Jerry Johnson, of St. Francis Health Center in Topeka, has been elected president of the Kansas Self-Insurers Assn. Patrick Bush, of Westar Energy in Topeka, was elected vice president.

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Keith Warta, of Bartlett & West Engineers in Topeka, has been elected treasurer for Kansas Consulting Engineers, a trade association for engineers who are in private practice.

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Topeka attorney Ronald Pope has been named the 52nd president of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Assn. Pope, who graduated from Washburn University’s school of law, is a partner in the law firm of Ralston, Pope & Diehl, L.L.C.

His one-year term began July 1. He leads the organization’s 22-member executive committee.

Lawrence residents Nancy Crawford, Patrick Nichols and Margaret Farley have been chosen to serve on the 2003-2004 KTLA executive committee.

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Randy Barnes, Lawrence, recently joined Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate, 1037 Vt. Barnes has been licensed in the real estate business for a year. As an agent with Realty Executives, Barnes will handle real estate transactions for sellers and buyers of residential properties.

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Kathy Bechtel, Lawrence, recently attended basic and advanced painting classes at the Decorative Arts Center in St. Louis. She has been certified in faux finishing design. Bechtel owns The Finishing Touch, a decorative painting and faux finishing business in Lawrence.

Honors and awards

Kermit Cottrell has been recognized by Allstate Insurance Company for superior standards in customer satisfaction, customer retention and profitability.

The Asset Conservation Services Insurance Agency has achieved the Quality Agency award. The award recognizes Cottrell as a top salesperson in auto, property, business and life insurance and is a symbol of the agency’s dedication to serve and protect its customers.

The Asset Conservation Services Insurance Agency is located at 2449 Iowa, Suite D.

Coming events

Alpha Omega Publications is sponsoring a free workshop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Lawrence Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive. Attendees can learn about the opportunities of home education, view the company’s CD-ROM curriculum and inquire about other AOP resources.

To receive more information and to register, call (800) 682-7391 or e-mail Events@aop.com.

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The KU Small Business Development Center will present a small-business financing seminar “Making Cent$ of Financial Statements” from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, 734 Vt.

The seminar will aim to teach small business owners or potential owners how to use periodic financial statements such as cash flow, balance sheet and income statements to uncover hidden profit potential.

The cost is $30 per participant. To register call 843-8844.

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A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc., Lawrence, is sponsoring its Stock Market Game Program. The program is a computer-assisted classroom simulation of Wall Street trading which involves participants in the investment of $100,000 imaginary money in common stock, preferred stock and mutual funds listed on the New York Stock Exchange, AMEX and Nasdaq during a 10-week period.

Participants will research stocks, learn how the financial markets work, track companies in the news, and make decisions on whether to buy, sell, or hold.

The object of the game is to increase the value of a portfolio more than any other participant by the end of the 10-week period.

The cost is free. The game will be run from Sept. 9-Nov. 11. Participants will meet from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Douglas County Senior Center, 745 Vt. To make reservations, call 842-0543.