Former area United Way CEO takes top spot at Scholarship America: Lauren Segal, the former head of the Greater Twin Cities United Way, has landed a new post as the president and CEO of Scholarship america, a Bloomington-based nonprofit that provides financial assistance to college students across the country. Segal replaces Clifford Stanley, a retired Marine general, who resigned in July after leading the organization for five years. Read full story

Funding approved for 169/494 interchange: The long-anticipated upgrade to the interchange of Interstate 494 and Highway 169 may actually become a reality after a Twin Cities transportation committee produced the remaining $34 million needed for the project. The Transportation Advisory Board, a committee of the Metropolitan Council, voted Wednesday to allow the Minnesota Department of Transportation to keep the $34 million it hadn’t yet paid back on a three-year-old, $50 million loan from the board. Read full story

Blue Cross Minnesota names new CFO: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota on Thursday named Pamela Sedmak as chief financial officer and senior vice president. Sedmak previously served as CFO for CareSource in Dayton, Ohio. She also has held leadership positions at General Electric, as well as operating her own consulting firm. Read full story

FDA approves Envoy Medical’s hearing restoration device: Federal regulators have approved a fully implantable hearing restoration device developed by White Bear Township-based Envoy Medical Corp. Envoy is touting its Esteem device as a “breakthrough technology” that allows users to restore hearing without others being able to see that they are using a hearing aid device. Read full story

Emily Program drops plans in Orono: Emily Program has canceled plans to open an eating-disorder clinic at the historic Hill School in Orono, because of delays by the City Council and increased opposition from neighbors. In a statement, the Emily Program said the decision came after months of controversy surrounding the nonprofit’s plan to purchase the former private school and open a 10-bed residential eating disorder treatment facility there. Read full story