Peoples Bank in Lawrence has announced that Jason Novotny has been hired as market store manager. Novotny has more than 10 years of experience in banking. His duties include overseeing the guest service activities of the two Peoples Bank locations in Lawrence.

Novotny, a Kansas University graduate, has banking experience ranging from consumer loan representative to branch manager.

¢ Bartlett & West Engineers Inc., Lawrence, has appointed Joe Caldwell vice president. Caldwell, who joined the company in 1993, serves as a senior project manager working in the public works division.

¢ Justin Swisher, Lawrence, has been hired as field operations manager by Reed Dillon & Associates Inc. & Waterworks Irrigation LLC in Lawrence. He is responsible for the management of job foremen, material orders and delivery schedules, and works with subcontractors and customers.

Swisher previously was an irrigation supervisor for Topeka Landscape. He is certified in backflow prevention and cross-connection control and is a certified and licensed irrigation master.

¢ Kathy Bechtel, a decorative artist and owner of The Finishing Touch, and Clint Livingston, comfort systems consultant from Niehoff Dunco, recently were inducted as members into Douglas County Connection, a group of local professionals dedicated to the promotion and growth of businesses owned by DCC members.

¢ Sean Hoolehan, certified golf course superintendent at Wildhorse Resort and Casino in Pendleton, Ore., was elected the 70th president of Lawrence-based Golf Course Superintendents Association of America at the association’s annual meeting, Feb. 10 in Atlanta. Sanford Queen, manager of golf course operations for Overland Park, was elected to the board during the Golf Course meeting.

¢ Craig Dreiling and Dennis Grover, of Lawrence Realty Associates, are new managing directors for the agency’s auction marketing division.

Dreiling and Grover completed their certification in 2005 as real estate auctioneers from the Continental School of Auctioneering in Minnesota, and both are members of the Kansas Association and National Association of Auctioneers.

They now can offer real estate and auctioneering services at Lawrence Realty Associates.

¢ Nadereh Nasseri, director of the Midland Healing Institute, has completed a Yoga Teacher Training Intensive at Living Yoga Program in Austin, Texas. In addition to regular yoga instruction, she offers restorative flow yoga to people looking to enhance health and wellness. Yoga instruction is offered in private or group sessions at the institute, a program of Midland Hospice Care, 1008 N.H.

¢ CEK Insurance announces the addition of Jim Fender, Tom Karasek and Tracy Cullers as stockholders of the corporation, joining Joe Baker, Al Hack and Mark Tomes as owners. Fender, who has been in the insurance business for 18 years, and Karasek, with five years in the business, specialize in business and personal insurance. Cullers has been in the insurance business for 20 years and specializes in employee benefits.

¢ Patrick Nichols, an attorney and partner in Associates in Dispute Resolution, of the Lawrence area, will be presenting a program April 6 as part of the annual meeting for the section on Alternative Dispute Resolution of the American Bar Assn. in Atlanta. Nichols will present with Jeff Krivis, a mediator from Los Angeles, as part of a portion of a program on improvisation in mediation. Nichols is a guitarist and will demonstrate the principles of improvisation and discuss their application to mediation.

¢ Stanley Harden, an operations technician for Aquila in Lawrence, recently was recognized by the company for 20 years of service. He is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the natural gas distribution system in the Lawrence area. Harden joined Aquila in 1986 in Lawrence.

Honors and awards

Kelli Brahler received a Substitute Teacher of the Month Award on Feb. 16 from Lawrence public schools and an achievement partner, KU Credit Union. Brahler was recognized by Free State High School for her energy, enthusiasm and positive rapport with students. Brahler is a graduate of Lawrence High School and Kansas State University. She has served as a substitute teacher in Lawrence schools for six years.

Coming events

Lawrence Apple Users Group 2.0 will be having a meeting, “Command Line Secrets,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Signs of Life bookstore’s community room, 722 Mass.

¢ A K-10 Assn. membership meeting is set for 8 a.m. Friday at the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, 9001 W. 110th St.

Speakers will include Don Horine, association president; Ann Smith Tate, Overland Park Economic Development Council; Terry Goodman, Overland Park City Council member; Bob Jewell, owner of Network Integration Services; Bret Sheffield, of Opus Northwest; Mike Christie, West Star Co.; Matt Dority, of Kansas City Power & Light; and Rich Caplan, K-10 Assn. executive director.

¢ Lawrence Chamber of Commerce announces the following open houses and ribbon-cutting ceremonies:

¢ Centro Cigars, 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, 1520 Wakarusa Drive, Suite E.

¢ Total Home Concepts, 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. March 10, 2311 Wakarusa Drive.

¢ Local Burger, 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. March 30, 714 Vt.

¢ Lawrence Area Partners in Aging will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Jade Mongolian Barbecue, 1511 W. 23rd St. Jeff Sigler, owner of Sigler Pharmacy, will discuss the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Cost to attend is $11.50 for lunch. For more information, call Kim Hoffman at 842-0656.

¢ District 17 of the Kansas State Nurses Assn. will conduct a continuing education program, “Dancing with the Effects of Time: Coping with Perimenopause and Urinary Incontinence,” from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday in conference room E at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. For more information, contact Lynn Skinner at 840-2569.