CAREY — The Wyandot County Office of Economic Development introduced three new members Monday during its meeting at Vaughn Industries in Carey. Executive Director Greg Moon announced Upper Sandusky Exempted Village Schools, Quest Federal Credit Union and Fairhaven Community had joined the organization, increasing the group to 45 members, the most in its 10-year existence.

Fitness Elite is under new ownership. Keith and Lana Montgomery purchased the Upper Sandusky gym from friends in mid-December and celebrated the new business with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning at the gym’s location on 505 W. Wyandot Ave.

MARION — Dan Needham and Jeremy Schreck, members of the staff at Peacock Water, have successfully completed the professional service seminar at Kinetico’s Service Academy, the training arm of Kinetico Incorporated, Newbury.

SYCAMORE — Mohawk Superintendent Kenneth Ratliff and elementary Principal Tamara S. Wallace’s contracts were extended Monday at the Mohawk Board of Education meeting. Ratliff was extended through July 31, 2023, while Wallace was extended through July 31, 2021, with unanimous approval from the board.

MARSILLES — Marseilles Village Council met in special session Dec. 26. Council discussed some properties in the village that are in need of maintenance.

COLUMBUS — The U.S. Small Business Administration is looking for small business owners and champions who stand out as positive influences on their communities through the creation of local jobs, community involvement and other accomplishments for its 2018 National Small Business Week Awards, which will take place April 29 through May 5.

MARION — No doubt the real estate market is booming throughout central Ohio. Now, Realtors can add another tool in their arsenal for success, thanks to a state-approved safety training class being offered through the Alber Enterprise Center at Ohio State University.

Keith Koehler, of Upper Sandusky, is retiring Thursday as the clinical engineer at Wyandot Memorial Hospital. Koehler has worked at the hospital since 1984.

John Ammendola, president and CEO of Grange Insurance, Columbus, recently visited the Reid Insurance Agency of Upper Sandusky. He spoke with Dan Reid, the agency principal of Reid Insurance, and Fred Reid, founder of the agency and former chairman, president and CEO, regarding industry issues, product improvements and agency opportunities.

NEW YORK — New York Life, America’s largest mutual life insurer, recently announced that it expects to pay participating policy owners a record dividend payout of $1.77 billion in 2017, an increase of 5.4 percent over what it expects to pay in 2016.