New hires and promotions

Scott Riner has been hired as site director for The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Bedford.

Riner is a 2023 graduate of Saint Francis University, where he majored in English with minors in communications and theatre.

Prior to assuming the position, he worked as a butcher at Smithmyer’s Superette in Loretto where he created a variety of new products, such as cinnamon roll bacon, walking taco bratwurst and beer jerky.

In 2023, he was commissioned by the Saint Francis University Center for Fine Arts to write the fall theatre production, a one-act play inspired by Cara Livorio’s Return to Eden collection, which was staged in the Sullivan Gallery at SAMA Loretto.

Retirements

Kimberly Brown of Orbisonia retired from her position as Operation Service Coordinator with Mutual Benefit Group on Aug. 1 after 39 years of service.

Brown joined the company in 1985 as a Personal Lines File Clerk. She was promoted through the years to positions of increasing responsibility and ultimately to the position of Operation Service Coordinator in April of 2020.

She is a graduate of Mount Union Area High School. During her career at Mutual Benefit, she earned three insurance industry designations, the Certificate in General Insurance in 2008, the Associate in Insurance Services in 2008 and the Associate in General Insurance in 2010.

Miscellaneous

Dr. Alan Kivitz, founder of the Altoona Center for Clinical Research and the Altoona Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center recently presented at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology in Vienna, Austria.

Kivitz presented data from two clinical research trials. The first study presented on was for an investigational oral medication versus placebo in evaluating the safety and efficacy in patients who have active psoriatic arthritis.

The second study that Kivitz presented on was regarding the study of an investigational medication versus a placebo in treating the signs and symptoms of gout as well as the uric acid levels in these patients.

Submissions for Workplace can be sent to Walt Frank at wfrank@altoonamirror.com. Please include the name of the individual, his/her present address, original hometown and high school and college from where he/she graduated, and information about the person’s accomplishment.