Faces and places

Marybeth Mermis, a Mary Kay independent senior sales director, earned the use of a new Pontiac GrandAm. Mary Kay career cars are earned through outstanding sales and team building. Mermis will take delivery of her sixth career car at Dale Willey Automotive, Lawrence.

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Bryan Hedges, president of Hedges Real Estate, announced that Craig Brown, Lawrence, has joined the Realty Executives team. Brown has 25 years of sales experience. He specializes in serving the needs of investor and residential real estate clients.

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Teresa Prochaska and Samantha Reinblatt are new employees at Brandon Woods Retirement Community in Lawrence.

Prochaska is the human resources coordinator. She received a bachelor’s degree in personnel administration and communication studies from Kansas University. Prochaska previously was assistant farm manager for Free State Farm and Victoria Veranda Country Inn, and was a principal in her own consulting and bookkeeping business.

Reinblatt is a new receptionist. She is studying communication studies at Kansas University.

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Gerald Dreiling has been hired as general manager of Master Plan Management’s building services contracting division. He will be responsible for account management and business development of janitorial accounts in Lawrence and the surrounding area. Dreiling has more than eight years of account management experience for janitorial services for large industrial and office sites.

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Douglas County Bank announced the promotion of Peggy Leslie to assistant vice president of trust services. Leslie, who has worked at the bank for 24 years, has served as assistant trust officer since 1996. Her responsibilities include overall administration of the Trust Department and she also serves as the bank’s compliance officer, having completed training at the 2003 Bank Compliance School in Topeka. She joined the bank in 1978 as a clerk and teller, and has held various positions in loan services, accounting, customer service and auditing.

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Headquarters Counseling Center announced the 2003 officers of its Board of Directors. They are Todd Neese, president; Phil Andrew, vice president; Bob Trepinski, treasurer; and Diane Traiger, secretary. Members of the board include Jim Beltch, Ric Brack, Tony Brown, Kevin Burenheide, Terri Johnson, Renee Murphy, Annette Musick, Carol Nalbandian, Ann Peuser, Ed Samp and Rick Trapp. Free State High School senior Josh Dugan also serves on the board this school year.

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Cingular Wireless announces the recent appointment of Nancy Garvey as vice president and general manager of Cingular’s Kansas and Missouri regions. In her new role, Garvey will lead and oversee all wireless sales and operations for the area. She will be based in St. Louis. Garvey relocated from Little Rock, Ark., where she served as vice president and general manager Cingular’s Arkansas and Oklahoma operations.

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Waddell & Reed has announced that David Guth has joined the Lawrence office as a financial adviser. He joins Waddell & Reed with four years of financial planning experience as well as the distinguished designation of Certified Financial Planner. As a financial adviser, Guth specializes in retirement planning, education funding, tax deferred investments and comprehensive financial planning.

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George Paley and Tom Abbott, partners in AAPS Storage, Lawrence, attended the Inside Self Storage Expo in Las Vegas. The seminar focused on the European market.

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Dizzy the Clown, also known as Rita Winter of Lawrence, attended the “Show Me Clowns For Jesus” national conference Feb. 21-23 at the Windermere Baptist Conference Center in Roach, Mo. Winter participated in several workshops including ballooning, clown ministry, puppetry and hospital and nursing home ministry. Winter volunteers at several area nursing homes and Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

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Dillons and the Kansas Beef Council have joined efforts to promote National Nutrition Month. Dillons will display information about beef nutrients in its pharmacy and meat departments. The promotion was made possible through grant dollars from the state’s attorney general’s office.

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Eleven communities in Kansas, including Lawrence, have united to create a marketing alliance called “Meet Kansas” with the sole purpose of attracting more meeting and convention business to their communities. Initial projects for “Meet Kansas” include an upgrade to the Web site www.MeetKansas.org, the creation of a new media kit, a regular press release distribution program, print advertising design and a direct mail campaign. The Web site will be used as the primary marketing and information resource function of the organization.

Honors and awards

Hasty Awards, Ottawa, was named Retailer of the Year by the Awards and Recognition Assn. at the International Awards Gala Feb. 28 in Las Vegas. The award is given to the retailer that best exemplifies general business practices based upon integrity and a partnership approach to the customer relationship.

Coming events

“Taking Your Business to the Next Level” will be presented by Kelly Scanlon at the Home Business Connection networking luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 26 at the Hereford House, Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive.

Scanlon is owner/publisher of a variety of media products dedicated to advocating small business and helping business owners take their companies to the next level of growth. She is owner/publisher of Kansas City Small Business Monthly.

To make reservations, call (913) 981-4343 by March 23. The cost is $15 by the deadline and $20 after the deadline.

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The Center for Business and Technology at Johnson County Community College is offering its annual Administrative Professionals’ Day from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 10 at the Ritz Charles Conference Center, 9000 W. 137th St., Overland Park. Mark Towers, author and teacher, will deliver the keynote address on “Dealing With Topsy-Turvy Times: Staying Motivated, Productive and Excited at Work.” Karen Rowinsky, author of “Come Alive! 50 Easy Ways to Have More Energy Now,” also will speak.

A light breakfast and lunch will be served. The cost is $156 for single registration or $150 for two or more registrations from the same company. The deadline for registration is April 2. To register, call (913) 469-2323.