Winterfest kicks off on Friday

Jay County Chamber of Commerce is preparing for its Winterfest celebration.

Winterfest will kick off with Christmas at the Courthouse at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. The event will include tree lighting and a performance by the Jay County Junior-Senior High School choir.

Following on Saturday, Nov. 22, will be the Little Miss Winterfest pageant at 1 p.m. at Fellowship Baptist Church and the Parade of Lights at 6:30 p.m. in downtown Portland.

The chamber also recently welcomed Enlightened Lens Collective as a new member.

Facility launches

NextEra Energy Resources celebrated the start of operations of the Appleseed Energy Center solar facility last week in Cass County, Indiana.

The 200-megawatt facility will be owned and operated by Appleseed Solar, a NextEra subsidiary. Northern Indiana Public Service Company will purchase the energy the facility generates.

“We’re proud to be part of Indiana’s energy future and to continue our long-standing collaboration with NIPSCO,” said NextEra vice president Anthony Pedroni in a news release. “The Appleseed Energy Center is an example of our shared commitment to advancing energy independence and delivering real benefits to Hoosiers — strengthening Indiana’s energy infrastructure, supporting local communities and helping drive economic development.” 

Leader elected

Walmart’s board of directors has elected John Furner as its next president and CEO.

Furner, who will also serve on the board of directors, will step into his new role Feb. 1 following the retirement of Doug McMillon. He has led the U.S. branch of Walmart since 2019 and was previously president and CEO of Sam’s Club U.S.

“John Furner is the right leader to guide Walmart into our next chapter of growth and transformation,” said Greg Penner, chairman of Walmart Inc., in a news release. “After starting as an hourly associate and being with us for over 30 years in a variety of leadership roles across all three of our operating segments, John understands every dimension of our business — from the sales floor to global strategy. He has proven that he can deliver results while living our values.”

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, Nov. 25.

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.

Facility honored

The Leapfrog Group gave Bluffton Regional Medical Center an “A” Hospital Safety Grade.

The grades are based on measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety.

“For a rural community, access to safe, quality healthcare close to home is absolutely essential,” said Julie Thompson, chief administrative officer of Bluffton Regional Medical Center, in a news release. “Receiving this ‘A’ from The Leapfrog Group confirms that our hospital is meeting and exceeding the national standards. It’s the ultimate reassurance to our residents that: you don’t have to leave our community to get a high level of care. This achievement belongs to every staff member of Bluffton Regional Medical Center who treats our patients like family every day.”

Professor honored

Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association recently honored Ball State University professor Liu Li with the 2025 William Hatfield Distinguished Lifetime World Language Career Award.

The award honors members whose “ lifelong dedication has made significant contributions to world language education at the national, state, and local levels.” Li received the award at the Global and Multil-IN-gual Celebration of Success Gala on Nov. 7 in Indianapolis.

“This honor reflects the enormous impact Dr. Li has made at the local, state, and national levels, uplifting world language education across Indiana and beyond,” said Jennifer Rathbun, professor of Spanish and chair of Ball State’s Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, in a news release. “Her expertise has inspired teachers and students alike through countless conferences, workshops, and panels. We are incredibly proud to see her contributions recognized so meaningfully.”

New leader named

Dollar General has named Emily Taylor as its new chief operating officer.

Taylor took over her new role Sunday. She previously served as the company’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer.

“Emily’s strategic vision and tenured understanding of the vital role DG plays in our customers’ lives will be invaluable as she expands her responsibilities as COO,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO, in a news release. “During her tenure, Emily and her team have consistently enhanced the shopping experience both in-store and through various digital and delivery initiatives, elevated the Dollar General and pOpshelf® brands, and improved operational efficiency, benefiting customers across the more than 20,000 communities we serve.”

Chair elected

Matt McMillan has been elected chair of America’s Newspapers.

McMillan is CEO of Press Publications in Minnesota. America’s Newspapers is a trade organization that advocates for the newspaper industry.

Others elected at the organization’s Nov. 5 Senior Leadership Conference were treasurer Jeremy Gulban of CherryRoad Media and board members Nancy Meyer of the Houston Chronicle, James Paxton of Paxton Media Group and Jason Taylor of Gannett.

••••••••••

Does your business have news to share? Email us at [email protected] to be included in our weekly business roundup.