Grand Island Physical Therapy, 620 Diers Ave. Suite 300, is now under the ownership of Scott Eriksen, an occupational therapist.

Brian Dinkelman, a physical therapist, has also joined the clinic's staff.

Eriksen will oversee the rehabilitation services of St. Francis Medical Center, as well as its skilled nursing and home health units. He earned his occupational therapy degree from Creighton University in 1998 and is a 1993 graduate of Grand Island Northwest High School.

Eriksen is a member of the Regional Planning Commission, St. Pauls Lutheran Church and a graduate of Leadership Tomorrow. He is vice president of the Nebraska Occupational Therapy Association and a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Dinkelman earned his master's degree in physical therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He previously worked for York and Milford Physical Therapy and has experience working with sports medicine, industrial medicine and general orthopedics.

Dinkelman and Eriksen can be reached at 382-0344.

Ochsner hired as business banking assistant vice president

Brad Ochsner has joined Platte Valley State Bank & Trust in Grand Island as assistant vice president in the business banking area. Ochsner will play a vital role in the delivery of financial products and services.

Ochsner is originally from Sutton. He has five years of experience in commercial banking, most recently with Wells Fargo in Grand Island. He is a graduate of Hastings College with degrees in business administration, human resource management and psychology.

Ochsner is a member of the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and Presidents Club.

He and his wife, Cody, have three children.

Platte Valley State Bank & Trust Co. is a state-chartered full-service commercial bank established in 1944 with centers in Kearney and Grand Island.

Ochsner can be reached at 389-2600.

Carriker joins Master Stylists

Jennifer Carriker has been hired as a stylist at Master Stylists, 114 W. Third St., Grand Island.

As part of her duties, Carriker will perform haircuts, styles, perms, formal up-dos, colors, pedicures, manicures and waxes.

Carriker is a graduate of the Xenon International School of Hair Design and has attended two Peel's hair shows. She has 18 months of experience in the business.

She can be reached at 384-8279.

Rathman new president of HR association chapter

Regina Rathman, employment coordinator at St. Francis Medical Center, was elected president of the Central Nebraska Human Resource Management Association chapter.

The local association is a chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management and serves Central Nebraska, including the cities of Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney.

The Society for Human Resource Management is the world's largest professional association devoted to human resource management. It represents more than 225,000 individual members in more than 125 countries and has a network of more than 575 affiliated chapters in the United States and in China and India.

Hastings doctors named to Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians posts

Dr. Kevin Wycoff of Hastings was installed as vice president of the Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians last month, while Dr. Kathleen Amyot of Hastings was elected to the group's board of directors.

The elections and installations occurred during the academy's annual meeting and scientific assembly March 27 through 29. In addition, attendees celebrated the organization's 60th year.

The Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians is a constituent chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians. It was the first among medical organizations to require its members to maintain continuing education, and currently all members must complete 150 hours of mandatory continuing study every three years.

Four Central Nebraskans earn hospice care honors

The state's hospice association, the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership, honored four Central Nebraska end-of-life professionals at its annual banquet last week.

Carol Schroeder of Valley County Hospice was awarded the 2008 Shining Star Award for contributions made to increase awareness of end-of-life issues.

Recognized as Outstanding Nebraska Hospice Volunteers were Vicki Keck of the Hospice of Tabitha, Center Region; Rolen Sell of Valley County Hospital Hospice in Ord; and Sharlene Williams of Custer County Hospice in Broken Bow.

The Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership is a collaborative effort of more than 50 organizations with an interest in good care for terminally and chronically ill Nebraskans. Established as a 501(c)3 community betterment nonprofit in 1983, the partnership includes Nebraska hospices, community end-of-life coalitions and other health and elder-care organizations.

Shullaw offers financial planning, investment products

Ron Shullaw, a Grand Island financial adviser with Mutual of Omaha, now offers comprehensive financial planning and other investment advisory products and services.

Shullaw has worked for Mutual of Omaha for 36 years and is a 15-time Chairman's Council qualifier, the highest honor a Mutual of Omaha representative can receive.

He can be reached at 384-5090.

Proffitt attends ophthalmology symposium

Grand Island ophthalmologist Dr. Robert Proffitt attended the annual American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons symposium in Chicago.

The meeting was dedicated to raising the standards and skills of cataract surgeons to help ensure the delivery of quality eye care.

Among other areas of expertise, Proffitt received training and continuing medical education on new premium intraocular lenses available for cataract patients with presbyopia, age-related nearsightedness, or astigmatism, a visual defect in which the unequal curvature of one or more refractive surfaces of the eye results in blurred vision.

In addition, Melanie O'Boyle, Proffitt's surgical nurse and a registered nurse, and, Ellen Merrill, office manager and a certified opthalmic executive, participated in the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators continuing education courses held in conjunction with the symposium.