BUSINESS PERSONNEL

Beverly Cleair of Regional Eyecare Center Inc., 1749 Independence, has received "Diplomate" status in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Cleair received the new designation during the 63rd ACHE convocation ceremony, held in Chicago. At present, about 7,000 health-care executives hold Diplomate status in the ACHE.

Diplomate members must complete comprehensive oral and written examinations. Cleair can now used the letters "CHE" after her name, indicating she is board certified in health-care management and is a Certified Healthcare Executive.

Chris Liley, a certified memorialist at Liley Monument Works, 410 Union Street, Marble Hill, has attended the 88th Monument Builders of North America Convention.

MBNA is a trade association of professional memorialists, with about 900 members who represent retail, wholesale, manufacturing and supply firms of the monument industry.

Joe Sherinski, a local landscape artist, has written an article, entitled "Other Plants, Others Ways," to be published in the May issue of American Nurseryman, a nursery industry trade magazine.

Sherinski discusses pruning and "under-used" plants such as Witch Hazel, Hardy Orange and a wide variety of lilacs.

Fred Elfrank of Cape Girardeau has completed a course in auctioneering and Auction Sales Management.

Elfrank received his diploma and the honorary title of "Colonel," following the nine-day course conducted by the Missouri Auction School at St. Joseph.

Training included lectures and workshops, along with topics on antique auctions, furniture auctions, business liquidations, real estate and estate auctions.

Elfrank also participated in selling at numerous auctions in Missouri and Kansas. The St. Joseph school is the largest auction school in world.

John A. Rourke has been named president of Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri and president and chief executive officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri, replacing Frederic C. Burssee at ABCBS and Roy R. Heimburger at BCBSMo, whose employments have been terminated.

O'Rourke, who had been president and chief executive officer of HealthLink Inc., has full operational and strategic management responsibilities for ABCBS and BCBSMo.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri and its for-profit subsidiary, Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield are the largest providers of managed care services in Missouri with aboaut 1.95 million members.