WE ARE NOW WIDELY RECOGNIZED BY OUR STAKEHOLDERS AS A PROVIDER OF QUALITY SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
January 2005 marks our organization’s twenty-fifth anniversary! Marya Hage founded Meridian Services, the company that began our organization, in 1980, as one of the first Semi-Independent Living Skills (SILS) providers in Minnesota.
Over the years the company has grown. Meridian Services now provides a wide range of services to hundreds of people with developmental disabilities in Minnesota, including Supervised Living Services (SLS), Case Management, In-Home Services, Respite Services, Social Recreation, Club Ventures, Support Coordination Services, Conservatorship and Guardianship Services, Independent Living Services, as well as Semi-Independent Living Services (SILS), and it’s newest program, Service Coordination for the Elderly.
In recent years, we have become an organization four companies. Orion Associates provides Management Services, Zenith Services provides Vocational Services, and Orion Intermediary Services Organization (Orion ISO) provides Fiscal Support Entity services. Together, the four companies serve well over 1000 consumers and employ approximately 1500 people.
We are now widely recognized by our stakeholders as a provider of quality services to people with developmental disabilities. Orion Associates, Meridian Services, and Zenith Services have been accredited by CARF, the international accrediting commission, recognizing our organization’s programs and services as being of the highest quality.
The following is a time line highlighting many of the significant events and mileposts in our organization’s history.
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January 1980
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Meridian Services is founded by Marya Hage, based in her home, as a provider of SILS services. |
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1980
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Meridian has 1 employee, Marya Hage |
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1984
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Meridian begins Case Management Services |
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1988
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Long Prairie SLS opens, the company’s first SLS home |
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1988
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Orval “Scotty” Hage joins Meridian |
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1988
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Meridian employs 25 people |
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1989
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Meridian begins In-Home Services |
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1990
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Maple Lake SLS opens |
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June 1991
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Leann Thompson joins Meridian |
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October 1992
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Rebecca Hage Thomley joins Meridian |
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1992
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Meridian begins Social Recreation Services |
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December 1992
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Saint Cloud Office opens |
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January 1993
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Stephen Hage joins Meridian |
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1993
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Meridian employs 50 people |
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September 1993
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Aquila SLS opens |
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September 1993
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Logan SLS opens |
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September 1993
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Girard SLS opens |
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September 1993
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Meridian employs 75 people |
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September 1993
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Metropolitan Office opens |
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1993
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Meridian begins Metro In-Home Services |
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November 1994
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Meridian employs 100 people |
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January 1995
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Officers’ positions established and conferred: Orval “Scotty” Hage, President, Marya Hage, Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca Hage Thomley, Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Hage, Chief Administrative Officer |
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June 1996
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Silver Lake SLS opens |
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November 1996
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Meridian employs 150 people |
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May 1997
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Olympia Place SLS opens |
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June 1997
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Green Fields SLS opens |
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December 1997
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Golden Hills SLS opens |
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December 1997
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Diamond Lake SLS opens |
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1998
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Meridian employs 200 people |
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November 1998
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Meridian begins Holiday Respite / Club Ventures Program |
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January 1999
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Orion Associates founded, initiating Contracted Management Services, Fiscal Intermediary Services, Psychological Services, and Professional Training Services. All Officers, the Human Resources Department, and the Finance Department transfer employment from Meridian Services to Orion Associates. |
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January 1999
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Zenith Services founded, initiating Vocational Services |
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May 1999
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Avalon SLS opens |
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1999
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Meridian begins Parent Support and Family Support Services |
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November 1999
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Timber Crest SLS opens |
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November 1999
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Orval “Scotty” Hage, President, dies |
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January 2000
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Orion, Meridian, and Zenith, together employ 250 people |
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May 2000
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Northwood SLS opens |
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July 2000
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Spring Brook SLS opens |
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September 2000
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Rebecca Hage Thomley becomes Chief Executive Officer, Cheryl Vennerstrom, Chief Operating Officer, joins Orion |
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Autumn 2000
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Orion begins providing Management Consulting to Covenant Enabling Resources (CER) of Minnesota |
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March 2001
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Orion begins providing Management Consulting to Pinnacle Services |
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April 2001
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Meridian begins providing contracted Case Management to Anoka County |
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May 2001
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Orion ISO founded |
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June 2001
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Orion ISO employs over 100 people |
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September 2001
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Orion ISO employs over 200 people |
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October 2001
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Toni Thulen, Chief Financial Officer, joins Orion |
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November 2001
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Orion ISO employs over 300 people |
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November 2001
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Bassett Creek SLS opens |
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December 2001
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Northtown Village SLS opens |
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December 2001
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Orion, Meridian, and Zenith, together employ over 300 people |
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December 2001
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Orion ISO employs over 400 people |
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March 2002
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Orion, Meridian, and Zenith, together employ over 350 people |
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May 2002
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Orion ISO employs over 500 people |
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June 2002
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Eidelweiss Respite Home opens |
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July 2002
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Orion ISO employs over 600 people |
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August 2002
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Wirth Park SLS opens |
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August 2002
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Orion ISO employs over 700 people |
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August 2002
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Orion, Meridian, and Zenith, together employ over 400 people |
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October 2002
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Rebecca Hage Thomley designated as President and Chief Executive Officer |
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October 2002
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Meridian Services web site is launched: www.meridiansvs.com |
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December 2002
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Orion ISO employs over 800 people |
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February 2003
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Orion Associates web site is launched: www.orionassoc.net |
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February 2003
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Zenith Services web site is launched: www.zenithsvs.com |
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March 2003
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Orion Associates, Meridian Services, and Zenith Services awarded CARF Accreditation |
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April 2003
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Orion ISO employs over 900 people |
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August 2003
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Orion ISO employs over 1000 people |
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November 2003
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Metropolitan Office moves to Golden Valley |
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April 2004
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Orion ISO employs over 1100 people |
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June 2004
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Orion ISO web site is launched: www.www.orioniso.com |
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June 2004
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Prospect Services founded |
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August 2004
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Revised web sites for Orion Associates, Meridian Services, and Zenith Services are launched at: www.orionassoc.net, www.meridiansvs.com, and www.zenithsvs.com |
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October 2004
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Avalon SLS relocates, becomes Calhoun SLS |