Harris Construction Co. Inc. has hired Chris Reasoner as an assistant project manager. Reasoner previously worked for Pearson Government Solutions as a project manager and facilities specialist, overseeing construction of more than 280,000 square feet of office space from Seattle to Washington, D.C. At Harris, Reasoner works on several retail projects in the Kansas City area.

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Brenda Walsh has joined Kansas Secured Title as a closing officer. Welsh brings 14 years of banking knowledge to the company. She most recently worked for seven years in the commercial and mortgage departments at University National Bank; before that, she spent seven years as a credit clerk for Douglas County Bank.

Becca Haling, receptionist, has been transferred from the company’s Oskaloosa location to the office in Lawrence. She has been with the company for three years.

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Terry and Gloria Kelly, Lawrence, have opened Cartridge World at 2540 Iowa, Suite K in the Tower Plaza Shopping Center. The store refilling laser and ink cartridges. The Kellys have moved to Lawrence from Hays.

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Susan Siemsen, Lawrence, has joined the internal medicine practice of Jeffrey Rhoads, Topeka. Siemsen previously worked at Lawrence Family Practice. She received her physician’s assistant degree from Wichita State University in 1987. She has practiced family medicine for 17 years.

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Primerica Financial Services, Lawrence, announces the promotion of Kerry Cobb to regional vice president. The company offers financial products and services, principally term life insurance, investments and debt consolidation loans.

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Aquila recently recognized several employees for their years of service with the company.

Those honored were Lezlie Root, key customer relations representative for eastern Kansas, 25 years; Susan McClintic, senior meter reader in Lawrence, 20 years; and Scott Davis, operations technician in Lawrence, 15 years.

Aquila provides natural gas service in Lawrence.

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Tom Harper, a Realtor with Stephens Real Estate, has completed a specialized course on obtaining and servicing real estate listings. The course was conducted in Santa Fe, N.M., by the Council of Residential Specialists of the National Association of Realtors.

The class is a required course that must be taken by real estate agents and brokers in order to qualify for the Certified Residential Specialist designation.

The course included techniques in seller counseling, pricing, various client servicing activities, marketing techniques and other programs designed to close sales on residential properties.

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Larry Felix, an alumnus of Ottawa University, has been elected to the school’s board of trustees.

Felix, chief executive officer of Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa, begins his three-year term this year.

Felix serves on the board of the Ottawa/Franklin County Economic Development organization. He has been a board member of Franklin County United Way since 2002. Felix earned his bachelor’s degree in health care administration through Ottawa University’s Kansas City campus, and his master’s degree in health administration at Wichita State University.

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Sara Dawson, Debbie Heinrich and Pam Maley, consultants for Arbonne International, recently attended the Arbonne International Consultant Advanced Training Seminar in Tulsa, Okla. Shad Helmstetter, an author of goal-setting and motivational books that are distributed in more than 65 countries, was keynote speaker.

Dawson, Lawrence, was promoted to district manager in January. Heinrich, Baldwin, entered into qualification for district manager.

Arbonne International offers products for skin care, color, nutrition and aromatherapy, based on natural and botanical principles.

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Jeff Alvarez has been hired as senior research analyst at the Kansas Health Institute, Topeka. He is responsible for conducting research and policy analysis on issues relating to obesity prevention and other topics studied by the public health unit. Alvarez previously worked with the U.S. Army Research Institute to develop and evaluate leadership training for the U.S. Army.

Before his work with the Army, he had positions in state and local health departments in Kansas, and has experience in the analysis of longitudinal data related to health care administration and quality of care. His research interests include organizational development and leadership in public health. Alvarez received a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in public health from San Diego State University. He also received a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from Kansas State University.

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Allan Pasco, a Kansas University professor, has been appointed to a two-year term on the U.S. Army War College’s Board of Visitors. , which counsels and advises officials on issues including those related to educational policies, academic accreditation, school curriculums, educational philosophy and objectives, program effectiveness, facilities, staff and faculty, instructional methods and other aspects of organization and management.

Pasco also serves on the board’s nominating committee. He continues to teach French literature at Kansas University.

