News about businesses and businesspeople.

Outstanding City of BG employees honored

The City of Bowling Green recently recognized outstanding employees for the third year in a row with the Employee Excellence Awards Program, which recognizes its employees for excellence in service to the citizens of Bowling Green.

Through this program, city employees can nominate workers to receive one of 10 awards worth $1,000 each.

This year, 26 employees were nominated, and the following were chosen to be honored: Don Brod of the Bowling Green Fire Department; Gary Preston of the Bowling Green Fire Department; John Snyder of Public Works; Mike Pillow of Public Works; Steve Milam of Information Technology; Michael Carter of Parks and Recreation; and Barry Raley of the Bowling Green Police Department.

Nominations were reviewed by a selection committee that was appointed and consisted of one representative from each department.

Three area businesses win Pacesetter Awards

Taylor’s Concrete Cutting Services of Franklin, Chaney’s Dairy Barn of Bowling Green and Digitech Services Inc. of Glasgow were three of 10 Kentucky businesses recently honored with a 2009 Pacesetter Award.

The Pacesetter Business Recognition Program is an initiative that acknowledges high performing small businesses that are changing the economic landscape of Kentucky by introducing innovative products, increasing sales and production, boosting employment and serving the communities of the Commonwealth.

Each of the 10 businesses distinguished with a 2009 Pacesetter Award demonstrates the capacity and intent to grow.

The award is given by the Kentucky Small Business Development Center, a network of 17 service centers throughout the commonwealth that help start-up and existing businesses succeed by offering high-quality, in-depth and hands-on services.

BGTC adds Jim Lewis to development team

Jim Lewis, an authority in lean manufacturing – a production practice that targets wasteful production – has joined the Workforce and Economic Development team of Bowling Green Technical College to work with area business and industry to develop a strategy for improved productivity and cost containment.

Lewis has been championing the lean business philosophy as an industry consultant since 1992. He has 35 years experience in operations management, engineering and the lean business philosophy in a variety of industry environments including printed circuit boards, plastics, automotive, foundry, metal fabrication, furniture manufacturing, packaging and visual merchandising.

Citizens First Bank opens Glasgow location

Citizens First Bank recently announced the opening of its newest branch banking location at 760 W. Cherry St. in Glasgow. A grand opening celebration will be 10 a.m. Thursday at the West Cherry Street location.

As part of its grand opening festivities, Citizens First will introduce representatives from Community Medical Care Inc. based in Glasgow. The organization assists Barren County’s low-income seniors with prescription medication, prescription glasses and hearing aids. The bank will present a $2,500 donation to Community Medical at the grand opening event. A fundraising reception in honor of Community Medical will be that evening at Citizens First’s West Cherry Street location.

Throughout this week, West Cherry Street customers visiting the branch will have an opportunity to win a $500 certificate of deposit. Citizens First will announce a winning entry Friday.

BG Dairy Queen Grill and Chill earns crown

Dairy Queen Grill and Chill restaurant in Bowling Green recently won a company Gold Crown award during a corporate banquet in Louisville.

The awards recognize outstanding achievement and were distributed based on a restaurant’s performance in 2008.

Drobocky office to treat patients to movies

Drobocky Orthodontics in Bowling Green will hold Patient Appreciation Day on Saturday at Great Escape 12 theaters in Bowling Green. All Drobocky patients will be able to view the movies “Transformers 2” and “Up” free of charge and can bring their immediate family and one friend to the event.

Drobocky expects more than 1,400 people to attend the movies, which begin at 7:30 a.m. and last throughout the morning until 12:30 p.m.

HCA dubbed a top workplace for IT pros

Hospital Corporation of America, the parent company of Greenview Regional Hospital in Bowling Green, recently announced that it has been selected as among Computerworld’s top workplaces for information technology professionals.

The publication has ranked the top 100 work environments for technology professionals, based on a questionnaire that surveys more than 27,000 IT workers, since 1994.

HCA is ranked No. 56 on the publication’s top 100 list. HCA has 163 hospitals and 104 surgery centers in 20 states and England. It’s information technology and services department employs more than 3,000 workers across the United States.