Vincent Garcia, Lawrence, has accepted a position as vice president with University National Bank. His responsibilities include residential, commercial and personal lending.

Garcia, a Lawrence native and 1991 graduate of Kansas University, previously was in a branch manager position with Douglas County Bank and Capitol Federal Savings Bank. He also has worked at Hallmark Cards in Lawrence and Security Benefit Group of Cos. in Topeka.

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Harley Catlin, a registered representative with Edward Jones in Lawrence, has earned membership in the 2004 Leadership Council for Planco, a wholesaler of investment and insurance products for The Hartford.

Council memberships are reserved for representatives who produce more than $1 million in sales.

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Terry Kramer, a registered nurse with Lawrence Orthopaedic Surgery, recently earned certification in orthopaedic nursing. The National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses presented the advanced certification.

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Janet Schalansky is retiring after 31 years of service with the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. A retirement reception is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at the SRS Learning Center in Topeka.

Schalansky began her career in 1973 in Disability Determination Services. She led the state’s welfare reform initiative as the director of work force development and was named deputy secretary in 1995, serving as the agency’s chief operating officer before being appointed secretary by former Gov. Bill Graves in 1999. Schalansky received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Emporia State University, where she was named the Distinguished Alumni of the University in 2001.

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Bob Drake, founder of BizAds-USA, has extended his advertising business into Lawrence. The company publishes participating businesses in reference guides that are posted on the Internet in distributed in hotels, restaurants, visitor centers and other outlets frequented by visitors and other potential customers. For more information, contact Drake by e-mail at saxdrake@yahoo.com or visit www.bizads-usa.com.

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The Natural Resources Conservation Service has added a new self-assessment tool that needs to be filled out when applying for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for fiscal year 2005 financing. Kansas has received its funding allocation of nearly $22 million. The deadline for applications is Jan. 21. For more information about the self-assessment tool and the program, click online at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/2005/eqip2005.html. EQIP funds help farmers and ranchers install conservation practices that improve and protect the state’s priority natural resource concerns.

Honors and awards

Dengel & Son Mortuary, Ottawa, has received the 2004 National Funeral Directors Assn. Pursuit of Excellence Emeritus Award for community service, consumer relations and professional educational programs. The association presented the award this year to 31 funeral homes.

Coming events

“The Right Start,” a group counseling session for start-ups, will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 15 at Kansas University Small Business Development Center, 734 Vt. The session aims to give participants the primary items associated with started a company and some of the pitfalls to avoid. The cost is $20 if pre-registered or $25 at the door. To register, call 843-8844 or e-mail maggie@kusbdc.net.

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The National Business Institute is sponsoring a seminar “Section 1031 Exchanges of Investment Properties in Kansas” from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Doubletree Hotel in Overland Park.

The seminar is designed for attorneys but also may also benefit real estate professionals, residential and commercial property managers, financial planners, bankers, accountants and tax attorneys.

Speakers will be Joanne Barbera, of Cooling & Herbers; Lisa Hansen, of Lathrop & Gage; and Richard Lenza, of Shughart Thomson & Kilroy.

The cost is $279 for first registrant and $229 for each additional registrant. For more information, call (800) 930-6182, fax (715) 835-1405, or click online at www.nbi-sems.com.