Promoted: Helen Jahr hired as Riverland Community College women’s athletic director

In July, Riverland Community College announced that Helen Jahr was tapped to serve as the women’s athletic director on the Austin campus. The move came as a result of the June retirement of Dave Lillemon, who held the athletic director post and several coaching roles since 1987 at RCC.

Jahr had led the Riverland volleyball program for 18 seasons, mentoring dozens of award-winning athletes along the way. Jahr coached Sara Lindeman, a Riverland product who went on to serve on the coaching staff at NCAA Division I Butler University.

•  •  •

Immortalized: Esther Morse named a Pillar of the City

In July, the city announced Esther Mitchell Morse as a Pillar of the City. Morse (June 3, 1822 – Sept. 30, 1910) was born in Norway, Maine, and came to Austin in 1864. She was a writer, poet, educator, seminarian and the driving force behind the formation of the Austin Ladies Floral Club in 1869.

Under her leadership, the Floral Club raised the funds to purchase the books that formed the genesis of the Austin Public Library. Her legacy continues through the Floral Club’s literary and social programs and on-going financial support of the library.

Pillars of the City plaques are displayed on Austin’s floodwall.

•  •  •

Honored: Jessica Cabeen is Minnesota’s 2017 National Distinguished Principal

In October, Woodson Kindergarten Center Principal Jessica Cabeen traveled to Washington, D.C., where she accepted her Minnesota’s 2017 National Distinguished Principal award. The award was announced in May by the sponsoring organizations, the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association and the National Association of Elementary School Principals. She joined her fellow state award winners at the NAESP event in the nation’s capital.

Cabeen was one of three state finalists for the award, established in 1984 to recognize and celebrate elementary and middle-level principals who set high standards for instruction, student achievement, character and climate for students, families and staffs in their learning communities.

Cabeen served as assistant principal at Ellis Middle School prior to being named to the Woodson post in 2012.

•  •  •

Honored: Marie Fryer given small business award

In February, Belles & Beaus Bridal & Formal Wear owner Marie Fryer accepted the award for Small Business of the Year at Austin Area Chamber of Commerce annual banquet.

“I am truly just blown away,” she said.

“Many thanks to the community for supporting our little store,” she added.

•  •  •

Inducted: Dana Matthews joins AHS Athletic Hall of Fame

In January, the selection committee inducted Dana Matthews, class of 1992, into the Austin High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Matthews played hockey before a school-sponsored program existed in Austin. She played on boys’ teams up through Peewees.

She is best known for her exceptional pitching talent. During her four-year softball career, she won more than 40 games for the Packers.

Matthews was named to the Big 9 All-Conference Team three times and the All-Region Team two times.

After AHS, Matthews worked for Weyerhaeuser and later for Hormel Foods Corporation.

Matthews’s life was cut short in an accident in 2012.

•  •  •

Arrived: Dr. Paris, emergency specialist, joins Mayo Clinic in Austin and Albert Lea

Dr. Patti Paris recently joined the Emergency Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin.

Paris earned her emergency medicine degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington, Vermont,  and completed her residency at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. She is a board-certified physician and has special interests in disaster medicine and quality improvement.

She joins Mayo Clinic Health System after 18 years of practicing with the Indian Health Service in Alaska.

•  •  •

Promoted: Lisa Selk leading the maker of Muscle Milk as its chief executive officer

In August, Hormel Foods Corp. introduced Lisa Selk as the new chief executive officer of CytoSport, Inc., a sports nutrition company and maker of Muscle Milk protein products. Selk has more than 20 years of experience building consumer packaged food brands such as Skippy peanut butter, among others.

Selk joined Hormel Foods in 1998 as a food scientist in the research and development department. She held management and leadership roles in the specialty products division and the meat products division. She went on to lead numerous companywide innovation projects, including new product launches.

Selk is a graduate of North Dakota State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in food science and a master’s degree in cereal science. Selk also graduated from the University of St. Thomas where she secured her master’s in business administration, and most recently attended the Kellogg School of Management’s Executive Development Program.

•  •  •

Honored: Nancy Schnable wins S. Minn. Tourism association’s President’s Award

In September, Nancy Schnable, executive director of Discover Austin, the community’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, was awarded the 2017 President’s Award by the Southern Minnesota Tourism Association.

The award was presented to Schnable, who serves as treasurer of the group, at the annual meeting of the organization Sept. 13 and 14 in Wabasha. The association represents 36 counties in southern Minnesota.

“It was totally unexpected, but pretty exciting,” said Schnable.

Nancy Schnable, executive director of Discover Austin

The award is given annually by the president of the association whose goal is to draw tourism regionally.

•  •  •

More achievements

In May, Julie Clinefelter, 44, began her duties as the Austin Public Library as its director. She supervises  16 full- and part-time staff members.

She  first worked for the Austin library part-time shortly after her family’s move here in 2003.

•  •  •

Austin Toastmaster Club member Ann Maxfield won the Area 55 Humorous Speech Contest in Owatonna on Sept. 12. With her speech “Tractor,” she advanced to the next competition in Pine Island, Minnesota. There she placed second in the Southern Minnesota Division F Toastmaster Humorous Speech Competition.7.

•  •  •

In March, The Zonta Club of Austin awarded Mower County Woman of Achievement awards. They went to Sheila Berger for the Back Pack Project at Austin Public Schools and Carol Brown for her work with Real Hope for the Hungry.

•  •  •

In June, the Austin Rotary Club presented Lisa Kocer with a Government Service Award and named Lori Henry Educator of the Year.

•  •  •

Austin High School 1973 graduate,  Brenda Ehrhardt of Marysville, Washington, was honored in December 2016 when she was recognized in the national School Band and Orchestra Magazine as one of the “50 Music Directors Who Make A Difference.”

Ehrhardt teaches both a vocal choir and an instrumental choir at Sunnyside Elementary School in Marysville.

•  •  •

On June 5, April Johnson began her duties as the new Mower County Extension 4-H program coordinator. Her  sister, Chelsey Asche, is also a 4-H program coordinator, but in Rock County.

• • •

In October, Holly Johnson celebrated her five-year anniversary as director of the Hormel Historic Home.

• • •

In September, Janna Akkerman and Katy McGrane began their new duties at I.J. Holton as first-year English as a second language teachers.