Topekan planning to run for insurance commissioner

Topeka John McCarvel, an admissions coordinator with the state insurance department, has announced that he will run for state insurance commissioner.

The 60-year-old Republican joins Sen. Sandy Praeger of Lawrence and Bryan Riley of Wichita, the 1998 Republican nominee. No Democrats have announced plans to run.

McCarvel announced his candidacy Saturday night at his church.

McCarvel worked as an insurance regulator in Montana and worked in accounting jobs with insurance companies in San Francisco and Denver. He was in charge of marketing for five years at Victory Life Insurance in Topeka, then ran his own insurance marketing firm, which he sold in 1992.

For the past three years he has been admissions coordinator for the state insurance department, where he reviews the finances of companies seeking approval to sell insurance in Kansas.

Associate professor wins honor society award

A Kansas University associate professor has received an award from Phi Beta Delta international honor society.

Anita Herzfeld, associate professor of Latin American studies and linguistics, received the faculty award for outstanding contributions to international education Friday during the society’s annual conference in Lafayette, La.

Herzfeld, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has published numerous books about international education and linguistics. She has had Fulbright grants in Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala.

She also established KU study abroad programs in 10 countries.