Shaffner To Fill Vacancy On Winona Town CouncilWINONA LAKE- Bruce Shaffner will fill the seat on the Winona Lake Town Council vacated by Jim Lancaster.
Lancaster announced at the July 27 council meeting that he was resigning from the council to take on an international assignment with Biomet.
Lancaster has relocated to the Netherlands.
Precinct committee members Dave Wolkins, R. Wayne Snider, Janice Workman and Karen Wildman selected Shaffner to fill the Ward 3 seat during a caucus Tuesday night at Winona Lake town hall.
Shaffner will be sworn in by Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks at the council's Sept. 14 meeting.
It took one vote to select Shaffner. Steve Foster, precinct committeeman, and Lynn Howie, vice precinct committee member, served as vote counters.
Shaffner joins council president Terry Howie, and councilmen Randy Swanson, Joy Lohse and Sue Gooding.
"I look forward to being a part of this and hope to bring something to Winona Lake with my business experience and boards I have served on," Shaffner said.
Howie said Shaffner brings a lot of business experience to the town and insight into questions that get brought up in meetings.
Three other candidates vied for the seat Tuesday night including James LeMasters, Jerold Nelson and Caleb France.
Each candidate had three minutes to speak about why they were qualified to fill the seat, and spoke in the order they filed.
Shaffner said 10 years ago a vision of what the town could be was started, and he said his goal is to be able to continue that same vision.
"The Town of Winona is a unique place to live that is continuing to grow allowing visitors to experience and enjoy what we have to offer," Shaffner said.
"When looking at decisions for our communities we must keep the big picture in mind which I feel are the residents themselves, town of Winona Lake, the Village at Winona and Grace College."
Shaffner, 53, is president of Shaffner & Shaffner Enterprises Inc. doing business as Ramada Plaza and Bennigan's. He has been employed in the hospitality industry since 1973.
Shaffner also is president of Wagon Wheel Productions doing business as Ramada Wagon Wheel Theatre.
He has served on the executive board of directors of Ramada International National Association for eight years.
He also previously served on the marketing and operations subcommittees for Ramada International National Association and currently serves on the Franchise Advisory Board for Bennigan's.
He also serves on the Symphony of the Lakes board.
He previously held a position as a county council appointee to Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Commissioners.
Shaffner also was an executive board member of the Kosciusko County/Warsaw Chamber of Commerce.
Shaffner has several business accomplishments including Ramada President's Award for Excellent Customer Service, Vista Tourism Award from Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, and Dimension of Excellence Business Award for Wagon Wheel Theatre and Ramada Plaza by the Kosciusko County/Warsaw Chamber of Commerce.
