Ritland joins Hoffman & Brobst

Hoffman & Brobst, Certified Public Accountants announced the addition of Abby Ritland, a staff accountant, to the professional staff of its firm. She is a graduate of Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall and has previous experience in accounting. Ritland and her husband Benjamin live in Marshall with their 1-year-old daughter and one on the way.

Merhar named senior operations director at Partners in Community Supports

Cottonwood native Tory Merhar, who joined Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota in 2016 as the senior director of Partners in Community Supports (PICS), has recently stepped into the new role of senior operations director.

“During Tory’s tenure, she has created a vibrant team that has been instrumental in doubling the number of people supported by PICS,” said Nancy Rosemore, associate vice president of Disability Services at Lutheran Social Service. Under Merhar’s leadership, PICS added a Human Resources department and robust payroll team to support more than 3,000 employees who are hired directly by people with disabilities.

PICS, a subsidiary of Lutheran Social Service, is a financial management service and licensed service provider that offers financial and technical support for 1,900 individuals with disabilities and older adults in Minnesota who choose to design their own support structures for care and life in community. With more than 20 years of experience in self-directed services, PICS staff can help individuals enroll in self-directed services, hire employees, manage payroll and taxes, and offer Human Resource expertise. As senior operations director, Merhar “will concentrate on new initiatives that will facilitate growth and create efficiencies,” Rosemore said. In her new role, Merhar will ensure that PICS is positioned to provide the highest level of service to meet the needs of individuals who choose to self-direct care. This includes technology upgrades, continuous process improvement and ensuring that staff have the training and tools needed to be experts in supporting others.