BUSINESS PERSONNEL

New officers were installed by the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors recently. They are, front row, from left, Martha Hamilton, Missouri Association of Realtors district vice president; Dorothy Miller, director; Cheryl Huffman, president-elect; and Liz Abernathy, secretary; and back row, Ken Howard, director; David Donley, president; and James Cox. Other officers are Marta Green, Suye Bellis and Jane Clark, directors; and Tim Singleton, MLS president.

Martha Hamilton, left, 1996 Realtor of the Year, received a plaque from 1995 Realtor of Year recipient Charles "Bud" Leming.

Martha Hamilton of Coldwell Banker Hamilton Realty, has been named "Realtor of the Year" by the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors.

Hamilton was honored during the recent Christmas Installation and Awards Banquet.

Installed as president of the local board were David Donley, president; Cheryl Huffman, president-elect; and Liz Abernathy, secretary. Officers were installed by Fred Neal, 1997 president of the Missouri Association of Realtors. Tim Singleton was installed as 1997 MLS president.

Barb Moyers of Modern Woodmen of American recently received the Community Service Recognition Award, for outstanding service to the community.

Moyers served as care coordinator for the company's community volunteers.

Modern Woodmen, headquartered in Rock Island, Ill., is a fraternal life insurance society with about 700,000 members nationwide.

E. Desmond Lee, former chairman of Lee-Rowan Co., will receive the 1996 "Right Arm of St. Louis" award from the Regional Commerce and Growth Association (RCGA).

Lee will be honored Jan. 16 at the RCGA Volunteer Recognition Luncheon at the Adam's Mark Hotel.

Lee and partner, James Rowan, founded Lee-Rowan in 1939, and built it into am international operation employing 1,600 workers. The main manufacturing facility is at Jackson.

Lee sold the company, which makes hangers and closet accessories, in 1993.

Since then, Lee has donated more than $20 million to a range of charitable and civic causes.

Shirlee Michelsen and Pat Huttegger of the Visiting Nurse Association received top honors for 1996, during the VNA awards banquet at Kennett.

Michelsen, branch office manager for the association's Cape Girardeau office, received the 1996 "Employee of the Year" award. She has been with the association for 10 years.

Huettegger received the annual Jackson L. Burke Award for excellence in home care.

Gary Lasater, pre-need specialist at Ford & Sons Funeral Home, has received the designation of certificate preplanning consultant from the National Foundation of Funeral Services after completing the foundation's certification course.

Christopher A. Jennings, director of Missouri Division of Tourism, will speak at the Southeast Chapter Missouri Restaurant Association Inaugural Dinner at the Holiday Inn in Cape Girardeau on Jan. 14.

Incoming officers for the Southeast Chapter include Rich Dobson, president, and Paula Valle, secretary-treasurer.

Reservations are available by calling 573-543-2280.

Dillard and Roger Dale of Auto Trim Design, 606 S. Kingshighway, recently attended the week-long, National Auto Trim Design Conference in New Orleans.

The local Auto Trim Design received two national awards -- "Top Graphic Purchaser" award and "Top Car and Truck Accessory Purchaser" award, making the company the overall highest volume Auto Trim design distributed from a field of more than 330 distributors nationwide.

Auto Trim employs 47 people and conducts business in parts of Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas and Illinois. The company has retail sites in Cape Girardeau, Paducah, Ky., and Marion, Ill.

Gary D. Slater of Des Moines, Iowa, has been named director of the Missouri State Fair.

Slater replaces Bill Arthaud, who resigned Nov. 15. John L. Saunders, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture and chairman of the nine-member Missouri State Fair Commission, made the announcement last week.

As fair director, Slater will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations associated with the 396-acre fairgrounds, the 10-day annual state fair and special year-round events held on the fairgrounds. He will assume his duties Jan. 8.

Slater is the general manager for the National Pork Producers' World Pork Expo, an annual trade and promotional event with a $2.1 million budget.