Swick Celebrates 40-Year Milestone With Times-Union

Deb Swick, who oversees layout of advertising for the Times-Union, celebrated her 40-year anniversary with the company last week.

Swick graduated from Tippecanoe Valley High School on May 21, 1978, and worked briefly at a factory before realizing she would prefer a desk job.

She was hired by the Times-Union on May 30, 1978, and tasked with the job of designing ads, commonly known today as a graphic designer.

She spent decades working with advertising representatives on the design of ads before taking on more duties.

She now serves as composing and Spotlight manager and is responsible for choosing and placing ads throughout the newspaper as well as determining how many pages are needed for each edition.

She said she enjoys her role with the newspaper and appreciates the flexibility in scheduling that comes with a locally owned business that’s not found in much of the corporate world.

“I like what I do,” Swick said.

Advertising Manager Paul Smith said Swick has been a vital cog in the day-to-day operations of the advertising department.

“I know I speak for everyone associated with our department  when I say that her dedication and hard work has been appreciated,” Smith said. “Someone once asked me what all Deb does in our department and I replied that it would be easier to tell them what she doesn't do.”

When she’s not working, Swick enjoys time with her beloved dog, Cruella, and working on a growing collection of paintings, which numbers upward of 50.



Brooks Named Global Marketing Director For Chore-Time

MILFORD – Mindy Brooks has joined Chore-Time as the global marketing director, according to Jeff Miller, vice president and general mana-ger for the CTB, Inc. division. In her new role, Brooks will be responsible to enhance the Chore-Time global brand position by partnering with Chore-Time’s distribution network and its sales, engineering and customer service teams to tailor market-specific offerings. This effort will include setting strategic business goals and determining the best products and resources to deploy in each region.

Brooks has more than 17 years of experience in brand management, sales and marketing. Prior to joining CTB, she served as a senior manager of marketing and after sales in the original equipment market for the automotive industry. She has also held the position of global marketing communications manager in the biomedical industry and worked as an advertising and brand manager in the kitchen furnishings and recreational vehicle industries.

A graduate of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Brooks obtained her bachelor’s degree in computer graphics. She has also earned a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University South Bend and an executive leadership degree from the University of Notre Dame.

A native of Petersburg, Brooks resides in Milford.

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Kerlin Bus Wins Several Dealership, Employee Awards At Annual Meeting

SILVER LAKE – Kerlin Bus Sales and Leasing Inc. of Silver Lake  was one of the dealerships receiving the President’s Club Platinum Award from Thomas Built Buses at the annual dealer meeting in Orlando, Fla. recently. Kerlin was also awarded the Midwest Regional Dealer of the Year. This award distinguishes dealers as the best for customer service, sales and parts support.  

Several Kerlin employees and departments were also awarded individually during the meeting. John Rhoads, service trainer, was awarded a STARS award for outstanding efforts providing training for Kerlin customers. The Kerlin bus sales parts department was awarded a Silver Award for participation in Thomas programs throughout 2017.

Brett Williams was awarded a Wings of Eagles Award for sales performance that required over 50 hours of training in 2017, and Kelly Moore was awarded the first level of Wings of Eagles for sales performance, requiring 100 hours of training.  

Kerlin Bus Sales is one of the oldest active Thomas Built Bus dealers with over 50 years in the school bus industry.



Kosciusko Human Resources Association Receives SHRM Award

The Society for Human Resource Management recently awarded Kosciusko Human Resources Association its EXCEL Platinum Award for the North Central Region’s accomplishments in 2017.

The award aligns individual chapters’ and state councils’ activities with SHRM’s aspirations for the human resource profession. The award recognizes accomplishments and strategic activities and initiatives that enhance the human resource profession.

“SHRM exists because of our great chapters and state councils like KHRA, which work tirelessly to help advance the important mission of the HR profession through initiatives that support our future, build inclusive organizations and focus on workplace readiness,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, president and chief executive officer of SHRM. “Recognizing you as a recipient of this prestigious award is just one way to show that SHRM supports you and that we are by your side step by step as we move Together Forward.”

The EXCEL Award can be earned at four levels: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Each level has a prescribed set of requirements and accomplishments that must be met.

KHRA’s board of directors established and accomplished several goals for the association. The goals included growth of membership, partnership with the local business leadership network to assist in promoting the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities, providing current members with additional professional development opportunities, and partnership with Warsaw Community Schools to develop a Work Ethic Certificate.

