Personnel 11/12/01

Puchbauer joins Prudential

Linda Puchbauer has joined Prudential Financial's Cape Girardeau office, 1020 N. Kingshighway, Suite B, as a representative, providing financial services and insurance to clients.

Puchbauer, of Jackson, Mo., is a member of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, where she is chairperson of the education committee, and a member of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

Prudential Financial is a brand name and service mark of The Prudential Insurance Company of America, with headquarters in Newark, N.J. Prudential Financial companies offer life insurance, casualty insurance, mutual funds, annuities and pension and retirement services.

New representative at Hahs Agency

Tyrone N. Turner has joined the Hahs Agency as a financial representative.

Turner will provide personal, business and estate planning using such Northwestern Mutual products as life insurance, disability income insurance and long-term health care insurance, annuities and mutual funds.

Turner, a native of St. Louis, has lived in Cape Girardeau since 1995, while attending Southeast Missouri State University.

He is a member of Alpha Kappa Phi Professional Business Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and is a former Southeast cheerleader.

Before joining Northwestern Mutual on a full-time basis, Turner was enrolled in the company's college internship program.

The Hahs Agency serves Southeast Missouri through offices at Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Mo., and Farmington, Mo.

Dentist inducted as fellow at college

Dr. Michael Bennett, a Cape Girardeau dentist, has been inducted as a fellow of the International College of Dentists.

Bennett, who has been in private practice 26 years, received his honor during the 72nd annual convocation in Kansas City, Mo. He received a membership plaque and gold key during the ceremony. The college conclave was held preceding the 142nd annual meeting of the American Dental Association.

Bennett is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Dentistry, Kansas City. He is president-elect of the Southeast Missouri Dental Society, and member of the American Dental Association and Missouri Dental Association.

Board members attend conference

A number of Workforce Investment Board members from Southeast Missouri recently attended the 19th annual Governor's Conference on Workforce Development, held at Tan-Tar-A Resort at Osage Beach, Mo.

Those attending included Gerald Jones, presiding commissioner of Cape Girardeau County; Johnny Ray Conklin; "Buz" Sutherland, director of Small Business Development Center; Ron Swift, president of the Workforce Investment Board of Southeast Missouri. WIB staff members included Ken Boyer, David Davis, Wanda Dillon, Alana Nichols, June O'Dell and Cleat Stanfill.

Underwood elected to petroleum institute

Sonny Underwood, president of Mid-South Steel Products of Cape Girardeau, has been elected to serve as vice president of the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI). He most recently served as treasurer for the organization. He was elected during the Institute's 51st annual convention and trade show held recently in Dallas, Texas.

Underwood's company makes steel tanks and installs service tanks, pumps and dispensers. Mid-South Steel Products also distributes petroleum equipment.

Underwood has served two terms as district director for PEI. The organization includes members from more than 1,550 companies engaged in the manufacture and distribution of equipment used in petroleum operations.

Jackson woman takes new post

Sarah Ledgerwood has been sworn in as an assistant attorney general in the Missouri Attorney General's office, working in the governmental affairs division.

Ledgerwood earned her law degree from the University of Iowa in May. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Truman State University in 1997.

She is the daughter of Joe and Debi Ledgerwood of Jackson, Mo.

Graduate students join chamber

Mogens Madsen of Denmark, Michael Ketcherside of St. Charles County, Mo., and Lenell O'Connell of Kennett, Mo., are the first graduate students to join the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

The local chamber created the new membership category after receiving interest from students last spring.

"I think this new category is valuable to the graduate students," said Jeff Glenn, director of membership development for the Cape Chamber. "It will allow networking opportunities as well as created a new sense of diversity within our organization."

Madsen and Ketcherside joined the chamber in September. Madsen, an international student from Denmark has been at Southeast more than three years, and completed his master's degree at the university in 2000. Ketcherside is currently a graduate student. O'Connell, who joined in early October, is entering her third year at Southeast.

-- From staff reports