Faces and places

G. Waters Realty Inc. announced its formation and affiliation with the Lawrence Board of Realtors and MLS, the multiple listing service. George Waters, broker and president, has been a licensed real estate broker in Lawrence since 1977. He operated independently from 1996 until March 1, 2003, specializing in commercial and multi-family transactions. He also is president of George Waters Management Inc., a real estate management company in Lawrence.

Joining G. Waters Realty as a licensed sales associate is Ed Sims, Lawrence. Sims recently retired from Southwestern Bell Telephone after 25 years of service.

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RELO, a nationwide relocation service, had its annual sales meeting for March 13-15 in Palm Desert, Calif. Lawrence Realty & Baldwin Realty are members of RELO. Lawrence Realty & Baldwin Realty have 40 agents located within their two offices in Lawrence and Baldwin. John Bush, chairman and CEO of Lawrence Realty Associates Inc. and president of Baldwin Realty Associates Inc., attended the meeting.

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Lawrence resident Diane Oakes, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council, was chosen to participate in an executive leadership program March 23-28 at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Girl Scouts of the USA sponsors the pilot program in collaboration with the business school to further prepare Girl Scout executives for innovative leadership and to lead organizational change.

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Maria Arnone has joined the Lawrence Community Theatre as director of development. She will be working with community business leaders and organizations to raise awareness and garner support for the theatre’s various programs, productions and special events. Arnone previously worked in management roles at publishing companies in Kansas City and Chicago. She earned bachelor’s degrees in French and Italian literature and a master’s degree in magazine journalism at Kansas University.

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Wendell Bailey is the new Office of Advocacy Regional advocate for the federal government’s Region VII which covers Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. He will be the direct link between small business owners, state and local government agencies, state legislators, small business associations and the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Bailey has more than 20 years of experience in local, state and national government. He also is a small business owner and entrepreneur.

For more information contact Wendell Bailey at (816) 374-6380, or click on www.sba.gov/advo.

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Kansans are encouraged to nominate local businesses for recognition during Kansas Business Appreciation Month in June. Business Appreciation Month is an annual tribute to businesses throughout the state and is sponsored by the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing.

Individuals or organizations may nominate one or more local businesses in four categories: manufacturing, distribution, service and retail. During June, the department will honor all nominated businesses and regional winners in each category with special recognition events throughout the state.

The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Tuesday. Nominations may be submitted online at www.kansascommerce.com/bam. Nomination forms also are available by contacting the Business Development Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing at (785) 296-5298 or by e-mail at busdev@kansascommerce.com.

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Gene Reding, ribbon development manager at Hallmark Cards, announced his retirement after 38 years of service. Reding began his career in Kansas City Die Cutting. He left the company in 1953 to serve two years in the U.S. Army. He joined KC Ribbon Manufacturing when he returned. In 1958, he transferred to Lawrence’s Hallmark, where he has worked in the department of ribbon manufacturing and ribbon extrusion and coating.

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Douglas County Title changed its name to Kansas Secured Title — Douglas County on March 24. The name change reflects it subsidiary relationship with Title Midwest Inc., a Topeka-based title insurance and real estate escrow holding company with subsidiary title insurance companies in Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska and Minnesota.

As part of the larger network, Kansas Secured Title — Douglas County will offer expanded services through other Title Midwest Inc. agencies, including in Jefferson, Shawnee, and Johnson counties. The name change does not involve any changes to business’ staff or its office location at 544 Columbia Dr.

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Dr. Kenneth Wertzberger, Lawrence, recently attended the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery in New Orleans. He attended special meetings of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Association of North America. Wertzberger, who is in practice with Lawrence Orthopaedic Surgery, is a member of both societies. He participates with the Kansas Center for Athletic Medicine and has privileges at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and Lawrence Surgery Center.

Honors and awards

Associated Wholesale Grocers of Kansas City, Kan., has named Fred and JoAnn Ball as recipients of the inaugural Lou Fox Community Service Award. The award was presented during the Associated Wholesale Grocers’ annual shareholders meeting on March 16. The Balls were recognized for their lifelong commitment to the Kansas City community.

Fred and JoAnn Ball own and operate 28 Kansas City metro supermarkets under the Hen House and Price Chopper names.

In 2002, Fred Ball received Kansas University’s School of Business Distinguished Alumni Award and the Kansas City Kansas Chamber of Commerce named him “Man of the Year.”

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Patricia Reed, a career agent for Farm Bureau Financial Services in Lawrence, was named to the 2002 Farm Bureau Premier Club. The honor is given to life insurance agents for their production and service. Reed, who has been an agent with Farm Bureau for 10 years, also is a member of the Million Dollar Club.

Coming events

Housing and Credit Counseling is sponsoring a seminar on rental housing from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. April 8 at the Indian Springs Office Center in Kansas City, Kan.

The seminar will offer an overview of the Kansas Residential Landlord/Tenant Act as it pertains to tenant and landlord rights and responsibilities. The seminar will topics such as screening process, fair housing issues, maintenance responsibilities and security deposits.

The event is free, but registration is recommended. To make reservations, call (785) 234-0217 or (800) 383-0217.

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The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce announces the following upcoming ribbon-cutting ceremonies:

• Marks Physical Therapy, 11:30 a.m., April 17, 2311 Wakarusa Drive Suite E;
• Spring Parade of Homes, 11:30 a.m., April 25, Mallard Homes, 1617 Cog Hill Court;
• Commerce Bank’s Commerce Trust Company Division, 11:30 a.m., April 29, 15th Street and Wakarusa Drive, Suite A.
• Ryan Brittingham DDS, 11:30 a.m., May 2, 3320 Clinton Parkway Court, No. 110.
• Pure Elegance, 11:30 a.m., May 14, 1405 Mass.