Faces and places

Jeanne Williams, Lawrence, recently became a consultant for Tastefully Simple Inc., a national direct sales company based in Alexandria, Minn. Williams conducts in-home presentations of gourmet foods. During the interactive taste-testing parties, guests receive easy meal ideas, recipes and entertainment suggestions.

Andrew Gabbert, Brian O’Keefe, Paul Mangan and Jeff Martin have joined the staff at Landplan Engineering, which is based in Lawrence.

Gabbert, staff planner, provides technical assistance, research and graphic support. He recently earned a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Kansas State University.

O’Keefe, engineering technician, is responsible for preparation of final plats, ALTA surveys and engineering construction drawings. He has several years of experience as a land surveyor.

A 2002 graduate of Kansas University, Mangan received a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering. As engineer I, Mangan provides design support for stormwater collection/detention, wastewater collection, water distribution and street projects.

Martin, project engineer, has more than 20 years of experience in engineering and management experience. He earned his juris doctorate from Kansas University in 1980. His responsibilities include technical oversight, project management and marketing.

Bob Anderson of Anderson Rentals Inc. in Lawrence, has been elected to a one-year term as vice president of the American Rental Assn.

Anderson will take office at the conclusion of the association’s international annual ARA Convention and Rental Trade Show Feb. 13, 2003, in Anaheim, Calif. T

he American Rental Assn., headquartered in Moline, Ill., is a trade association of more than 8,500 rental business owners and equipment suppliers. Anderson served on the ARA board of directors for three years representing members in Region Six, which includes Kansas.

Rebecca Hadl-Lemon has been promoted to manager trainee at Dillons, 1015 W. 23rd St. She previously was the general merchandise/health and beauty care manager at the store.

Erik Ganstrom has joined FirstBank, 2710 Iowa, as retail sales manager. After graduating from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance and business management, he has worked with The Trust Company of Manhattan and the Merrill Lynch Trust Company in Leawood. He is a member of the Lawrence Chamber Commerce Envoy committee and is the company’s liaison for the Douglas County United Way campaign.

Karla Benkula has joined the bank as lead teller. She has many years of experience in banking as a teller and personal banker. She is a member of the Lawrence Security Committee.

The ONEOK Inc. board of directors named Phyllis Worley the president of Kansas Gas Service Company, a division of ONEOK Inc. She replaces Gene Dubay who left the company to seek other opportunities.

Worley, 52, has been with ONEOK since 1970 and has spent her career in the natural gas distribution segment. She previously worked in Kansas having served almost five years in Wichita as vice president of the western division of Kansas Gas Service.

Most recently she served as vice president of administration for Oklahoma Natural Gas Company, the Oklahoma distribution division of ONEOK.

The Rev. Angela Lowe has joined Lawrence Memorial Hospital as chaplain. Her duties include providing pastoral care for patients, their families and LMH staff. She also serves as a link between LMH and the clergy in the community. Lowe serves on the LMH Bioethics Committee and the Palliative Care Team.

She most recently worked at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Kansas City. Lowe received a master’s of divinity degree from Central Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, Kan., and a master’s of religious studies from Midwestern Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, Mo.

Danette Umholtz, financial service officer at Douglas County Bank, has been named to the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity in Lawrence. Umholtz has been employed with Douglas County Bank for 20 years.

Brian Lang, certified public accountant, has earned the designation, certified valuation analyst, from the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.

NACVA is an association of more than 1,800 certified public accountants who provide business valuation services. To earn the CVA designation, a CPA must successfully complete NACVA’s rigorous training and testing process.

Lang serves the clients of SS&C Business & Tax Services Inc. as a staff accountant in the firm’s Topeka office. SS&C has offices in Topeka, Lawrence and Meriden.

Commercial Federal Bank has promoted Travis Hicks to corporate vice president. Hicks is responsible for business development and commercial real estate loan origination in the region. Hicks joined the bank as a commercial banker in 1998 with the acquisition of Midland First Financial Corp. He was promoted to commercial banker in 2000.

Hicks earned a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in business administration from Kansas University.

Scott Braden has joined Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Lawrence, as a home mortgage consultant. Braden will work with Realtors, builders and prospective homebuyers. He also will assist homeowners in assessing their refinance and purchase options. He will continue to work directly with certified public accountants, attorneys, financial planners and insurance agents to provide a mortgage and debt review consultation for their clients. Braden, who began his career in lending and financial services in 1983, is a member of the Lawrence Board of Realtors, the Lawrence Home Builders Assn. and the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.

