Religion fuels Libertyville financial expert to help, advise
For some people, money is a religion. But for Roch Tranel of Libertyville, his Christian beliefs are what provide the values that fuel his work as well as his mission to help form others as community leaders.
Tranel is founder and president of Libertyville-based The Tranel Financial Group, which has 22 employees. He also recently self-published a 40-page book, "The Friend Economy," about the value in relationship building and business. It's available on Amazon.com and at TheFriendEconomy.com. He's planning two more books expected to come out later this year.
But it's his work with community groups and groups that meet at his office which energize him, he said.
"I am really passionate about leadership," Tranel said.
Tranel, who was born in Dubuque, Iowa, and raised in Monroe, Wisconsin, came to the Libertyville area in the 1980s after he graduated college. He worked for a couple of companies but wanted to open his own business.
He said he had explored various franchises and other businesses, but focused on Money Concepts. He later formed The Tranel Financial Group, which has marked its 25th anniversary, he said.
During those years, he became active with the Rotary in Libertyville, the GLMV Chamber of Commerce, the National Christian Foundation and others. He was also instrumental in helping to form some groups. They include Freedom One Network, where about 100 people network each week at his office; Leadership Won, which meets monthly to learn about leadership skills; and individual groups for men and woman, most are faith based, he said.
In addition, he hosts two ToastMasters groups to encourage people to become great communicators, he said.
"I love to put a stake in the ground and let people, which is what this is all about, be bold and to be who you are and to help to build a community around you," he said. "This is a community of people who are clear on who they are and what they are and they help each other to grow."
Tip scales to help a bakery
Mark Podl, CEO of Doran Scales in Batavia, said the company's stainless steel digital bakery scales were chosen by the producers of TLC's "Buddy's Bakery Rescue." The episode featured some Doran digital bakery scales added at Bing's Bakery in Newark, Delaware. As part of the improvement in Bing's Bakery production area, the bakery's existing mechanical scale was replaced with a new digital scale from Doran. The episode aired last week and likely will rerun. Buddy Valastro, also star of "Cake Boss," evaluates struggling bakeries and turns them around to become profitable and successful.
Klemp opens new spa
Matt Klemp of Rolling Meadows, opened his Massage Envy Spa at the Village Crossing Shopping Center in Niles. Klemp, who attended Rolling Meadows High School and Harper College, said the spa is a sponsor of the Niles Chamber of Commerce Roses Parade for 2014. He worked with an artist to design and paint one of 35 large rose sculptures that will be on display at the spa through October.
FastTracks
Jonathan Graham of Palatine, who works at financial services firm Edward Jones in Barrington, won the firm's Spirit of Partnership Award for outstanding performance 2014. Graham was one of 1,053 financial advisers out of the company's more than 13,000 to receive the award. ... Bob Mariano of Inverness, said a new Mariano's grocery store opened in Gurnee last week. It's the ninth Mariano's to open of the 11 former Dominick's locations acquired by Roundy's in December.
David Grunin, general manager of Chicago Operations at World CNG, will unveil its new headquarters in Des Plaines on July 11. The company specializes in conversion of vehicles from gasoline to compressed natural gas since 2009. It also has offices in Seattle, Washington, and Las Vegas, Nevada. ... Tatjana Dragovic is the new vice president and regional compliance officer for the Americas region at Northbrook-based Astellas. ... Venu Maturi and Zachary Young have opened their new dental office, Oswego Commons Family Dental, a full-service, state-of-the-art family dental practice in Oswego.
President and CEO Al Panico said 16 engineering students from Illinois Institute of Technology traveled to Arlington Heights last week for a tour of The LINE Group's manufacturing facility. ... Paul Roth, president of retail sales and service at AT&T Mobility will be speaking July 14 at Shopper Insights show in Chicago. AT&T has its Midwest headquarters in Hoffman Estates.
Marty Magida, partner with Riverwoods-based Chunowitz, Teitelbaum & Mandel Ltd., was elected to serve as vice president of the National Franchise Consultants and Accountants, an alliance of nine public accounting firms specializing in franchise accounting and consulting for McDonald's owner/operators.
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