Faces and places

Bobette Puderbaugh has joined the staff of Minuteman Press, 501 Gateway Drive, as office manager. She will be responsible for customer service, vendor relations and new business development. Puderbaugh was the former sales manager for the Lawrence Holidome. She received her master’s degree from Kansas University. Puderbaugh recently was elected as president of the Lawrence Express Network chapter of the American Business Women’s Assn.

Sharon Magee-Minor, registered occupational therapist, recently joined the staff at Neu Physical Therapy in Baldwin. She is a graduate of Kansas University and has worked in occupational therapy for more than 20 years. Magee-Minor is the author of “The JOY of Caregiving,” She is a clinic instructor at Johnson County Community College for the course “Rehabilitative Aide.”

Tom Plumberg has joined David M. King and Associates, LTD. and Raymond James Financial Services as a financial adviser to businesses and individuals. He brings more than 25 years of experience. He most recently was director of compensation and benefits for Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a division of Colgate-Palmolive Company. Plumberg is a former vice president with Lawrence Leiter and Co., a Kansas City consulting firm. Plumberg will help business owners and others plan fiduciaries design and implement written investment policies and procedures to manage the risk of personal liability associated with pension and 401(k) plans. Services to individuals include financial and estate planning, roll-overs, IRAs, long-term care insurance and education savings (529 plans).

Katherine Renyer has joined Bird Physical Therapy. She graduated from Kansas University Medical Center with a master’s degree in physical therapy in May. Renyer has been a certified athletic trainer since 2000. She has experience in orthopedic and sport rehabilitation.

Dr. Jeffrey Randall participated in the 28th annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. Randall practices at Lawrence Orthopaedic Surgery and is one of the team physicians with the Kansas University athletics department. During the meeting, various topics were presented and discussed relating to recent advances in arthroscopic surgery and treatment.

Craig Meader, chief executive officer of First National Bank of Kansas, Burlington and Waverly, has been elected president of the Kansas Bankers Assn. for 2002-2003. He will begin the one-year term Aug. 10. He will become chairman of the Governing Council for the KBA in August 2003.

Kathleen Steward, president of Chisholm Trail State Bank, Wichita, will serve as president-elect of the KBA. Steward will be the first woman president of the association.

Robert Locke, First State Bank, Junction City, has been elected KBA treasurer.

Aquila, formerly Kansas Public Service, has named Scott Heidtbrink as operating vice president of its Kansas and Colorado natural gas networks that serve a total of 155,000 customers. He is one of seven operating vice presidents named by Aquila as the company decentralizes its U.S. utility management into state organizational structures. Heidtbrink will be responsible for managing all facets of Aquila’s natural gas network business in Kansas and Colorado. He will work out of Lawrence.

He was formerly vice president of gas operations for Aquila’s seven-state U.S. service territory. He also has served as vice president of network management for Aquila’s U.S. electric and natural gas operations.

A new feature has been added to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Web site that allows members to go online to check their coverage information. The membership coverage section is located at www.bcbsks.com. By logging on to the site, members can find the following information: coverage type, contract type, dependent coverage, beginning and ending eligibility dates and co-insurance and deductible amounts.

Another recent addition is the 2001 Annual Report. It is available under the news section. The annual report includes a message from John Knack, president and CEO, as well as a condensed balance sheet as of Dec. 31, 2001, and a listing of the 2001 board of directors.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is the state’s largest health insurer.

Lawrence Career College announces several faculty additions and promotions.

Susan Siler, who has 11 years of teaching experience, has joined the faculty teaching career development. She is certified in the state of Kansas in business and computers.

Linda Lake has joined the English department. She has a master’s degree in education and 20 years of teaching experience. She previously was an adjunct professor at Cowley County Community College.

Dennis Elliott has been promoted to the position of Allied Health programs director. Elliott is a physician’s assistant. He previously was clinical coordinator at Louisiana State University and a clinical staff member at Kansas State University.

Debbie Liddel has been promoted to business program coordinator. Liddel has been a small business owner in Lawrence since 1991 and is a Microsoft office user specialist.

Tiffany Corle, occupational therapist with Lawrence Therapy Services and Baldwin Therapy Services, attended “Arthritis and Osteoporosis: A Hands On Approach” in Kansas City, Mo. The course focused on assessment and treatment of clients with osteoporosis or arthritis.

Star Signs & Graphics, Lawrence, has been awarded two new contracts.

The Kansas City Tourism District, a 400-acre commercial development adjacent to the Kansas Speedway, contracted Star Signs to provide identification pylons on Interstate 70 and Interstate 435. The signs identify the entire district and advertise individual businesses such as Cabela’s and Nebraska Furniture Mart.

The other project is a unique, neon, 50-foot tall aluminum and glass tower for the Dallas Convention Center. Designed by HKS of Dallas, the sign is the entryway landmark for the center.

The Kansas Department of Commerce & Housing has awarded an $18,902 Kansas Industrial Retraining grant to M-PACT Worldwide of Eudora. The company develops, manufactures and distributes internationally recognized liens of medical products.

The KIR grant will help 12 employees receive a variety of computer training. M-PACT Worldwide will spend an additional $18,902 on training expenses for its employees.

The KIR program is a job retention tool that assists employees of restructuring industries who are likely to be displaced because of obsolete or inadequate job skills and knowledge.

Honors and awards

The Kansas Bar Assn. recently recognized Lawrence residents Laird P. Bowman and R.G. Henley, KBA members who have practiced law for 50 years. Each member was honored at a luncheon and given a certificate for their contributions to the legal profession in Kansas.

The Ottawa Business & Professional Women’s Organization has been chosen by the BPW/USA Membership Committee as the winner of the 2001-2002 Local Golden Star Membership Award. The award is given to a local organization that has designed and carried out the most effective and creative yearlong membership campaign. As the Golden Star Membership Award winner, the Ottawa group was recognized and given a plaque on July 13 at the BPW/USA National conference in New Orleans.

In recognition of outstanding sales and customer service achievements in the insurance business, Michael Conner of Lawrence will be honored by Farmers Insurance through membership in the Companies’ Topper Club.

Topper Club honors are made annually by Farmers Insurance to agents and district managers. These honors are awarded in recognition of those who meet significant production standards.

Conner represents Farmers Insurance through Conner and Associates, 3320 Clinton Parkway Court Suite 210. Farmers Insurance, with headquarters in Los Angeles, is one of Kansas’ largest insurers.

Coming events

Scott Williams of the Federal Bureau of Investigation will be the keynote speaker at the Lawrence Technology Assn. luncheon. The luncheon will be at noon Wednesday at the Herford House, Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive.

Williams will be discussing the latest FBI Computer Crime Threat Assessment as well as the FBI’s current emphasis on cyber security.

The cost is $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. To make reservations, contact Peggy Williams by e-mail at pwilliams@ittc.ukans.edu or voice mail at 864-7354 or fax at 864-7789.