorate in 2012.
Malm is admitted to practice in Nebraska and U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska. He is a member of the Nebraska Bar Association. He sits on the board of the Central Plains Chapter of the American Red Cross. A Plattsmouth native, Malm and his wife, Kasey, moved to Grand Island in June.
Tim Hruza has joined the Leininger, Smith, Johnson, Baack, Placzek Allen law firm as an associate attorney.
He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2009, receiving a dual degree in political science and economics cum laude. Hruza was involved in both the honors program and student government at UNK, serving as the student body president and student regent during his senior year.
Hruza received his law degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in May, graduating with distinction. He also received a certificate of concentrated study in the area of agricultural law, focusing heavily on water law issues and farm program compliance. While in law school, Hruza was a member of the Nebraska Moot Court Board and won awards for his performance in oral advocacy competition.
He grew up in Ord and is married to his wife, Rachel.
Bachman announced as managing broker
Woods Bros. Realty has named Max Bachman as the managing broker for the Grand Island office at 819 Diers Ave.
Bachman has a bachelor of arts in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He received his real estate sales license in 1992 and his broker’s license in 2005. Bachman has been associated with Woods Bros. Realty since 2000.
Bachman, a lifelong Grand Island resident, has been married to his wife, Melanie, for 30 years. They have two children.
Bachman can be reached at 380-1983 or Max.Bachman@WoodsBros.com.
Grand Island downtown announces new director
The Grand Island Downtown Business Association has named Tami Brunk as its new director, effective Nov. 1.
Brunk has more than 22 years of property management experience working for Costello Property Management in government housing as its Nebraska regional manager. She received Manager of the Year from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in 1999.
She is also a general notary public.
Brunk and her husband, Dr. Douglas Brunk, own Equine Veterinary Associates in Grand Island.
She can be reached at 404 W. Third St. from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 398-7022 or director@downtowngi.com.
New case manager joins Hope Harbor
Beth Rhodes has been hired at Hope Harbor as self-sufficiency case manager.
The new self-sufficiency program will fill gaps for those who successfully leave Hope Harbor by continuing to offer support in their quest for self-sufficiency.
Rhodes will assist with building and maintaining community support, help locate safe and affordable housing and provide in-home case management and financial education. She recently moved to Grand Island from California.
AseraCare Hospice adds Gunderson to staff
AseraCare Hospice in Grand Island has hired Phyllis Gunderson as an advanced practice registered nurse.
She will be responsible for face-to-face assessments to certify hospice eligibility.
Gunderson attended the University of Nebraska Medical Center through the University of Nebraska at Kearney to become a registered nurse, earn her bachelor of skilled nursing and become an advanced practice registered nurse.
She has also worked with Department of Veterans Affairs and is a member of the Nebraska Nurses Association.
New stylist seeing clients at Fringe salon
Molly Clark has joined the stylist team at Fringe in Grand Island.
She has been a stylist at Great Expectations in Omaha, J.C. Penney Salon in Kearney, DeAnna’s in Kansas City and E.J. Bain in Kansas City. She graduated from Bahner College of Hairstyling in 2000.
Clark is an advocate for Freedom Stylist, a branch for the nonprofit organization Rapha House, which educates and trains at-risk young women in communities where they are in danger of being sold into slavery or exploited. A portion of each salon service is donated to Rapha House through the Freedom Stylist program.
Originally from Doniphan, she and her husband have three sons and one daughter.
Fringe is at 3406 W. Capital Ave. Suite 2. For appointments, call (308) 258-3758.
McElroy wins Health Care Social Work Leader of Year
St. Francis Medical Center Social Work Director Cris McElroy was recognized as the Health Care Social Work Leader of the Year on Oct. 18 in Lincoln at the Nebraska Hospital Association convention.
Established in 2000, the award recognizes an exceptional chapter member of the Nebraska Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care.
The award recognizes a social work leader from any of the health care settings in which social work is influential and honors a social work leader in health care who develops and implements creative and innovative ways to improve the delivery of social work services.
Schwan attends training on EEG neurofeedback
Joan Schwan, a licensed mental health practitioner and owner of Joan Schwan Counseling Services in Grand Island, attended a two-day intensive mentoring program with neuroscientist Dr. Mike Cohen on Nov. 10 and 11 in Jupiter, Fla.
The training focused on new brain research affecting mental health protocols for treatment, as well as skills to enhance reading electroencephalography (EEG) brain waves, brain mapping and EEG neurofeedback.
EEG neurofeedback can be used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, autistic spectrum, sleep disorders and other issues. It can also be used to enhance peak performance training.
Research conducted by the psychiatry department at the University of Western Ontario has shown neurofeedback as a “safe, inexpensive and accessible tool for modulating brain function in health and disease.”
Schwan can be reached for questions or appointments at 381-7010.
Hutchinson receives national NAIFA Quality Award
Michael C. Hutchinson, an agent for New York Life Insurance Co. and financial adviser with Eagle Strategies, a registered investment adviser in Grand Island, has received the NAIFA Quality Award from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisers for 2012.
The award recognizes professionalism through education and earned designations, production, adherence to the NAIFA code of ethics and service to the association.
Hutchinson serves individuals, families and businesses in Grand Island, Kearney and the surrounding communities. His office is at 1213 Allen Drive in Grand Island, and he can be reached at 382-0619.
Seven nominated for March of Dimes award
Seven nurses from St. Francis Medical Center were nominated for the March of Dimes Excellence in Nursing Award.
They included Amy Djernes, Pam Glaser, Mary Micek (retired from St. Francis), Alice Quick, Linda Ulmer, Maxine Vieth and Sue Whitman. Quick and Vieth were among 25 recipients of an award given for clinical excellence.
St. Francis Vice President of Patient Care Servicers/CNO Francine Sparby congratulated the seven nurses on their accomplishment.