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Jackson Area Career Center Announces New Principal

The Jackson County Intermediate School District is announcing new leadership at the Jackson Area Career Center for the 2022-23 school year. Mr. Dan Draper will serve as the career and technical education center’s new principal. Dr. Mark Pogliano, who served as principal of the Career Center for nearly ten years, will not be returning in the fall as he has accepted the Assistant Superintendent position at Penta Career Center in northern Ohio.

Mr. Draper previously served as the Career Center’s Assistant Principal of CTE and Academic Programs, a position he was hired for in July 2014. Previous to that, Mr. Draper spent ten years with the Hanover-Horton School District; first serving as a Math/Pre-engineering teacher, then Assistant Principal/Athletic Director, and High School Principal in his last year. Mr. Draper also oversees the Jackson Area College & Career Connection Early/Middle College (JAC3), a Career Center program that earned him “Educator of the Year” by the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association in 2019.

“We are fortunate to have Dan Draper step into the role of Principal after being an Assistant Principal at JACC for the past eight years,” said Jackson County ISD Superintendent Kevin Oxley. “Lauren Sager, who was previously Dean of Students at the Career Center, will become the new Assistant Principal. Dan and Lauren will bring their experiences and knowledge of the Career Center, providing continuity and stability, while also bringing their own unique ideas and enthusiasm to these new leadership roles. I am confident that Mr. Draper, teamed with a great staff, will continue to build on the stellar reputation of the Jackson Area Career Center.”

Mr. Draper holds a Bachelor of Science from Alma College. He also earned a Specialist of Arts in Educational Leadership from Siena Heights University and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Eastern Michigan University.

“I’m so excited and humbled to be named principal of the Jackson Area Career Center,” said Mr. Draper. “The past 8 years have been outstanding and I look forward to leading the Career Center to have a greater impact on the youth of the Jackson County community. It is truly an honor to watch careers happen here!”

Paragon Charter Academy Honored with Founder’s Award at National Heritage Academies Leadership Summit

(L to R): Brian Britton, NHA president and CEO; Sally Clark, kindergarten through second grade dean; Sue Delie, sixth through eighth-grade dean; Holly Bigos, dean of intervention and special education; Jacob Dolson, third through fifth-grade dean; and Benjamin Kriesch, principal. (courtesy photo)

National Heritage Academies (NHA) awarded its top honor to Paragon Charter Academy, located in Jackson, Michigan at its 21st Annual Eagle Awards on July 18 during its Leadership Summit.

“Receiving the Founder’s Award is a prestigious accomplishment for our Paragon Charter Academy family,” said Brian Britton, National Heritage Academies president and CEO. “Created to honor the vision of our founder, J.C. Huizenga, this recognition highlights our mission to transform lives. This school community has made it their purpose to infuse our Moral Focus virtues into everything they do – living them in their daily actions and words, and setting a positive example for all to follow. Congratulations, Paragon, on this well-deserved award!”

Huizenga believes every child should have the opportunity to receive a great education, and schools should be held accountable to produce results. This led Huizenga to open his first NHA school in 1995, and his belief continues to drive the mission forward today in all 98 NHA schools. For this award, when Huizenga visits NHA schools, he looks for strong values and signs of Moral Focus virtues in action.

The Founder’s Award is given annually to the school that creates a school culture which embodies Moral Focus by embedding each of its nine virtues in what they say and do in their interactions with parents, students, and staff. The virtues – wisdom, respect, gratitude, self-control, perseverance, courage, encouragement, compassion, and integrity – coincide with the nine-month school year, focusing on a virtue a month. Survey results from a parent survey are also included in determining the winner.

“It is an honor to be recognized with the Founders Award as I know all NHA schools work hard to implement Moral Focus in their schools,” Paragon Principal Benjamin Kriesch said. “Moral Focus is a critical part of our school culture and curriculum. I am grateful for the staff who have embraced our school culture and have seen the importance of modeling and teaching strong moral values.”

Paragon Charter Academy serves 640 students in Young 5s through eighth grade. The administrative team is Benjamin Kriesh, principal; Sally Clark, kindergarten through second grade dean; Jacob Dolson, third through fifth-grade dean; Sue Delie, sixth through eighth-grade dean; and Holly Bigos, dean of intervention and special education.

County National Bank Announces Senior VIce President Promotions

Craig S. Connor, President and CEO of County National Bank (“CNB”), is pleased to announce the recent promotion of several members of the CNB team. Chris Clarke, Erik Lawson, and Christopher Phillips have advanced to the level of Senior Vice President.  Connor remarked, “Over several years, these three gentlemen have made countless contributions to the continued success of our banking organization.  Their promotions into top tier leadership roles of CNB are a testament to their overall dedication and talent as community bankers.”

Chris Clarke has been promoted to Senior Vice President – Senior Loan Officer. Chris joined CNB in April of 2015 as Vice President – Commercial Loan Officer and was promoted to Senior Loan Officer in July of 2019.  His 20 years of banking experience have been an asset to CNB and will continue to aid the Bank in its expansion of services in lending.  As Senior Loan Officer, Chris is responsible for CNB’s entire loan portfolio including growth and performance.  Chris is a graduate of Western Michigan University, and recently graduated from the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, WI. Chris is dedicated to the community, serves on numerous organization boards, and continues to be an avid hockey player and coach.  Chris and his wife Jennifer reside in the Tecumseh area.

 

Erik Lawson has been promoted to Senior Vice President – Chief Financial Officer. Erik joined CNB in November of 2017 as Chief Financial Officer.  His 25 years in banking and last 17 years as a Controller and CFO have provided critical experience that CNB has leveraged since he joined CNB.  Erik’s experience with the regulatory scrutiny of publicly traded banks and banks with assets greater than $1 Billion are important for CNB as the Bank continues to grow.  Erik is a Certified Public Accountant, graduate of Hobart College in Geneva, NY, and the Graduate School of Professional Accounting at Northeastern University in Boston, MA.  He continues to be an avid hockey player and coach. He resides in the Jackson area and regularly travels to Boston, MA, to be with his family.

