Hills Bank and Trust First to Include Mandarin Chinese on ATMs

(Iowa City) - Building upon its designation as an "International Welcoming City" last March, Iowa City officials and businesses continue to improve their offerings for immigrants and international students who now call Iowa City "home."

Kate Moreland, director of collaboration and community relations at the Iowa City Area Development Group, says an ICAD Group led task force has been working on projects aimed at improving communication with the international community.  "Translation is always an area of focus and we continue to work with local entities on how to better reach out to our international community and be more welcoming," said Moreland.  "This includes translating the Convention and Visitor Bureau's welcome guide into multiple languages and working with area banks to add Chinese to their ATMs."

Most recently, Hills Bank and Trust Company became the first area bank to offer Mandarin Chinese as an ATM language option.

"We have been long time supporters of the International Community and we were pleased to have been able to work with the Shazam network to incorporate multiple languages into our ATM network," said Marty Maiers, Senior Vice President and Director of Retail Banking for Hills Bank. "We updated the ATM in the lobby of our Old Capitol Town Center location in mid-December and will install Mandarin Chinese on other ATMs campus wide as part of software upgrades."

Suyun Ma, Global External Relations Coordinator for International Programs at the University of Iowa, sits on the International Relations task force at ICAD Group and says these accommodations help new, international students adapt to a new life during their not-so-easy transitional period.  "I have been in their shoes.  Immersed in a totally different culture and language, most new international students feel overwhelmed and even scared at some point," said Ma.  "I appreciate the importance of having this kind of convenience and assistance in local ATMs."

Ties will continue to strengthen between the public and private sector, the university, and the international community as more projects come online.

Tom Markus, City Manager for Iowa City, says the task force is looking next at improving housing and international relations.  "We've started communications with the university about how to improve temporary and permanent housing options for new international students who arrive on campus," said Markus.  "Also, there is initial discussion on developing an ambassador program to help students, visitors and new residents navigate our community and share in our culture."

"These basic resources serve as a gateway to our welcoming and diverse community, which is one of reasons that some international students choose to study at University of Iowa and fall in love with the city," added Ma.

Vocalist/music educator/composer Semenya McCord will perform her show "Classic Blues Connection" in Quad-City schools February 18-20 as part of the Mississippi Valley Blues Society's Blues in the Schools Artist-in-Residence program for Black History Month.

She will also perform two open-to-the-public shows:

• Wed. Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m.?CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 1035 West Kimberly Road, Davenport IA
• Wed. Feb. 18 at 7:00 p.m.?River Music Experience, 2^nd & Main Streets, Davenport IA

Semenya's "Classic Blues Connection," with pianist Frank Wilkins, highlights important roots of American popular music from 1900 to 1935, featuring Classic Blues women Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday.  This is perfectly paired with Wilkins demonstrating early piano styles from boogie woogie to Scott Joplin's ragtime and Duke Ellington's jazz.?

Semenya McCord earned her degree in Music Education from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.  Her popular musician father, the late Ken Henderson, was an early and significant influence on her desire to sing and touch people through music. At the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, she was turned on to the powerful traditions of gospel music with Horace C. Boyer and of jazz with master drummer Max Roach and reedman Archie Shepp.?

Semenya performed throughout New England for over 25 years, presenting programs and residencies featuring spirituals, blues, traditional and contemporary jazz for audiences of all ages through Young Audiences of Massachusetts, Inc., the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the New England Foundation for the Arts.?

Since 1982, she directed annual tributes to the life and "dream" of Martin Luther King, Jr., the music of Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington, and community events that celebrate cultural diversity through the arts.? In 1988, she was awarded "Outstanding Jazz Vocalist" by the Boston Music Awards, and she received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Musical Excellence in 1990 from the city of Boston.

Semenya returned home to Galesburg, Illinois in 2003 to assist her mother;  she earned her Master's degree in Music at Northern Illinois University in 2006.  Semenya currently teaches Jazz Voice at Knox College and teaches General Music and directs student choirs at Lombard Middle School. ? She is an active member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity and the Music Educators National Conference.?

Pianist Frank Wilkins, a native of Milwaukee, moved to Boston in the early 1970s.  Wilkins has become known as a "jazzmatician"?a consummate music director and pianist among national and international venues and with vocalists, a multimedia producer/director, music composer, arranger and experienced private instructor?with  awards from The Artists' Foundation (Boston), Composition Fellowship (Berklee College of Music) and The Hank Jones Jazz Masters Award.  ?

Playing virtually every major jazz and blues venue throughout New England, Wilkins has shared a stage with Angela Bofill,  Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kevin Eubanks, Tiger Okoshi, and Archie Shepp, to name a few.  His career has included performances at the Newport Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, and North Sea Jazz Festival;  and in West Africa , Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, and Mexico.?

