American Family Insurance; FEI; Maharishi School; Hy-Vee

Krause recognized for providing outstanding customer service

Scott Krause, an American Family Insurance agent in Fairfield, has been recognized for providing outstanding customer experience under the American Star Excellence in Customer Experience Certification.

Krause joins other American Family agents who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to outstanding customer service.

Krause has been an agent for American Family since October 2006.

The service excellence distinction was determined through an evaluation process conducted under guidelines established through the American Star Excellence in Customer Experience certification. The process consists of a customer satisfaction survey which measures customers? overall experience with their current American Family agent. Only agencies that perform in the top 20 percent of all insurance agencies nationwide, based on customer satisfaction surveys, are eligible to become American Star Excellence in Customer Experience certified.

Brokken receives Iowa FEI Chapter?s academic recognition award

University of Northern Iowa student Kathryn Brokken received the academic recognition award from the Iowa FEI Chapter during the chapter?s academic awards dinner April 18 in Des Moines.

The Iowa chapter of Financial Executives International recognizes and honors two students from each of the Iowa FEI Chapter member colleges and universities who are majoring in finance or accounting, chosen by their faculty. The schools historically represented, and represented in 2012 include: Drake University, Grand View University, Iowa State University, Simpson College, and the University of Northern Iowa.

Financial Executives International has been the voice of corporate finance for 78 years and has 15,000 members.

The local chapter has a distinguished membership of nearly 90 professional financial executives and has been providing quality programming and colleague fellowship to its members for 68 years, as it was founded in 1944.

Bellonci new MSAE preschool director, prekindergarten teacher

Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment has announced Rebecca Bellonci as the new preschool director and prekindergarten teacher beginning this fall.

Bellonci is a certified Montessori teacher, has served as education director and lead teacher at a Montessori school in North Carolina and has conducted several parent education programs. A long-time meditator, she also is a practitioner of the TM-Sidhi program. She will be available to meet with parents and children from 9 a.m. to noon June 19-20. For information or to register for the event, contact Laura Bordow at 472-9400 ext. 5070 or lbordow@msae.edu.

Bellonci, her husband Peter, and third-grade daughter Victoria will be moving from Boone, N.C. to Fairfield this summer.

?I would like everyone who enters the preschool to feel the beauty of the space,? said Bellonci. ?Happy, busy, purposeful children create a hum in the environment. This is a lively, tangible quality of creativity in action. When children experience an environment that meets their needs, with the freedom and support to explore and experience what interests them, the sense of enjoyment is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen. This is my goal for Maharishi Preschool.?

Fairfield Hy-Vee has two new chefs

Fairfield Hy-Vee Food and Drug Store has two new chefs: Chef Noah Lobdell and Chef Curtis Goudy.

Lobdell works in the food service areas creating new recipes and planning menus with catering customers, and Goudy works in the meat department making easy-to-cook meals.

Lobdell?s ambition for the culinary arts began at age 11 when he researched and gave a presentation on the profession for a sixth-grade assignment. He attended the culinary arts program at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa and interned at Regina?s in Fairfield then worked as its sous chef for 3.5 years. When Regina?s closed in 2006, Lobdell spent 2.5 months at Café Dodici in Washington, Iowa. When Regina re-opened as Vivo Restaurant and Bar, he became its executive chef. In his time there, Vivo gained many awards for its cuisine and a feature headline in Midwest Today magazine receiving rave reviews in 2011. When Vivo closed in April, Lobdell was welcomed into the Hy-Vee family.

Goudy served nine years in the 224th Engineer Battalion, including a tour of duty in Iraq, after graduating from Ottumwa High School. He worked at Cargill for five years before beginning his career with Hy-Vee in Ottumwa. He held various positions including assistant manager and certified wine specialist. Simultaneously, he was involved with the concept and design of the Appanoose Rapids Brewing Company in Ottumwa. He was instrumental in the execution of the in-house brewery, and also served as a line cook in the restaurant. Goudy?s time with Hy-Vee motivated him to pursue an advanced degree in culinary arts. Graduating from Indian Hills Community College in 2013, he has become a certified culinarian, which includes all aspects of baking, cooking and hospitality management. His goal is to become known for innovative meat products and to educate the customer on the joys of cooking at home.