Business notebook: 8/3

8/3/2014
BLADE STAFF

ACHIEVEMENTS

■ David Baker, managing Partner of the LongHorn Steakhouse on Dussel Drive in Maumee, has attained Darden Restaurants’ Diamond Club status. The company chose 20 managing partners from among the more than 460 LongHorn restaurants for the honor. The recipients must demonstrate outstanding results by showing strong and inspiring leadership while achieving top financial performance in the company’s previous fiscal year.

Business Achievements, with news of management promotions, corporate board appointments, and awards, runs each week. Send announcements by email to business@theblade.com or by fax to 419-724-6147. Write “Business Achievements” in the message field.

CALENDAR

■ The Toledo Club Toastmasters will meet Friday at 7 a.m. on the second floor of the Madison Avenue Collective, 1600 Madison Ave. Guests are welcome to attend free of charge. Questions: Germano Bressan, 419-249-6309.

■ Ohio Soybean Council board member John Motter will speak about the $5 billion Ohio soybean industry at the Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Forum at 8 a.m. Aug. 21. Site: Agricultural Incubator Foundation, 13737 Middleton Pike, Bowling Green. Cost: $10, includes breakfast. Walk-ins are welcome, but guests are encouraged to reserve a seat in advance by emailing rsvp@ciftinnovation.org.

Notice of business meetings must be received by The Blade 10 days before the event. Send items by email to business@theblade.com or by fax to 419-724-6147. Write “Business Calendar” in the message field.

CONVENTIONS

Listings include organizations, headquarters, and number of attendees expected as estimated by Destination Toledo:

■ Today-Monday: Toledo Area Bicyclists Mad Anthony River Rally, Comfort Suites/​Quality Inn Perrysburg, 400, regional.

■ Thursday-Saturday: USA Hockey- Toledo Cherokee Try-Out Camp, Ramada Hotel, 250, regional.

■ Friday-Sunday: Women in the Wind Summer Conference, Holiday Inn French Quarter, 225, national.

■ Saturday-Aug. 13: Polish Roman Catholic Union of America, Grand Plaza Hotel, 350, national.

TRANSITIONS

■ Toledo-based It’s Yoga has opened a studio at 4324 W. Central Ave. in Toledo. It is the company’s 14th studio worldwide, including Thailand, Bali, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Nicaragua, Panama, and Mexico, as well as the United States. The studio will host six to eight classes a day. For more information, call 419-944-7240.

Business Transitions, which include business moves and openings, should be sent by email to business@theblade.com or by fax to 419-724-6147. Write “Business Transitions” in the message field.

PATENTS

The following U.S. Patents were granted to inventors in Lucas, Fulton, Wood, Lenawee, and Monroe counties in May, 2014, and published in the Official Gazette of the Patent and Trademark Office.

#8,729,782: Nonthermal plasma ignition arc suppression, assigned to Federal-Mogul Ignition Southfield, Mich.: James D. Lykowski, Temperance; Keith Hampton, Ann Arbor, and William J. Walker, Jr., Toledo.

#8,729,784: Fouling resistant spark plug, assigned to Fram Group IP LLC, Lake Forest, Ill.: Ronald P. Rohrbach, Flemington, N.J.; Peter D. Unger, Morristown, N.J.; Jeffrey T. Boehler, Holland, and Jing Zheng, Findlay.

#8,731,116: System and method of providing communications in a wireless power transfer system, assigned to Access Business Group International LLC, Ada, Mich.: Matthew J. Norconk, Joshua K. Schwannecke, and Colin J. Moore, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Joshua B. Taylor, Rockford, Mich.; Neil W. Kuyvenhoven, Ada, Mich.; Dale R. Liff, Kent, Ohio; Jason L. Amistadi, Lyndhurst, Ohio, and Robert D. Gruich, Copley, Ohio.

#8,733,128: Materials and/​or method of making vacuum insulating glass units, assigned to Guardian Industries Corp., Auburn Hills, Mich.: Timothy A. Dennis, Bloomdale, Ohio.

#8,733,224: Ammunition feed system for firearms, assigned to Meninas Inc., Las Vegas: Andrea J. Lasichak, Gregory, Mich.; Thomas E. Quetschke, Toledo, and Kenneth D. Woodard, Lambertville.

#8,733,226: Armored cab for vehicles, assigned to BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems LP, Sealy, Texas: Ricky Don Johnson, Sealy, Texas; Walter John Budd, Rochester, Mich.; Mike Boczek, Burlington, Ky., and Marc Russell Lappin, Cincinnati.

#8,733,749: Apparatus and method for converting insulated panels. Fran Lanciaux, Grand Rapids, Ohio.