Southeast Misssouri recognitions

Rob Welge and Shirley Pipkens of Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., and Diana Salazar of Workforce Employment Solutions of Perryville, have been selected to share awards of appreciation from the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) of Southeast Missouri. Welge, personnel director for Gilster-Mary Lee, and Pipkens, personnel manager, were presented plaques for their cooperation with WIB in efforts to secure jobs for "welfare-to-work" clients and other workers. The cereal manufacturing company employs about 476 people at its Perryville location. Salazar, account manager for Gilster through Workforce Employment, shares the award.

David Anderson, administrator at Kies Eye Center in Cape Girardeau, has received certification by the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators as a certified ophthalmic executive. Anderson achieved this certification through extensive training and testing by the society. Anderson has b@Subhead - briefs:een with Kies Eye Center three years.

Dr. Robert Ruess, of Cardiac and Vascular Surgeons of Cape Girardeau, recently attended the American Association for Thoracic Surgery meeting held in San Diego, Calif. The meeting, attended by heart and chest surgeons from around the world, provided practicing cardiac and thoracic surgeons with the most current information regarding new techniques as well as updating the physician's knowledge about current practice.

Sharon Kissinger, investment representative with the Poplar Bluff office of Edward Jones, has been named to the President's Club of The American Fund Group, one of the nation's leading mutual fund families. Appointment to the President's Club is one of the organization's highest honors for stockbrokers and financial planners.

Beth McFarland, controller of process operations at Monterey Mushrooms Inc. in Bonne Terre, has been elected chairman of the Workforce Investment Board of Southeast Missouri (WIB). McFarland was elected during a recent meeting of the WIB Board of Directors in Cape Girardeau. She replaces Ben Bradshaw of Malden, who completed a three-year term as chairman. Other officers elected include Larry Swindle of Kennett, vice chairman; Lisa Webb of New Madrid, secretary; John Moore of Dexter, treasurer; and Jerry McDowell of East Prairie, parliamentarian. The WIB board consists of 45 members from 13 counties.

Dr. Randy Brown and Dr. Robert Ogle recently attended a vascular and endovascular surgery seminar sponsored by Harvard Medical School's Department of Continuing Education. Brown and Ogle are affiliated with Cardiac and Vascular Surgeons in Cape Girardeau. The seminar, held in Boston, covered a spectrum of topics related to the management of patients with vascular disease, particularly cerebrovascular disease, lower extremity ischemia, aortic aneurysmal and occlusive disease and venous disease. Course discussions focused on the comparison of conventional methods of evaluation and newer diagnostic techniques as well as the measurement of less invasive therapies against standard surgical treatment.

Jenifer Brown, laser vision coordinator, and Deanna Brown, ophthalmic assistant at Kies Eye Center in Cape Girardeau recently attended a two-day refractive seminar in Chicago. The seminar, sponsored by Allergan Services Consulting Group, enabled the participants to expand their knowledge about refractive procedures such as Lasik. The seminar was limited to 20 refractive coordinators from across the nation.

Four Cape Girardeau businessmen have assumed new leadership positions on the Southeast Missouri Hospital Board of Trustees. Serving as board president is David L. Hahs, a financial representative with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. First vice president is Narvol A. Randol Jr., a board member since 1991. Randol is a self-employed businessman. Serving as second vice president is Michael D. Kohlfeld, president of Kohlfeld Distributing Inc. The new secretary-treasurer is James A. Rust, president of R&M Fabrics and Custom Design Interior. Board members are elected by the Southeast Missouri Hospital Association.

Rick Shultz of Jackson received a number of sales awards during Maintenance Engineering's (M.E.) National Convention held recently in New Orleans. Shultz received M.E.'s Bronze Level award for 2000 sales, finishing 16th in the company. He also received a cumulative sales gold ring for exceeding $500,000 during his career with M.E. and received a gold watch for sales growth over the previous year. Shultz has been an independent sales representative with M.E. more than four years, selling lighting products. M.E. has a sales force of more than 400.

