Hartford Lions present 2018 community honors

By Jon Bisnett Since 1946, the Hartford Lions Club has selflessly served the community of Hartford. On Saturday, May 12 the Lions honored two along with the Top Seniors of the Class of 2018, while presenting the Lions Annual Scholarship. Class of 2018

EDUARDO JIMENEZ was selected as the 2018 recipient of the Hartford Lions Club Annual Scholarship. Recognized as an excellent soccer player, and outstanding role model for other students, “Lalo” will apply his $1,000 scholarship award at Michigan State University this fall majoring in accounting and computer engineering. (TCR photo by Jon Bisnett)

Lions Past District Governor Nancy Spoula opened the luncheon by introducing master of ceremonies Rick Ward who in turn honored and commended Hartford’s Top Ten academic graduates with gift bags and best wishes in their future endeavors. The seniors in alphabetical order, Alyssa Castillo, Abbagale Clark, Jessica Cortes, David Dimas, Esmeralda Garcia, Thayne Hanners, Elly Valdes, Adam Wheeler, Kendall Ziemer and Olivia Ziemer, represent the top academic performers of the Class of 2018. Hartford graduate Maribel Quiroz from the Class of 2010 addressed the class. Quiroz graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Linguistics and is back in the community working at the local Department of Health and Human Services. Scholarship award winner The Lions also presented their annual scholarship award to Hartford Senior Eduardo Jimenez. Jimenez will attend Michigan State University in the fall to major in accounting and computer engineering. Hitchcock Award

HARTFORD LIONS 2018 COMMUNITY HONOREES… Citizen of the Year Sarah Manning and Grant Hitchcock Lifetime Achievement Award winner Steve Shafer were recognized by a large crowd of family and well-wishers during the annual community awards luncheon hosted by the Hartford Lions Club on Saturday, May 12. (TCR photo by Jon Bisnett)

The Grant Hitchcock Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes one individual each year for a lifetime of service to the community. The award commemorates the life of Hitchcock whose legendary commitment to Lions and community service led to his selection as the 1993 Citizen of the Year when the honors first began. The 2018 honor went to lifetime resident Steve Shafer. Hartford’s resident historian Bob Latus presented the award while summarizing Shafer’s community involvement. Following graduation from Hartford some 62 years ago, Shafer continued his education at the Michigan State University College of Agriculture, graduating with high honors in 1963. For more than 40 years he and his wife Virginia operated the family fruit farm of 110 acres, while in later years Shafer served as Hartford Township Supervisor, Assessor, and long-time President/board member of the Knouse Foods Cooperative. He also served on the local school board and the board of the Hartford Public Schools Foundation for Quality Education. Shafer now joins an impressive list of service-minded local residents whose award bears the name of Grant Hitchcock, Hartford’s original Citizen of the Year. Citizen of the Year The title of Hartford’s Citizen of the Year was presented by Sarah Apreza of Chemical Bank. The Lions, acting on the nomination of bank manager Susan Layer, chose Sarah Manning to receive the prestigious award. The alumnus high school math teacher was lauded for use of technology in the classroom and her extended time supporting athletics doing everything from coaching to score keeping and even running concessions. While balancing the demands of a career with the duties of being a wife and mother of two, Manning also serves on the board of the Hartford Public Library and is a Junior Class sponsor that takes on the fundraising and production of the Senior Prom each year. In accepting the award Manning credited the example she saw first-hand from teachers when she was a student at Hartford, going the extra mile for the students. She challenged the Top 10 seniors to “find their own Hartford,” in that wherever life may take them to “be a part of the good you want to see in your own community.”

HHS TOP TEN… The community of Hartford got its first look at the Class of 2018 Top Ten during the annual community awards luncheon hosted by the Hartford Lions Club on Saturday, May 12. Hartford has traditionally opted for presentation an academic Top 10 of the graduating class rather than a salutatorian and valedictorian. Pictured (from the left) are: Back row – David Dimas (son of David Dimas), Thayne Hanners (son of James and Tiffany Hanners), Kendall Ziemer (daughter of Robert and Michelle Ziemer), Olivia Ziemer (daughter of Robert and Michelle Ziemer), Elly Valdes (daughter of Todd and Aaron Valdes); Front row – Abbagale Clark (daughter of Teri Wright and Bob Clark), Jessica Cortes (daughter of Martha Anguiano and Ernesto Cortes), Esmerelda Garcia (daughter of Adelita Trevino), Alyssa Castillo (daughter of Anna DeLaRosa), Adam Wheeler (son of Tam Wheeler). (TCR photo by Jon Bisnett)

Yesh and Wooley wed

Kristen Yesh and Kevin Wooley were united in matrimony on May 5, 2018 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bronson, Michigan. Father Mark Vyverman officiated. Parents of the bride are Jerry and Maureen Yesh of Bronson. The groom is the son of Robert and Linda Wooley of Coloma. The Maid of Honor was Kristen’s sister Brittany Smith. Jill Vinson, Tara Withington, and Amy Schultz, all friends of the bride were bridesmaids. Kevin’s brother Steve Wooley was the best man. Groomsmen were Jared Wooley and Caleb Wooley, both sons of the groom, and Anthony Smith, brother-in-law of the bride. Serving as flower girls were Payton and Ava Smith, nieces of the bride, and Tessa Wooley, niece of the groom. Also in attendance were the groom’s grandmothers, Frances Wooley and Phyllis Green. After returning from a wedding trip, the couple will reside in Fort Wayne, Indiana where the groom works in IT for Precision Bakeries and the bride works for Vera Bradley.

Neil Brinker to join Advanced Energy Industries as CEO

Advanced Energy Ind., with headquarters in Denver, Colorado and a global leader in innovative power and control technologies, has announced that Neil Brinker will join the company as its executive vice president and CEO on June 18, 2018. Neil is a 1993 graduate of Watervliet High School. He holds a B.S.M.E from Michigan State University, a Master of Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Eastern Michigan University. Neil and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children, Taylor, Logan and Luke. His parents are Dave and Vicki Brinker of Watervliet. Neil is an experienced global leader with a broad knowledge of industrial markets and a proven track record managing operations and delivering improved operating and financial results. Neil was the group president of IDEX Corp., responsible for a broad array of products and solutions for numerous industrial applications including measurement, control systems and software monitoring. Prior to IDEX, Neil was director of global operations at Gilbarco Veeder-Root, a Danaher company, responsible for manufacturing operations, strategic planning and M&A for several global