Bradley Finkeldei, of Stevens & Brand law firm, was one of two presenters at a recent continuing legal education seminar on foreclosure and repossession in Kansas. The seminar, sponsored by Lorman Education Services, focused on practical information necessary to analyze issues of real estate foreclosure and lender repossession of personal property.

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John Wachter, Lawrence, recently joined Central National Bank as vice president of trust operations for the Lawrence market. Wachter has 27 years of private law practice in trust and estate planning, and is a former adjunct professor at Washburn University’s law school. He previously has presented programs on tax, estate and retirement planning for area professionals and clients.

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TherapyWorks, Lawrence, recently teamed up with Lawrence public schools and after-school programs of Safe Schools Healthy Students for junior high school students. TherapyWorks Wellness Center staffers work with students from Central, South and West junior high schools to support safe, supervised activities for students by incorporating physical activities — including kickboxing, aerobics, sports conditioning and dance classes — into their daily regimens.

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Lawrence Memorial Hospital has named Debbie Miers as director of food and nutrition services. Miers, a certified dietary manager, coordinates food service for patients, cafeteria patrons, employees, Meals on Wheels and special functions. She also oversees purchases, delivery and storage of food, plus food production, staffing, education safety, sanitation and coordination of clinical dietitians.

Miers has worked at the hospital since 1971. She began as a dietary aide and since then has been dietary clerk, supervisor and most recently, assistant director. Miers was named the hospital’s Employee of the Year in 1997.

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Pamela Norman, Lawrence, has joined SS&C Business & Tax Services Inc.’s Lawrence office as a staff tax accountant. She received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Park University, Parkville, Mo.

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Dr. John Keller, of Lawrence Plastic Surgery, became a fellow of the American College of Surgeons during recent convocation ceremonies at the college’s 90th annual Clinical Congress in New Orleans. Keller was among 1,301 initiates from around the world.

Keller received his medical degree from Kansas University in 1994, and attained board certification from the American Board of Surgery in 2000 and from the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 2002. He also is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Medical Assn., Kansas Medical Society and Douglas County Medical Society.

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Susan Stahl, occupational therapist and certified hand therapist at Neu Physical Therapy, recently attended a course, “Casting Motion to Mobilize Stiffness.” The course focused on how to identify causes of finger stiffness and how to effectively increase flexibility.

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Doug Billings, lead nuclear medicine technologist at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, recently was appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to the five-member Radiologic Technology Council. Billings was elected chairman of the council at its first meeting. The council assists the state Board of Healing Arts in carrying out the provisions of the Radiologic Technologists Practice Act.

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Hallmark Cards Inc. recently named Carol Blubaugh Zoellner as controller for the Kansas City, Mo.-based company’s North American operations. Carol is a graduate of Lawrence High School and received her accounting degree from Kansas University. Zoellner has been an employee of Hallmark for 16 years.

Honors and awards

Delta Dental Plan of Kansas recently received a certificate of progress, the second-highest recognition given by the Kansas Award for Excellence. The KAE annually recognizes companies from across the state that have demonstrated progress in their commitment to quality principles and management practices. Applications are judged based on the national Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance of Excellence. Delta Dental Plan of Kansas is the largest dental benefits provider in the state.

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Scuba Shack, Lawrence, recently received Oceanic Worldwide’s Gold Award at the Diving Equipment and Marketing Assn. Trade Show in Houston. The award signifies Scuba Shack’s commitment as a dealer and to the overall scuba diving industry. Scuba Shack is a full-service dive center offering a dive equipment and training for beginners to professionals.

Coming events

The Kansas Grape and Wine Industry Advisory Council meets at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Kansas Department of Agriculture in Topeka.

The council, formed by Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky, advises Polansky on marketing, regulatory, research and legislative issues important to the industry.

Individuals who would like to attend the meeting should contact Ginger Patterson at (785) 296-3902.

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K-10 Assn. Inc.’s membership meeting will be from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Friday in Regnier Hall at Kansas University’s Edwards Campus in Overland Park.

David Dunfield, a Lawrence city commissioner and president of the K-10 Assn., will give the introductions.

Speakers will include Clay Blair, chairman of the Kansas Bioscience Authority; Ted Haggart, president of Douglas County Bank and co-chairman of the Lawrence Biosciences Task Force; and Rich Caplan, executive director of the association. Cathy Bennett, of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, will moderate a discussion about what area leaders learned about transportation and biosciences issues during a recent trip to San Diego.