BUSINESS NOTES

By Staff Reports

Posted: July 29, 2009 at 5:10 a.m.

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ROGERS — Benchmark Group Building Awarded LEED Silver

The Benchmark Group Building in Rogers has been added to the short list of facilities certified as LEED Silver.

The 118,000-square-foot, four story building is the first structure in the city to receive any form of LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and only the second LEED Silver building in northwest Arkansas.

USGBC is recognized as the foremost authority on sustainability in building design and has established guidelines for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. LEED is the USGBC's leading rating system for designing and constructing the world's greenest, most energy efficient and high performing buildings.

"With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC's vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, The Benchmark Group Building is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement."

LEED Silver certification of The Benchmark Group Building was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community

The Benchmark Group Building is located at 1805 North Second Street in Rogers and is the office facility of Benchmark Group, an Arkansas-based Architectural/Engineering firm.

"We are proud of our team.

Many of our staff have extensive training and project experience in LEED design, so it was only natural to utilize their expertise to pursue LEED certification in our own design," said Jim Parks, director of marketing and human resources.

While the building more than doubled the company's previous office space in several buildings, energy usage has been reduced by approximately one third. "The use of low VOC (volatile organic compounds) glues and sealants and a 'flush' of the inside air using LEED criteria give us superior indoor air quality for our staff, adds Parks.

Construction began in January 2007 and was completed in late June 2008. Arvest Bank financed the construction of the new building. Nabholz Construction served as the contractor.

Benchmark Group began in Rogers in 1978 and today the firm has more than 300 people on staff with in-house design capabilities in Architecture, Interior Design, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering.

New local management for Rogers Nursing Home

David Merrell, president of SLC Professionals of Arkansas, LLC announced the change of management and operations of the former Golden Living nursing facility in Rogers to New Hope Health and Rehabilitation, LLC as of July 1.

"New Hope Health and Rehabilitation will focus on meeting the needs of its residents andwork to increase local community interaction." said Merrell.

Merrell announced the addition of Kitty Meisner-Gantner as the new CEO and licensed nursing home administrator for New Hope. Meisner-Gantner, a Rogers resident since 1997, has been in long term care on both the regulatory and provider areas for 20 plus years. She is committed to providing residents and families in Rogers and the surrounding communities with solutions to their short term rehabilitation and long term care needs. She is in her 10th year of facilitating an Alzheimer's support group held monthly at the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce for care givers of those suffering from Alzheimer's. Along with New Hope's facility based quality programs, Meisner-Gantner indicated that they will be a part of the national quality program, Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes Campaign, sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the American Health Care Association, focusing on both clinical and resident center care areas.

Community, Pages 9 on 07/29/2009

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