People on the move 11/03/03

Local prosecutor receives Lon O. Hocker Award

Teresa Bright-Pearson, an assistant prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County, has been selected as a recipient of the Lon O. Hocker Award by the Missouri Bar Foundation. The award is presented each year to three lawyers under age 36 who have demonstrated "unusual proficiency in the art of trial advocacy."

The awards were presented Oct. 3 during the 2003 Missouri Bar annual meeting in Columbia, Mo.

Bright-Pearson has been an assistant prosecuting attorney in Cape Girardeau County since June 2001. She also has been prosecuting attorney for Mississippi County and an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Styling salon geared toward men opens

Hairstylist Michele Cotner has opened Michele's Place at 865 N. Kingshighway. Cotner opened the salon, which is geared toward men, last week. Cotner offers haircuts, perms and highlights. The salon is 400 square feet.

For four years, Cotner worked as a stylist at Master Cuts. Cotner is licensed by the Missouri State Board of Cosmetology.

Judd receives PACE-IT achievement award

Melissa Judd, an employee specialist with Lakes Country Resources Center in Cape Girardeau, has received the PACE-IT Achievement Award in recognition and appreciation for her career accomplishments since graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia's master's program.

Judd was one of three mentors for PACE-IT, a project in the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Education. Judd graduated from Southeast Missouri State University, where she was an academic adviser helping students who were undecided about their majors.

Judd assists people with disabilities to find productive employment.

Accountant attends federal tax institute

Bill Schott, a CPA with Schott & Van de Ven, attended the 54th annual Tennessee Federal Tax Institute recently in Nashville.

The institute provides information on significant developments in federal taxation. Schott completed two days of training. Classes that focused on wealth transfers included recent estate and charitable planning developments, creative planning strategies using grantor trusts and old and new ways to structure gifts to minors.

Schott is the managing partner of the firm and has been a CPA for more than 40 years.

Marketing coordinator joins Big River Telephone

Meredith White has joined Big River Telephone, the Cape Girardeau-based company, as the marketing coordinator. White comes to Big River Telephone with several years of marketing and public relations experience. She has worked with clients throughout the region, assisting area businesses with their advertising and marketing plans.

White has been an active member in the community volunteering her marketing advice and knowledge to several organizations and community events. White will work extensively with Big River Telephone's advertising and marketing campaigns.

UPS driver celebrates 25 years with company

Dale Pingel, package driver for United Parcel Service, was recently honored for completing 25 years of service with the company. Pingel works out of the UPS facility in Cape Girardeau.

-- From staff reports