May 22, 2002

Petoskey Cinema
gets a makeover

Theater moves out of downtown, where it had been more than 15 years

   The couple, who also own theaters in Bellaire, Gaylord, Cheboygan and Mackinaw City, were racing the clock to have the new, eight-screen multiplex in Petoskey ready in time for back-to-back openings of blockbuster movies.

   “We had to be open for Spider-Man and Star Wars,” said Elaine Dawson. “That was our big ambition, and we made it.”

   Not all the “oohs” and “ahhs” from movie-goers may have been for the flicks. The cinema, on Anderson Road just north of the Wal-mart and Home Depot plaza, features more and larger screens, stadium seating, digital sound, the most spacious lobby of any area theater with table seating, and much more nearby parking.

   But the story line includes a sad plot twist — the closing of the Gaslight Cinema downtown. The Dawsons purchased the theater at the corner of Lake and Petoskey streets more than 15 years ago, and the theater had operated there for decades before that.

   “It was very difficult — one of the biggest decisions we’ve ever had to make,” Dawson said. “We wanted to stay downtown.”

   The problem, she said, was no room for needed expansion. The theater had been converted to five screens, but realistically needed eight to run all the top new releases — and remain competitive.

   A lack of nearby parking was another problem, Dawson said. Patrons would often have to walk one or two blocks to reach the theater, which was not within the line of sight of most available spaces.

   “The city worked with us, tried to get us more parking, but it just wasn’t economically feasible,” she said.

   Len Cowgill, an employee at McLean & Eakin Booksellers near the old Gaslight Cinema, said the loss of the downtown theater is having ripple effects.

   “It’s like the town is deserted on Friday night,” he said. “I think it’s making a big impact.”

   Noted Mary Keedy, owner of the Roast and Toast restaurant and coffee shop near the Gaslight, “We’d always have a dinner or hot drink rush before the 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. movie. In the summer, it will be interesting to see what happens.”

   While movie-goers munch popcorn a few miles away, Keedy said the Roast & Toast will try offering additional musical entertainment, theme nights and board games.

   “The movie theater did generate a lot of activity, a lot of energy for this part of the downtown. It’s going to be missed,” she said. “I hope that we and other businesses can come up with a way to replace that energy.”

   Keith Matheny is the reporter for Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet counties. He can be reached at (231) 536-0345, or at tcre_keith@yahoo.com

   MEMORANDA


Personnel file

   • Karla A. Myers, certified public accountant, has joined the Traverse City location of Rehmann Robson, as a senior auditor in the governmental audit and assurance department. Previously she worked in the firm’s Saginaw and Traverse City offices for four years. She is a graduate of Michigan State University.

   • Carole Huebotter was appointed as the new Cherryland Humane Society director of humane education. She is a nationally recognized humane educator, who has presented programs to more than 22,0000 children and many adults. Her programs will be presented in schools, and to clubs, organizations and other groups. She also will be involved with summer camps, educational presentations and other humane activities at the new CHS Shelter and Adoption, Education and Conference Center scheduled to open later this summer. A certified teacher, Huebotter has taught in both public and private schools, and for the past 10 years, has taught humane education in Michigan and Illinois.

   • Consumers Energy recently promoted two Traverse City employees. Donovan (Don) Kiessel and Steve Benedick were promoted to electric field leader “A” and “C” positions, respectively. Kiessel, a 32-year company veteran, has extensive experience in the electric lines department, and was most recently a line worker-in-charge.

   Benedick, also a 32-year veteran, previously was an electric field leader “B,” a position he has held since 1992. Previously he was a substation operator in Traverse City and a journeyman line worker in the Flint area. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Davenport University and an associate degree from Northwestern Michigan College. .

   • Scott Tilford was selected as a new State Farm agent in Acme, and Todd Hart was selected as a new State Farm agent in Traverse City. The Scott Tilford Agency and the Todd Hart Agency provide auto, home, life and health insurance, as well as State Farm Bank products including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money markets, auto loans and mutual funds. Tilford’s agency is staffed with Becky Knight and Kelly McCann. Before becoming a State Farm agent, Tilford worked in preventative insurance loss control for Meadowbrook Insurance Group.

   Hart’s agency is staffed with Laurie Mayhew and Megan Shaw. Before becoming a State Farm agent, Hart worked in the claims side of the insurance business for State Farm for five years.

   • Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors has made two recent promotions. Fred Schmidt Jr. was promoted to director of branch services. Roger Schaub was promoted to replace Schmidt as sales manager at the Suttons Bay office. Schmidt has been with the company since 1981 and has been a full-time Realtor since 1990. He holds both the Graduate of Real Estate Institute and Certified Residential Specialist designations. His office will be located in the annex at the 402 E. Front St. office in Traverse City.

   Schaub joined as a sales associate in June 2001. He spent the previous 12 years in sales in northern Michigan, the last six as account manager at Netlink Business Solutions in Traverse City. The longtime Leelanau County resident also is boys’ varsity basketball coach at Lake Leelanau St. Mary’s.

Contract

   • Carol Schifman, principle of C.A. Schifman Consulting of Traverse City, was awarded a contract from Amersham Health to design and implement a Change Management program for Amersham’s managers worldwide. Amersham Health is a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical company with offices and research facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. C.A. Schifman, an organizational development and human resources training consultancy based in Traverse City, can be reached at www.developingpeople-business.com.

Certification

   • Harold T. Jandreski, financial consultant at A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc., in Traverse City, was authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to use the CFP certification mark and the marks CFP (TM) and CFP(R) in accordance with the CFP Board certification and renewal requirements. He has worked at A. G. Edwards since 1994.

Honors

   • Julia Egan, a local dental hygienist, was featured in the March 2002 issue of RDH magazine, a national publication for dental hygienists. Egan, who is employed at the Jessica A. Rickert DDS dental practice in Interlochen, was profiled for two reasons: Her personal caring treatment of patients, and her avocation as a hunting guide in northern Michigan. Egan has worked with Dr. Rickert for 18 years. In the past year, her interest in hunting has grown into a side business with her partner, Bob Parkhill. Together with their five trained dogs, they guide weekend hunts on game preserves in northern Michigan and on Drummond Island. The article, “A-Hunting She Will Go,” can be viewed on the RDH Web site at http:/ /rdh.pennnet.com/.

   • The world’s leading manufacturer of anti-ballistic, personal body armor, Second Chance Body Armor Inc., was presented World Trader of the Year Award by the West Michigan World Trade Association. The award, presented annually during World Trade Week, was made at a special ceremony and reception May 7 at the B.O.B. in downtown Grand Rapids. The company’s corporate headquarters are located in Central Lake. The world’s largest manufacturer of soft, concealable and wearable body armor, Second Chance is being recognized for a global expansion program which has made its popular protective gear for law enforcement and security forces available to countries virtually worldwide. Mark Pickett, vice president of sales and marketing, accepted the award.

   • Michael J. Gillman, a partner in Conklin, Benham, Ducey, Listman & Chuhran P.C. was named to the Michigan Workers’ Compensation Hall of Fame. He was one of five to be honored and inducted in ceremonies in East Lansing sponsored by the MSU School of Labor & Industrial Relations, Workers’ Compensation Center. After a long career as chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board, by appointment of former Governor William G. Milliken, Gillman opened the Traverse City branch of Conklin, Benham in 1983 and has managed that branch since that time. His practice is limited to the defense of workers’ compensation claims on behalf of the employers, self-insurance groups and insurance carriers.

   • The Michigan Historic Preservation Network selected Fort Mackinac to receive the MHPN 2002 Building Award. The award is presented once a year to an outstanding rehabilitation project that makes a significant contribution to the preservation of Michigan’s heritage. Mackinac State Historic Parks is completing a six-year, $4.1 million restoration project on the 222-year-old fort.

Groups

   • The detroit area Commercial Board of REALTORS, which sponsored the recent Synergy statewide commercial real estate conference, has gained several new members. New members include: Martin Gitre of Birchwood Realty, Harbor Springs, and William Sage of Sage Real Estate Services of Traverse City. daCBOR serves the needs of commercial practitioners throughout the state.

Sales

   • Teboe’s Florist & Greenhouses Inc. has received Teleflora’s Top 500 Award for 2001, given annually to florists who have transmitted a record number of floral wire orders throughout the year. Teboe’s has been a member of the community for 55 years, and is located at 1223 E. Eighth St., Traverse City

   Editor’s note: Those with news about their businesses and employees should send press releases to: The Traverse City Record-Eagle; attn. business editor; 120 W. Front St. P.O. Box 632; Traverse City, MI 49685-0632. Releases should be typewritten and double-spaced. Photos of individuals may be included, but will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. When indicated, photos will be held for one month for those who wish to pick them up at the Record-Eagle office.


