Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce

Barnes _ Thornburg LLP’s Fort Wayne Office Recognized in U.S. News and Best Lawyers’ 2014 “Best Law Firms” Survey 

 Barnes _ Thornburg’s Fort Wayne office received six first-tier rankings in the 2014 U.S. News Media Group (U.S. News) and Best Lawyers annual “Best Law Firm” rankings, which were announced today. The Fort Wayne office was recognized in the following areas:

METROPOLITAN TIER 1

• Commercial Real Estate Litigation
• Employment Law - Management
• Labor Law - Management
• Litigation - Labor _ Employment
• Litigation - Patent
• Property Tax Law

METROPOLITAN TIER 2

• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Litigation - Intellectual Property

Barnes _ Thornburg received 87 first-tier rankings in the “Best Law Firm” rankings. Barnes _ Thornburg ranks as a national “Tier 1 Best Law Firm” in five practice areas nationally – employment law-management, labor law-management, environmental litigation, patent law and trademark law – and as first-tier in 82 practice areas in several of its local markets.

The U.S. News/Best Lawyers Best Law Firm rankings provide a comprehensive view of the U.S. legal industry that is unparalleled in the range of firms represented and in the qualitative and quantitative data used to develop the rankings. The Law Firm of the Year distinction is based on a combination of high performance client surveys and responses to national surveys by attorneys in the same practice areas in other firms.                                                                         

 

LINCOLN FINANCIAL GROUP EARNS PRESTIGIOUS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

RECOGNITION FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

RADNOR, PA, October 30, 2013 – Lincoln Financial Group (NYSE:LNC) announced today that its

– Lincoln Financial Group (NYSE:LNC) announced today that its

Individual Annuity Customer Contact Center has earned the

designation of “Certified Center of Excellence” from

BenchmarkPortal, a national benchmarking firm. The Center of

Excellence recognition is one of the most prestigious awards in the

customer service and support industry. Only the top 10 percent of

contact centers that apply for certification earn the designation.

The certification program uses the largest call center benchmarking database program in the world,

where experts scientifically measure operational metrics, and customer and agent satisfaction.

“Lincoln’s Individual Annuity Customer Contact Center team earned the designation upon the

conclusion of their initial assessment,” said Bruce Belfiore, CEO, BenchmarkPortal. “It’s a rare and

tremendous achievement for a center to be assessed as more efficient and more effective compared with

its industry from the onset.”

“Our knowledgeable and experienced Customer Contact team is thrilled to be recognized with such an

esteemed award,” said Nancy Jordan, Senior Vice President, Head of Individual Annuity Operations,

Lincoln Financial Group. “We are looking forward to our continued work with BenchmarkPortal to

ensure we continue to deliver best in class customer service.”

Lincoln’s Individual Annuity Customer Contact team joins their colleagues on the Life Customer

Contact team who achieved the Center of Excellence designation earlier this year. “We are thrilled to be

exceeding industry benchmark results and to be providing a competitive advantage for both our

Individual Annuity and Life insurance business partners and customers,” said Ken Solon, Senior Vice

President, Head of Shared Services and Information Technology, Lincoln Financial Group. “This

achievement affirms Lincoln’s dedication to deliver a superior customer experience.”

About Lincoln Financial Group

Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC) and its

affiliates. With headquarters in the Philadelphia region, the companies of Lincoln Financial Group had

assets under management of $189 billion as of June 30, 2013. Through its affiliated companies, Lincoln

Financial Group offers: annuities; life, group life, disability and dental insurance; employer-sponsored

retirement plans; savings plans; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services.

About BenchmarkPortal

Founded in 1995, BenchmarkPortal is a global leader in the contact center industry providing

benchmarking, certification, training, consulting and industry reports. The BenchmarkPortal team of

professionals has gained international recognition for its expertise and an innovative approach to best

practices for the contact center industry and hosts the world’s largest database of contact center metrics.

BenchmarkPortal’s mission is to help contact centers reach peak performance in operational

effectiveness and efficiency so that the centers will realize increased levels of agent and customer

loyalty while containing costs and building enterprise value. For more information on BenchmarkPortal

please call 1-800-214-8929 or visit www.BenchmarkPortal.com.

Contact: Annette Moser

Annette Moser

Lincoln Financial Group

260-455-5118

annette.moser@lfg.com

###

Save the Date: Free Seminar for New and Small Business Owners

The Indiana Department of Revenue and the Indiana CPA Society Offer Free Seminar on Business Taxes in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 10, 2013) – The Indiana Department of Revenue, in cooperation with the Indiana CPA Society, will hold a free seminar for new and small business owners on Oct. 25, 2013, at the Kokomo Country Club.

Understanding taxes is one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses. The seminar will educate attendees about business taxes in Indiana, including sales tax and income tax withholding, with a focus on new business ventures and entrepreneurs.

The seminar will offer a continental breakfast and networking from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. A presentation and question-and-answer session will follow from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To register for this free seminar, contact the Indiana CPA Society at 317-726-5039 or via email at emedjeski@incpas.org and indicate the seminar date and location.

