Portland Insurance honored by FMIC (03/20/04)

A local insurance agency has been named the Indiana Agency of the Year by Farmers Mutual Insurance Company.

Portland Insurance Agency, 115 E. Main St., received the honor at the company’s annual Cooper Club Luncheon honoring Indiana’s top agents. The local agent is Steve Arnold.

The award was based on growth, profitability and retention of policyholders with Farmers Mutual Insurance Company. Over the last five years, Portland Insurance has averaged 22 percent growth and retained 93 percent of its Farmers Mutual customers.

For more information, contact Portland Insurance Agency at (260) 726-9345.

EMPLOYMENT SURVEY

A survey taken by a temporary employment company shows that many East Central Indiana employers plan to hire employees in the coming months.

The survey, taken by Manpower Inc., show that 27 percent of companies plan to add employees during the period from April 1 to June 30, while 13 percent intend to reduce the work force. Approximately 60 percent predict stable employment.

A recent release from Manpower showed the best prospects for added employment in construction, non-durable goods manufacturing and wholesale/retail trade.

Manpower Inc. has 4,300 offices in 67 countries and territories around the world, including a location in Portland at 609 N. Meridian St.

The company serves approximately 400,000 customers per year.

For more information, log on to www.manpower.com.

LOG OPEN HOUSE

An open house debuting a new model log home produced by a division of All-American Homes Inc., will be held in Decatur today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Mountain View modular log home will join the company’s other display models at 1418 S. 13th St. (U.S. 27) in Decatur.

During the open house hours, tours of the All-American production facilities in Decatur also will be available.

The display log home features a 2,996-square feet of living area that includes three bedrooms, two and a half baths and a 26-foot by 19-foot great room with a cathedral ceiling.

For more information, log on to www.ameri-loghomes.com

EARN SCHOLARSHIPS

Two graduates of Fort Recovery High School have received Academic Excellence Scholarships from the Western Ohio Educational Foundation and the Lake Campus of Wright State University.

Crystal A. Guggenbiller is the recipient of a $3,000 first-year scholarship, while Ryan M. Evers received a $1,000 renewal scholarship.

The scholarships are awarded to students from each of the 22 high schools in the Lake Campus area.

People interested in the scholarship or others available at the Lake Campus may contact student services officer Sandy Gilbert at (800) 237-1477, ext. 8336, or at (419) 586-0336.

HEALTH CAREERS

Individuals seeking work in the health care industry in Indiana have a new resource to aid in their search.

A new web site, www.IndianaHealthCareers.com, has been created to help find work in the health, pharmaceutical and life science industries.

The Carmel-based web site has support as charter subscribers from Cardinal Health System, which offers health care services throughout East Central Indiana, and Reid Hospital and Health Care Services, based in Richmond.

The site also will offer marketing opportunities for health care employers.

“Employers and job seekers can find each other in multiple ways on our new site,” Joe Sheets, president of IndianaHealthCareers.com, said in a release. “We can help battle the brain drain.”

APPLICANTS SOUGHT

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is seeking applicants for grants to help promote cardiac health among school-age children.

The grants, which will help school nurses promote heart healthy lifestyles in schools, will range between $500 to $1,000 per award. The grants will be awarded in early June.

A total of $5,000 is available in Indiana.

Eligible applicants are nurses who are licensed in Indiana and who represent a public or private elementary, junior high, middle school or high school. Grant proposals are due to the Indiana Association of School Nurses by April 1.[[In-content Ad]]