People on the move 01/27/03

St. Francis CEO named secretary of MHA board

Steven Bjelich, president and CEO of St. Francis Medical Center, has been appointed as secretary on the Missouri Hospital Association Management Services Corp. board of directors.

The corporation is a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of MHA. MSC develops and provides high-quality, market-driven programs and services to hospitals in Missouri to enhance hospitals' effectiveness. The board of directors provides strategic direction and financial oversight for the corporation.

Since its creation in 1922, the Missouri Hospital Association's membership has grown from 50 hospitals to nearly 140 hospitals and health systems. As a not-for-profit membership association, MHA represents every acute-care hospital in the state as well as most of the federal and state hospitals, rehabilitation and psychiatric care facilities, and specialty hospitals.

Wente named to MHA board of trustees

Jim Wente, administrator of Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, has been re-elected to the Missouri Hospital Association Board of Trustees. His term began this month.

As a member of the MHA Board of Trustees, Wente's responsibilities include overseeing the administration of MHA and developing association policies.

Wente, a diplomate in the American College of Healthcare Executives, received a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. In 1975, he joined Southeast Missouri Hospital as assistant administrator and chief financial officer.

Wente is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is an advanced member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

The Missouri Hospital Association is a not-for-profit organization in Jefferson City that represents 142 Missouri hospitals. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its membership, the association offers continuing education programs on current health-care topics and seeks to educate the public and legislative representatives about health-care issues.

Area kennel club announces new officers

Annual officer elections were held by the Southeast Missouri Kennel Club Inc. recently. Officers elected were Jacki Glastetter, president; Terry Borgfield, vice-president; Cecile Busch, secretary; and Bill Busch, treasurer. Members elected to the board of directors were Betty Borgfield, Janice Miller and Karen Schnurbusch.

The club holds two annual dog shows each year at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. The upcoming shows for 2003 will be Saturday, June 14, and Sunday, June 15.

For more information, call 334-1983 or 335-4076.

Holden nominates Prater for special commission

Gov. Bob Holden has nominated Loretta Prater of Cape Girardeau to the Governor's Commission on Special Health, Psychological and Social Needs of Minority Older Individuals.

Prater, 56, is the dean of the College of Health and Human Services at Southeast Missouri State University. She also is a past recipient of the Horace Traylor Minority Leadership Award and the African-American Woman of Influence given by the Girls Club of Chattanooga.

Prater earned a Ph.D. in human ecology from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

The commission studies certain needs of the state's minority older people and makes recommendations for program improvements and services to the governor and key legislators.

Century 21 Ashland hires Ritter as agent

Century 21 Ashland has announced the hiring of Laura Ritter, who will specialize in multifamily housing like duplexes and apartments.

Ritter is a Southeast Missouri State University graduate, with degrees in business administration, accounting and finance. Ritter has participated in several community groups, such as Vision 2020 and is treasurer of Cape Girardeau PTA/PTO Council and vice president of Cape Girardeau's Junior High PTO.

Ritter started Heavenly Ham in Cape Girardeau before selling it and owns Ritter Properties, LLC. She has been in real estate 18 years.

Big River Telephone adds new employee

Matt Dockins has joined Big River Telephone as an information systems support technician. Dockins is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and has vast experience in technical support.

Big River Telephone offers network service to Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and western Kentucky. The Cape-based company operates a regional fixed wireless network that delivers local, long-distance, data and Internet services to the region.

-- From staff reports