Business and professional briefs, Jan. 5, 2014 – Champaign/Urbana News

New jobs

Brandow joins Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell. Jeremy Brandow of Champaign has joined Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell as a full-time sales associate in Champaign.

A native of Bloomington, he has five years of experience in residential real estate sales and has obtained the short sales and foreclosure resource certification. He is also a licensed associate appraiser.

Watseka gains nurse practitioner. Mandi Troli has joined Riverside’s Specialty Services in Watseka as a family nurse practitioner.

She has worked with Riverside since 2005. She earned a master’s degree in nursing, as well as a post-master’s certificate for family nurse practitioner, from the University of St. Francis, Joliet.

Achievements

Carrico lauded for safe driving. Bob Carrico of Champaign was recently honored for achieving 2 million miles of safe driving at J.B. Hunt Transport.

Carrico, a J.B. Hunt truck driver for 15 years, drives for the truckload business unit.

He was awarded a $10,000 bonus for service to the company and commitment to safety.

Island Bridal Travel gains designation. The travel specialists at Island Bridal Travel in Urbana, Ogden, Mahomet and Springfield have been selected by Travel Impressions and Sandals and Beaches Resorts to serve as “TI Ambassadors.”

They were chosen from a pool of more than 200 travel agency applicants nationwide.

Travel Impressions is one of the nation’s largest leisure tour operators.

Island Bridal will assume brand-advocacy responsibilities on behalf of Travel Impressions for a full year, providing clients with specialized service on Sandals and Beaches Resorts vacations.

Jennifer Wayland is owner of and honeymoon and destination wedding specialist for Island Bridal Travel.

Employees of the Year announced. The I Hotel and Conference Center and Houlihan’s Restaurant + Bar, Champaign, have announced the 2013 Employees of the Year.

They are: Tayo Ayodele of the I Hotel, Megan Cravatta of conference center sales, Miguel Cruz of Houlihan’s Restaurant + Bar and David Simmons, facility operator for information technologies.

Foundation makes grant. The American Water Charitable Foundation is providing a $2,000 public safety grant to Champaign County Triad Senior and Law Enforcement Together Council.

The purpose of Triad is to promote older adult safety and to reduce the fear of crime that older adults often experience.

Illinois American Water is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water.

Legion salutes Carpenters Local 243. Champaign American Legion Post 24 has awarded its January 2014 certificate of appreciation for proper display of the U.S. flag to Carpenters Local 243.

The union local displays the flag at its office, 402 S. Duncan Road, C.

Palm Terrace receives awards. Palm Terrace of Mattoon was recognized for outstanding achievement in several areas at the Petersen Health Care annual awards banquet.

The Mattoon facility received the St. Jude’s Fundraising Award for the facility that raised the most money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

It also received an award for most outstanding census.

Retirements

Champion retires from Eastern Illini. William David Champion Jr. retired Dec. 31 from Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, Paxton, after 40 years with electric cooperatives.

Champion began working for Illini Electric Cooperative as office manager trainee in 1973. He became assistant manager in 1979 and general manager in 1984. When Illini Electric consolidated with Eastern Illinois Power Cooperative in 1987, he became president and CEO of the newly formed Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative.

He was instrumental in the launch of Cooperative Balloon Associates. That group manages the Touchstone Energy Balloon team, of which Champion is one of the team pilots.

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