A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village received a $1,000.00 grant from Macy’s to help support Community Partners in Education, a component of the museum’s ACCESS program.

ACCESS (A.C.’s Community Enrichment and Student Support) is a community outreach program designed to give underserved children and their families access to a safe, quality learning environment that “inspires children of all ages to learn and grow through play.”

Kassie DeMarsh has been hired as the Community Outreach Coordinator at the museum.

Denise Dailey has been hired as the Development Director for the museum. acgilbert.org

Bliss Sequoia Insurance & Risk Advisors is pleased to announce the addition of Lance Barnwell to the company.  Lance brings over 15 years experience in business insurance as an agent and consultant.  He will be working to control cost and risk for both nonprofit and for-profit businesses throughout the region.  Lance is a Salem native and resides in South Salem with his wife, Amy and 2 children.  blisssequoia.com

Boldt, Carlisle & Smith, CPAs is proud to announce recent accomplishments by two of its employees:

Tim Alvey, IT Support Specialist recently completed a 15-day course of intensive training and testing to become certified as a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP). This designation demonstrates Tim’s knowledge and competency in Server design and administration, Workstation support and the essentials of Network design and maintenance.

Robin Nichols, CPA graduated from Cannon Financial Institute as an Honor Graduate.  Robin joins Clint Bentz, CPA, CMA and Jeff Eschen, CPA, CFIRS as the third member of our professional team who has completed the Trust Tax School offered by Cannon Financial Institute. Trust Tax School is a rigorous, comprehensive three-year school consisting of 114 hours of classroom instruction. Robin successfully completed the School with the Honors Graduate designation, Cannon’s highest academic distinction. bcsllc.com

Did you know that the Window Covering Safety Council recommends that only cordless window products be used in homes where young children are present – including grandparent’s homes and child care facilities to minimize risk. Additionally, owners and renters should replace all window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today’s safer products. Knowing which products offer enhanced safety is important, and that’s where Budget Blinds can be helpful. There are many window treatments that are either cord free by nature or can be ordered with either cordless lift options, or wand controls, or motorization to eliminate pull cords. Please call our office today for your free in-home consultation. We can be reached at 503-362-5199.

Alex Casebeer, of Capitol Toyota Scion and Matthew Casebeer, of Chevrolet/Cadillac/Subaru in Salem, graduated from the National Auto Dealers Association (NADA) Dealer Candidate Academy in McLean, VA.

The Academy is the premier management education and training center in the U.S. for current and future automobile and truck dealers and managers. It is designed to build business performance, leadership skills and customer service in all areas of the dealership.

The Casebeers were among a select group of 32 dealers and managers nationwide to graduate from the Academy in this class, after 11 months of intensive classroom and in-dealership training. capitolauto.com

Mary Ruth Lay, senior accountant at Church Extension Plan, celebrates her 50th year with the Salem-based ministry. Mary Ruth is the longest-serving employee in CEP’s 61-year history.

She has made deep and lasting contributions over the last five decades. She has served under all three CEP presidents, and has overseen major shifts in technology and worked with several generations of ministry staff. Her vast accumulated knowledge of the ministry, its history, and its current practices make her an invaluable resource. cepnet.com

At the American Softball Association (ASA) National Council Meeting in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the City of Salem was awarded five national Tournaments for 2013:  Men’s A, B, and C West Fast Pitch Nationals;  Women’s 23U (23 Years and Under) West National; and Girls 18B Western Nationals.

Salem was also awarded the James Farrell Award of Excellence for excellence in conducting ASA National Championships.

Each ASA tournament typically brings in between $500,000 and $1 million to the local economy in hotel, restaurant charges, and local shopping. cityofsalem.net

Linfield College, a liberal arts college located in McMinnville, Oregon, has chosen Creative Company to develop a suite of admission publications targeted to freshmen entering college in 2012 and 2013.

Creative Company’s extensive experience with Linfield developing three award-winning suites of recruitment materials between 2002 and 2008 will streamline the planning, strategy, design, writing and production process and fulfill on the goals of the admissions team. Creative Company was chosen based on the proven partnership, collaborative working style, and strong impact of their strategic design systems and messaging.

Margot Stewart has joined Creative Company as Account Manager. She adds 15 years of agency and in-house marketing experience.