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Robert Ginder, Topeka, a Modern Woodmen of America representative, has completed a five-day educational program at Modern Woodmen’s home office in Rock Island, Ill. The program focused on helping families with life insurance plans, annuities and fraternal member benefits.

Honors and awards

Jim Hanna, Topeka, formerly of Lawrence, ranked in the top 30 percent of 5,000 participating advisers who scored 90 or higher of a possible 100 in the American Express Financial Advisors’ annual client satisfaction survey. His ranking was based on clients’ overall satisfaction and the amount of proactive contact the client receives.

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Barbara Swinney, Topeka, has been named Employee of the Month for January by Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging Inc. As administrative assistant, Swinney provides support for managers and schedules and manages meetings of the board and advisory council.

The agency serves as an advocate on aging issues, builds community partnerships and administers programs within Douglas, Shawnee and Jefferson counties to help seniors live independent and dignified lives.

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Reece & Nichols Alliance Inc. conducted its annual awards ceremony to honor outstanding sales associates for 2004.

Valerie Grose, of Reece & Nichols Acres Realty in Lawrence, earned a place on the 2004 Newcomer Team. She ranked third out of the top 10 Reece & Nichols Alliance newcomers.

The ceremony was Feb. 1 at the alliance’s corporate offices in Overland Park.

Coming events

Housing and Credit Counseling Inc. will present a workshop on the home-buying process. It will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 5 at the Community Action Center, 621 S.W. Swygart St. in Topeka.

The workshop is for first-time home buyers. The workshop is free and sponsored by Capitol Federal Savings, US Bank and the Topeka Area Association of Realtors Inc. To register, call (785) 234-0217, extension 302 or (800) 383-0217.

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Kansas high school seniors who have an aptitude for business can earn a Free Enterprise Scholarship award from the nation’s largest small-business advocacy group. Applicants must be entering their freshman year at an accredited two- or four-year college. They also must be nominated by a Kansas National Federation of Independent Business member. The deadline is March 15. For more information, e-mail hal.hudson@nfib.org or call (785) 271-9449.

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Moon Marble Co., Bonner Springs, will have its fifth annual Marble Crazy event from noon to 9 p.m. March 4 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 5.

More than 20 marble makers will hone their skills during the event, and their work also will be available for purchasing. Moon Marble is located on Kansas Highway 32, just west of Kansas Highway 7 in Bonner Springs.

The Kansas City Marble Club will have a marble collectors show for artists and collectors from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 6 at the Holiday Inn in Olathe. There will be free marble identification and door prizes.

Admission is free to both events. For more information, contact the company at (913) 441-1432.

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A program “So They Are Not Alone: Providing Care for Sexual Assault Services” will be from 9 a.m. to noon March 5 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 325 Maine.

Presenters will be Kathy Guth, Geri Summers and Tracy Williams. Attendees can earn three continuing nurse education credit hours. Sponsors are the Kansas State Nurses Assn. District 17 and GaDugi SafeCenter. The cost is $25 for persons who are not association members or LMH employees, and $15 for association members or LMH employees. The event is free for people who do not want credit. Registration will be from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the door.

For more information, call 840-2569.

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The Kansas Chamber of Commerce’s Health Care Conference will be from 11:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. March 1 at Ramada Inn Downtown in Topeka.

Keynote speaker will be Dr. John Nelson, president of the American Medical Assn. His topic will be “The Link Between Health Care Costs and Tort Reform.”

Conference topics will include health care polling data, an update from the Kansas Health Care Cost Containment Council, cost and quality data information, a legislative update and health savings accounts.

The cost is $95 for chamber members and $150 for nonmembers. To register, click online at www.kansaschamber.org. For more information, call (785) 357-6321.

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The Topeka chapter of the Kansas Society of Professional Engineers will meet at 11:30 a.m. Friday at Topeka Country Club, 2700 S.W. Buchanan St., to celebrate Engineering Week.

Dennis Kuhlman, dean of the College of Technology and Aviation at Kansas State University at Salina, will be the speaker. For more information, call Brian Armstrong at (785) 272-2252. The chapter’s boundaries include Lawrence, Emporia and Topeka.