Recognitions

Saint Francis Medical Center recently received one national winner and three national finalist awards in the Vision Awards, which recognizes excellence in television, video and Web sites. The national winner was awarded for two commercials created for the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Saint Francis won two national finalist awards in the category of broadcast/health care for Women's HeartAdvantage video for the St. Francis Foundation called "Little Reasons." The hospital's Web site, www.sfmc.net, also received a national finalist award in the nationwide competition.

Linda Brown, a sales agent with Coldwell Banker/Abernathy Realty in Jackson, has been recognized as Top Producer for 2002 in sales volume and number of closed transactions. Brown also received the International President's Circle Award, presented to less than 10 percent of all Coldwell Banker sales associates nationwide.

Betty Lou and Don Vogel, Judy Miller and Jo Duff, Prudential Bridgeport Inc. real estate agents in Cape Girardeau, were recently named winners of the Leading Edge Society Award for 2002. This award placed them in the top 7 percent of 44,000 Prudential agents in United States and Canada. Debbie Joplin, Debra Martin and Pam Arnold were winners of the Honor Society Award for 2002, placing them in the top 10 percent of Prudential agents. The awards were presented by the Prudential Real Estate Affiliates Inc. during the company's recent annual sales convention in Las Vegas, Nev.

Kelly Morton of Cape Girardeau represented the Cape Girardeau Area Medical Society at the Leadership Confluence of the American Medical Association Alliance, the volunteer arm of the American Medical Association and a public health advocacy network made up of physicians' spouses. More than 200 physicians' spouses attended the meeting, which was held at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. The local medical society is part of a nationwide federation of state and county organizations and the AMA Alliance that work together to improve the public health and stop violence.

Greg Gholson of Jackson is a new junior member of the American Angus Association. David Gholson also is a new junior member. Junior members of the association are eligible to register cattle in the association, participate in programs conducted by the National Junior Angus Association and take part in association sponsored shows and other national and regional events. The American Angus Association is the largest beef registry association in the world, with more than 35,000 active adult and junior members.

Jim Burke, an AAA sales agent in the Cape Girardeau office, has received AAA's Gold Seal Award for 2003. Recognized for his consistent and superior standards of performance in property and casualty insurance services, Burke also had to meet goals in auto insurance sales, loss ratios and policyholder services. As a Gold Seal agent, Burke is afforded greater underwriting and binding authority and can pay small damage claims. Burke has been an AAA agent since 1986.

Ralph Hanna, owner of Hanna's Garage in Poplar Bluff, placed fourth in the South Central District competition of the AC Delco Technician of the Millenium III contest. Hanna placed fourth in the 100-question written test, which was given to nearly 500 mechanics from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. The top 10 participants competed in the district competition in Mesquite, Texas, on March 28. Those 10, which included the national champion from two years ago, competed against each other in a two-hour hands-on competition diagnosing and fixing multiple problems on a vehicle.

Missy Stites and Sherry Burnett, Dexter real estate agents, recently received Century 21 awards at a banquet in St. Louis. Both Dexter agents received the Over One Million Dollars in sales production award. Stites also qualified for Rookie of the Year, placing in the top five for the region. Nelda Douglas is broker/owner of the Century 21 firm.

President George W. Bush has appointed Dexter fourth-generation farmer Charles Kruse, Missouri Farm Bureau president, to a two-year term on the national Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and

Negotiations (ACTPN). Members of ACTPN provide the U.S. Trade Representative with overall policy advice on matters concerning objectives and bargaining positions before entering into a trade agreement. The committee members also provide policy advice concerning the operation of any trade agreement once entered into and other matters arising in connection with United States trade policy.

Southeast University president Dr. Ken Dobbins presented an award April 26 to Don Bedell, who is chairman of the board of Health Facilities Management Corp., at the annual President's Council dinner at the Show Me Center. The Friend of the University Award recognizes those who support and who are closely associated with the mission, purposes, plans and programs of the university. It is the highest honor bestowed by the university foundation. In fall 2001, Bedell, of Sikeston, made a seven-figure gift to the university foundation to support the establishment of a premier performance hall at the River Campus. The hall, which is expected to be the crown jewel of the River Campus, will be named in Bedell's honor. His gift is the largest single cash gift in the 18-year history of the university foundation.

Earlene Hahs a Cape Girardeau native has joined 44 other regional Avon district managers in receiving the 2002 Circle of Excellence Award, a designation reserved for managers who posted the largest sales increase versus sales plan. Hahs and the other managers will enjoy an all-expenses paid vacation as a reward for their efforts. Hahs began selling Avon in 1983.

Gov. Bob Holden nominated Julie Robinson of Cape Girardeau to the Missouri State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Robinson, 28, is an emergency room nurse at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She earned a bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State University. The Missouri State Board of Chiropractic Examiners licenses chiropractors, regulates the profession of chiropractic examiners and reviews applications for licensure to determine an applicant's qualifications.

Saint Francis Medical Center won two Crystal Awards of Excellence and two Awards of Distinction in the Communicator Awards 2003 Print Media competition. The Communicator Awards is an international competition that recognizes outstanding work in communications. Entries receiving a Crystal Award of Excellence are among the best in the world. Saint Francis won its awards for the Weekly Health Page, a full-page advertorial that runs in the Southeast Missourian, Cash-book Journal and Daily American Republic, and the hospital foundation's Littie Reasons Case Statement that assisted in fund-raising efforts for the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The Comfort Inn located at 2582 N. Westwood Blvd. in Poplar Bluff has received the Gold Hospitality Award from Choice Hotels International, franchisor of the Comfort Inn hotel brand. The Gold Hospitality Award is presented annually to hotels that exceed Choice's rigid quality assurance standards. To qualify, a hotel must undergo a series of rigorous inspections that evaluate each operating department. The Comfort Inn, owned by Styles Hotels Inc., is managed by Herman Styles Jr.

Dr. Allen Wrather, professor at the University of Missouri-Delta Center in Portageville, has received the United Soybean Board's Extension Education Award in Charlotte, N.C. Wrather has focused his research and extension efforts to prevent U.S. soybean yield losses to disease. Wrather has compiled disease-loss estimates for major diseases in each soybean-producing state. His disease loss-estimate publication is one of the most cited in scientific journals in the United States.

Roger Kirn, master optician, was honored recently for 10 years of service at Regional Eyecare Center in Cape Girardeau. Kirn has over 34 years of experience as a frame and lens specialist.

SEMO Health Network in New Madrid recently honored seven staff members as Gold Star employees. Award winners were Donna Montgomery, LPN, and Dr. Hameed Khaja of the Sikeston clinic; Marilyn Chapman, FNP from the Lilbourn clinic; Judith Haggard, FNP from the Kennett clinic; Tracy Hendley, billing clerk, Chavela McLain, translator at the migrant services office in Kennett; and Erika Walker, receptionist from the Portageville clinic.