“Margot’s experience with social media, writing and account management will be a good fit for our clients. Her wry sense of humor and expertise will make a great addition to the team,” said Creative Company founder Jennifer Larsen Morrow. creativeco.com

Through its annual Good Works Fundraiser, The Rotary Club of Salem has awarded $40,000 to Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Willamette Valley (HFHMWV). The grant will be used to launch a youth initiative program, H2°.

H2° will provide young people with opportunities to continue their education, attain vocational training, or gain employment. HFHMWV will offer skills-based training on Habitat build sites while community partners will provide life skills, mentoring, pre-employment education and GED opportunities for youth.

Hoots, Baker & Wiley, P.C., Certified Public Accountants, is pleased to announce that one of their employees, Matthew J. Riley has received his CPA license. Matthew graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University - Idaho in 2009.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. His practice will focus on: audits of non-profit organizations; reviews and compilations for a variety of businesses, including construction contractors; income tax planning and return preparation for corporations, partnerships, estates, trusts, and individuals; and retirement plan accounting and information return preparation. hwbcpa.com

John L. Scott, Salem, welcomes Shanatha Gould and Brian Pollinger.

Brian is involved in the Public Relations Committee with the Salem Association of Realtors, and is on the Board of Directors for the SAR. He is a board member for A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village and volunteers as a Mental Health Senior Peer Counselor for Northwest Senior & Disability Services. He is also volunteer for CCTV, as well as other organizations here in Salem.

Shanatha utilizes the latest technology to successfully bring buyers and sellers together and equip people with the knowledge they need. Helping every step of the way through the many challenges of a transaction is her specialty. She also enjoys the outdoors, learning new things, and spending time with her husband, Ron and two sons, Conrad and Maxwell. JohnLScott.com

Maps Credit Union is pleased to announce some new members of its branch management, all of whom were promoted from within: Colleen Chavin, McNary Branch Manager; Jamie Salisbury, McNary Assistant Branch Manager; Karon Springstead, Woodburn Branch Manager; Peter Schaeffer, Chemeketa Assistant Branch Manager.

“At Maps, we are committed to helping our employees realize their ambitions and progress in their careers,” said VP of Development Jill Nowacki. “That is why we are always pleased when we have the opportunity to promote our employees into management positions.” mapscu.com

Marion-Polk Food Share received a $60,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente toward the purchase and installation of repackaging equipment that will enhance food distribution from the regional food bank warehouse in Salem.

“The funds from Kaiser Permanente will help us move forward with a food packaging line to quickly process bulk quantities of dry goods and frozen vegetables.” said Ryan Lovett, MPFS vice president of administration. “The equipment will improve our repackaging efficiency.” marionpolkfoodshare.org; kp.org/nw

The Evergreen School District and Modern Building Systems, Inc. are partnering to provide a contextual learning experience for students enrolled in the Math in Construction programs at Evergreen High School and Mountain View High School.  The Math in Construction program merges the disciplines of mathematics and construction to help students understand the geometry and algebra they are learning.  They also get real world experience in building structures through this College, Career and Technical Education program.

Modern is providing all of the materials and licensed tradespeople necessary for students to build four modular structures that will be added to their lease fleet.  The structures will undergo the same quality inspections required by other Modern products.  The benefits of participation for students include improving their understanding of mathematics, creating awareness of the construction trades, and developing leadership and teamwork skills.  modernbuildingsystems.com

Northwestern Mutual –Portland is re-establishing its 154-year old brand’s presence in Salem after a decade-long absence. The firm’s financial representatives, Matt Benjamin, Brent DeHart, and Paul Hawkins are announcing the opening of their new office in South Salem.

Northwestern Mutual offers a large array of financial products  and services, including Life, Disability, and Long-Term Care insurance, retirement plans for businesses and individuals, plus trust and advisory services. northwesternmutual.com

P&C Construction announced the hiring of Ricardo Becerril to the position of senior project manager.  Becerril has 17 years of project management experience in commercial construction with a strong background in public sector projects, including K-12 Schools, Oregon University System, community colleges, and fire stations throughout Oregon. builtbypandc.com

Providence Place recently held a food drive and collected 183 pounds of food for the Marion Polk Food Share. RHF.org

R & R Tree Service has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service and health providers.

