BUSINESS PERSONNEL

Alan W. Foust, owner of QPI Security Systems Inc. at Jackson, has earned recognition as a Certified Protection Professional.

The certification, sponsored by the American Society for Industrial Security, requires a battery of mandatory and specialty examinations after having met strict experience and/or educational prerequisites.

Prior to entering the loss prevention field, Foust was employed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol for 15 years. During his tenure with the patrol, he was a narcotics investigator for 10 years and was involved in more than 2,000 criminal investigations. He teaches drug investigations at Southeast Missouri State University and security-related courses at the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School. He also is a certified specialist trainer with the Missouri Department of Public Safety and certified trainer in supervision for "Vital Learning Corporation," a training system designed for supervisors and managers in corporate industry.

His company specializes in violence prevention and substance abuse programs, security analysis and other loss prevention programs for manufacturing and educational institutions.

Dr. Walter A. Schroeder Jr. of Cape Girardeau has been appointed to a three-year term as cancer liaison physician for the Hospital Cancer Program at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

Schroeder is among a national network of more than 2,000 volunteer physicians who make up the Cancer Liaison Program, which is a part of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.

Schroeder, who has an interest in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with malignant diseases, also provides local leadership for the annual national clinical goal of the liaison program.

This year's goal is a joint effort by the Commission on Cancer and the American Cancer Society to impact the prevention of tobacco-related cancer and other diseases among children and young adults.

Bob Hoppmann of Cape Girardeau, supervisor of Pasta House Co. franchises in Cape Girardeau and Carbondale, Ill., will be inaugurated in January as president of the Southeast Missouri Chapter of the Missouri Restaurant Association.

Hoppmann, supervisor of The Pasta House Co., 155 West Park Mall, previously served as president of the local chapter in 1993 and 1994. He has served on the MRA membership committee,

Prior to joining the Pasta House, Hoppmann worked at the Heritage House in St. Louis as a cook, supervisor and assistant head chef. He joined The Pasta House in 1983 as a kitchen manager and was later promoted to general manager.

Mary Miller, director of the Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau, recently attended the National Tour Association's annual convention in Orlando, Fla.

The NTA, a packaged travel association that includes more than 600 tour companies, offers companies and destination marketing organizations like the CVB an opportunity to introduce tour companies to their destination and promote travel in their area.

Marcia Clark, Los Angeles deputy district attorney and prosecutor at the O.J. Simpson trial, will address the second annual Working Women's Business Symposium at America's Center in St. Louis Feb. 23.

Clark became a household name during the "Trial of the Century." She has tried more than 20 murder cases, with convictions in all except one prior to the Simpson case.

Clark joined the district attorney's office in 1981.

Cost of the Working Women's Conference is $125. Reservations and additional details are available by calling 1-800-762-9973.

Rhonda Randen of Whitewater has joined the office staff of Ken Myles Insurance Agency, 2711 Thomas Drive.

She will be assisting in personal insurance lines at the agency.

Jahnae Erpenbach and Kay Kearney of Players Casino in Metropolis, Ill., recently attended the National Tour Association's annual convention in Orlando, Fla.

Players provides a riverboat gambling and entertainment complex at Metropolis, and averages more than 12 tour buses a day at the facility.

Dr. Linda Wiggs recently received the Collegiate Distinguished Service Award during the annual meeting of the North Central Business Education Association, at Indianapolis, Ind.

The award is presented to a college business teacher who has made contributions to the development and advancement of business education in the North Central Region of the National Business Education Association. Wiggs was nominated for the award by the Missouri Business Education Association.

The North Central Region is composed of eight states and is one of five regional divisions of the NBEA.

Wiggs is associate professor in the Administrative Services Department at Southeast Missouri State University.

The Rev. Glynn Robison has joined Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel as a family counselor, specializing in pre-need services.

Robison, a pastor for four years in Shawnee, Kan., and more than two years in Cape Girardeau, has an associate's degree in business management from Johnson County College in Overland Park, Kan.

Randal D. Friend, Donna R. Martin and Becky K. Eftink are personnel in the new Cape Girardeau County Rural Economic and Community Development office.

The RECD, formerly Farmers Home Administration, is part of recent USDA reorganization. The Cape County office at Jackson, serves Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger counties.

The Cape Girardeau County office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A representative will be available at Marble Hill in Bollinger County and at Perryville in Perry County two days a month.

Friend is community development manager. Martin and Eftink are community development technicians.