Career fair scheduled for Sept. 7

Purdue Extension will host its inaugural Jay County Career Fair on Sept. 7 at Jay County Junior-Senior High School.

Businesses are being invited to participate in the event that will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the school’s auxiliary gym. Representatives will get to speak with students about their fields, share education advice and provide tips about local opportunities in their industries.

Those interested in taking part should contact Allison Keen at [email protected]. For more information, call (260) 726-4707.

Classes scheduled

John Jay Center for Learning is continuing to offer ServSafe training.

The courses for those in the food-service industry are scheduled for Aug. 28, Sept. 25, Oct. 30 and Nov. 27. Each runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at John Jay, 101 S. Meridian St., Portland.

For more information, call (260) 729-5525.

Collecting supplies

First Financial Bank is holding a cleaning supplies drive at its 112 N. Meridian St. location in Portland.

The bank will accept unopened and unexpired cleaning supplies at all of its locations from through Sept. 1. Donations will be delivered to local organizations to help community members in need.

“First Financial has always recognized the importance that housing plays on our overall well-being, and we are excited to be working collaboratively with our communities to ensure that after our neighbors get into their dream home, they can keep it just as beautiful as it was on move-in day,” said Roddell McCullough, chief corporate responsibility officer for First Financial Bank, in a press release.  

Services expanded

Mercer Health last week announced that it has expanded services at its Mendon, Ohio, location.

The site at 128 Drake St. will offer occupational health and wellness services. Women’s health providers will also offer specialized services.

Free walk-in screenings for weight, blood pressure and blood sugar will be available from 8 a.m. to noon each Wednesday.

For more information on the new services in Mendon, visit mercer-health.com or (419) 795-2050.

Tyson donating

Tyson Foods is donating more than 100,000 pounds of protein to help those impacted by the wildfires in Hawaii, the company announced last week.

The food will be donated to Hawaii’s Foodland Supermarket for distribution to Maui Food Bank, Hawaii Food Bank and other nonprofit organizations in the affected area.

"As we see the continued impact of the devastating wildfires in Hawaii, Tyson Foods remains committed to supporting impacted communities in times of need," said Tyson senior director of business operations Tim Grailer in a press release. "We are committed to doing our part in helping the residents of Hawaii and those on the ground by providing support."

Program added

Indiana Wesleyan University has added a doctoral program in business administration with a specialization in data analytics to its degree offerings.

The program is designed to prepare students for careers in business education, consulting and business leadership. Entering the program requires a master’s degree in a business discipline.

Airport hits high

Indianapolis International Airport announced last week that it broke a record with more than 4.7 million passengers traveling through the facility during the first half of 2023.

Volume at the airport is up by 11.5% so far this year.

“We had more enplanements in the first six months of 2023 than we’ve seen in the first half of any year to date,” said Indianapolis Airport Authority executive director Mario Rodriguez in a press release. “And for a single month, this June was the biggest June we’ve had in the airport’s history.”

Agreement reached

The U.S. Department of Labor announced last week that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has reached a settlement agreement with Dollar Tree and Family Dollar to improve workplace safety.

The deal requires the retail chains to conduct “a comprehensive, nationwide assessment of the root causes of the violations OSHA has repeatedly cited at multiple stores, with a plan to identify causes and make operational changes to correct them within a two-year period.” The companies will also face fines if they do not promptly address future violations within 48 hours of being notified by OSHA.

“At the Department of Labor, we know that every worker deserves to come home safe at the end of the workday,” said acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su in a press release. “Through our robust enforcement of workplace protections and use of innovative legal methods that resulted in this agreement, thousands of workers will have a healthier, safer and more certain future.”

Restaurant sold

The sale of Subway restaurants to Roark Capital was announced Thursday.

Subway will be sold to the private equity firm as part of its “multi-year transformation journey.” Roark specializes in franchise businesses.

"This transaction reflects Subway's long-term growth potential, and the substantial value of our brand and our franchisees around the world," said John Chidsey, CEO of Subway, in a press release. "Subway has a bright future with Roark, and we are committed to continuing to focus on a win-win-win approach for our franchisees, our guests and our employees."

New leader named

Advance Auto Parts has announced that Shane O’Kelly will take over as its president and CEO beginning Sept. 11.

O’Kelly most recently served as CEO of HD Supply, a subsidiary of The Home Depot and has also served as CEO of PetroChoice and AH Harris. He will take over for Tom Greco, who in February announced his plans to retire.

“On behalf of the entire Advance Auto Parts board, I am delighted to welcome Shane to the Advance family,” said Advance interim executive board chair Gene Lee in a press release. “Following an extensive search over the past several months, we are confident that Shane’s robust operational background leading complex supply chain organizations makes him the ideal next leader for Advance.”