Business digest

By Jean Hayes, Times Staff Writer
Published March 3, 2008

Briefly

Pak Mail Centers around the country, including the center at 4377 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, have joined the Peanut Hotline, a packing peanuts reuse program created by the Plastic Loose Fill Council.

Owner Joe Ciannamea said customers can drop off unwanted plastic peanuts at the store, where they will be recycled.

For information, call Ciannamea at 596-7414.

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Liberty Tax Service, 11047 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, is teaming up with the March of Dimes to make sure babies have a healthy start.

From today through Sunday, new customers at Liberty will receive free tax preparation with a minimum $25 donation to the March of Dimes. For information, call Jennifer Bowdoin at 666-1116, ext. 52.

Also, Liberty is offering to prepare tax returns at no charge until March 31 for select taxpayers who have no tax liability. Low-income workers or those who receive Social Security benefits or veterans disability compensation, pension or survivors benefits received from the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2007 will be eligible to receive a payment of $300 $600 on a joint return if they had at least $3,000 of qualifying income.

In addition, Liberty Tax Service will waive tax preparation fees for select individuals, including firefighters, police officers and state troopers, teachers, school employees and bus drivers, volunteers who work with nonprofit groups and charities, and teenagers.

For information, call Linda Long, owner, at 666-1116.

Who's news

Terry Weaver, CEO of the Wilson Technology Group, 3407 Rackley Road, Brooksville, has been appointed to a one-year term on the board of the Nature Coast Human Resources Society. Her term began Jan. 1.

Weaver previously owned and operated GeriCare Associates, a long-term care consulting and geriatric care management firm in South Florida.

For information, call 796-9891.

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Domenick Maglio, owner and director of Wider Horizons School, 4060 Castle Ave., Spring Hill, attended the board meeting and retreat of the National Independent Private School Association in San Francisco on Jan. 19-20.

While attending the meeting, he visited two member schools, including Kittridge School in San Francisco and Quarry Lane School in Dublin, Calif.

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Dr. Karl M. Altenburger, right, president of the Florida Medical Association, recently visited Dr. Adel Eldin, a Hernando cardiologist. Topics the two discussed included fair and equitable treatment of physicians in Hernando County and denial of patient rights. Altenburger, whose office is in Tallahassee, is touring the state speaking to physicians and administrators with the goal of improving health care delivery in Florida.

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Charles Wilson, president of the Wilson Technology Group, 24332 Dorsey Smith Road, Brooksville, attended the 2008 winter conference of Building Industry Consulting Service International in Orlando on Jan. 13-16.

More than 5,500 people and 220 exhibitors attended. Wilson attended sessions on business management/team leadership, future trends of the industry and the convergence of security and information technology systems.

Wilson was joined at the conference Jan. 15 by Tony Coelho, systems technician for Wilson Technology Group. Contact hours received while at the conference will be applied toward renewal of Coelho's certification as a registered technician in the BICSI telecommunication cabling installation program.

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Christian "Chris" Nielsen has been appointed technical sales account manager at the Wilson Technology Group.

Nielsen has 25 years of experience in business-to-business and retail sales and management, including seven years opening and managing accounts in Central and South America. Prior to joining Wilson, Nielsen spent 31/2 years at Timeshares Quick Sale International, and seven years at Mizco International/Cellular Innovations as its South America account executive.

He can be reached at 796-9891.

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Marilyn J. Richards-Mason, a registered nurse, has been appointed as nurse manager at the Hernando Endoscopy & Surgery Center, 12180 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill.

Mason previously served as clinical director at All Saints Surgery Center on the campus of Oak Hill Hospital. She has held supervisory positions in Pasco and Hernando counties, including operating room supervisor at the Trinity Surgery Center in New Port Richey.

Mason has certification in American Hospital Association basic life support, EKG 1 training, advanced cardiac life support and as a certified nurse of operating room. She is a member of the Association of Operating Room Nurses.

