People on the move 7/21/08

Optician passes national competency exam

Mary McBride has passed the American Board of Opticianry's national competency examination. The test is used as part of the written licensing standards by 86 percent of the states that license or register opticians. McBride is an optician and office manager for Dr. Christy Fowler and Dr. Scott McDougal at Regional Eyecare Center, 1749 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau.

Veterans home adds to administrative staff

The Missouri Veterans Home, 2400 Veterans Memorial Drive in Cape Girardeau, has announced the addition of two employees. Administrator Viviane Rains previously served in the same role at a 70-bed nursing facility in St. James, Mo. Before coming to the Cape Girardeau facility, assistant administrator Richard Denning was a personnel officer at the Veterans Home in St. Louis.

Jackson man graduates from labor college

Mark Baker of Jackson has graduated from the National Labor College with a degree in union leadership and administration. The college is a fully accredited undergraduate facility affiliated and subsidized by the AFL-CIO. President of the Cape Girardeau Central Trades and Labor Council, Baker earned his degree at the 47-acre campus in Silver Spring, Md., where unionists from throughout the United States and Canada attend a single week of instruction in residence per term.

Hendrickson Business Advisors hire associate

Melanie Smollen of Cape Girardeau has joined Hendrickson Business Advisors, 1729 William St., as an associate. Smollen works with clients to increase their top-line revenue and gain efficiencies to enhance their bottom-line profit. She also is leading Faith Perceptions, a program that helps churches indentify their strengths and weaknesses when reaching out to people who do not attend a place of worship on a regular basis.

Area students attend Missouri Business Week

Four high school students were among those who attended the 23rd annual Missouri Business Week, sponsored by the Missouri Association of Realtors and the University of Missouri Robert J. Trulaske Sr. College of Business. Area students who participated in the conference included Shane Voshage of Jackson High School and Kayla Essner, Tara Meyer and Sean Mills of Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau. The five-day experience is designed to introduce high school underclassmen to the real world of management and marketing. Students attend on sponsorships contributed by local real estate agents or businesses. This year's sponsors were the Cape Girardeau Board of Realtors and Skip Smallwood of AmerenUE.

Pursley Chiropractic announces new hires

Pursley Chiropractic has announced the additions of licensed massage therapist Angela Evans and marketing director Varonnica Kirn. Evans graduated from the massage therapy program at Metro Business College in March. Kirn is expected to graduate from Southeast Missouri State University in December 2008 with a bachelor's degree in mass communications with an emphasis on advertising and a minor in marketing.

— From staff reports

People on the Move items must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday to appear Monday. Submit items by e-mail to bblackwell@semissourian.com, by fax to 334-7288 or by mail to P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702.