Faces and places

John Raney has joined the city’s Neighborhood Resources Department as the building inspections supervisor. Raney will work in the Codes Enforcement Division overseeing the plan review, permit process, and inspection programs.

He will work with building inspection staff to conduct mechanical, plumbing, electrical and structural inspections of new and existing industrial, commercial and residential buildings.

Raney previously lived in California, where he has been involved with residential remodeling for more than 20 years as a company owner and operator. Raney is a certified building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and plans examiner with additional certification as an accessibility plans examiner.

Jeremy Zimney and Luke Henry, both employees at TherapyWorks in Lawrence, recently received specialized training by attending seminars.

Zimney attended a course “Managing Challenging Back Patients,” which featured treatment techniques for chronic low back pain, SIJ dysfunction, post surgical, disc herniations and postural scoliosis patients. Zimney has been with TherapyWorks for one year. He serves as the program director for TherapyWorks Sports Acceleration.

Henry attended the 2002 Sport Specific Training conference in San Antonio. The conference covered comprehensive football and baseball training programs. He also attended “First to the Ball: Building and Rebuilding the Athlete.” The course featured techniques on developing speed, agility and strength. He has been at TherapyWorks since last September. He received a master’s degree in physical therapy from the Kansas University Medical Center.

Jeffrey Randall, a Lawrence orthopaedic surgeon, recently attended the 21st annual meeting of the Arthroscopy Association of North America in Washington, D.C. Randall, who practices with Lawrence Orthopaedic Surgery, is one of 11 orthopedists from Kansas who have earned membership in the association.

Robin LacKamp, a Concordia banking executive, was elected to a one-year term as chair of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Board of Directors at its annual meeting May 9. James Alley III, a Wichita dental surgeon, was elected as vice president and first vice chairman of the 16-member board. Steven Marsh, Wichita certified public accountant, was elected second vice chairman. Alley and Marsh will serve one-year terms.

Re-elected to the board were Peter Haas, Hoxie accountant; Thomas Simpson, Sterling physician; LacKamp; and Alley.

Other board members are Leon Boor, Abilene; Harold Dufek, Hutchinson; Rex Fischer, Manhattan; James Hanni, Topeka; Sajjad Hashmi, Emporia; John Knack, Topeka; Edward Miller, Iola; Louis Mosiman, Topeka; Robert Mullen, Lyons; Marie Sellberg, McPherson; and Alfred Wasinger, Hutchinson.

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

Jill Giele has joined the Lawrence Community Theatre, 1501 N.H., as development director. She will work with the theater staff and the board of directors to secure funding for LCT productions, educational activities and outreach programs.

Dave Hosek has joined U.S. Bank as a mortgage loan officer. Hosek has lived in Lawrence since 1978. He began a business career as a manager of Pulliam’s Music House and has since been instrumental in starting several businesses. Hosek’s office is located at 900 Mass.

Tim Riddle has joined Charlton Manley Inc. as an account executive in commercial insurance. Before joining Charlton Manley, Riddle spent five years with Universal Underwriters Insurance Company in commercial insurance sales. Riddle specializes in commercial insurance and risk management in a variety of industries. Charlton Manley has offices in Lawrence, Topeka and Kansas City.

The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department has announced a reorganization of its staff. Under the supervision of Tom Wilkerson, assistant director of parks and recreation, the operations and maintenance responsibilities of the department will be divided between two superintendents Ernie Shaw and Mark Hecker. The change will take effect June 30.

Shaw, superintendent of facilities and maintenance, has been promoted to superintendent of recreation and operations. Shaw’s new duties will include the management of recreation programs such as youth and adult sports, fitness and leisure activities, special populations, special events and the Prairie Park Nature Center. Shaw will retain supervision of aquatics and facilities. Shaw has worked for Lawrence Parks and Recreation for 27 years and is the immediate past president of the Kansas Recreation and Parks Assn.

Hecker, facilities maintenance supervisor, has been promoted to superintendent of parks and maintenance. He will coordinate the efforts of the landscape, turf management, and forestry supervisors. He also will supervise facilities maintenance and cemeteries. Hecker began working for Lawrence Parks and Recreation in 1998 and has 23 years of experience in the operations, management and maintenance of public owned parks and recreation facilities. Hecker serves on the KRPA Board of Directors.

The additions of Jo Ellis, recreation program supervisor, and Sue Lane, marketing supervisor, complete the staff changes. Ellis will manage the department’s recreation programs. Lane is responsible for generating public awareness of LPRD programs and facilities.

Ginger Wehner, manager of Kansas University Credit Union of Lawrence, has completed her term on the Kansas Credit Union Assn. board of directors. The board of directors consists of 16 credit union professionals and volunteers who foresee functions of the Kansas Credit Union Assn. Wehner was recognized for her service during the association’s annual meeting April 26 in Wichita.

Kent Ferguson, commercial insurance executive of Charlton Manley, has been appointed to serve on the Kansas Workers Compensation Insurance Assigned Risk Plan governing board. He will be serving a three-year term and will replace Keith Maloney who retired from the board. KWCIP is responsible for overseeing the administration of the plan, which provides workers compensation insurance for Kansas businesses that are unable to find coverage in the private market.

Ted Melichar, registered physical therapist, has joined Neu Physical Therapy in Lawrence, 1305 Wakarusa Drive. He earned a master’s degree at Kansas University Medical Center. He specializes in the treatment of sports and orthopedic injuries.

Honors and awards

Hank Booth and Phillip Godwin have received the Kiwanis Substantial Citizens for 2002 Award. The award is based on career success and community service.

