By Unsie Zuege

It was going to be a burger like any other burger Chanhassen resident Russ Kamerud ever made.

Or so he thought. When it was time to add the Gedney pickle spears, the sharp-eyed burger maker looked at the pickle jar and did a double take.

The SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce and Mediacom have expanded the seventh annual SouthWest Metro Expo.

Free to the public, the Expo’s featured guests will be television’s Hometime Crew – Miriam Johnson, Dan Laabs and Tom Weckworth. Hometime, hosted by Dean Johnson, is a national home improvement and remodeling television series. The show is based in the Chaska area, and most episodes are filmed in that vicinity.

By Forrest Adams

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is now under new ownership, though some of the owners have familiar faces.

Long-time Resident Artistic Director Michael Brindisi and Choreographer Tamara Kangas Erickson are among a large cast now charting a path forward for the 41-year-old theater. They pledge to do so in the sprawling, rustic Chanhassen building that is owned by Bloomberg Companies and has housed the theater complex since 1968.

For Sophie White, Saturdays are truly something to look forward to.

The pint-sized pixie wakes up early to pull together her ensemble for the day – a black leotard, pink skirt, leggings and a pair of black ballet shoes.

Cory Ploen has been promoted to Quali Tech Incorporated CEO/president, according to an announcement from Leland Dake, Quali Tech chairman of the board.

Ploen has been with the Chaska company for 22 years and has served in a number of roles, most recently as president for the past five years. Quali Tech blends f vitamins, minerals and drug components for the animal feed industry.

By Mollee Francisco

The first piece of the city’s long-anticipated Biotech Center could be en route to Chaska at last.

According to a Friday story in the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal, UnitedHealth Group Inc is moving in.

Jeff Burzinski, chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Community Bank Chaska and Chanhassen, will retire May 15, according to a news release.

During his tenure as CEO, Community Bank grew from a small lender to one approaching $200 million in assets. Burzinski oversaw the sale of Community Bank to Charter Bankshares, Inc. in 2008 and navigated the company through the worst banking crisis since the Great Depression. “I feel the time is now right for me and the organization to make this transition,” stated Burzinski, in the release.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently announced the appointment five individuals to four-year terms on the Board of Medical Practice, including Chaska resident Debbie Boe.

Boe, of Chaska, is a paralegal with the Gislason and Hunter law firm in Minneapolis, a position she has held since 2001.

She also owns and operates Debbie’s Legal and Genealogical Services. She has additional experience as an indexer, contract administrator, and a data management paralegal.

When it comes to getting their Chaska home sold, the Teskey family is pulling out all the stops.

They’ve interviewed numerous realtors to find the one best suited to sell their Schoolmaster Drive home. They’ve brought in a stager to make sure the house looks top notch. They’re working on a video montage to give buyers scouring the Internet a good reason to schedule a viewing. And they’re even planning to employ a new kind of “For Sale” sign that includes photos of the interior of their home.

Auburn Manor became the focus of an investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) after a patient suffered facial burns while smoking last fall. The care facility in downtown Chaska was ultimately cited for neglect.

Wayne Ward, administrator at Auburn Manor, said that they had been working to implement changes following the incident. “It was really unfortunate,” he said. “We felt really bad.”