• Baker University’s annual gala and auction, “Live from the Orange Carpet,” held Nov. 20 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo., raised $174,115 for the annual scholarship fund. For the second consecutive year, Panda Restaurant Group owners Andrew and Peggy Cherng issued a challenge gift at the gala, resulting in an $86,000 contribution from the Baker alumni. Andrew is a member of the Class of 1970 and Peggy is a member of the Class of 1968. In the past three years, the gala and auction have generated $534,617 for student scholarships.

• Bank presidents William D. Grant Jr., First State Bank and Trust, and Thomas A. Page, Emprise Bank, announce the upcoming acquisition of the Clearwater location of First State Bank and Trust by Emprise Bank. The bank location has been owned by First State Bank and Trust since 1995, when it acquired the bank from Clearwater stockholders. The transaction is scheduled to close early in 2011, pending regulatory approval.

• Beth Johnson, vice president of economic development for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, attended a University of Oklahoma/Economic Development Institute conference held Nov. 14-18 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. The course focuses on business retention and expansion, real estate and finance, providing advanced education in economic development.

• Chris Armstrong, president of Travel Leaders in Lawrence, was invited to attend the Go China Summit by the China National Tourist Administration held Nov. 16-17 in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China. Qualified tour operators representing 35 countries met one-on-one with Chinese travel suppliers from across the country. Armstrong later attended the China International Travel Mart Nov. 18-22 in Shanghai before returning home.

• During Douglas County Bank’s annual holiday celebration on Saturday (Dec. 11) 19 employees will be recognized for a combined 246 years of service to the bank. Employees to be recognized: Delores Nash, 40 years; Gina Baun, 35 years; Carol Amyx, 25 years; Rich Godbold, Sandra Studley and Cathy Johnson-Wanzer, 20 years; John Elevier, Carolyn Downing and Joyce Elder, 15 years; Terri Atwood, 10 years; Sarah Musick and Judi Gaus, five years; and Matthew Kliem, Katie Keeler, Rachel Mixon, Jill Woodward, Erin Albert, Michelle Jennings and Rachel Elwell, three years.

• Jeremy Zimney, Andrea Rector and Heather Watson, all physical therapists with OrthoKansas P.A., recently completed the three-part Kansas City Orthopaedic Evening series, held Sept. 16, Oct. 7 and Nov. 4 at Rockhurst University. The series was presented by the International Spine and Pain Institute and featured topics on “Update on Exercise,” “Total Knee Arthroplasty” and “Outlet Syndrome.”