Semenya McCord's residency is made possible by a major grant from the Riverboat Development Authority.  Thanks also to sponsors the River Music Experience, KALA Radio, and The Lodge.

Rock Island, IL: The Rock Island Library's Pop Open a Good Book winter reading contests for children, teens and adults continue through Saturday, Feb.28, and while you're reading, you can also pop-in for some free fun.

The Children's Department will offer free after school crafts at three locations next week. Children ages eight and up can make a pop-up dog card at 4:00 pm on Feb. 3 at the 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street, on Feb. 4 at the Main Library, 401 19th Street, and on Feb. 5 at the Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Materials will be provided. The craft is free.

Other children's events next week include morning Toddler Tale storytimes at the 30/31, Southwest and Main Library branches, a "Read with Rover" program at the 30/31 Branch, and a Pajama Storytime, also at the 30/31 Branch. For details, please visit www.rockislandlibrary.org.

Upcoming programs for teens next week include a "Tape to Make It" program at 6:00 pm on Thursday, Feb. 5 at the 30/31 Branch. Teens ages 12 to 18 will make crafts using colorful duct tape. Materials will be supplied.

Special events for adults include next week's Know Your Kindle Fire class at 6:00 pm on Feb 2 and the Know Your Android or Apple device class at 6:00 pm on Feb. 3. Both events are at the Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Participants should bring their devices to learn about basic features, settings, organizing apps and more.

The library will also show a free independent movie for adults at 5:30 pm on Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Main Library. The monthly movie starts earlier than usual due to the film's running time. The unrated movie, which is set in Japan with English subtitles, includes popcorn and a discussion.

For more upcoming library events, visit library locations or the website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow Rock Island Library on Facebook or Twitter or call 309-732-READ (7323).

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DAVENPORT, Iowa - Jan. 29, 2015 -- Genesis Health System has entered into a new strategic partnership with Kansas City-based Cerner Corporation to optimize and advance the patient care and enterprise management benefits of the health system's already award-winning information technology solutions and services.

According to Genesis President and CEO Doug Cropper: "This new, more integrated partnership is a natural progression of our 15-year-old relationship with Cerner that has earned Genesis the distinction of being named the only provider in the Quad Cities region and the State of Iowa among the nation's "Most Wired" health care systems each year for more than a decade."

Specifically, the more integrated relationship with Cerner calls for the establishment of a "Value Creation Office." This collaboration will help Genesis innovate and optimize care processes with Cerner, ensuring patients receive the best possible care and the organization earns a greater return on its technology investment. By increasing access to expert Cerner resources in Kansas City, the agreement will enhance Genesis' ability to implement new Cerner applications, which includes application services, help desk operations and optimizing IT service delivery across the health system.

"Genesis entered into this relationship with Cerner due to the growing complexity and higher costs of maintaining these services on an 'in-house', independent basis," Cropper said. "Cerner is widely recognized as a health care IT industry leader, and this opportunity to partner ensures our future as a national leader in the use of these technologies to help meet our patients' needs in the most efficient and effective way possible."

"As the Quad Cities' only locally governed health care provider, Genesis has a unique obligation to balance the demands of our mission of 'compassionate, quality health care services for all those in need' with the growing number of regulatory requirements to improve the quality of care while lowering costs. These challenges have encouraged us to search for creative and innovative solutions that maximize efficiencies," said Cropper. "This agreement with Cerner will enhance our ability to keep pace with change, manage costs and accelerate our position as the leading health care provider in the region."

As part of the agreement, 43 Genesis IT employees will become Cerner associates, effective April 1, 2015. Cerner will transition these associates at their current compensation levels, including recognition of their length of service with Genesis, and provide additional training, resources and professional development. Cerner also provides a highly competitive benefits package.

Mike Nill, Cerner executive vice president and COO, said Cerner has seen Genesis as a "true partner" in advancing health and care in the Quad Cities for more than a decade. "We are very pleased and proud to strengthen our relationship with Genesis through this agreement to help ensure both organizations continue to create value together," Nill said. "By working together right where care is being delivered, we can continue to empower organizations like Genesis to know, manage and engage better in the health of their communities."

ABOUT CERNER: Cerner's health information technologies connect people, information and systems at more than 14,000 facilities worldwide. Recognized for innovation, Cerner solutions assist clinicians in making care decisions and enable organizations to manage the health of populations. The company also offers an integrated clinical and financial system to help health care organizations manage revenue, as well as a wide range of services to support clients' clinical, financial and operational needs. Cerner's mission is to contribute to the improvement of health care delivery and the health of communities. Nasdaq: CERN. For more information about Cerner, visit cerner.com, read our blog at cerner.com/blog, connect with us on Twitter at twitter.com/cerner and on Facebook at facebook.com/cerner.

Certain trademarks, service marks and logos set forth herein are property of Cerner Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. All other non-Cerner marks are the property of their respective owners.

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