STATE COLLEGE — Rex Energy appointed board chairman Lance Shaner as interim president and chief executive officer.

Shaner replaces Benjamin Hulburt, who is leaving the company to pursue other interests.

The board also hired Patrick McKinney as chief operating officer and Thomas Stabley as chief financial officer.

Rex Energy has an office in Butler and a gas processing plant in Forward Township.

BUTLER TWP — VA Butler Healthcare announced a new hire and a promotion.• Dr. William Nowotny was hired to be assistant chief of staff. He is a 10-year Navy veteran and has been with the VA for three years. He has been a primary care doctor at the James E. Van Zandt Altoona VA Medical Center.• James Torok was promoted to health systems coordinator for VA Outpatient Clinics in Ford City, Foxburg, Cranberry Township, New Castle and Hermitage. He has been with the VA Butler Healthcare for two years and has been a social worker for the clinics.

The Butler Human Resources Association announced its final three meetings of the year. They are:• Tuesday, Progressive Discipline: Discipline without punishment, Ron Rankin, Penn Line.• Nov. 9, Updates on Health Care and the Impact of Health Care Reform, Natalie Rice, Leed's.• Dec. 6, The Best Way to Accumulate Money While Working, Jim Lange, Lange Financial Group.For information, locations and times of meetings, please go to www.Butlerhra.shrm.org or e-mail, Vicki Senko at victoria.senko@jsp.com.

PENN TWP — Learn how to build a business plan at the last Lunch & Learn workshop Oct. 21 at the Butler Country Club.Presented by Steve Catt of Butler County Community College, the 11:30 a.m. session will discuss definition, purpose, outlining and successful tips for business plans.Cost is $30 per person. To register or for more information, call the Butler County Chamber of Commerce at 724-283-2222.

BUTLER TWP — Two VA Butler Healthcare nurses received awards from The Center for Frontline Nursing Leadership.Danielle Weisenstein and Marne Bilanich received Future of Nursing awards for the project practicum to increase hepatitis A and B vaccinations for high-risk veterans.

The Butler County Chamber of Commerce announced two events in which local chambers will meet and network.• On Thursday, the Butler County and Armstrong County chambers will meet for a lunch at 11:30 a.m., at the Belmont Ice Complex, 415 Butler Road, Kittanning. Cost is $30 per person.• The second event will take place Oct. 20 at the Holiday Inn Express, 21 Holiday Boulevard, Mercer, near the Grove City Prime Outlets. The event is for members of the Butler County, the Grove City Area and the Mercer Area chambers, and the Slippery Rock Business Association. Food will be provided from restaurants in the Prime Outlet area. The event is free.To register for either event or for information, call 724-283-2222.

ERIE — A company in northwestern Pennsylvania is finding a new use for those old newspapers or books that end up in the trash.Erie Energy Products is shredding the newsprint and book pages to make cellulose insulation. The company chops up between 6 million and 8 million pounds of paper every year then adds chemicals to make it resistant to insects, mold and fire.Company president Kathy Klahr told an Erie newspaper the company was started by her late husband in 1977. Erie Energy pays for the paper, and many groups looking to make a few extra bucks have capitalized off the green venture.Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania sells their old phone books to Erie Energy. In 2009, the group sold 70,000 pounds to the company and made $1,600.

WASHINGTON — PNC Financial Services is halting most foreclosures and evictions in 23 states for a month so it can review whether documents it submitted to courts complied with state laws.An official at the Pittsburgh-based bank confirmed the decision, which was reported earlier by The New York Times. The official requested anonymity because the decision hasn't been publicly announced.PNC becomes the fourth major U.S. lender to halt some foreclosures amid evidence mortgage company employees or their lawyers signed documents in foreclosure cases without verifying information.<B><I>From staff and wire reports</B></I>