Page 36 - Flathead Beacon // 9.24.14

36 | SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 BUSINESS MONTHLY PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
FLATHEADBEACON.COM
has been working in the real estate in- dustry in Bigfork for more than 35 years and has extensive experience in Resi- dential, Waterfront, Vacant Land, Town Homes, Condos, Resort Living and In- vestment Properties. Among Hansen’s many achievements are Montana As- sociation of Realtors Salesperson of the Year, RE/MAX Prestigious Hall of Fame Inductee, and RE/MAX Top 1 percent of all agents in Pacific Northwest Region.
MANN MORTGAGE GOES GREEN
Mann Mortgage has partnered with New World Recycling to kick off a “Green Initiative.” The initiative was first pro- posed by Mann’s CFO, Becca Hand- Smith. Cindy Moon, Chris O’Boyle, and Tiffany Nitschke were designated team leaders and saw the project to fruition.
The basis for the initiative was the fact that Mann has 60-plus local em- ployees, and produces a lot of waste that can be recycled.
“As our staff has increased signifi- cantly over the past few years it became even more apparent the importance of launching a recycling program in our corporate offices. It is our hope that the program will rub off on all our employ- ees and they will bring the positive ener- gy of recycling home to their family and the impact will grow beyond our offices” said Hand-Smith.
Mann Mortgage is based out of Ka- lispell, and has offices in 11 different states.
NORTH VALLEY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OPENS IN WHITEFISH
North Valley Behavioral Health, a division of North Valley Hospital, has opened in Whitefish to serve people of all ages experiencing mental health is- sues. The clinic is led by Medical Direc- tor, J. Douglas Muir, MD, a board-certi- fied child, adolescent and adult psychia- trist.
North Valley Hospital launched the behavioral health program in response to its 2013 Community Health Needs Assessment that was conducted jointly with the Flathead City-County Health Department and Kalispell Regional Healthcare. The assessment identified five key health needs, one of which was mental health. During the assessment research, many healthcare and social service providers indicated that there was a great deal of need in the Flathead for additional mental health services. Flathead County experiences twice the suicide rate than the national average, and for every completed suicide, there are approximately 25 attempts. Many emergency room visits and hospital re- admissions are connected to the mental health state of the patient.
The goal of North Valley Behavioral Health is to restore one’s mental health to an optimal level, and to help alleviate symptoms which may be affecting qual- ity of life, satisfaction and the ability to function.
PREMIER REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE EXPANDS IN NORTHWEST MONTANA
Premier Flathead and Mission valley real estate brokerage firm Trails West Real Estate opened its eighth regional office in downtown Kalispell. Now cov- ering all corners of Northwest Montana, Trails West Real Estate’s offices span Eureka, Whitefish, Bigfork, Lakeside and Polson. This new, centralized office location in downtown Kalispell will ac- commodate for market-share growth, new Trails West Real Estate Realtors, a growing list of homes and land for sale in Kalispell and demand from clients.
“Downtown Kalispell is the perfect location for our growing business,” says Laura O’Conner, business manager at Trails West Real Estate. “We’ve added additional agents, more listings, con- verged on new sales and really needed a presence in the centrally located and thriving downtown Kalispell area. This office is perfect.”
Located in the historic KM build- ing, Trails West Real Estate Kalispell welcomes Realtors Jessica Gilchrist and Chuck Shields as the primary agents in this office and designates Ellie Stimpson as the supervising broker.
Trails West Real Estate is currently moving into and furnishing the office space and plans to open its doors to the public starting late September 2014.
Trails West Real Estate began in 1973, founded by Dan Averill in a log cabin in downtown Bigfork. Trails West Real Estate has grown tremendously and is the largest producing real estate company in Northwest Montana fea- turing an international affiliation with Christie’s International Real Estate.
POLSON AUTHOR RECEIVES 2014 MEDIA AWARD
Carmine Margo Mowbray’s creative biography based on the experiences of her aunt, a horseback nurse-midwife, won the 2014 Media Award from the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Her book, “An Answering Flame,” was selected based on the ability of the story to help understand the struggles of the midwives in the hills of Appalachia.
The award is given annually and honors “a book, media event, film, or ex- pression of art that presents midwifery in an accurate and positive manner.”
Mowbray accepted the award at the ACNM annual conference held recently in Denver. The event gathers profession- als from all over the country and many foreign countries.
“I was thrilled for the recognition from this national organization,” Mow- bray said. “I was overwhelmed by the passion these people have for their work. It was an honor presenting their story for lay readers to appreciate.”
