Hoss and Brown Engineers, Lawrence, has promoted Laura Blanchard to associate, assuming responsibility for marketing professional services, and design and management of projects.

Blanchard received a Bachelor of Science degree in architectural engineering from Kansas State University and joined the Lawrence office in 1997. She is a lighting-certified, licensed engineer with project-management experience.

¢ Clint Bradley has joined CEK Insurance, Lawrence, as a sales agent, specializing in property and casualty insurance for businesses and individuals as well as life insurance. He has 10 years of experience in insurance and banking.

¢ Caleb Flory, Baldwin, is a new junior member of the American Angus Assn., making him eligible to register cattle in the association, participate in programs and take part in association-sponsored shows and other national and regional events.

May-Way Farms, Baldwin, also has joined the association, which is the largest beef cattle registry association in the world. The organization’s computerized records include detailed information on more than 14 million registered Angus.

Honors and awards

Ken Ollila, of Lawrence Realty Associates Inc., received the Salesperson of the Year award from the Lawrence Board of Realtors during the organization’s annual installation mixer and dinner Jan. 13. Ollila, who has been affiliated with Lawrence Realty since 2001, had more than $6 million in sales in 2005.

¢ Brett Beale received a $1,000 scholarship for winning an essay contest at Headmasters Salon, 809 Vt. Jim Grimes, owner of Headmasters, also recently gave a presentation in Hawaii.

Coming events

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce announces the upcoming following events:

¢ Lawrence Home Show, ribbon cutting, 11:30 a.m. Feb. 17, 5200 Clinton Parkway.

¢ Cottonwood Inc., ribbon cutting and open house, 11:30 a.m. Feb. 24, 2801 W. 31st. St.

¢ Lawrence Memorial Hospital’s new heart facility, ribbon cutting and open house, 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Feb. 28, 325 Maine St.

¢ Jane Burbridge, of the Kansas Department of Commerce, will present “Foreign Labor Issues” from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Feb. 16 at the Lawrence Workforce Center, 2540 Iowa, Suite R.

The seminar will address issues concerning the admission of foreign workers for employment in the United States on a permanent or temporary basis, along with procedures for hiring such workers.

The presentation is free, but space is limited. To make reservations, contact Rodney Carr by telephone at 840-9675 or by e-mail at rcarr@kansascommerce.com.

¢ U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., will talk about “The Challenges of 2006: A Legislative Outlook” at a business and economic luncheon next month in Leawood.

The luncheon will be at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 13 at Sheraton Overland Park Hotel. It is sponsored by the Missouri Society of CPAs and the Kansas Society of CPAs. To register, contact the MSCPA at (800) 264-7966.

¢ The Lawrence Technology Assn.’s 2006 annual meeting will be Feb. 10 at Lawrence Country Club.

Guest speaker will be Douglas Shane, vice president of business development, director of flight operations and test pilot for Scaled Composites LLC, the company that built SpaceShipOne and the Global Flyer, the plane used by Steve Fossett to fly nonstop around the world, starting and ending in Salina.

Shane received a degree in aerospace engineering from Kansas University and has been with Scaled Composites since 1982.

A reception will be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. A buffet dinner begins at 7 p.m. The cost of the meal is $35 per person for members and member guests, and $45 per person for nonmembers. To make reservations, contact Kerri Johnson by e-mail at kerri@lrtc.biz or by telephone at 832-2110.

¢ A Kansas International breakfast will be at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 10 at Alvamar Country Club. Bill Tsutsui will talk about the new Confucius Institute coming to Kansas University’s Edwards campus.

Tsutsui is associate professor of history at KU and director of the Kansas Consortium for Teaching about Asia and the Undergraduate Asian Studies Initiative. He also is serving as chairman of the Kansas Task Force on Chinese Language Training.

The Confucius Institute, scheduled to open in May, will offer noncredit classes in Mandarin Chinese, cultural programs, and services for businesses in the region.

Cost for the seminar is $10 for students and $15 for adults. To make reservations, call the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce at 865-4429.

¢ The Lawrence Apple User’s Group 2.0 will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Signs of Life bookstore’s community room, 722 Mass. The topic will be MacIntosh repair utilities. For more information, click on www.laugks.org or contact Dave Greenbaum by e-mail at dsg@mac.com.