Mary Gird has been promoted to corporate and regional marketing director for Title Midwest Inc. She will coordinate marketing efforts for Kansas Secured Title agencies in Douglas, Jefferson and Shawnee counties. Mary was vice president of the closing department for Title Midwest’s Wichita operation. She became vice president of the startup operation in Kansas City in 2002. She has 12 years of experience in the real estate industry.

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Grit magazine is featuring Nancy O’Connor, education outreach director for Lawrence’s Community Mercantile Co-op, as the Cook of the Month in its October issue. Grit is a nationally distributed monthly publication with a circulation of about 130,000.

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Maryanne McDonald has joined the sales staff at RE/MAX Professionals, of Lawrence. McDonald has 15 years experience in education and seven years experience in property management. She will specialize in residential sales in the Douglas County area.

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Craig Phillips recently completed a seminar for orientation and mobility specialists at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, Calif. The seminar’s objectives were to provide an overview of independent travel with a guide dog. Phillips, Tonganoxie, is the orientation and mobility specialist for Shawnee Mission Public Schools.

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Todd Sutherland, president of University National Bank, Lawrence, was elected to the governing council and board of directors of the Kansas Bankers Assn. at it annual meeting this fall. The association has more than 350 member banks and has served the state’s banking industry since 1887.

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Doug Gaston has joined Douglas County Bank as vice president of real estate lending. He directly works with customers and real estate professionals to originate home loans as well as real estate investment loans. Gaston previously worked at US Bank, and he has more than 21 years of banking and lending experience in Lawrence and Douglas County. Gaston is a Kansas University graduate.

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Michele Kessler, associate director and staff attorney of Legal Services for Students at Kansas University, was recently selected to participate in the 2003-2004 Franklin County leadership program.

The Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the leadership program, which runs until March. Class participants also earn college credit through Neosho County Community College. Kessler has been with the Legal Services for Students office since 1987. Legal Services for Students provides legal advice and representation to KU students.

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Longtime Lawrence stylists Mark and Cherina Chapman have opened LADA Spa & Salon at 4931 W. Sixth St., Suite 116, in Lawrence. LADA is a full-service salon and spa offering hair styling, coloring, aromatherapy, facials, waxing, massage, and yoga and meditation sessions. The Chapmans have more than 25 years of combined salon experience and plan to add six stylists and service providers to the business.

Honors and awards

Jeff Pierce was named the 2003 Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year in Kansas during a recent meeting of the Kansas Pharmacists Assn. Pierce has been employed eight years at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. He graduated from Kansas University in 1995 with a doctorate of pharmacy. He received the award for individual excellence and outstanding contributions in state pharmacy association activities, community affairs and in professional practices.

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Beth Dwyer and Kim Boaz, sixth-year pharmacy students at Kansas University, were the winners of the Kansas Society of Health-System Pharmacists 2003 clinical skills competition. Dwyer and Boaz received the award during the Kansas Pharmacists Assn. annual meeting Sept. 18-21 in Overland Park.

The competition gives students the opportunity to put their education to the test. Pharmacy students are encouraged to develop and use practical, consumer-friendly communication tools for advising their patients about medications. They have 90 minutes to review a case study and develop an appropriate pharmaceutical care plan. They then had 10 minutes to present their plan to a panel of three judges, followed by five minutes of question and answer.

Dwyer, of Wellsville, and Boaz, of Chanute, will participate in national competition Dec. 6 in New Orleans.

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The Dole Institute of Politics in Lawrence received the Product Development Award of Merit during the 2003 Kansas Tourism conference Oct. 5-8 in Olathe.

The Travel and Tourism Development Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Travel Industry Association of Kansas co-sponsored the conference.

The Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau received marketing awards for its Web site and visitors guide.

Coming events

The first Great Plains Capital conference will be Nov. 12 at the Airport Hilton in Wichita. During the conference, entrepreneurs seeking funding will present business plans to venture capitalist and other investors. The conference promises to provide a networking opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors in the Great Plains region.

The keynote luncheon speaker is Darrel Rolph, who had developed restaurant concepts such as Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe.

The conference is sponsored by Koch Genesis, Stinson Morrison Hecker and Wichita State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship.

To register or find out more about the conference visit www.greatplainscc.com. The cost is $300. The conference also includes a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 11.

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The Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 2003 Small Grants workshop will be Tuesday and Wednesday at the regional office, 901 N. Fifth St. in Kansas City, Kan. The workshop will provide information to assist potential grant recipient organizations in EPA grant application procedures and processes. It also will focus on assistance to new grant recipient organizations by providing information and guidance on managing an EPA grant.

There is no cost. For more information, call Andri Jovan at (913) 551-7397 or e-mail jovan.sherick@epa.gov.

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The National Tooling and Machining Assn. and Business and Technology College is having its annual educator’s luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 21 at 1775 Universal Ave. in Kansas City, Mo.

The luncheon aims to promote awareness to high school personnel about the types of manufacturing, careers and opportunities available for young people. For more information or to make reservations, call (913) 323-9146.

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The Kansas Women’s Business Center is sponsoring a workshop, “Out of Your Head & Into Business: Assessing Your Entrepreneurial Potential,” from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Nov. 7 at the center, 8527 Bluejacket St. in Lenexa.

The workshop is designed to introduce participants to the center and help them learn about the ideal characteristics of the entrepreneur. Participants will explore personal potential as a future business owner through a series of interactive assessments and exercises.

For more information, call (913) 492-5922 or click on www.KansasWBC.com.