Recognitions

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

Marcus Pittman of GH Home Furnishings in Charleston was recently honored for exceptional achievement at the four-day Whirlpool Regional Technology Training Institute. The institute included training sessions on all Whirlpool and Whirlpool-made laundry products. The four eight-hour sessions required hands-on tear down and diagnostic techniques for the products. Training sessions were conducted by certified training instructors and Whirlpool product training specialists.

The Western Nursery and Landscape Association has elected E.B. Gee II president of the Western Nursery and Landscape and Association Board of Directors. Gee and his wife, Melinda, own and operate Heartland Nursery Co., a bare root and container wholesale nursery in New Madrid. The company is in its 21st year. A three-year graduate of the Furguson Business Management Institute associated with the University of Tulsa, Gee is an active member of the International Plant Propagators Society and past president of the Missouri Landscape and Nursery Association. He recently concluded a three-year term on the American Nursery and Landscape Association Horticulture Standards Committee.

State Farm Insurance agent Joe Recker of Sikeston is Southeast Missouri's 2003 Agent of the Year for State Farm Insurance. The honor was recently announced by field executive Mitch Shelby. State Farm is the largest writer of auto and homeowners insurance in the United States, as well as being the largest multiple-line insurance company.

Michael Sansagraw, Scott County Farm Bureau insurance agent, was named Top Membership Producer by the Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance Companies. Sansagraw competed for the honor with more than 200 professional agents throughout the state. Mike Weddle, East Missouri Regional director of agencies, made the presentation during the company's All Star Sales Conference at Lake Ozark.

Tom Kelsey of Cape Girardeau recently received the Realtor's Award of Excellence designation for 2003. As a broker with Lorimont Place Ltd., Kelsey produced a multimillion-dollar volume for Missouri property sold and leased during the year. He qualified for the Pinnacle Level unassisted award, which is over $5 million in annual production.

Bill Schott, managing partner of Schott & Van de Ven Certified Public Accountants in Cape Girardeau, recently attended the national Chief Executive Network's Accounting Firm Owners and Partner Group meeting in Atlanta. The two-day event focused on innovations for small and midsized companies, such as e-filing, year-end statistics, partner responsibility, implementing retreat ideas and criteria for admission of a new partner.

Kathy Duncan has been included in the upcoming 2004 edition of the Heritage Registry of Who's Who. The Heritage Registry of Who's Who acknowledges individuals for their achievements in their specific profession. Duncan's inclusion is in the field of real estate. According to the company, the recognition is the kind shared by thousands of executive men and women throughout the United States and Canada. Duncan received her license and became a member of the National Association of Realtors and the Sikeston Board of Realtors in 1982. She is real estate broker, investor and the owner of Southern Home Realty in New Madrid.

Robbie McElhaney of GH Home Furnishings in Charleston was recently honored for exceptional achievements at the four-day Whirlpool Regional Technology Training Institute in Tulsa. The institute included training sessions on all Whirlpool and Whirlpool-made ranges, ovens and dishwashers. The sessions required hands-on tear down and diagnostic techniques for the products. Training sessions were conducted by certified training instructors and Whirlpool product training specialists. McElhaney completed the technical training on fundamentals of gas ranges, gas and electric wall ovens, gas and electric cooktops, gas and electric ranges, microwave ovens, Duraclean dishwashers, Power Clean dishwashers and electronic control tall tub dishwashers.

Donna Taylor, executive director/financial counselor with Financial Fitness Services in Sikeston, was awarded the designation certified housing counselor through the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education. The associationis a group of financial counseling educators and practitioners who promote the education, training and professionalism of financial counselors and financial educators.

At the recent Missouri Hearing Society educational conference in St. Louis, Dan Shandy received the Gold Award for Outstanding Educational Achievement for 2003. Shandy is an audiologist and a hearing instrument specialist with America's Best Center for Hearing Aids in Cape Girardeau.

Dr. Christy Fowler of Sikeston was recently confirmed by the Missouri Senate as the newest member of the state Board of Optometry. She is a co-owner of and a practicing optometrist at Regional Eye Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She is also an examiner for the National Board of Optometry, a member of the American Optometric Association, the Southeast Missouri Optometric Society, the Heart of America Contact Lens Society and the Missouri Optometric Association.