The book is available at local stores. Softcover and Kindle versions are avail- able at Amazon. More information is
available on Mowbray’s website, www. authormargomowbray.com
WHITEFISH CREDIT UNION DONATES $3,600 TO LOCAL NONPROFITS AT CHARITY GOLF CHALLENGE
Whitefish Credit Union is donating $3,600 to local charities with the help of participants at the Whitefish Lake Golf Club’s club championship golf tourna- ment.
The Credit Union challenged players to land their first shot as close to the pin as possible at the Credit Union’s spon- sored hole. The closer they placed their ball, the more money Whitefish Credit Union gave them to donate to one of five pre-selected charities, said Sue Schenck, Whitefish Credit Union’s business de- velopment director.
“At Whitefish Credit Union, we’re always looking for opportunities to give back to the communities we serve,” said Schenck. “By working with us for loans and other financial services, our mem- bers don’t just get great rates, but also our backing of the organizations and nonprofit groups they care about in their hometowns. And if we can have some fun on the golf course while we’re doing it, why not?”
Whitefish Credit Union co-hosted this annual event, with more than 140 players taking part.
DR. MARISA HOYNE JOINS WESTSHORE MEDICAL CLINIC
Marisa Schottelkorb Hoyne, MD, joined Kalispell Regional Healthcare in September 2014 at the Westshore Medi- cal Clinic in Lakeside. Dr. Hoyne is Ka- lispell native and a 2002 Flathead High School graduate. She completed her un- dergraduate work at Stanford Univer- sity with a degree in human biology. She completed her medical studies at the University of Arizona in Phoenix, where her graduating class chose her to receive the Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medi- cine Award as well as the clinical fac- ulty’s award for Top Student in Internal Medicine. Dr. Hoyne was trained in pro- viding hospitalist and outpatient inter- nal medicine during her three-year resi- dency at the Banner Good Samaritan and Carl T. Hayden V.A. Medical Cen- ters in Phoenix, Arizona. She and her husband, Matt, have a young daughter. Among her hobbies are running, baking, and spending time with her family. Dr. Hoyne is very excited to be back in the Flathead Valley.
GLACIER BANCORP, INC. COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF THE ROCKIES IN GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
Glacier Bancorp, Inc., headquar- tered in Kalispell, announced the com- pletion of its acquisition of FNBR Hold- ing Corporation and its subsidiary, First National Bank of the Rockies (“FNBR”),
a community bank based in Grand Junc- tion, Colorado.
FNBR provides community banking services to individuals and businesses in northwestern Colorado, with 10 bank- ing offices located in Grand Junction, Steamboat Springs, Meeker, Rangely, Craig, Hayden, and Oak Creek. The branches will operate as a division of Glacier Bank under the name “Bank of the San Juans, division of Glacier Bank.” As of June 30, 2014 FNBR had total as- sets of $345 million.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND COLUMBIA FALLS CELEBRATE COMPLETION OF HOMES
Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley held a special home dedication ceremony to commemorate the comple- tion of the third and fourth of eight total Habitat homes in Columbia Falls that are being constructed in part with fund- ing from a $360,000 federal grant. This grant was received by the city through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Program and is managed jointly by the City of Columbia Falls and Habitat for Humanity of Flat- head Valley.
Progress can also be seen on two ad- ditional townhouses that broke ground in May 2014 with plans to be completed by January of 2015.
Habitat for Humanity’s Columbia Falls Affordable Housing project is a 16- unit townhome development. Construc- tion began on the project in May 2011 and will be completed in March 2015. By using volunteer labor, homeowner “sweat equity,” and donations from lo- cal and national building material sup- pliers, Habitat for Humanity is able to keep the cost of construction low. Three thousand hours of volunteer “labor” are required to complete a Habitat home.
Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley was established in 1989 with the mission of eliminating substan- dard housing. Due to rapid population growth, an increase in property values and stagnant income levels, the need for affordable housing in the Flathead Val- ley has increased over the last two de- cades.
Habitat for Humanity holds build days every Wednesday, Friday and Sat- urday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. No building experience is necessary to help out on a build site and Habitat’s professional construction site supervisor is on site to assign tasks and supervise all construc- tion. For those interested in volunteer- ing, additional information can be found by calling the Habitat for Humanity ad- ministrative office at (406) 257-8800.
RE/MAX AGENT CHERIE T. HANSEN RECOGNIZED
Cherie T. Hansen, with RE/MAX Bigfork, ranked No. 2 overall in the Pa- cific Northwest Region of RE/MAX for total sales in April 2014.
Hansen, fifth-generation Montanan,