Names in the news

MONDI JACKSON HONORS EMPLOYEES

Shane Dirnberger of Oran, Mo., was employee of the month for February at Mondi Jackson Inc. Dirnberger, an extrusion operator, has been with the company since Aug. 30, 2004. Mondi Jackson also recognizes the following employment anniversaries: Markus Hoedebeck, 30 years of service; Heather Perreault and Michael Renaud, 20 years; Billy Martin, 15 years; Jonathan Kasten, 10 years; and Amber Finger, five years.

HUNN CHOSEN AS TOP INTERN

Southeast Missouri State University senior Michael Hunn of Festus, Mo., was invited to attend Northwestern Mutual's winter camp in February in Milwaukee. The top 100 financial representative interns of 3,600 nationwide are invited to attend. Hunn is associated with the Clay Hahs agency of Northwestern Mutual in Cape Girardeau.

HOGG JOINS FORD GROVES

Jim Hogg joined the sales team at Ford Groves in Cape Girardeau. He has lived in Southeast Missouri all his life and has more than 14 years in automotive experience.

KEMPF AWARDED MASTER AGENT STATUS

Carolyn Kempf, president of Elite Travel Inc. in Cape Girardeau, was awarded master agent status by Secrets Resorts. The program included eight seminars that covered details on how to pair a client with a vacation.

WOOLARD IS ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

BROSELEY, Mo. -- Brandon Woolard, a financial representative with Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, was named Rookie of the Month in the Missouri East Region for January. The honor is given to a full-time representative who has been with Modern Woodmen for less than three years and is leading the region in production. Woolard has also attained the Fraternal Insurance Counselor designation. He became full time with Modern Woodmen in January 2013.

LOCAL REALTORS GET STATE NODS

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Lucas Edington and Kurt Knodell were appointed by the president of the Missouri Realtors, Jim Gamble, to serve on Mission Committees. Edington was appointed to the Advocacy Mission Committee and Knodell was appointed to the Risk Management Mission Committee.

EMPLOYEES RECOGNIZED AT BOOTHEEL COUNSELING

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Tina Medlin of Kelso, Mo., was chosen by her co-workers to receive the 2013 Mary Jo Riley Employee of the Year Award at Bootheel Counseling Services & Family Medical Clinic. She has been with the agency for 24 years and is currently the medical records supervisor. Additionally, Ashley Freeman of Sikeston was employee of the month for December. She has been with the agency for two years. Courtney Sloan of Sikeston was employee of the month for January. She has been with the agency for almost three years.

TAYLOR TO LEAD PORTAGEVILLE BANK

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Brian Taylor of Caruthersville, Mo., was named community bank president of First State Bank and Trust Co. Inc. in Portageville.

THOMPSON COMPLETES RIVIERA MAYA TRAVEL PROGRAM

Shannon Thompson of Elite Travel in Cape Girardeau completed the Riviera Maya Travel Agent Program. The five-part program involved multiple visits to the region and extensive property inspections to become an expert on the Riviera Maya.

LOCALS NAMED TO COTTON LEADERSHIP POSTS

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Five Missouri cotton industry members were elected to leadership positions in the Memphis-based National Cotton Council for 2014, including Steve Droke, a Hornersville, Mo., producer, who was re-elected as the Missouri/Illinois chairman of the NCC's American Cotton Producers. Former NCC chairman Charles H. Parker, a Senath, Mo., producer, was re-elected as an adviser to the NCC Board. Elected as the NCC's Missouri/Illinois unit officers were A.C. Riley James, a ginner from New Madrid, Mo., chairman; William Hunter, a marketing cooperative representative from Bell City, Mo., vice chairman; and Stephen Harris, a ginner from Senath, Mo., secretary. The cotton industry leaders were named to their posts at the 2014 NCC Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

BOWYER PROMOTED TO REGIONAL SUPERVISOR

The Missouri Department of Conservation promoted Matt Bowyer of Perryville, Mo., to wildlife regional supervisor for Southeast Missouri. Bowyer earned a bachelor's degree in zoology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and a master's degree in biological science from Eastern Illinois University. He began working for the MDC in 2005 as a wildlife management biologist. As the Southeast regional wildlife supervisor, Bowyer will supervise MDC's Wildlife Division employees and resources within 16 counties.