Steve Watkins of Dexter has been elected to serve the Southeast Missouri Funeral Directors Association as District 11 director. He was installed at the recent Missouri Funeral Directors Association convention at Springfield. Watkins has been serving as secretary-treasurer of the District 11 group.

KFVS 12, the local CBS network affiliate, received several awards at the 2001 Missouri Broadcasters' Association Awards held earlier in June in Branson. The station received awards for Complete Newscast category, first place; Spot News category, winner for coverage of the Mel Carnahan plane crash; Station Sponsored Community Event category, winner for "Back The Blue" fund-raising effort to help the Cape Gir-ardeau police officers shot in the line of duty last February. Other local winners at this year's MBA awards included KEZS-FM for Play By Play and DJ Award, KGKS-FM for Commercial Spot, KZIM-AM for Feature Reporting and Complete Newscast, and the Zimmer Radio Group for the Corporate Community Service Award.

Cindy Fuller of Fuller's Jewelry in Poplar Bluff recently attended the JCK International Jewelry Show and Business Conference on June 1-5 at the Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas. The jewelry show is the largest in the world, with more than 3,000 exhibitors. While at the show, Fuller previewed the newest jewelry designs and services, and attended important business conferences and educational sessions.

T. Ronald Hahs, district director of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in Cape Girardeau, recently attended the Frank Russell Co. sales conference held in Seattle, Wash. Hahs, a Northwestern representative since 1964 and district director for Southeast Missouri since 1974, was the only representative from Missouri to attend the conference, which included a tour of the Russell Co. home office in Tacoma, Wash. The Frank Russell Co. has been in business since 1936 and has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual since 1998.

Gary Wengert of Perryville has been appointed to the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) of Southeast Missouri. Wengert will replace Don Palisch of Altenburg, who resigned following a two-year term on the board. The WIB is made up of two private sector representatives for each of 13 Southeast Missouri counties. The other Perry County representative is Orville Schaefer. The WIB Board helps people in Southeast Missouri find jobs @Subhead - briefs:and help employers find employees.

Jeff Glenn, director of membership development of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, recently completed a week-long professional development program with the Institute for Organization Management held at the University of Notre Dame. Participants earned points toward the certified chamber executive (CCE) or certified association executive (CAE) designations. Graduates of the program received a certificate in Organization Management.

Melvin J. Van de Ven, CPA, CVA, recently attended the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) forum on staffing issues in Denver. The conference focused on successful staff management and development of a strategic plan for accounting practices. Van de Ven is a partner in the firm of Schott & Van de Ven in Cape Girardeau and has been a CPA for more than 30 years.

Zimmer Radio Group, based in Cape Girardeau, received 17 awards from the Missouri Broadcasters Association this year, six of them by the Cape Girardeau stations. Cape Girardeau winners: Erik Sean (K103), first place in play-by-play category for Southeast Missouri State University vs. Southern Illinois University; Todd Bonacki and April Miller (960 KZIM), first in Complete Newscast Category for "News at Five," and Bonacki (real Rock 99.3) first in sports feature for "Tiger's Moment." Receiving certificates of merit were the Wakeup Crew, Buzz & Bobbi; Bryan Young in commercial announcement category; and Bonacki in feature reporting category. The Zimmer Radio Groups owns 34 stations in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas.

Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in Farmington has recently earned accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP). Accreditation by HFAP demonstrates that a health care facility has met the standards set forth by HFAP to provide high quality care and compliance with governmental regulations.

Janet Stewart, Southeast Missouri Hospital patient educator, has received the Southeast Area Chapter of the American Diabetes Association's Outstanding Community Service Award in Reaching People during the recent ADA banquet. Stewart, registered nurse and certified diabetic educator, has served as the local ADA president for the past two years and on the ADA Board for a total of five years.

Holly Thomas, CPA with Schott & Van de Ven Certified Public Accountants in Cape Girardeau, recently earned the professional designation of certified specialist in estate planning (CEP). This designation was awarded by The National Institute for Excellence in Professional Education, LLC, in conjunction with the Missouri Society of CPAs and Surgent and Associates, LLC.