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Dr. David W. Dorton, co-director of Bay Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, 1130 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, became a fellow of distinction of the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology at the annual meeting in Las Vegas.

The honor is bestowed on physicians who are deemed worthy, based on a history of giving back to the profession.

Dorton is clinical assistant professor at Nova Southeastern University, Department of Internal Medicine/Dermatology, where he is active in the training of students and residents in dermatology. He was awarded the presidential citation for excellence from the AOCD for his work on the residents in-training examination for three years.

Dorton was also recently inducted as a fellow of the American Society for Mohs Surgery. He can be reached at 688-5544.

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Oak Hill Hospital, 11375 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill, has announced its "stars" - associates of the month - for February. Each month, an associate representing each of the hospital's three areas of service - nursing, ancillary and support - is chosen in a process that involves nominations and voting by the staff.

This month's stars are: Jeanie Virga, Nina Bennett and Maria Amaral.

Virga, a respiratory therapist, joined Oak Hill in January 2007. Prior to joining Oak Hill, she worked at Community Hospital in New Port Richey and at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point.

Bennett, an environmental services technician, began working in environmental services in December 1989. She and her husband, Donald, live in Spring Hill and have two daughters.

Amaral, a patient care assistant, began working at Oak Hill in May 2006 and now works on the medical floor. She is a nurse assistant.

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Rick Sexton, a package car driver for UPS, was recently recognized for completing 25 years without an accident.

Sexton works out of the facility at 7230 Broad St., Brooksville. He provides service on the residential/business route that covers the beach area.

Supervisor Sal DiCristofalo presented Sexton with his award. Sexton and his wife, Christina, live in Spring Hill with their daughter.

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Sue Ball, former executive director of the Hernando County Family YMCA, has been promoted to district vice president by YMCA of the Suncoast and will now oversee YMCA programs and facilities in Citrus and Hernando counties.

Ball began her career with the YMCA 23 years ago in Little Rock, Ark., and came to Hernando in October 2000 from the Central Florida Association. She will supervise the Hernando County YMCA and lead its expansion effort, as well as spearhead the YMCA efforts in Citrus County.

Dana Martin has been appointed as executive director of the Hernando County Family YMCA. He has been with the YMCA of the Suncoast for five years, working as a senior program director at the Gills Family YMCA.

Martin came to the Hernando branch as the associate executive director in 2006. He previously worked for nonprofit organizations for 18 years in Atlanta, as director of Christian recreation programming and management.

Martin is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor's in hospitality management; he has a master's in sports management from Georgia State University.

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Donna Bock, a registered nurse, has been appointed as nursing performance improvement coordinator at Oak Hill Hospital, 11375 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill. She has worked at Oak Hill for five years.

Before her appointment, Bock served as a registered nurse in the special procedures department. She graduated from Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and obtained her bachelor's in nursing from Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa.

Bock has held various nursing positions in her career in the emergency department and as a flight nurse for Life Flight Helicopter Service in Nebraska and ARCH Air Medical Services, where she also served as an instructor and director of medical services. She has worked in the HCA system at Community Hospital in New Port Richey.

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Barbara Adkins, a registered nurse, has been appointed as quality director at Oak Hill Hospital. She has been employed by HCA Healthcare since August 2002.

Her last position was quality manager clinical specialist at Aventura Hospital & Medical Center in Aventura. She is obtaining her master's degree from Florida International University.

Adkins' education includes: certification as a professional in health care quality in 1996, a quality resource management certificate from Broward Community College, a quality management certificate from Learning Tree University Extension, a bachelor's from Florida International University and an associate's from Broward Community College.

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Julie Hansen has been elected assistant cashier at Brannen Bank, 1187 S Broad St., Brooksville, by the board of directors.

Hansen started with Brannen in 1999 as a loan processor and was promoted to loan supervisor in 2006. She is originally from Illinois. She and her husband, Mike, live in Brooksville with their two children.

