Business briefs: April 13

New executive director

Ecumen Scenic Shores Care Center and Assisted Living Community in Two Harbors introduces new Executive Director, Blaine Gamst. Gamst most recently served as executive director of Sunnyside Care Center in Lake Park, an Ecumen managed community.

“We’re fortunate to have Blaine join Ecumen Scenic Shores as executive director,” John Korzendorfer, Ecumen’s vice president of campus operations, said. “We’ve experienced his leadership over the past two years at Sunnyside in Lake Park and feel it’s a great move for all of us.” Gamst is originally from the North Shore area.

Prior to joining Ecumen at Sunnyside, Gamst completed an internship with Grand Village in Grand Rapids (also an Ecumen managed care center), and an internship with Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake. He holds a bachelor’s degree in health care administration from Concordia College and experience in both the hospital and long term care environments.

Blaine began his role at Ecumen Scenic Shores April 2.

Ecumen operates senior housing and services across Minnesota (including Ecumen Lakeshore in Duluth), and in North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Idaho, and provides senior housing development services nationally.

Gens to work with Just Kids Dental

Just Kids Dental has hired Missy Gens of Two Harbors as Program Assistant, a newly created position at JKD.

Her responsibilities include coordinating oral health outreach, dental clinics, billing, and acting as community liaison on behalf of JKD. Gens is a 2002 graduate of Lake Superior College.

Just Kids Dental is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides dental cleanings, fluoride varnish applications, sealants, oral and nutritional education, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss to underserved children across the region. It eliminates access barriers to care by delivering these services directly to 25 schools in Lake, St. Louis and Carlton counties in Minnesota and Douglas County in Wisconsin. For more information about Just Kids Dental, visit www.justkidsdentalinc.org.

Chrysler

honor roll

Lee Heinecke has been recognized as a Certified Specialist by the Chrysler Academy for 2011 Honor Roll, according to Sonju President Keith McKinzie.

A Duluth resident, Heinecke, joined Sonju Chrysler in 2011 and brought 13 years of experience in the automotive service area. The Chrysler program rewards and recognizes Chrysler Dealer Technicians who have challenged themselves to attain higher levels of training and performance in 2011. They need to be knowledgeable, informed and highly trained employees who drive productivity, customer satisfaction, service excellence and enhanced customer retention.