 

Christopher Phillips has been promoted to Senior Vice President – Senior Wealth Management Officer. Christopher joined CNB in October of 2016 as Vice President – Senior Wealth Management Officer.  His prior nine years in banking and seven years as an attorney were all focused on wealth management and estate planning, which prepared him well for his role at CNB.  Christopher is responsible for the performance and management of the Wealth Management department.  Christopher is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana and Valparaiso University School of Law.  He is the Treasurer for the Croswell Opera House, the Lenawee County Fair Board and Share the Warmth of Hillsdale. Christopher lives on a small hobby farm in the Sand Creek community with his wife Erin and their two children, Miley and Ephraim.

American 1 Credit Union Welcomes Kelly Grygiel as Vice President of Marketing and Community Partnership

American 1 Credit Union welcomes Kelly Grygiel as the new Vice President of Marketing and Community Partnership.

Grygiel, of Jackson, brings with her a strong background in marketing and communications as well as analytical and strategic planning experience. As a graduate of Central Michigan University, Grygiel holds a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management and Communications.

In her new role, Grygiel will work closely with the Marketing and Community Partnership Departments. She will drive the credit union’s growth through strategic oversight of all promotion and product development and will also oversee operations in all marketing-focused areas, including communications, digital and traditional marketing, community partnerships, and events.

“It’s an honor to accept the position of Vice President of Marketing and Community Partnership at American 1,” Grygiel said. “I fully support American 1’s mission of creating financial wellness in our communities through personal everyday banking. I am someone who thrives in a creative, positive work environment, and American 1’s reputation precedes itself when it comes to taking care of our members, employees, and community.”   

Martha Fuerstenau, President/CEO of American 1, excitedly welcomes Grygiel to the team.

“We are always looking for the best ways to serve our membership, and Kelly’s unique background makes her an excellent fit on our team,” Fuerstenau said. “Process improvement, creative thinking, and collaboration are all things that energize our organization, and Kelly brings these skills, among others, to the table.”

American 1 Credit Union Announces Internal Promotion of Nicole Patrick to Vice President of Risk and IT

American 1 Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of Nicole Patrick to the Vice President of Risk and IT.

Patrick has been with American 1 for ten years. She was hired in 2012 as the Collections Manager, moved to the Payment Services Manager position in 2019, and then accepted the VP of Payments position in 2020.

In her new role as VP of Risk and IT, Patrick oversees the credit union’s Risk and Information Technology departments. More specifically, Patrick is responsible for project management, process and policy evaluation and strategic development for the credit union’s risk management and compliance programs, information systems and technology, security and incident response, disaster recovery, and business continuity.

“I’m excited about my new role at American 1 and am proud to celebrate my 10th anniversary at a place I truly enjoy showing up to every day,” Patrick said. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with my team to ensure our members have the best possible experience with American 1.”

Martha Fuerstenau, President/CEO of American 1, congratulates Patrick.

“At American 1, we stand by the notion of ‘right-person, right-seat’, and we are confident Nicole is in the right position at the right time and will help create an even better experience for our staff and members,” Fuerstenau said. “Nicole has experience and passion for developing the people around her, and our staff deserves quality leaders who will lead them to be the best they can be.”

Consumers Energy Announces Over 2,000 Incentives for Electric Vehicle Charging

Consumers Energy continues to power Michigan’s electric vehicle transformation, announcing today that it has provided over 2,000 incentives for EV chargers at homes, businesses and at public locations in less than three years.

“By every measurement, Michigan continues to see interest in electric vehicles accelerate,” said Sarah Nielsen, Consumers Energy’s executive director for electric vehicle programs. “Consumers Energy is proud to power that transformation, working with drivers, business owners and community leaders to make EV ownership convenient, affordable and clean.”

Consumers Energy provides incentives for EV charging through its PowerMIDrive and Bring Your Own Charger programs, covering costs for chargers in garages, at businesses and in downtowns and other public locations. The energy provider also plans to power another 200 chargers in the next two years.

Consumers Energy has set a goal to power 1 million EVs in Michigan by 2030. Here are other numbers that illustrate that growth today:

n  The number of EVs in Consumers Energy’s territory has grown 18% in the first quarter alone since the end of last year, to over 18,000 vehicles today. That’s according to data collected from the Secretary of State.

n  Consumers Energy has powered 36 EV fast chargers across the state. Their use has climbed sixfold, from 3,000 sessions to 18,000, in the last year. Of those, sites in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Saugatuck have been used the most.

n  Consumers Energy is working with 50 employers that want to purchase EVs through its PowerMIFleet program.

n  Most electric vehicle charging takes place overnight, typically at home during the lowest-cost times, causing little impact on the electric grid. Of all EV charging in Consumers Energy’s territory, 81% is outside of the peak hours of 2-7 p.m.

Consumers Energy is committed to supporting electric vehicles for the good of customers, Michigan’s automotive economy and the planet. The energy provider’s newly approved Clean Energy Plan ensures that EVs will be powered by an entirely carbon-neutral grid by 2040 as new renewable energy sources replace coal plants that will close in the next three years. That’s one of the nation’s fastest timetables.

“We continue to be excited to see the electric vehicle transformation race ahead of even the expectations we set for ourselves just a couple of years ago,” Nielsen said. “Consumers Energy will continue to help this transformation by working with homeowners and businesses to provide incentives and education as they make the easy, affordable and clean switch to EVs.”

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