Save the Date:
What: New and Small Business Seminar
When: Oct. 25, 2013, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Where: The Kokomo Country Club
1801 Country Club Road
Kokomo, IN 46904
Registration: Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Contact the Indiana CPA Society at 317-726-5039 or via email at emedjeski@incpas.org and indicate the seminar date and location.

For more information, please contact Bob Dittmer at 317-234-3793 or via email at rdittmer@dor.in.gov.

On October 1^st, Fort Wayne CPA firm Dulin, Ward _ DeWald, Inc. acquired The Bair CPA Group, Inc.  When remodeling is completed later this month at the firm’s Dupont Road location, the combined firm’s Fort Wayne office will be home to 47 employees including the 12 previous owners and employees of The Bair CPA Group.  The combination of the two firms will result in an assemblage of experienced professionals dedicated to providing quality services in the region.  The firm will operate as one under the DWD name and continue to offer accounting, audit, tax, and technology services which the community has learned to trust over the years.

 

DWD has provided accounting, audit and tax services to individuals, business and nonprofit organizations for nearly 75 years.  The Firm serves  a variety of industries including manufacturing, medical and dental practices, professional service, construction and real estate, and it provides auditing, accounting and  technology services to more than 150 not-for-profit organizations throughout northeast Indiana. For more information about DWD’s services, please visit our website at www.dwdcpa.com.

 

 

First Federal Bank of the Midwest, an investor in Greater Fort Wayne Inc., will celebrate the construction of a new location in Fort Wayne with a groundbreaking on September 18 at 11 a.m. at 9909 Illinois Road. The location is on the south side of Illinois Road, just east of Scott Road.

The 4,000-square-foot facility will employ 10 full- and part-time staff. Company representatives planning to attend include:  Phillip Bundy, Fort Wayne Market Executive; Keith Hedrick, Commercial Lender; Bob Kuntz, Commercial Lender; Brian Eitniear, Project Manager; Jim Rohrs, CEO, First Federal Bank; and Don Hileman, CFO, First Defiance Financial Corp.

First Defiance Financial Corp., headquartered in Defiance, Ohio, is the holding company for First Federal Bank of the Midwest and First Insurance Group.  First Federal is a community bank offering traditional banking services, including residential, commercial and consumer loans, as well as a broad range of deposit account services for retail and commercial customers. First Insurance Group specializes in property, casualty, group, life and health insurance.

First Federal operates 33 full service branches and 42 ATM locations in northwest Ohio, southern Michigan, and Fort Wayne.

First Federal Bank has become the largest community bank franchise in the northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and northeast Indiana. First Federal Bank of the Midwest's mission is to assist their clients in achieving their financial goals and dreams by providing appropriate financial products and services while increasing the value of their company.

For more information about the bank, visit www.first-fedbanking.com.

First Federal Bank of the Midwest, an investor in Greater Fort Wayne Inc., will celebrate the construction of a new location in Fort Wayne with a groundbreaking on September 18 at 11 a.m. at 9909 Illinois Road. The location is on the south side of Illinois Road, just east of Scott Road.

The 4,000-square-foot facility will employ 10 full- and part-time staff. Company representatives planning to attend include Kimberly Carpenter, Community Banking Center Manager; Phillip Bundy, Fort Wayne Market Executive; Keith Hedrick, Commercial Lender; Bob Kuntz, Commercial Lender; Brian Eitniear, Project Manager; Jim Rohrs, CEO, First Federal Bank; and Don Hileman, CFO, First Defiance Financial Corp.

First Defiance Financial Corp., headquartered in Defiance, Ohio, is the holding company for First Federal Bank of the Midwest and First Insurance Group.  First Federal is a community bank offering traditional banking services, including residential, commercial and consumer loans, as well as a broad range of deposit account services for retail and commercial customers. The bank specializes in property, casualty, group, life and health insurance.

First Federal operates 33 full service branches and 42 ATM locations in northwest Ohio, southern Michigan, and Fort Wayne.

First Federal Bank has become the largest community bank franchise in the northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and northeast Indiana. First Federal Bank of the Midwest's mission is to assist their clients in achieving their financial goals and dreams by providing appropriate financial products and services while increasing the value of their company.

For more information about the bank, visit www.first-fedbanking.com.

Pro Bowl West celebrated the grand reopening of its renovated 64,000-square-foot facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, September 6, at 1455 Goshen Road in Gateway Plaza.

Councilman Tom Didier and Economic Development Specialist Elissa McGauley spoke at the event.

The renovations and new features include all new seating, furniture, flooring, carpeting, decor, lane graphics, and scoring monitors. New flat screen televisions, new glassware, and a new gourmet menu will be introduced in the Alley Sports Bar. All restrooms have also been totally remodeled. Pro Bowl will also be the home of the full-service Savage Bowling Pro Shop.

“We have put a lot of time, energy, and investment into Pro Bowl West, making it the premier bowling center in northeast Indiana," said proprietor Dave Small.

The newly remodeled facility will host several national bowling tournaments in the coming months.

“We believe the new center will help promote community activities, as well, as bringing new revenue to the City of Fort Wayne,” Small said.

Pro Bowl West is one of the largest bowling centers in northeast Indiana with 56 lanes of bowling. It employs 31 full-time and part-time employees, including General Manager Brian Cave and Assistant Managers Deb Wilkerson and Ken Muzzillo.