Dr. Aaron Andrews of Ruopp Chiropractic & Associates in Cape Girardeau has successfully challenged and passed the examination for Diplomate Status of the College Board of Chiropractic Neurology. One of only 600 chiropractic neurologists in the United States, Dr. Andrews is certified to provide advanced chiropractic neurological treatment and co-manage certain neurological disorders such as post-stroke rehab, peripheral nerve entrapments, disc bulges, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, multiple sclerosis, brain injuries, autism, ADD and other conditions.

Real estate agents with Century 21 Ashland and Century 21 Key in Cape Girardeau recently received awards from the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors for 2003. For Ashland, Ken Inman, Keith Inman, Dana Leming and Gary Turner were named to the Pinnacle Unassisted level. Doris Jean Arnold got Pinnacle Assisted. Also for Ashland, Howard Alexander, Jeri Packard, LaDonna Dalton, Dolores Schultz, Don McElmurry and Shirley Gregory were named Summit Unassisted. At Key, Jane Clark was named Pinnacle Assisted, Linda Essner obtained Summit Unassisted, and Melissa Whitaker and Kyla Erlbacher were named Rookies of the Year.

Bradley Tuschhoff, CPA, with Schott & Van de Ven, Certified Public Accountants in Cape Girardeau, recently completed Advanced Like Kind Real Estate Exchanges. The program topics included simultaneous and delayed exchanges, special issues and challenges in delayed exchanges, reverse exchanges, combination exchanges and replacement property providers. Tuschhoff is also a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

Christine Estes, sales and service manager for US Bank on William Street in Cape Girardeau, has been named to the US Bancorp Circle of Service Excellence. It is a quarterly award given to employees who provide exceptional service and attention to customers and fellow employees.

Two Cape Girardeau businessmen have been elected to the board of trustees at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Chris Hutson and Robert Erlbacher III recently began their three-year terms as trustees. Hutson is affiliated with Hutson Furniture Co., and is a third-generation trustee, following his father, Charles, and his grandfather, Glenn. Erlbacher is with Missouri Barge Line and Cape Girardeau Fleeting, and is a second-generation trustee. His father, Robert Erlbacher II, is a current board member.

St. Francis Medical Center recently held a banquet to honor several people for at least 25 years of service, making them the newest inductees to the St. Francis Quarter Century Club. The new members are Keith Beussink, Mary Sue Crites, Marie Enderle, Cora Gramm, Trudy Irvine, Debbie Long, Penny Miles, Remynda Moore, Aline Poe, Jackqulin Quade, Dan Riley, Vicki Schuette, Charlotte Shearer, Diane Simpher, Steven Smith and Cathy Tenkhoff.

Mary Gosche, human development specialist with the University of Missouri Extension in Jackson, recently attended the Public Issues Leadership Development Conference in Washington, D.C. At the conference, Gosche met with U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and Extension colleagues from across the country. They talked with national leaders to share local programs and learn how to work with county and state decision makers.

Genesis Transportation of Cape Girardeau was recently presented a silver award by Great West Casualty Company as part of the 2003 National Fleet Safety Awards Program. The award recognizes carriers that achieve a low frequency of preventable accidents per million miles of operation.

Bootheel Counseling Services in Sikeston was awarded certification by the American Association of Suicidology. It will be honored for the achievement at the annual meeting of the association in April 2005 in Broomfield, Colo. Certification signifies that an organization was evaluated by an on-site examination or other procedures and has met or exceeded specific standards in the following areas: administration, training, general service delivery, services in life-threatening crisis, ethical issues, community integration and program evaluation.

Lee Bowman Jr. of Sikeston, a Modern Woodmen of America representative, has completed a five-day educational program at Modern Woodmen's home office in Rock Island, Ill. The program focused on helping families with Modern Woodmen life insurance plans, annuities and fraternal member benefits. Founded in 1883 as a fraternal benefit society, today Modern Woodmen of America offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.

Betty Blackburn of Bertrand is the recipient of the "Spirit of Avon" Award for exemplifying the company's values and mission. At an awards ceremony recognizing members of Avon President's Club, a group whose membership is limited to Avon's top sales representatives, Blackburn received the award.