Associates from Century 21 Miller and Midyett recently received a look at technology-based tools available to them during the Century 21 Cyber Smarts seminar. The sales associates learned how to reach home buyers and sellers through the Internet. Century 21 Miller and Midyett is a real estate brokerage company located at 1800 E. 23rd St.

Honors and awards

Mike Schwinn, McLouth, received a performance-based certification granted by the International Society for Performance Improvement. Schwinn is owner of the consulting firm Focus on Performance, McLouth. A certified performance technologist identifies and removes barriers to individual and organizational performance. CPTs may specialize in one or more families of solutions used to improve workplace performance, such as training, job design, process re-engineering, performance support tools or feedback systems.

Mark Hess of Realty Executives Hedges Real Estate was named to the 2002 Kansas Association of Realtors Honor Society. He will be honored by the Kansas Association of Realtors at the annual convention Oct. 7-9 in Overland Park. He was honored by the Lawrence Board of Realtors on Sept. 17. The society recognizes and rewards the high professional achievement of members who seek excellence through education, contribute their expertise and contribute their time and skills to board and association leadership. Less than 2 percent of Kansas Realtors receive the Honor Society certificate.

The National Federation of Independent Business named U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., “Guardians of Small Business” for outstanding voting records in the 107th Congress on behalf of America’s small business owners. NFIB’s voting record tallies eight key small business votes in the U.S. Senate taken during the 2001 and 2002 sessions. Issues range from health care to regulatory relief to a variety of tax relief measures.

Both senators had an 88 percent NFIB voting record. They also received the award last year for having 100 percent NFIB voting records.

Lester Edgecomb, Baldwin, received fourth place in the Kansas Auctioneers Assn. Bid Call Contest Sept. 11 at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson. The contestants were judged on appearance, presentation, chant and effective selling. The auctioneers must be members of the association.

Andy Conser, Edgerton, also competed in the contest.

Coming events

Consumer Credit Counseling Services will share ideas and methods designed for wise holiday spending during its “Surviving the Holidays” workshop from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at the United Way Building, 2518 Ridge Court.

The workshop will cover the urge to splurge, holiday shopping without credit cards, inexpensive gift ideas, smart shopping strategies and way to avoid post-holiday bills.

The workshop is free, but reservations are requested and can be made by calling 749-4224, extension 369 or (800) 383-0217, extension 369.

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Bargain Depot, 1547 E. 23rd St., at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

A business leader’s seminar is set for 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second. Ray McCollum will be speaking on “How to Become a Level 5 Leader” and “How to Take Your Company from Good to Great.”

The seminar is open to the public and admission is being provided by Morning Star Church of Lawrence.

The Lawrence Home Builders Assn. is having its annual fall showcase of homes from noon to 5 p.m. today and Oct. 5-6.

The showcase provides an opportunity to view the latest features and products in new homes.

There are 31 homes and one development on the tour. Home prices exhibited are between $129,500 and $549,000. The homes are located in the Lawrence, Baldwin and Eudora communities. If you have questions, call the association at 748-0612.

The Kansas Department of Human Resources announces its 53rd annual safety and health conference Tuesday through Saturday at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Topeka.

The event includes workshops, general sessions and optional professional development classes. More than 100 speakers will present 80 workshops. One of the featured sessions is “Take This Job and Love It,” a program for managing stress, preventing burnout and balancing life.

To make reservations, call (785) 296-8190 or click on www.hr.state.ks.us.

The Kansas Department of Human Resources announces it has partnered with the Kansas Women’s Business Center to offer four workshops on small business issues this fall in Kansas City and Topeka. Items such as dealing with employment relationships, interviewing, hiring and terminations are the focus of the series. They feature speakers with experience in the public and private sectors.

The first workshop, “Employment Relationships,” will be from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in Kansas City and Oct. 8 in Topeka.

To register for the conferences and learn more about them, call (866) 552-5922 or click on www.KansasWBC.com/ KDHRworks.

Jerry Samp, financial consultant with AG Edwards & Sons Inc., will host and moderate an old-fashioned town hall meeting about finance. The public will have the opportunity to ask experts on topics from mutual funds to Social Security.

The meeting will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Holiday Inn Express on South Iowa Street near the Southwind 12 Theater.

Seating is limited. To make reservations, call 842-7680.