On the Street

• Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) of Douglas County Lakes Area recently announced Jerry Hetland as newly-elected chair of the Love INC board of directors. Hetland’s skills of planning and preparation will be an asset to the affiliate as he serves the next two years.

He is employed at Aagard as the director of corporate development and was a part of the original Love INC development committee. He has served on the local board since inception in 2007.

• JLG Architects has joined The 1% Solution, a nationwide program that asks architecture firms to dedicate 1 percent of their annual billable hours to pro bono service in order to “increase the quality and quantity of that work.”

With five offices throughout North Dakota and Minnesota, JLG was able to pledge 588 hours of design services for the year 2011.

For more information on Public Architecture and The 1% Solution, visit www.theonepercent.org. For more information on JLG, visit www.jlgarchitects.com.

• Karla Krahn is a recipient of Knute Nelson’s (KN) “Tree of Excellence” award. This award is the highest level of recognition through the KN Employee Recognition Program. Krahn has been employed at KN for nearly two years as a housekeeper. Krahn was nominated by her peers who had this to say about her; “She does her work thoroughly and diligently… She is willing to do whatever is needed, asks what more she can do and does it cheerfully… Willing to work extra shifts on her weekends off… She has a great attitude and is fun to work with… Interacts with the residents by talking or joking with them while working… Smiles a lot.”

• Katie Guttormson, a student intern architect at JLG Architects, has received the 2011 Chicago Women in Architecture scholarship award. Guttormson’s submittal of her senior studio project for a chapel at Shepard Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas beat out students from around the state of Illinois. As a part of the award, she has been awarded $2,000 for assistance with her final year’s university expenses.

Guttormson is a graduate student at Judson University’s Department of Architecture in Elgin, IL. She is interning in JLG Architects’ Alexandria office throughout the 2010-2011 school year as a part of her internship requirement.

• Kelli Wendel has joined Habitat for Humanity of Douglas County as development director. Prior to joining Habitat, Wendel worked as the office manager at Grace Lutheran Church in Brandon and was the foundation and marketing director at Mercy Hospital in Valley City, North Dakota. She continues to coach gymnastics at Lakes Area Recreation.

Wendel joins a team of dedicated staff, volunteers and donors who are working to build hope, homes and community in Douglas County by providing safe, decent and affordable housing to partner families.

Wendel and her husband, Shannon, have two children, Hannah and Caleb, in the Alexandria school district, and live near Brandon.

• Kristel Olson of Shear Impressions recently attended an updo and advanced haircutting class in Coon Rapids. Olson learned the latest trends and techniques for prom, wedding and formal hairstyling. Product knowledge in Soma's 100 percent organic haircare line and hands-on haircutting experience also benefits Olson's career. Shear Impressions is located at 1008 Broadway, Alexandria. Olson can be reached at (218) 770-3690.

• Mike Schreiner, president of the Alexandria Jaycees, reports that the organization has donated a total of $12,500 to 10 local area food shelves, including $5,750 to the Outreach Food Shelf in Alexandria.

The Alexandria Jaycees are also sponsoring the April 28 United Way Food Drop with a donation of $2,500.

The Alexandria Jaycees are a local service group that promotes community involvement and individual development. It also coordinates the annual Jingle Bells Telethon that provides food and toys annually to more than 1,000 local families in need.

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Visit the website at www.alexjaycees.com for additional information about the organization’s activities, events or how to become a member.

• The Minnesota Department of Health issued accreditation as adopted by the National Laboratory Accreditation Program of the NELAC Institute to Jon Brundell, lab technician with SM Traut Well Laboratory in Alexandria. He is now certified in 15 states for well water testing.

Brundell is also authorized through the Minnesota Department of Health to practice in the state of Minnesota as a water supply system operator (Class D certification). Brundell is a 1981 graduate of Jefferson High School in Alexandria.

• Jonathan D. Olson, CPA/JD has joined LarsonAllen as a manager in construction and real estate. He has 11 years of experience in public accounting and specializes in tax services for the construction and real estate industries.

Olson has extensive experience in owner returns and small business returns. He currently works between the Alexandria, St. Cloud and Hudson, Wisconsin locations.

Olson earned his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law and his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bemidji State University. He is a member of The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and The Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants (MNCPA). Originally from Wadena, and most recently from Hudson, Wisconsin (7 years), he and wife Katy along with their children, Selby and Grady, are relocating to the Alexandria area. They are expecting another family member to arrive in May.

Tags: on the street, business