Jay native to speak at symposium

A Jay County native will be one of the featured speakers at a state symposium this month.

The Indiana Grown Symposium scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at Hendricks County Fairgrounds, 1900 E. Main St., Danville, will feature Dana (Horn) Dull.

Dull will represent Dull’s Tree Farm during the event that is focused on educational seminars for those involved in food and farming in Indiana. Among the other featured speakers will be Madison Mehringer of the Food and Entrepreneur Manufacturing Institute and Stephanie Bossung of New Point Marketing. There will also be representatives from Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Farm Service Agency.

“This is a great opportunity to connect with different business owners, top experts in their fields and engaging presenters,” said Caroline Patrick, Indiana Grown director, in a press release.

Registration is $45 and includes breakfast and lunch. The deadline to register at indianagrown.org is March 12.

Accepting donations

Lutheran Health Network is accepting donations at various locations for the Jars of Love peanut butter drive benefitting area food banks.

Jars of peanut butter can be donated from now through March 24.

“Lutheran Health Network not only supports the patients who come through our doors, we are also committed to supporting better health throughout our community,” said Lorie Ailor, Chief Executive Officer of Lutheran Hospital.“Food insecurity is an issue in all of our surrounding counties ranging from 10% to 15% which has a profound impact on overall health and well-being. With the Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive, we can help vital community organizations reduce hunger in our area.”

Donation locations include Bluffton Regional Medical Center, 303 S. Main St., Bluffton; and Caylor-Nickel Foundation Family YMCA, 550 W. Dustman Road, Bluffton.

Agreement OK’d

The Ball State University board of trustees gave president Geoffrey Mearns authorization Friday to move forward with an agreement with Trademark Construction for new townhomes and single-family homes as part of the ongoing Village revitalization project.

The new homes and townhomes will be between North and Gilbert streets. There will also be a new green space.

“Constructing these homes is an important step in advancing our vision for The Village while supporting Muncie’s ongoing economic and residential growth,” board chair Rick Hall said in a press release. “We are grateful to our partners who are working alongside us to create a vibrant, welcoming community that provides more housing options near campus.”

Construction is expected to begin this spring, with the first homes available in 2026.

Testing enhanced

CVS announced Thursday that it has enhanced its flu testing at 1,600 locations.

The CVS Pharmacy sites are now using a new three-in-one test for Influenza A, Influenza B and COVID-19. In some states, patients can also be tested and assessed for antiviral treatment in one appointment.

“Timely access to care and treatment is critical with illnesses like influenza and COVID-19,” said CVS Health vice president for pharmacy health service Jinali Desai in a press release. “CVS Pharmacy’s array of testing and treatment options allows us to be with our patients every step of the way. From immunizations to symptom evaluation to prescribing medications for those who are eligible, our trusted pharmacists offer convenient and accessible care when patients need us most.” 

Promoted

Mike Shapiro will take over the role of vice president of strategic insights and prioritization for McDonald’s beginning next week.

Shapiro will take over for Jami Guthrie, who announced his retirement. He has been with McDonald’s for six years, first as a part of the field business insights and value and deal strategy teams.

“Mike’s extensive experience overseeing planning — including leading phase planning for the U.S. business and driving the long-term strategic vision of our Accelerating the Arches plan — has helped McDonald’s stay on the side of our customers and pivot to address the complexities we’ve faced over recent years,” said McDonald’s USA president Joe Erlinger in a press release. “Mike is known for his collaborative approach across all three legs of the stool and his unique ability to connect real-time data back to our strategy to tell a story.”

Board members named

Dollar Tree has named William Douglass III, Timothy Johnson and Michael Creedon Jr. to its board of directors. 

Douglas worked for Coca-Cola for more than 30 years. Johnson has served as chief financial and chief administrative office for Victoria’s Secret since 2021.

“Bill and Tim are both esteemed financial leaders with a strong understanding of today’s competitive retail landscape,” said Creedon, Dollar Tree’s CEO, in a press release. “We look forward to their many contributions and support in driving long-term value for our associates, customers, and shareholders.”

Executives promoted

Devin Cole has been named the new group president of poultry for Tyson Foods while Brady Stewart will expand duties to oversee the company’s prepared foods.

“I am grateful for Devin and Brady’s leadership and commitment to this company and am confident that their expertise in these new roles will help shape the future of Tyson Foods,” said president and CEO Donnie King in a press release. “This is an exciting time for our company, and these appointments will enable continued focus on operational excellence, innovation and talent development as we drive sustained, profitable growth.”

Training offered

ServSafe training will be available at John Jay Center for Learning in Portland.

The next session is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 25.

An additional session is scheduled for April 29.

The certification course is open to all food service employees and emphasizes safe food- and beverage-handling practices to minimize the risk of food-borne illnesses.

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