Tom Karasek, of CEK Insurance in Lawrence, has completed a five-part insurance education program sponsored by the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors in Austin, Texas, and administered by the Kansas Association of Insurance Agents in Topeka.

Karasek attained the designation by demonstrating professional competence through a combination of experience, formal training and a series of written examinations focusing on insurance, insurance management and agency operations.

Karasek is a graduate of Lawrence High School and Kansas University.

¢ American Express Financial Advisors started operating Aug. 1 as Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., the result of the company’s impending spinoff from American Express Co.

Ameriprise has offices in Lawrence.

Within the overall Ameriprise Financial brand, the company’s insurance, annuity, asset management and outside distribution business will operate under the new brand name RiverSource.

Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is part of Ameriprise Financial Inc., which as of June 30 had more than $415 billion in assets owned, managed and administered. For more information, Ameriprise has launched a new Web site at www.ameriprise.com.

Ameriprise, based in Minneapolis, will be expected to trade under the symbol “AMP” on the New York Stock Exchange on or after Sept. 30.

Honors and awards

CornerBank has announced that Al and Julie Hack are the Community Cornerstone Award recipients for August. In recognition of their service, CornerBank will make a contribution on behalf of the Hacks to Warm Hearts and The Fairy Godmother Fund.

Julie Hack served on the United Way of Douglas County Board from 1972 to 1975 and chaired the fund drive in 1985. She served on the Lawrence School Board from 1971 to 1982.

Among the organizations she has served: Lawrence Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Audio Reader, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, Lawrence P.E.O. Scholarship Board, P.E.O. Chapter AZ, Kappa Kappa Gamma Advisory Board, Catholic Services Board and Douglas County Bicentennial Committee.

Julie Hack received the Substantial Citizen Award from the Kiwanis Club in 1996, and the Citizen of the Year Award from the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce in 1999.

Al Hack has served on many committees and boards, including the United Way of Douglas County, Achievement Place for Girls, Warm Hearts, and Lawrence Rotary Club.

He received the Baker University Achievement in Business Award in 1995; the Kiwanis Substantial Citizen Award in 1996; the Rotary Club Paul Harris Award in 1999; the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award in 1999; and the Kiwanis Family of the Year Award in 1972.

The Hacks have been members of Plymouth Congregational Church since 1951. In 2000 they served as king and queen of the Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Coming events

Lawrence Area Partners in Aging will meet Thursday at Jade Mongolian Barbeque, 1511 W. 23rd St. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch at noon. Deanne Bacco, executive director of Kansas Advocates for Better Care, will be the guest speaker. Bacco also serves on the executive council for AARP of Kansas.

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The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce has scheduled several ribbon-cutting events in September:

¢ Minuteman Press, 11:30 a.m. Sept. 15, 501 Gateway Drive, Suite B.

¢ EmbroidMe, 11:30 a.m. Sept. 22, 711 W. 23rd St., Suite 11.

¢ Crown Chevrolet Toyota Scion, open house from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 22, 3400 Iowa St.

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Ed Marquette, partner with Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal, and Joseph Serrano, associate in the law firm’s Trusts and Estates Department, will present a seminar, “Estate Planning for Everyone with a Net Worth of $10,000 or More,” from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Polsky Theatre of the Carlsen Center at Johnson County Community College, Overland Park.

Among the topics to be covered: advantages of trusts; estate planning for a primary residence; taxable estate defined; irrevocable trust; state death tax; and powers of attorney.

Marquette, a business lawyer, specializes in property management, wealth preservation and intellectual property. He received his law degree from Harvard University School of Law in 1976.

Serrano focuses his practice on estate planning, tax matters and administration of estates and trusts. He received his law degree from Kansas University.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments and networking opportunities are offered before and after the program.