Southeast Missouri recognitions

December 2001

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. 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.

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 SteelProducts 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.

Workforce Investment Board members from Southeast Missouri recently attended the 19th annual Governor's Conference on Workforce Development. The conference was held at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach. Ron Gardner, human resource director at U.S. Tool Grinding in Desloge, attended. A.C. "Al" Sullivan with the Four Rivers Area Vocational-Technical School in Farmington also attended the conference.

The 2000 Annual Report for Saint Francis Medical Center has received an award from The Business Word Inc, a publisher of business magazines in advertising and healthcare. The third-place award was in the category of Community Hospitals. The focus of the Saint Francis Medical Center's Annual Report was it's "Power of" campaign. The campaign focused on the power of technology, people, faith, facilities, history and community to show the multifaceted way in which they deliver health care. The annual report was produced by The Roberts Group of Waukesha, Wis. Business Word Inc. is the publisher of "Profiles in Healthcare Marketing." Descriptions of the winning reports will appear in the November/December issue of the publication.

Stephanie Bledsoe, area manager for the Cape/Sikeston Workforce Employment Solutions, has completed training as a Wonderlic testing administrator. Workforce recently entered into a partnership with Wonderlic Inc., a leader in recruiting, assessment and selection technology, which has opened two testing centers in the region.

Thomas M. Meyer of Cape Girardeau, a broker for Thomas L. Meyer Realty Co., recently attended the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Conference and Expo at Chicago. Dr. David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, was a key speaker at the conference, which was attended by more than 23,000 Realtors and guests. Meyer is a national director with the Realtor Association and has been named regional vice president for the NAR, serving as NAR's liaison for Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma. Meyer has served as treasurer, vice president and president of the Missouri Association of Realtors.

William Bess, president of Bluff City Beer Co., with operations in Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, and Herculaneum, has been elected chairman of the board of the Missouri Beer Wholesalers Association. Bess was elected to his state post during the group's state convention, held recently in Branson. Bess has been at the helm of Bluff City Beer Co. since September 1999. Bluff City Beer was founded in 1933 in Poplar Bluff. A Cape Girardeau branch was added in 1938. The company moved its headquarters to Cape Girardeau in 1992. The company is a distributor for products of the Miller Brewing Co., Fosters Brewing PLC of Australia and Molsons PLC of Canada and serves 21 counties in Southeast Missouri.

Holly Thomas, CPA, with Schott & Van de Ven, Certified Public Accountants in Cape Girardeau, completed a workshop on tax and estate planning for individuals and businesses. The workshop covered innovative strategies to help clients save by using tax and estate planning. Thomas has been a CPA since 1986 and has the designation of certified specialist in estate planning.

Steven and Patty Boyers, managers of Bluff City Mobile Homes in Poplar Bluff, were recognized as the Top Retailer in Sales for the Savannah Plant. Bluff City Mobile Homes received this award during the annual Awards Banquet held in Knoxville, Tenn.. It was attended by retailers throughout the United States, and was sponsored by Clayton Homes Inc.

After a recent a dedication of the new education building at the Mingo Job Corps Center in Puxico, the Corps received a letter of recognition and congratulations from President George W. Bush. Bush acknowledged the education and training that many Americans have received from the Job Corps, which has prepared them to enter and succeed in the workplace. Edward Coursey of Poplar Bluff, retired education principal at the Job Corps, was recognized by the Corps for his 35 years of service with a bronze plaque naming one of the new classrooms the Edward R. Coursey Learning Resource Center. He retired in July 1998.