Business briefs

To receive an application form, contact Katie Boncella at 228-0900 or kboncella@jshadv.com. A downloadable pdf version of the application is available online at www.jshadv.com. The application deadline is April 15.

Jonathon Kemnitzer recently was elected to a second term of the Industrial Designers Society of America Kansas City Chapter chair. Kemnitzer’s election is to an elite group of just 27 elected local chairs in the national 3,500-member IDSA community. He will direct and plan the activities for the 66-member chapter that encompasses Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. He is senior industrial designer and project manager for Kemnitzer Design, Kansas City, Mo. Kemnitzer is a guest professor at the Kansas University Department of Design.

Brent Smith has joined Lawrence Therapy Services and its branch office, Baldwin Therapy Services. He has advanced training in manual therapy, assessment and treatment of athletic injuries, rehabilitation of orthopedic surgeries, pain management and wound care management. Smith received a master’s degree in physical therapy in 1995 from Wichita State University.

Dylan Schumann and Wyatt Schumann, both of Lecompton, recently have been enrolled in the Angus Herd Improvement Records program of the American Angus Assn. Angus Herd Improvement Records is a comprehensive evaluation program used by registered Angus breeders to help them keep records of reproduction, and growth rate on individual animals.

Honors and awards

Ken Peirce, community bank president for UMB Bank in Lawrence, recently won UMB Bank’s annual community involvement award for his active participation in the Lawrence community. Peirce has been a volunteer for the following groups: Boy Scouts of America, Douglas County Development Inc., First Presbyterian Church, Quail Run School, Lawrence Rotary Club and Wakarusa Valley Development, Inc.

The Law Company Inc., Wichita, and Kansas Building Systems Inc., Topeka, were honored during the Associated General Contractor’s annual convention Feb. 8 in Wichita. They earned recognition through the AGC’s State Building Awards program.

The Law Company Inc. was honored for three construction projects. An Award of Excellence was presented for the renovation of Kansas State University Football Stadium in Manhattan. Two Awards of Honor were presented for the construction of the Kansas University Parking Structure No. 2 and the addition partial remodel of Murphy Hall, both on KU’s campus.

Kansas Building Systems received the Judges Choice First RunnerUp Award and an Award of Excellence for the Charles Curtis State Office Building in Topeka.

The entries were judged on significant construction features, innovative construction techniques and outstanding examples of workmanship. AGC, the state’s largest commercial and industrial building construction trade association, represents more than 275 general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers throughout the state.

Site Selection, a prominent national publication, has recognized Kansas for its success in economic and business development. In its March 2002 issue, Site Selection names Kansas in its Top 10 for business projects and expansions per capita last year.

The Site Selection Governor’s Cup awards are given annually to states scoring the most number of points in a 10-part process designed to gauge business expansion success during the previous year. Kansas ranks No. 9.

Kansas also ranks in the Top 10 in the following categories: total new jobs created in new and expanded facilities per 1 million population, total capital investment, new and expanded facilities per 1 million population, percentage growth in new and expanded facilities during 2000-2001, and three-year growth in new and expanded facilities during 1998-2001.

Kansas’ central location, diverse work force, transportation infrastructure and competitive incentive packages led to a number of key project in 2001. Some of the new projects included: North American headquarters of Danish industrial pump manufacturer Grundfos, Olathe; Community American Credit, Lenexa; Protection One’s headquarters, Topeka; and DST Inc., Lawrence.

During recent months, Kansas also has placed in the Top 10 in Expansion Management magazine’s annual work force training survey. It had the sixth-best job growth rate in the nation, according to Demographics Daily. The state also tied for first place in the National 2001 Digital State Survey.

The Lawrence Education Assn. recently announced that Linda Wildgen was selected as the Outstanding Professional of the Year by the Learning Disabilities Association of Kansas. Wildgen is the transition facilitator for Lawrence Public Schools. She helps students who have a disability prepare for post-secondary life.

Minuteman Press, Lawrence, received recognition by the Kansas City Small Business Monthly in its 25 Under 25 Awards program. The program honors businesses with 25 employees or less that demonstrate consistent growth, an ability to overcome challenges and a commitment to the community. The Lawrence company was featured in the February 2002 issue.

American Midwest Construction, Olathe, has received the first runner-up award for design and installation excellence in the Architectural Metal Systems annual Roofer of the Year Awards competition. It won the award for its work on the Farmers Market in Merriam.

Coming event

The monthly meeting of the Twilight Chapter of the American Business Women’s Assn. will be at 7 p.m. Monday at the American Legion Building, 3408 W. Sixth St. Networking activity will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The cost of dinner is $10.

Susan Rumans, director of Career Services for Topeka Technical College, will share tips on surviving a challenging job market. Topics will include resume building, professional etiquette, networking and interviewing skills.

For more information, contact Jan Stewart, chapter president, at 843-8521 or Janet Satterlee, membership chair, at 832-3603.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City will have its Regulatory Update Series “Winds of Change: Breeze or Hurricane. Managing Challenges of a Weakened Economy” on April 9.

The half-day conference will focus on banking conditions in a changing economy with specific discussions about the economic environment and current banking conditions for Midwestern and Mountain region banks, emerging risks for banks and risk management practices.

The conference is designed for presidents, chief executive officers, directors and senior staff of state member banks and bank holding companies.

The conference is free; however, interested parties need to register by Thursday. For more information or to register, contact Cindy Douglas at (800) 333-1010 extension 2798 or by e-mail at cindy.douglas@kc.frb.org.

Kansas Legislators will attend the 7th Annual “Wake Up To Kansas Agriculture” pancake breakfast from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the basement of the Assumption Church, just north of the State Capitol Building in Topeka. Preparing and serving the breakfast will be members and staff of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Assn., and the Kansas Corn Growers Assn.

The breakfast is part of National Agriculture Week activities in Kansas. Ag Week is from Monday through Saturday. National Agriculture Day is Wednesday.

The 33rd annual Kansas Bake ‘N Take Day activities will wrap up the week’s observance on Saturday, encouraging Kansans to bake a wheat-based food to share.