New GM named for Portland plant

POET announced that Steve Pittman, an Indianapolis native, will take on the role of general manager at the POET Biorefining plant in Portland.
Pittman holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering technology from Purdue University and has more than 20 years experience in plant operation management, including 12 years in general management.
The Portland plant produces 68 million gallons of ethanol per year and is located southwest of Portland.

Sales increase
Saint-Gobain, parent company of Verallia in Dunkirk, announced a 5.5 percent increase in sales during the first nine months of the year.
The company posted sales of 30.007 billion euros compared to 28.435 billion the year prior. In the third quarter alone the company saw a sales increase of 7.8 percent at 10.478 billion euros, up from 9.720 billion the year prior.

Board appointment
Old National Bancorp recently appointed Jim Morris, president of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, to its corporate board of directors.
Morris has a long career of professional and philanthropic experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and master’s degree from Butler University. He’s worked with American Fletcher National Bank, served as chief of staff for former Mayor Richard G. Lugar, was president of the Lilly Endowment and sat as chairman and CEO for IWC Resources Corporation and the Indianaplis Water Company.
He’s served on a variety of boards and committees and has received numerous honors and awards.

Contest winner
A Pennville sixth grader was selected as a winner of the second annual Youth Power and Hope Awards Contest sponsored by Electric Consumer magazine.
Jennifer Walter, a West Jay Middle School sixth grader, was selected for her involvement with her local Girl Scout troop and its charity work done for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis as well as work to support the Pennville Lions Club. She is also active in service work for her church, 4-H club and school. She is the daughter of Don and Laurel Walter.
The contest winners will be honored during the Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives annual meeting in Indianapolis. They will also take part in a private luncheon, tour Lucas Oil Stadium and be featured in December’s issue of Electric Consumer.
Electric Consumer is a statewide publication serving Indiana’s electric cooperatives, of which Jay County REMC is a member.

Networking breakfast
The Jay County Chamber of Commerce will host “Speed Networking” at its next networking breakfast Wednesday morning.
Participants will have 60 seconds to talk about their business at different tables during the event. Interested businesses should contact the chamber by Monday.
The breakfast will take place at 7:30 a.m. at the Dunkirk Elks lodge.

Triple earnings
Old National Bancorp tripled its earnings in the third quarter from a year ago.
The company posted an $11.9 million earning in the third quarter, up from $4 million from a year ago.

42 percent
Submersible pump maker Franklin Electric Co. announced a 42 percent increase in earnings in the third quarter.
Franklin earned $12.2 million in the quarter, up from $8.6 million in the same quarter in 2009. Sales also increased to $188.4 million, up 13 percent from 2009.

New jobs
Sallie Mae announced that in an effort to consolidate its Indiana offices, 350 jobs will be added between the Muncie and Fisher offices.
The Muncie office should get about 50 of those jobs. There were concerns that the office would be shut down if Sallie Mae was taken over by the federal government.
Also in Muncie, Progress Rail Services, a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., announced that it will bring a locomotive assembly plant to Muncie creating.

Rejected
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal trying to resurrect an anti-trust lawsuit trying to block Belgium-based Inbev’s purchase of Anheuser-Busch.
The appeals court supported a federal judge’s decision to throw out the case, which alleged the purchase would decrease competition leading to an increase in prices.
Dunkirk glass producer Saint-Gobain producers millions of bottles for Budweiser products each year.

Jobs cut
CVS announced it will cut 300 employees in customer support and other support staff.
The moves were made to reduce corporate costs for the pharmacy chain, which operated about 7,000 stores across the U.S. The job cuts did not include in-store staff.

Resigned
Gretchen Lehman, executive director of Swiss Heritage Village and Museum, has resigned, effective Dec. 31. Lehman was hired for the position in 2005 after retiring from First Bank of Berne. Lehman said she had other plans she wants to pursue and wants to give someone else to the opportunity to head up operations.
Her involvement with Swiss Heritage began about 20 years ago when she served as secretary of the board. Lehman plans to stay involved with the group, but in a lesser capacity in the future.

Revolving loan
Four East Central Indiana businesses were granted loans from the ECI Rural Revolving Loan Fund administered by the East Central Region of the Indiana Small Business Development Center.
The United States Department of Agriculture provided $75,000 for the loan fund. Recipients were My COI, Grant County, $41,000; Works Cited, Grant County, $20,000; Southern Kitchen, Henry County, $10,000; and Optical Illusions, $4,000.

Promoted
A Fort Recovery woman was promoted to branch manager for Jewels By Park Lane.
Sandy Ervin was named to the position after reaching sales and recruiting goals. She joined the company in September as a fashion director for the direct sales company, which sells fashion jewelry through home parties.
She will be honored at the Park Lane Convention in Las Vegas in February.[[In-content Ad]]