DADE IS NEW CHIEF METEOROLOGIST

Grant Dade took the place of Bob Reeves as chief meteorologist of KFVS12's Heartland StormTeam. Dade joins the team from KFVS12's Raycom Media sister station KLTV in Tyler, Texas, where he has been the morning and midday meteorologist for the last seven years. Dade studied construction management at Auburn University in Alabama and then managed restaurants for 15 years before going back to school at Mississippi State University to complete the broadcast meteorology program. Reeves retired at the end of February after 42 years with the station.

KNODELL, FEATHERSTON LEAD P.B. REALTY

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Kurt Knodell was top lister for December at Poplar Bluff Realty Inc., and Gary Featherston was top producer.

COLDWELL BANKER RECOGNIZES EMPLOYEES

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Terri Whitten was top lister for January at Coldwell Banker Ruth Holloway Realty, and Terry Baker was top producer.

LAWFIELD HONORED AS FARMER OF THE YEAR

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Derek Lawfield was named Farmer of the Year for 2014 by the New Madrid County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Portageville Missourian-News reported. Lawfield farms about 3,100 acres of rented farmland in New Madrid County, where he grows corn, soybeans, wheat and milo. The SWCD honored him for his dedication to preserving natural resources. He recently worked to complete 15 contracts with the district for drop-pipe structures.

RUGGIERI NAMED HEAD CHEF AT STEELE CREST WINERY

Gabriele Ruggieri of Milan, Italy, is the new head chef at Steele Crest Winery in Jackson. Ruggieri has traveled the world since he was 19 and plans to use the culinary experiences he gained by working in a variety of kitchens and establishments, as well as cooking with his family, to create unique dishes using fresh ingredients that are found locally or imported. The items will be featured on weekends.

YOUNG NAMED PRESIDENT AT FIRST STATE BANK AND TRUST

DEXTER, Mo. -- Christine B. Young of Dexter will serve as community bank president at First State Bank and Trust in Dexter. She has more than 30 years of loan and community banking experience.

GIBSON COMPLETES LAND SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Stephanie Gibson, an agent with Mossy Oak Properties Mozark Realty, completed a 16-week intensive study to earn the Land Specialist Certification. The Mossy Oak Properties Certified Land Specialist Training Program was presented by Top Dogs Commercial Real Estate Training LLC and Mossy Oak Properties Inc. The program challenged brokers/agents to become "experts" in land brokerage, rural and recreational, as well as real estate brokerage in general.

RAINWATER NAMED TO ROUND TABLE

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Randy Rainwater of Farmington, a Modern Woodmen of America regional director, earned membership in Modern Woodmen's Regional Director Round Table. The distinction recognizes outstanding leadership and is based on high achievement in life insurance sales. Membership is limited to the top managers nationwide.

SCHULZ RECERTIFIED BY FUNERAL SERVICE PRACTICE

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Randall D. Schulz, a funeral director with Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff, qualified for recertification of the designation of Certified Funeral Service Practitioner by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice. To initially receive the award, the practitioner must complete a 180-hour continuing education program, then accumulate 20 hours per year to recertify.

SAXONY LUTHERAN NAMES NEW PRINCIPAL

Mark Ruark, who had served as interim principal of Saxony Lutheran High School of Jackson for the past six months, has been named the permanent principal by the school's board of regents. After a nationwide search, Ruark was chosen from 12 applicants in January to lead the private school, said Steven K. Fritzler, chairman of the Saxony Lutheran board of regents. Ruark replaces Dr. Craig Ernstmeyer, who had been principal for nine years. Ruark has 31 years of experience in education, most recently as principal of Jefferson High School in Festus, Mo. He previously served as an assistant principal, athletic director, teacher and coach in the Cape Girardeau School District.