Booth has been manager of the Lawrence radio station KLWN since 1973. He has been involved with the Business/Education Partnership and the Lawrence Schools Foundation. He helped start and raise funds for the Early Childhood Education program in the Lawrence school district. He serves on the Kansas State Lung Assn. board, Lawrence Sesquicentennial Commission, board of the Watkins Community Museum and Kansas Association of Broadcasters’ board.

Godwin graduated from Kansas University Medical Center in 1955. He began his medical practice in Lawrence in 1956. He helped form the Lawrence Family Practice in 1976. He established the Department of Anesthesia at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, developed the first recovery room and helped establish the first LMH coronary care unit which evolved into the Intensive Care Unit, which he directed for 10 years. He also established the Respiratory Care Department, which he directed from 1970 to 1995. He has been an active member of the Lawrence Kiwanis Club and the First United Methodist Church. He serves on the Cottonwood Inc. board of directors and the State Caring Community Coalition. He is president of the board of the Watkins Community Museum.

The Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the winners of its photo contest, sponsored to celebrate National Tourism Week, May 4-12.

The contest, open to area youth, amateur and professional photographers looked to artists to capture the most enticing things about Lawrence on film. More than 20 entries in six different categories were submitted by Lawrence residents.

The following division winners were honored May 8 at a Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at Robert W. Baird & Co.:

Andy Stevens, professional, The Great Outdoors, From Ashes

to Immortality, The People of Lawrence;

Shakura Jackson, amateur, From Ashes to Immortality, Lawrence by Night;

Lee Miller, amateur, Lawrence: City of the Arts;

Ross Knowlton, junior, Lawrence: City of the Arts;

Brynn Edmonds Burns, amateur, The Great Outdoors;

Kathryn Conrad, professional, Lawrence: City of the Arts.

The grand prize winner was Anna Dean, who submitted a photograph taken at Haskell Indian Nations University’s annual spring powwow. Her photo will be included in the 2002-03 Lawrence Visitors Guide, which will be published in August.

The Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau honored outstanding Lawrence hotel employees at an open house May 7 at the Lawrence Visitor Information Center. The outstanding employees were nominated by their property’s general manager for their commitment to providing outstanding customer service. From the pool of nominees, one Outstanding Hotel Employee of the Year was selected. This year’s winner is Rajesh Gogineni, a banquet captain at the Lawrence Holidome.

Other nominees who received recognition were: James Aikins, guest service representative at Super 8 Motel; Beverlee Dover, executive housekeeper at Hampton Inn; Rochelle Marsh, manager at Halcyon House Bed and Breakfast; Ryan Randolph, guest services representative at SpringHill Suites; Buck Rogers, chief engineer at Holiday Inn Express and Suites; Matti Suso, housekeeping at Ramada Inn; and Veronica Waterman, assistant executive housekeeper at Days Inn.

Evelyn Senecal, a financial advisor with the Lawrence area office of American Express, has been appointed a member of the company’s prestigious advanced advisor group called Senior Financial Advisors. Members are selected based upon their experience as financial consultants, recognized professional designations and superior financial planning, quality of advice and client service. Senior financial advisors are authorized to provide an expanded scope of personal, comprehensive financial planning to clients. They have access to tools, which enable them to handle highly complex, sophisticated client needs.

Margene Swarts, community development manager with the Neighborhood Resources Department, was named Nadine Burch Person of the Year during a conference of the Kansas Chapter of National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.

The honor is the most prestigious award given annually to a member of Kansas NAHRO. It honors individual contributions to the quality of housing or community development through innovation, initiative, creativity and advocacy.

Swarts has been a member the Kansas Chapter of National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials since 1988 and has served as president, senior vice president and vice president of member services. She also has served as committee member for the Southwest Regional Council of NAHRO. She received certification as a building inspector in 1979 from the International Conference of Building Officials.

Swarts joined the City of Lawrence in 1979. She has worked as the Community Development Block Grant Program analyst and was promoted to the Community Development Manager in 1993. She manages several Housing and Urban Development grants. She has a master’s degree in public administration from Kansas University.

She has served as vice president of Leadership Lawrence Alumni Assn. She has received the Outstanding Career Woman Award by the Lawrence Women’s Network and the Volunteer of the Year Award by American Cancer Society.

Coming events

K-10 Assn. President Kurt von Achen is seeking nominations for the eighth annual K-10 Corridor Awards program, which presents a Service Award and Development Award. The K-10 Service Awards is presented to the individual or organization who has made a contribution toward promoting the goals of the association. The K-10 Development Award recognizes the individual, company or institution which has contributed to the economic development of the corridor through establishing a new or expanded business, enhancing the design character of the corridor or otherwise contributing to the development of the corridor.

The deadline to submit nomination forms is May 31. For more information, contact Rich Caplan, executive director, at (785) 841-7166 or (913) 649-9510 or by e-mail at Rcak10&aol.com.

The American Soybean Assn. is seeking nominations for the 2003 Conservation Legacy Awards. The Conservation Legacy Program is a national program designed to recognize the outstanding environmental and conservation achievements of U.S. soybean farmers. Producers interested in receiving the award will be asked to complete an application form. The form is available by calling (800) 688-7692 or by clicking on www.SoyGrowers.com. A committee of soybean farmers, environmentalists, soybean industry representatives and government officials with judge applications.

Four regional winners and a guest will receive a trip to Commodity Classic, the annual joint convention of the American Soybean Assn. and National Corn Growers Assn. Feb. 27-March 1, 2003, in Charlotte, N.C. The national winner also will receive a plaque and will be featured in Soybean Digest.

Nominations are due by Aug. 1. For more information, contact Christine Luelf at (314) 576-1770, ext. 1329 or e-mail cluelf@soy.org.