Business Notebook: Painted Wren Art Gallery offering opportunity to work on mural to mark Missouri bicentennial in 2021

Through their art gallery, the Painted Wren and several Paint-for-a-Cause fundraisers, Aaron Horrell and Barb Bailey have learned how to make murals happen.

But now, after moving the gallery from downtown Cape Girardeau across town to a new location on Whitelaw Avenue, Horrell and Bailey have begun their most ambitious project to date: a 12-foot-by-30-foot painting to mark Missouri's upcoming bicentennial that will, upon completion, be permanently installed somewhere in the State Capitol in Jefferson City.

The mural, which will be painted on a series of 15 large aluminum plates, will feature a variety of state symbols, including the Gateway Arch and Missouri State Capitol. The state's bicentennial date is Aug. 10, 2021.

The plates, Horrell said, will be completed inch by inch, much like the Paint-for-a-Cause murals, where residents could sign up and pay a dollar for the chance to paint a small square portion of the image. Participation in this mural, however, will be free, Horrell said, as he is searching for sponsors to cover the costs of the project.

"We're going to load them up in my pickup truck and take them around to different communities around the state," he said. "That way, people from all over Missouri can say that they're a part of a piece of art that's up in the Capitol."

Barb Bailey, right, looks on as Aaron Horrell holds a small mockup of what will be a 30-foot mural commemorating the Missouri state bicentennial, Friday at The Painted Wren Art Gallery in Cape Girardeau.TYLER GRAEF

He said by using aluminum plates, the number of contributing artists will likely be in the dozens of thousands, as some people will want to paint a square jointly with a relative or friend.

He said being in the new gallery space, just off Broadway across from Southeast Hospital, will make completing the mural much easier.

"This is a just about perfect location for us, we're hoping," Horrell said. "It's so much easier for people to find us here."

He admitted the mural project is a massive undertaking, but said he and Bailey trust it will be worth it.

"It's going to be some achievement," he said.

People on the Move

Alex Ogburn

Alex Ogburn has been named the new vice president of Saint Francis Medical Partners.

In the new role, Ogburn will focus on the health-care system's Clinically Integrated Network and Accountable Care Organization while continuing his work with the provider network, Saint Francis Medical Partners, according to a news release.

"This new role will shift my focus to working with our physicians and providers and continue our impressive gains in quality, patient satisfaction, provider experience and improved value," Ogburn said in the release. "Leveraging these strengths will help ensure our success as a system in the quickly evolving environment."

Ogburn most recently served for six years as vice president of Ambulatory Services at Saint Francis. Before joining Saint Francis Healthcare, Ogburn served as the vice president of recruiting at Merritt Hawkins Group in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Ogburn earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 1996. He earned a Master of Business Administration with health-care emphasis from William Woods University in 2007.

Tameka Randle

Tameka Randle, assistant director of educational access and outreach programs at Southeast Missouri State University's Academic Support Centers, has been named the American College Testing (ACT) Postsecondary Champion for Missouri.

Randle earned the distinction for "making a positive impact on [her] community through [her] efforts to advance college and career readiness for all," according to a news release.

"It is rewarding to represent the state of Missouri and be among National ACT College and Career Readiness Champions demonstrating persistence through adversity, a collaborative approach to problem-solving, and a passion for learning and leading others to find their own success," Randle said in the release.

"We all know inspiring individuals who work tirelessly for the advancement of college and career readiness for all students," said Scott Montgomery, ACT senior vice president of state and federal programs. "The ACT College and Career Readiness Champions initiative lifts up their stories so that more people can be inspired to find their own path to success through the motivation and determination of the seniors, K-12, postsecondary and workforce champions leading the way."

Randle joined Southeast's Academic Support Centers in January 2013, where she fosters collaboration among companies, organizations and agencies to provide students with experiential learning and scholarship funding opportunities, the release stated.

She is former commissioner of the Missouri Community Service Commission and past president of the Community Caring Council Board of Directors and a member of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Leadership Missouri Alumni Association and Southeast's Endowed Scholarship Committee. She received her Bachelor of Science in Teacher Education from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Public Administration from Southeast.

Rita Fisher

Rita Fisher, director of the Southeast Regional Professional Development Center at Southeast Missouri State University, was one of eight former educators to receive the Outstanding Emeritus Educator Award from the Missouri Association of School Administrators at a conference March 27 at Lake Ozark, Missouri, according to a news release.

"It was with a great deal of humility that I accepted this award," Fisher said in the release. "I have always enjoyed a great relationship with the superintendents, both in my work in the Jackson School District and also now at the Regional Professional Development Center at Southeast."

MASA presents the award annually to recognize individuals for their length of administrative service, their participation in MASA while an active member, significant accomplishments as a school administrator and their continued interest in public education since retiring, according to the release.

Prior to serving as director of the development center, Fisher was assistant superintendent, director of state and federal programs and principal of West Lane Elementary School, all in the Jackson School District. She previously was a principal at St. Vincent de Paul School in Cape Girardeau and Immaculate Conception School in Jackson.

Howard Benyon

Howard Benyon, superintendent of Scott County School District was named Superintendent of the Year by the Missouri Association of School Administrators at a conference at Lake Ozark, Missouri, according to a news release.

He holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a Specialist in Education, Master of Arts in elementary education and a Bachelor of Science in Education, secondary education, and speech pathology, all from Southeast Missouri State University.

Alice Benton

Hairstylist Alice Benton has joined FRINGE Hair Salon in Jackson, according to a news release.

"I wanted to invite both current and prospective customers to my new location and look forward to providing the same quality personalized styling experience," she said in the release, adding she makes a point to be familiar with current styles and hair care products for men, women and children.

The salon is at 502 W. Main St., Suite D, in Jackson and can be reached by phone at (573) 225-3049.

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tgraef@semissourian.com

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