Comings & Goings: Chatty Chameleon grows to include 'The Studio'
Greencastle language school adds The Studio @ Chatty Chameleon
There’s something new to talk about at the Chatty Chameleon in downtown Greencastle.
Nicole Paci-Funk, a Spanish teacher at Greencastle-Antrim High School who started the language school in 2016, has added The Studio @ Chatty Chameleon. The soft opening for the creative space was in early July and the grand opening will be held Sept. 9.
Even if she wasn’t the owner, Paci-Funk said, “This would be a place my daughter (Adella) and I would go. I started this in 2016 when I wanted my daughter to learn Spanish. It just keeps growing … I want to have a fun place.”
Fun for all ages is at the heart of The Studio @ Chatty Chameleon. People can paint their own pottery; create picture frames, earrings and other pieces with glass fusion; learn pysanky, the Ukrainian art of decorating eggs; hand-build a piece of pottery; or paint a picture to hang on their wall.
“It’s Party Time” birthday packages for kids come complete with a dedicated party attendant to help them paint a custom plate for the guest of honor and a creative party favor to take home.
Customizable parties, featuring pottery painting or glass fusion, are an option for everything from bridal and baby showers to business, church and club events.
The Studio @ Chatty Chameleon also is available for community fundraisers, including not just the event, but marketing as well.
Chatty Chameleon, located on Center Square, is now gearing up for fall classes. In addition to the art component, Chinese is being added to the lineup that includes not only Spanish, but coding, taught by Paci-Funk’s husband, Tom, a computer science teacher at North Hagerstown High School, and American sign language. Specialized classes and private instruction also are available.
— Shawn Hardy
Brook Lane fills leadership positions
M. Yuki Uchino assumed the role of interim chief information officer on July 7, after the retirement of former Brook Lane CIO Robert Fritz. Yuki is a seasoned healthcare IT professional with proven experience as a leader and innovator working in various healthcare environments.
Uchino graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. He most recently was the director of analytics and software engineering at Meritus Health where he led a team of software developers, business intelligence analysts, and data scientists. Yuki will be overseeing Brook Lane’s transition to a new electronic health records system — a major initiative that will take several months to complete.
Brian O’Keefe joined the Brook Lane team as the director of physician practice in June. An experienced health care executive and retired U.S. Navy veteran, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health care management from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Alabama. He previously was the chief operations officer at Metropolitan Nephrology Associates PC, where he was responsible for all operational and financial functions relative to the successful operation of a multi-site specialty outpatient clinic.
Jeremie Robinson was named director of facilities management on July 10. He has diverse facilities operations experience in both the public and private sector, including corrections, justice, critical environment and site management. Early in his career, Robinson worked as an HVAC technician and an electrician apprentice. For the past 17 years, he was the facility manager at CGL Facility Management LLC, where he managed all maintenance activities, implemented capital improvement plans, oversaw facilities and construction projects and ensured adherence of OSHA standards and compliance with state and local codes.
Two additional U.S. patents awarded to SGI
SGI was awarded two new U.S. patents in June that further evolve and protect its intellectual property in the agricultural and roofing markets, according to a news release from the company.
U.S. patent 11,680,016, “Building Materials Comprising Agglomerated Particles,” was issued June 20 with SGI President Justin P. Dunlap and Senior Director, Research and Development Daniel Rardon named co-inventors. It is the third patent in its patent family focused on agglomerated granules for roofing.
U.S. patent 11,680,023, “Pelletized Basalt for Use as a Soil Amendment,” was issued June 20 with Dunlap named co-inventor. It is the third in SGI’s agricultural soil amendment family of patents.
Two other U.S. patents that support the intellectual property of agglomerated granules in roofing and agricultural soil amendments were awarded to Dunlap and Rardon in April. The patents issued in June bring SGI’s total active U.S. patents to 14.
Dunlap has been with SGI for 24 years and is the co-inventor of multiple U.S. Patents. As president, he has transformed SGI’s business model from focusing solely on the development of roofing products to a multifaceted company with innovations in the roofing, building materials, and agricultural industries.
Rardon has led SGI’s research and development efforts for almost a decade and has 30 years of industrial experience in materials and coatings development. He holds more than 40 U.S. patents and is credited with numerous publications.
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If you have details on a business coming or going in Washington County, Md., or Franklin County, Pa., email us at news@herald-mail.com.
This article originally appeared on Waynesboro Record Herald: Greencastle PA language school expands to include creative space