Alison J. Lakin was also elected to the position of assistant cashier at the Brooksville office of Brannen Bank. She was first employed at the bank, formerly the Hernando County Bank, in January 1998 as a teller and was promoted to head teller.

Lakin left the bank in 2002 to work for the Hernando County Sheriff's Office forensic unit, but returned in 2005 as branch operations supervisor for the office on State Road 50 west of Brooksville. She serves as new accounts supervisor in the Brooksville office. She and her husband, Philip, live in Brooksville with their son.

Events

The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have the following ribbon-cuttings this week:

-Glass RX, 1080 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, 11:30 a.m. today. For information, contact Dan Sudnik at 688-3682.

-Tropical Storm Beach Grill & Bar, 4417 Caliente St., Hernando Beach, 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. For information, contact Henry Ventry at 592-2420.

-Monte Designs, chamber office, 4044 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. For information, contact Drew Monte at (727) 856-6490.

-Animal Health Associates Veterinary Clinic, 13160 Jacqueline Road, west of Brooksville, 11:30 a.m. Friday. For information, contact Kelly Bodenshot at 596-8326.

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The $50 Investment Club will meet at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Edward Jones office, 3296 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, across from Flammer Ford. New members are welcome. For information, contact Ross Keith at 596-2649.

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Lee's New and Bare-Lee Used Furniture Store, 9017 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee, will celebrate the return of the store's "big chair" from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday.

The store's original giant-sized deck chair - which was 11 feet tall, 6 feet wide and weighed 350 pounds and sat in front of the store as sort of a landmark - was stolen sometime late Feb. 2 or early Feb. 3, 2007.

Owner Lee Williston knew his customers missed the chair, so he had another one made just like the original. Visitors are invited to attend the bash, meet the owner and have their picture taken in the new big chair by Instant Images. Vendors including the Humane Society of the Nature Coast, Golf Etc., Ace Digital Graphics, Cheladyn Fencing, Air Force One Air Conditioning, Pilot Packaging, the Enlightened Body (massages) and others will be on hand. Weather permitting, classic cars will be on display.

The event will feature music, wine and cheese, free hot dogs and soda, door prizes and other activities. Admission is free. For information, call 596-1250.

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The Hernando Builders Association will have its first Spring Fling Festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the HBA office, 7391 Sunshine Grove Road, Brooksville.

The event will feature remote radio broadcasts, food, fun and games, and many builders will be on hand to meet the public. The first dog house contest entries will be on display, and will be judged and auctioned at the Humane Society of the Nature Coast Pet Expo on March 16.

For information, call 596-1114.

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To celebrate 25 years in business, the Book Fair, 1219 Kass Circle, Spring Hill, will hold a special event for the community to meet local authors, including Robert Martinez and Ralph Cotton, from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The authors will be available to discuss their published books and answer related questions. Martinez is the author of Images of America: Brooksville, and Cotton has written many westerns. A drawing will be held for those who attend. For information, call Ruth Wharton, owner, at 686-1682.

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Seacoast Construction Services will host a free Hurricane Expo from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the company's Spring Hill location, 9067 County Line Road.

The expo will provide homeowners and business owners with information on how to be prepared for the hurricane season. Several vendors will be on hand.

Hot dogs and sodas will be provided. For information, call Terry Crawley at 684-5182.

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The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have its 2008 Hernando County Business to Business Expo from 4 to 7 p.m. May 1 at Heffernan Hall, 20428 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville.

Exhibitor space is available to chamber members for $50 and nonmembers for $75. The event is open to the public. Refreshments will be available. For information, call the chamber at 796-0697 or Valerie Pianta, Hernando County Office of Business Development, at 540-6400.

If you have announcements you would like to share with our readers, mail the details to Jean Hayes, Business Digest, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613-6174. You may also e-mail items to jhayes@sptimes.com or fax them to 754-6133. Items may be edited for length and clarity. Photos are published as space permits; they will not be returned.

[Last modified March 2, 2008, 20:51:26]