The Board Room for Oct. 2

Announcements

▪ Kathryn Wage, founder and CEO, announced that the Center for Communications Skills will officially change its name to Aspire Speech and Learning Center as of Oct. 1. The company provides speech therapy services and groundbreaking neuroscience computer training for students with learning challenges.

▪ McDonald’s central San Joaquin Valley owner and operators hosted a McFlurry Campaign “FUN”draiser benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Central Valley May 1-Aug. 31. Fifteen cents from every McFlurry sold was donated, for a total of $82,128.

▪ The Fresno Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction announced its board of directors for 2017-18: Teri Sherron, president (LegalShield, IA); Jamie Ohanesian, vice president (Precision Civil Engineering Inc.); Pauline McIntosh, secretary (Lotus Gardens Outdoor Living Center); Marilyn Camin, treasurer (Specialty Services); Deanna Spencer, director (Quality Carpets Design Center); Michelle Wentworth, director (Mark Wentworth Construction); and Carolyn Mooradian, parliamentarian (retired from BMY Construction Group Inc.).

▪ Sierra Bancorp, the holding company of Bank of the Sierra, and OCB Bancorp, the parent company of Ojai Community Bank, announced that all necessary approvals were received for the acquisition of OCB Bancorp following the OCB Bancorp shareholder vote on Sept. 21. Ojai Community Bank closed its doors Friday and will reopen Monday as Bank of the Sierra.

▪ Blue Shield of California Foundation announced a grant of $20,000 to Marjaree Mason Center to ensure its ongoing ability to care for and advocate for survivors of domestic violence and contribute to its prevention.

▪ AgriLand Farming Company Inc. was honored with a proclamation from the Madera County Board of Supervisors for its ongoing community service and business leadership. Agriland is the third-largest nut grower in the U.S.

▪ Walmart awarded two Fresno-area food banks $123,332 in grants from the Walmart Foundation. The Community Food Bank will receive $73,332 and the Merced County Food Bank will receive $50,000 as part of a “Day of Giving” across Northern California, in recognition of Hunger Action Month.

▪ Saint Agnes Medical Center’s newly-established Internal Medicine Residency Program has been accredited to accept its first class of physician residents. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education gave its approval, meaning Saint Agnes officially becomes an independent teaching hospital for the first time in its history.

▪ Retired Employees of Fresno County awarded two $2,000 scholarship to Fresno State students Chelsee Armsworthy, a child development major, and Selene Oaks, a speech major. REFCO also awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Dayna Swain, who is a Fresno City College student graduating in December as a medical office professional II.

▪ In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Madera Community Hospital announces the donation of two sets of surgical retractors, valued at $30,000, from Invuity Inc. in San Francisco.

▪ Fresno Rotary has added three new members: Mona Cummings is the senior director of resource development for United Way, Fresno and Madera Counties, her classification is fund development; Carolyn Pierce is a mortgage loan officer with Gold Standard Mortgage, her classification is financial services; Lorna Lathrop is the interact adviser and campus culture director with Duncan Polytechnical High school, her classification is honorary member.

▪ Attorneys David R. Mugridge and Amanda K. Moran have announced their partnership to update the firm’s name to Mugridge Moran LLP, Attorneys at Law. The law firm also will expand into a new and larger office space at 1330 L St., Suite A in downtown Fresno on Sunday.

Awards

▪ Kaiser Permanente Fresno nurse Dencil D’Souza, RN, was recently recognized with the DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses. The DAISY Award is part of a nationwide program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by bedside nurses.

New Faces

▪ Jillian Fellows has joined RE/MAX Gold in the Clovis office.

▪ Surgeon Seth Criner, DO, has joined Orthopaedic Associates, a partnership of board-certified surgeons Ian Duncan, Bruce Le, Burton Redd, Don Schengel and podiatrist Kazi Rahman. Dr. Criner is a board-eligible orthopedic surgeon with extensive experience in trauma surgery as well as general orthopedic procedures such as hip and knee replacement and sports medicine.

▪ Myrna Arzate has joined RE/MAX Gold in the Clovis office. She will join Matt Guagliardo and Sarah Douglas on The Go Team.

▪ Kevin Cornuelle has joined RE/MAX Gold in the Fresno office.

▪ Kaiser Permanente Fresno recently added the following physicians: Brian Blake, MD, emergency medicine; Juan Alvarez, MD, surgery; Kevin Luu, MD, pediatrics; Gagandeep Dhillon, MD, psychiatry; Helen Uong, MD, OB/GYN; Johnell Alvarado-Enriguez, MD, internal medicine; Christina Kytasty, DO, opthalmology,and Brian Ahn, DO, and Ariel Rosa, MD, family medicine.

▪ Family HealthCare Network is pleased to announce the addition of the following people: Brenda Campos-Spitze, MD, providing family medicine services in Cutler-Orosi; Diana Lee, OD, providing services in optometry in Visalia; Grace Kim, DMD, providing dental services at FHCN’s Visalia School Health Center in Visalia; Bryce Spitze, MD, and Sheena Edmonds, DO, providing family medicine services in Visalia; Waheed Pirzai, PA-C, offering services in family medicine at FHCN’s Hanford Health Center.

▪ Jessica Puentes has joined Johanson Transportation Service as a logistics coordinator for the non-perishable division in Fresno.

New Locations

▪ Adventure Sports Complex has opened a new location at 4381 N. Brawley Ave., Suite 105. The new gym includes personal training, freestyle workouts, an indoor soccer arena, and a challenging course influenced by the popular American Ninja Warrior competition.

Promotions

▪ Fresno Mayor Lee Brand and City Manager Wilma Quan-Schecter announced that Jim Schaad has been named the city’s new director of transportation, effective Sept. 25, 2017. He had been serving as assistant director for the department of transportation.

This story was originally published October 1, 2017 at 3:00 PM with the headline "The Board Room for Oct. 2."