Dr. Larry Marston and Gerald Whiteside, of Marston Hearing Center in Lawrence, were among 300 hearing care professionals to participate in training sessions at an advanced hearing technology conference April 16-18 in Dallas. The conference was the first to certify professionals to fit a hearing aid called Syncro that uses artificial intelligence to mimic the way the brain processes sound.

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Andres Vicuna-Cardenas, Christopher Degenhardt, Todd Posson and Brenton Sells have joined Lawrence-based Landplan Engineering.

Vicuna-Cardenas and Degenhardt have joined the company’s Lawrence office. Vicuna-Cardenas, a 2003 Kansas University graduate, is an engineer I and will assume initial duties of construction observation for several Douglas County projects. As engineering technician I, Degenhardt provides technical assistance as a CAD operator on civil engineering and landscape architecture projects.

Posson and Sells are working in the company’s Kansas City, Mo. office. Posson is an engineering manager. He is responsible for the management and design of civil engineering projects for municipal and private clients. Sells, a 2002 KU graduate, is an engineer I. Sells will provide civil engineering design support on stormwater, street, sanitary sewer and waterline projects.

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Gould Evans Associates, Lawrence, recently hired Alison Saber, Laura Brunow, Carrie Mabee, Theresa Roach and Donna Griffin.

Saber has joined the staff as a project architect. Saber’s main responsibilities include schematic design, design development and construction documentation. The Kansas State University graduate previously worked at Naomi Leff and Associates in New York City and Schwerdt Design Group Inc. in Topeka.

Brunow, a Kansas University graduate, is a marketing coordinator. She previously worked as a marketing assistant at Alex R. Masson Inc., Linwood. Brunow’s main responsibilities include tracking project leads and in-house design of marketing and communication materials.

Mabee, marketing coordinator, is responsible for lead finding and tracking, marketing plan management, community involvement efforts and writing for company communications and proposals. Mabee, a Wichita State University graduate, previously was a traffic manager at Callahan Creek.

Roach, a graduate of Cooper Union in New York City, is an architecture designer. She is working on plans for renovations to Bentonville High School, Bentonville, Ark.

Griffin, a KU graduate, is a project architect with 11 years of design experience. She has worked on numerous hospitals, clinics and medical suites throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. Griffin is working on the Internal Medicine Group buildings in Lawrence and the new Structural Biology Center at KU.

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Bob McCaffrey and Jack Collins have opened Lawrence-based McCaffrey/Collins Design, a home decorating service. They work with clients in their homes. Their services include art placement, faux finishing, color washing and landscape design. McCaffrey, former art director for The American Hereford Journal, has more than 20 years of experience in commercial and graphic design. Collins is a former professor of art at Baker University.

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Susan Bonham has joined Century 21 Miller and Midyett, Lawrence. Bonham will specialize in residential sales in the Lawrence area.

Coming events

Comfort Keepers is having an open house from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 14 at its new headquarters, 900 Ind. The event will feature a photo and memorabilia exhibit highlighting the history of the building, which was a turn-of-the-century gas station.

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Consumer Credit Counseling Services will present “Discover More Dollars” from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. May 11 at the Topeka Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave. The free workshop, sponsored by Intrust Bank, will cover financial goal setting, developing a realistic budget, cutting costs, evaluating spending habits and starting a savings plan.

To make reservations or for more information, call (785) 234-0217, ext. 368 or (800) 383-0217, ext. 368.

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“Power Advertising,” a workshop designed to provide basic ingredients to designing an advertisement, will be from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce office, 734 Vt. The cost is $15. For more information or to register, visit www.kusbdc.net, e-mail maggie@kusbdc.net or call 843-8844. The workshop is sponsored by the chamber and the Kansas University Small Business Development Center.

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Kansas University women’s basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson will be the guest speaker at a luncheon series presented by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas University Athletic Corp. The event will be at noon May 14 at the Lawrence Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive.

The cost is $15 in advance and $17 at the door. To make reservations, call the chamber at 865-4411 or e-mail Lyndi Knoll at lknoll@lawrencechamber.com.

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Lawrence Professionals in Aging will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 13 at the Eldridge Hotel. Molly Wood will be the speaker. To make reservations, call 842-0656 or e-mail lawrenceprofessionalsinaging@hotmail.com.

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

• Heartland Medical, 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, 1 Riverfront Plaza, Ste. 100
• 75th Street Brewery, 11 a.m., Thursday, 3512 Clinton Parkway.
• Serenity Garden Stay Spa, 4:30 p.m., May 14, 701 Mass.
• Haase & Long, 4:30 p.m., May 19, 303 W. 11th St.

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The Lawrence Sertoma Club invites Lawrence Chamber of Commerce members to Sertoma’s 2nd Annual Corporate Cook-off & Chamber Mixer from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. May 7 at Broken Arrow Park, 29th and Louisiana streets.

Lawrence business contestants will be cooking up items to compete in the best food category. Mixer attendees get to sample the contestants’ creations. Judges will be Sue Hack, Jere McElhaney and Gene Meyer.

If you would like to be a contestant, call Barbara Braa at 838-9400.

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The Lawrence Apple User’s Group 2.0 will present “What Is In Your Pocket?” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Free State Brewing Co., 636 Mass. The meeting will focus on the new iPod Minis and the iTunes music store. Attendees are encouraged to bring their iPod and share their tips. For more information, call Dave Greenbaum at dsg@mac.com.

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The Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center is presenting “The New China Syndrome: Successful Strategies for Competing in the Low-Cost Manufacturing World.” The workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd. It is for upper management of manufacturing companies. The cost is $129. To register, call (888) 649-4333 or visit www.mamtc.com.

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Anne Marie Sabath, author of “101 Ways to Conduct Business with Charm and Savvy,” will be the speaker at a presentation sponsored by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. The event will be from noon to 2 p.m. May 12 at the Lawrence Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive.

The cost is $60, which includes lunch, session materials and continued access to the At Ease Inc. Business Etiquette Hotline.

Sabath has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and on ABC’s “20/20.”

To make reservations, call the chamber at 865-4411 or e-mail Lyndi Knoll at lknoll@lawrencechamber.com.