Jeffrey Ingles, vice president for investments at A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. in Lawrence, has been promoted to branch manager. Ingles, a graduate of Kansas State University, previously worked for 22 years as a financial consultant for the A.G. Edwards office in Salina. The company’s Lawrence branch, at 1811 Wakarusa Drive, has six financial consultants.

¢ Lenexa-based Factory Direct Appliance, which has a store in Lawrence, announces several promotions and hires: Rod Holsapple, president and chief operating officer; Steve Johnson, senior vice president of marketing and stores; Bob Keearns, vice president of sales; and Randy Korte, division vice president.

¢ Dee Bisel, owner of Minuteman Press in Lawrence, announces the promotions of Eric Bowen and Noah Johnson. Bowen, Lawrence, who has been with the company for 13 years, is operations manager. Johnson, Lawrence, is pressroom foreman. Johnson has been with Minuteman Press for seven months and formerly was lead pressman for Kansas Key Press.

¢ Kent Needham, president and CEO of First State Bank & Trust, Tonganoxie, has been appointed to serve as one of 100 members of the Community Bankers Council of the American Bankers Assn.

¢ The Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross announces officers for the 2006 term. They are Rich Lorenzo, board chairman; Mark Heider, vice chairman; Allen Belot, secretary; and Jackie Bunnell, treasurer.

Additionally, four new board members were inducted at the chapter’s annual meeting and will serve three-year terms: Janell Barnow, an administrator for the Eudora school district; Mark Bradford, chief of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical; Peach Madl, owner of The Lodge and The Sandbar; and Jeff Peterson, of Edward Jones. Current board members include: Mary Burg, Kim Ens, Mike Godard, Cody Howard, Lindsey Kennedy, Larry Kipp, Jason Long, Bob Longino, Leanne Miller and Kim Murphree.

¢ John Selk, of Landplan Engineering in Lawrence, was elected to serve a three-year term on the board of directors of the Kansas Society of Land Surveyors.

¢ The Kansas Academy of Family Physicians is seeking nominations for the 2006 Kansas Family Physician of the Year Award. Nominees must be family physicians, licensed to practice in Kansas and actively practicing family medicine. To nominate a doctor, write a letter explaining why that person should receive the award. Send letters by Feb. 1 to: Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, 7570 W. 21st. North, No. 1046C, Wichita, KS 67205. Letters may be sent by fax to (316) 721-9044 or e-mail to kafp@kafponline.org. The winner will be nominated for the National Family Physician of the Year Award.

¢ Aquila Inc., whose Kansas natural gas business is based in Lawrence, announced that it had contributed $625,000 to its Aquila Cares program, which provides bill-paying assistance and finances repairs to heating and cooling equipment for qualifying customers in the company’s seven-state region. The program will have $1 million, which includes contributions from employees and customers.

Honors and awards

Kampgrounds of America Inc. recently honored Ralph and Kim Newell, of the Lawrence/Kansas City KOA, with the the company’s President’s Award for having an outstanding facility and operation. The award recognizes campgrounds that receive exceptional scores on their quality assurance facilities review and for overall satisfaction on their annual camper satisfaction surveys.

Coming events

Heart of America Hospice is sponsoring two free advance care planning workshops in Baldwin. They will be from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Baldwin Public Library, 800 Seventh St., and from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 24 in Vintage Park, 321 Crimson Ave.

The workshops will cover topics such as advance directives, living wills and durable power of attorney. Speakers will be Noreen Lazono and Teresa Brown, both of the Heart of America Hospice.

For more information, call Brown at (785) 633-8225.