Myers


Huebotter


Tilford


Schifman


Jandreski


Egan

   IN BRIEF

   FROM STAFF REPORTS


Seminar

   • Project Invest, a program of the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, is sponsoring a seminar for local artists from 6:30 to 9 p.m. May 28, Michigan Works! Center, 1209 S. Garfield Ave. Costs $29. Provides strategies for selling and marketing artists’ work, including art shows, co-op marketing, direct mail and selling on-line. To register, call 929-5000.

   • MSU Extension, in cooperation with local conservation districts, will sponsor a Master Woodland Manager Volunteer Training Program. Sessions will run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. June 4, 6, 11, 18, 25 and July 2, at the GT County Civic Center. Two daytime field trips are planned, July 16 and 20. Cost is $100 per person, which includes reference materials, speaker costs and refreshments. Deadline to register is May 29, and class is limited to 25. Call MSU Extension-Benzie County, (231) 882-0025 or the Benzie Conservation District, (231) 882-4391.

   • A workshop on environmental safety and health regulations will be held June 13 at the Gaylord Inn. “Regulations 101-Navigating through the Environmental, Safety and Health Regulatory Maze,” is sponsored by the Michigan departments of Environmental Quality and Consumer and Industry Services. The cost is $75, which includes a continental breakfast, lunch, workshop materials and a copy of the Michigan Manufacturers Guide to Environmental, Safety and Health Regulations-Second Edition. Register online at www.michigan.gov/deq and click on “Information and News,” then “Outreach & Training,” then “Workshops,” or call the DEQ Environmental Assistance Center at (800) 662-9278.

   • NALS of Michigan, seminar on “Land Preservation Tools,” 10 a.m.-noon June 22, North Central Michigan College, Petoskey. Presenters: attorney John Rohe, and representatives of the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. Cost is $35 for NALS members and $50 for non-members. For reservations, call Donna Theriault at (231) 347-7327. or donnatF@freeway.net.

Closing

   • The Beulah Secretary of State branch office, 231 Michigan Ave., Beulah, will be closed for remodeling on June 11-12. Citizens who must do business with the Secretary of State during that time area urged to go to one of these branch offices: Manistee, 1638 US-31-S., Suite 400; (231) 723-6471; or Traverse City, 1759 Barlow Ave., (231) 922-5220.

Bank news

   • More than 30 of the Fifth Third Bank banking center managers and officers throughout northern Michigan are now licensed to sell fixed rate annuities. Fifth Third is in the process of licensing all of its banking center managers throughout its six-state market of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Florida to sell annuities and eventually, mutual funds. Fixed rate annuities are insurance products designed to provide customers with a guaranteed return of principal and a minimum competitive rate of return regardless of how market rates fluctuate. Customers receive an enhanced interest rate on their initial premium payment and have access to their funds as well as extended care and terminal illness protection. A sampling of the fixed rate annuities offered at Fifth Third Bank include, American General, Western Southern and Nationwide.

   Licensed annuity sales representatives in the Grand Traverse area include: Vicky Prough, Downtown Traverse City; Joe Heitjan, U.S. 31 South; Diane Macek, Fourteenth Street; Nancy Johnson, Eastfield; Jeremy Kiessel, Eastfield; Janelle Szep, U.S. 31 South; Brian Jabour, Holiday Hills; Jan Hockin, Holiday Hills; Rod Brown, Suttons Bay; Cindy Jones, Suttons Bay; Amy West, Elk Rapids; Judy Moyle, Elk Rapids; Joanie Davenport, Downtown Traverse City.

New service

   • Charter Communications now offers Charter Pipeline to customers in Manistee County. Charter lets customers navigate Web pages in a flash, send and receive emails quickly and download files faster for about the same price as a dial-up Internet service. More information can be found at www.charter.com.

   Editor’s note: Those with news about their businesses and employees should send press releases to: The Traverse City Record-Eagle; attn. business editor; 120 W. Front St. P.O. Box 632; Traverse City, MI 49685-0632. Releases should be typewritten and double-spaced. Photos of individuals may be included, but will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. When indicated, photos will be held for one month for those who wish to pick them up at the Record-Eagle office.