The company located in Salem provides certified arborist and tree risk assessment reports, tree trimming and removal, hedge and shrub trimming, fruit tree pruning, stumpgrinding, brush chipping, fence removal and new construction, roof and gutter cleaning, yard beautification, and more.  A certified arborist provides timely, no-cost bids. rrtreeservice.com

Ram Steelco, the Willamette Valley’s locally owned steel and metals service center, has launched a new website, www.ramsteelco.net.  General Manager Mark Young says, “This new website provides a way for our customers to review the various metal products and services that we sell, along with an easy way to request a quote and place orders.  And it is all supported by our knowledgeable in-house staff - who are also just a phone call away.”

Amy E. Geerhart recently joined Saalfeld Griggs PC as an associate attorney in the Corporate Practice Group. Amy received her B.S. in Management from Linfield College. She went on to Willamette University College of Law where she graduated summa cum laude in 2011, and was the Executive Editor on Law Review.

Robert Saalfeld, James Griggs, Douglas Alexander, and Randall Cook of Saalfeld Griggs PC were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 . Additionally, the firm’s Corporate Practice and Employee Benefits Practice Groups were ranked First-Tier in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Lawyers Law Firms.” sglaw.com

The Salem Contractors Exchange celebrated its new addition and remodel with an open house on Friday November 11th.  There were speeches given by Mike Fulgaro of Fulgaro Interiors, Ken Dalke of Dalke Construction, and Brooks Gladow of Salem Heating and Sheet Metal followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony.  sceonline.org

For a third year, SELCO Community Credit Union employees reached out to their communities by donating nearly 13,000 pounds of food to their local emergency food pantries.  That exceeded the previous year’s collection of over 12,000 pounds of food.  In addition, SELCO Community Credit Union donated an additional 8,000 pounds of food in tribute to International Credit Union Day. selco.org.

Mike DeRochier has joined the staff of the United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley as interim executive director.

“As a community, we face significant challenges,” DeRochier said, “yet I know that together we are determined, caring and resourceful.  I look forward to working with the United Way board of directors, staff and volunteers as we continue the effort to leverage our strengths, build relationships, and address our most critical issues with effective, long-term solutions.”

DeRochier, formerly a senior vice president with AmeriTitle, will lend his experience and expertise to the United Way for up to two years.

Valley Credit Union is proud to introduce its latest checking product, Everyday Checking, as well as enhancements to its Elite Checking account. At a time when other financial institutions are eliminating free checking products or increasing fees on items like debit cards, Valley’s checking products offer exceptional value to current and future members.

Everyday Checking is loaded with benefits, including no minimum balance, no monthly fees, free debit card, free Online Banking, free Online Bill Pay, free paperless eStatements, access to over 28,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide via the CO-OP ATM Network.

For those looking for a more robust checking product, Valley has enhanced its Elite Checking account as well. Elite Checking accounts also feature dividends on deposits, preferential rates on CDs, free money orders and a free box of checks each calendar year, as well as one waived loan processing fee each calendar year. vhpecu.org

Wells Fargo has donated $1,000 to Whiteaker Middle School in Keizer to build a collection of Social Studies non-fiction literature for disadvantaged students.

In class students will get focused, quiet opportunities to read and research historical topics, then carry out projects and assignments that are interesting and engaging.  Students learn to chart their course through how a book is organized, use its index, find resources and utilize those new skills to expand their capacity to learn.

Wells Fargo has committed a total of $18,000 to 12 elementary schools in Polk and Marion Counties.

Eight of the schools are in the Salem-Keizer Public Schools District 24J (Bush, Hoover, Kennedy, Lamb, Middle Grove, Scott, Swegle and Weddle). The others are in Silver Falls School District (Butte Creek and Eugene Field), Stayton School District (Stayton Elementary) and Dallas School District (Oakdale Heights). Each will receive $1,500.

Wells Fargo has promoted Salem resident Esmeralda Espinosa to assistant vice president. Espinosa manages a Wells Fargo bank branch in Salem. She has been with the company for eight years. In 2009, she was named one of its three top Community Banking managers for the year in Oregon and southwest Washington. wellsfargo.com

Willamette Academy students partner with the Online Statesman Journal for “Journey to Success.”  Read their stories in the Communities Section or at http://community.statesmanjournal.com/blogs/wuajournos

The Board of Directors announced the appointment of new Executive Director, Michelle D. Godfrey, for the YWCA. She succeeds Sarah Newhall and Gwen Carr, who served as Interim Directors.

Godfrey brings 20 years of experience in business management with special expertise in marketing and communications. ywcasalem.org