KHRA saw an increase of over 20 percent membership, provided a two-day seminar to local businesses and members and a fall member appreciation seminar focusing on diversity and inclusion.  In addition, KHRA board of directors volunteered to serve on the Work Ethic Certificate committee.

For more information about KHRA visit khra.shrm.org/.



OrthoWorx To Host Regulatory Seminar

Registration closes Wednesday for OrthoWorx’s Regulatory Seminar to be held June 13 at the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis.

To register visit mckinney law.iu.edu/events/current.cfm?eid=657.



Laser Graphx Receives Indiana Impact Award

SPEEDWAY – Laser Graphx of North Webster was one of 10 Hoosier companies to receive 2018 Small Business Impact Awards on May 2 from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The awards were presented by IEDC President Elaine Bedel at a ceremony at the Dallara Indycar Factory in Speedway.

The Impact Awards honor small businesses receiving business counseling from one of the 10 regional offices of the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Laser Graphx was acquired in 2017 by Jeffrey Wilson, a client of the North Central Indiana SBDC. The business provides quality custom marking services for the medical device and orthopedic industries and specializes in laser etching, pad printing, color coding and screen printing. Wilson was an employee of Laser Graphx for 12 years before purchasing the business.

Wilson was nominated for the award by the North Central Indiana SBDC because of his long-range plan for growth and expansion. Already, In the short time Wilson has owned the business, he has increased sales and added employees.



Goodwill Career Center Lists June Events

The following is a list of classes or seminars at Goodwill’s Warsaw Community Career Center to help job seekers in June:

• Grow with Google: 11 a.m. to noon Monday and June 18. Clients will set up a Google account and through a Google classroom learn how to find jobs in the area. Google Job Search is a one-stop-shop for job hunting online. It utilizes various other job search engines and websites to find the job clients are looking for. Clients will learn how to customize a search, and get assistance with the online application process.

• Computer Skills Assessment: 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday. Clients will find out how far their computer knowledge can go. The assessment will identify strengths and areas that can be worked on. Clients will receive a printout of their assessment breakdown, and a one-on-one plan to tackle the next step with  their digital skills.

• Practice Interviews: From 11 a.m. to noon every Wednesday in June. The Career Center will host open mock interviews for anyone who would like to practice their interview skills. For those who are nervous about having an interview, or struggling to land a job because of the interview process, these mock sessions will prepare them for the types of questions (from basic to personal) that could be asked.

There will be discussions on how to answer the difficult questions, and what to avoid. Clients will also learn how to appear confident and highlight their skills in the conversation. Another topic will be how personal appearance makes a great first impression in an interview. Choose a date and time to stop by and practice interview skills, and receive a 25 percent discount to the Goodwill Retail Store.

• Microsoft Word Skills Assessment: 11 a.m. to noon Thursday. Clients interested in learning Microsoft Word, whether a beginner or a more advanced user, can have strengths assessed and/or build on areas they may need help with. Participants get a printout of their assessment, and a one-on-one plan to increase knowledge.

• Microsoft Excel Skills Assessment: 11 a.m. to noon June 12. Clients can see where to start with Microsoft Excel to find out whether they are a beginner or a more advanced user with this assessment. Strengths and areas to improve will be identified. Participants receive a print out with their assessment breakdown, and can always reassess themselves as they see fit.  A one-on-one plan to take clients to the next level with their Excel knowledge can be formed.

• Microsoft Word Basics: 11 a.m. to noon June 14. This class will introduce clients to the Microsoft Word Desktop and its components. Learn how to create and navigate through a document, as well as how to save, print and enhance it. Clients will learn how to use autocorrect and spell check, and insert bullets and special characters.  This workshop is a must for the beginner.

• Microsoft Excel Basics: 11 a.m. to noon June 19. This event will be hands-on and guided with several tutorials on Excel’s basic functions and tools. The class will cater to those seeking introductory Excel knowledge, as well as those who want to further their Excel abilities. Excel essential tools  will be covered as clients work their way up to formatting and designing a standard spreadsheet with information.

• Veterans Employment Servi-ces: 10 a.m. to noon June 20. Daniel Reed from WorkOne will be at the Goodwill Career Center to provide information to veterans on services in the area. He will offer one-on-one employment help, employer resources, information on benefits and contacts for further services.

All Career Center events are free and open to the public, and are held at 751 Anchorage Point Drive, Warsaw, adjacent to the Goodwill retail store. For more information contact Mitchell Fiandt at [email protected] or at 574-267-1656 ext. 1.