Good luck and best wishes to partner Chuck Braden on his retirement at the end of 2011.Chuck started his career with MSKTD in 1995, after heading up facilities departments at St. Joe and Lutheran hospitals.  He is responsible for establishing and growing MSKTD’s in-house Healthcare Group into a successful provider-focused service-oriented planning and design team.  When MSKTD decided to open and staff an Indianapolis office in 2001, Chuck made the move south and headed up that office.Not one to be the center of attention, Chuck’s retirement celebrations were pretty low key and quiet.  The best gifts he received were a great photo book from Nick and Bob of all the projects he’s worked on and a popcorn machine in the office for the week (yes, totally violating Al’s office popcorn-making rule).  More important to him were the people who wrote a note or stopped by to wish him well.Can’t believe in his 16 years I can’t come up with an embarrassing photo of him to post.  I feel I’ve failed somehow.  Since that wasn’t possible, the Indy boys photo-shopped some – stop by our Fort Wayne office and see the front desk slideshow that will run til the end of the year.Lucky for us, Chuck won’t be totally retired – he will still work with MSKTD on an as-needed basis – so you can still email or leave a voice mail message for him.  Now he might answer while sitting pool-side somewhere…We’ll miss you Chuck!!!!

The Lutheran 5th Floor Team gears up (or would that be “shears” up?) for the November 22nd ribbon cutting for the Lutheran Hospital 5^th Floor expansion project.  Another successful Lutheran Hospital project for this team – Lutheran Health Network, Weigand Construction and MSKTD – finished ahead of schedule!Read more about the event and project at Inside Indiana Business.

Thanks to all of our friends who “liked” MSKTD’s entry for One Eleven Design’s 2011 Furniture 4 Kids table auction benefiting the FourEver Friends Scholarship fund.  MSKTD’s “Jungle Fever” table and chairs were live auctioned that evening and the winning bid of $700 went to our own Jim Kratzat, who donated the table/chairs to our friends at Erin’s House for Grieving Children.Special thanks to our design team of Amber Kolkman, Joleen Burns, Heather Krebs, Christine Spatt and your carpenter helpers for all of your hard work!Congratulations One Eleven Design on your tenth anniversary and thank you for bringing together the talents of our local design community to support this foundation so close to your hearts.

Those visiting the MSKTD Fort Wayne office this Veteran’s Day will notice the red, white, and blue balloons floating around the office.  The balloons recognize those MSKTD staff members who have served in our armed forces.Thanks to Amy for taking the initiative, and BIG THANKS to Cris, Jeff, Kris, Brent, Mark, Pete, and all veterans for your service to our country!

OK, this is awkward.Congratulations to me – Nikki Moriarty on 25 years of service to MSKTD.I’m the longtime Marketing Coordinator here at MSKTD, and I primarily work with Jim, Mark, Brent, George, Gary and the rest of Fort Wayne and Indianapolis group.  My responsibilities include preparing marketing materials, proposal writing/prep/coordination, the world famous Open House and other general party organizing, website help, Blue Jean Friday charities with Barbie, blogging obviously,  etc., etc. – lots of et ceteras in my job description.Some might remember that my dad, Lindy Moriarty, was a mechanical designer at MSKTD for many years.  An office legend for the old-timers here – many stories still told about him – none of which can be shared with the general public.So, for my contributions to the success of MSKTD over 25 years, the Board of Directors proclaimed the week of November 7-11^th “Nikki Moriarty Week,” and presented me with a “mandated” day of vacation and a very special vacation gift, both to be used at my discretion.Just like Barbie and Jackie, I also started very young.  As you can see from my starting date pic… no digital cameras in 1986 that’s why it’s so grainy.  No one who knows me could possibly expect me to be serious about this….Stay tuned for one more 25 year anniversary this year!

MSKTD Fort Wayne staff are in the Halloween spirit today.“Jim” led a short staff meeting this morning (eerie how he can be in 2 places at one time); the Travelocity Gnome has been carried all over the office; Father Gary’s ears are burning from hearing confessions; our Pirate Wench has inspired lots of “Aarrrghs!”; the Unknown Colts Fan is hiding out in Structural; our Hippie must have raided some of our closets; the Mummy has left a paper trail thru the mechanical department; Farmer Cris came in from rural Ohio; marketing has gone Rasta; Dorothy is leaving Oz; our Biker Babe has had no trouble getting the Project Managers to do billings, and the witches hats & brooms are ready for take-off in administrative quad…Thanks to Amber & Joleen for organizing a fun morning and treats for all.  Prize winning contestants are: 2nd runner up – Wench Amy; 1st runner up – Gnome Mandy and our grand prize winner – Biker Babe Jan!  Not sure if it’s the tatoos or the piercings that led her to victory…

MSKTD architect Adam Weesner participated in Fort Wayne Community Schools “Principal for a Day” program on Wednesday, October 19th.  Adam was assigned to Northwood Middle School and reports that it was a fun and enlightening day.  He would like to thank Principal Swinford, Assistant Principal Froning, students and staff for their hospitality.Must say, something rubbed off on him.  Adam took attendance at the office on Thursday morning and cited Kratzat for a dress code violation….. 

Jerry Noble, Mark Joseph & Mandy Bordeaux traveled to Warsaw Thursday, October 6^th for the dedication of the beautiful new Ivy Tech Warsaw Campus.  Honored guest at the occasion was former First Lady Laura Bush.The new campus near US 30 on the city’s northwest side is designed for future expansion.  The 43,000 sf environmentally friendly building features classrooms, computer labs, distance learning rooms, student commons, bookstore and virtual library.  LEED Silver certification is being pursued.Team members include L’Acquis Consulting Engineers and The Hagerman Group.

MSKTD staff never cease to surprise.  I mean, I’m used to architect/principal Nick Slater being mentioned in news articles for one of his projects like Lutheran Hospital’s 5^th Floor vertical expansion or Jay County Hospital’s addition… but the Living section?  Amazing how 3 kids change your life!Scroll down the article and check out Nick’s crockpot dinner recipes in the October 6^th edition of the Indianapolis Star’s Living section.Personal note: Nick, where were these cooking talents when I needed them for Open House?!!!

MSKTD’s Nick Slater, Mark Joseph, and Jim Kratzat were on hand for the grand opening of the new private patient rooms and MRI at Kosciusko Community Hospital in Warsaw, Indiana on Thursday, September 29th.For almost 20 years, MSKTD’s Healthcare Group has worked on renovation and expansion projects large and small at the hospital campus.Congratulations to the staff and administration of KCH, Lutheran Health Network and CHS for their continuing commitment to quality patient care.