Names in the news

__SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN ADDS THREE TO NEWSROOM__

The Southeast Missourian has added three employees to its newsroom staff. Josh Mlot is the Missourian’s new sports editor. He graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a journalism degree in 2004. He has been covering sports for eight years, most recently as sports editor with a trio of newspapers in Hattiesburg, Mississippi — The Hattiesburg Post, The Lamar Times and The Petal News. He and his wife, Samantha, who works in the Missourian’s advertising department, have two children. Mark Bliss returned to the Southeast Missourian as a staff writer, covering government. He served as publications coordinator in the marketing department at SoutheastHEALTH for the past eight years. Before that, he was employed as a reporter at the Southeast Missourian for 28 years, covering everything from crime to government. He is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. Ben Kleine joined the Missourian staff as crime and courts reporter. Originally from Manchester, Missouri, Kleine graduated in 2009 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Before coming to the Missourian, Kleine was the education and health reporter at the Panama City News Herald in Florida.

__ANDERSON COMPLETES MASTER OF LIBRARY SCIENCE__

Sharon Anderson, youth services coordinator at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, earned a master of library science degree from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. Anderson lives in Cape Girardeau and has worked at the Cape Girardeau Public Library for 15 years.

__MONDI JACKSON HONORS EMPLOYEES__

Alan Westrich of Oak Ridge was employee of the month for December at Mondi Jackson Inc. Westrich, a lamination operator, has worked at Mondi since July 12, 1999. Mondi Jackson also recognizes the following employment anniversaries: Brad Bowman, 25 years of service; Kevin Jones, 20 years; and Temper Jones and Ronald Gilliland, 10 years.

__HOFFMAN HONORED WITH PRIDE AWARD__

Dr. Steven Hoffman, coordinator of the historic preservation program and professor of historic preservation in the Department of History at Southeast Missouri State University, received the university’s 2015 PRIDE Award during commencement exercises on Dec. 19. He was selected for the award by the Council of Deans after nominations were solicited from each of the university’s colleges and schools, according to a news release. This is the 20th year Southeast has presented the Provost’s Research, Instruction and Development for Excellence Award, which recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated excellence as a teacher, an extraordinary level of scholarship and service and whose overall accomplishments are especially noteworthy, the release stated.

__BOOTHEEL COUNSELING NAMES EMPLOYEES OF MONTH__

SIKESTON, Mo. — Leslie Lott was employee of the month for October at Bootheel Counseling Services and Family Medical Center. She has worked at the agency for five years as an LPN. Magen Berry was employee of the month for November. She is a consumer support professional based out of the Charleston, Missouri, branch, and has worked at the agency for seven years.

__MCCOY, KETCHERSIDE LEAD C21__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Melba Jean McCoy was top lister for October at Century 21 American Realty, and Natali Ketcherside was top producer for the month.

__DENTON-RINES PASSES EXAM__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Meredith Denton-Rines, a financial services professional in Poplar Bluff, passed the Missouri Insurance Exam for Life, Accident and Health, and Life Variable products. She has been an adviser with HD Vest since 2014 and works at Dairel L. Denton Jr. & Associates CPA in Poplar Bluff.

__EUDALEY FINISHES COURSE__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Richard Eudaley, a financial representative at Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, completed Kaplan Financial’s Needs Analysis Course. He has worked with the company since April 2015.

__STARNES NAMED TO DIRECTOR ROLE AT DEXTER CHAMBER__

DEXTER, Mo. — Hillary Starnes is the new executive director of the Dexter Chamber of Commerce, the Dexter Statesman reported. She stepped into the role on Dec. 10 after starting work at the chamber in August. She also will serve as the chamber’s economic development coordinator. Starnes had been working with longtime director Janet Coleman to familiarize herself with the community and the role of the chamber before Coleman retired. Starnes and her husband, Andy, moved from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to Dexter at the beginning of October. He is a police officer for the City of Bloomfield. Starnes previously was employed at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff. She first worked in the Office of Development, where she helped with fundraising for the TRC Endowment Trust and helped coordinate special events. She later was named coordinator of student engagement, where she oversaw student organizations.

__CAP AMERICA ANNOUNCES NEW HIRE, PROMOTION__

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. — Maria Weekley was promoted to human resource community outreach specialist at Cap America Inc. In this role, she will assist with human resource activities, coordinate initiatives and administer programs aimed at addressing the needs of the surrounding area. Weekley has worked at Cap America for four years. Additionally, Sarah Burgin was hired as human resource director. She will oversee all human resource activities and legal compliance for the company. She has more than 15 years of experience in the retail industry and more than 10 years of experience in a management/leadership position.

__BERENS GETS ‘BEST LAWYER’ HONOR__

Paul H. Berens, an attorney at Bradshaw, Steele, Cochrane, Berens & Billmeyer in Cape Girardeau, has been named a “Best Lawyer” by survey results in bankruptcy and creditor rights and litigations sections. He continues to be named in “Best Lawyers in America,” “SuperLawyers,” “America’s Most Honored Professionals” and “Top 10 Bankruptcy Attorneys” by the National Academy of Bankruptcy Attorneys, according to a news release. He also serves on the Commercial Law Committee of the Missouri Bar and several subcommittees and is a continuing co-author of the Missouri Bar Deskbook for lawyers in the bankruptcy field.

__TWO REAPPOINTED TO SHOW ME CENTER BOARD__

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents reappointed Dr. Beth Easter, associate professor of health, human performance and recreation, to the Show Me Center Board of Managers. Her new term will expire Dec. 1, 2018. Easter, director of the sports management program at Southeast, has served four previous terms on the board. Rhonda Weller-Stilson also was reappointed to the board. She will serve a three-year term expiring Dec. 1, 2018. She is director of the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Southeast. She is a professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance and was chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance from 2008 to 2011. She is in her 15th year at Southeast.

__JENKINS IS DIRECTOR OF KIDS ACADEMY__

SIKESTON, Mo. — Betty Jo Jenkins is the new certified center director at Creative Kids Academy in Sikeston. She previously held positions of assistant director for a large preschool and an after-school program, and various teaching positions. She worked most recently as an early childhood and child development home-based teacher for Early Head Start.

__MOTHES ATTENDS FINANCIAL SUMMIT__

Edward Jones financial adviser Cheryl Mothes of Jackson attended Barron’s Top Women Advisors summit Dec. 2 through 4 in Palm Beach, Florida. The conference, which included workshops led by the female advisers named in Barron’s issue as the top practitioners in their field, is attended by the nation’s top female financial advisers and industry decision-makers, according to a release from Edward Jones. This was Mothes’ third consecutive year attending the summit.

__CAPE FARMERS WIN AWARD__

Jeremie and Laura Nothdurft of Cape Girardeau won the Missouri Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award. The Nothdurfts were recognized Dec. 8 at the annual Young Farmers and Ranchers annual breakfast for involvement with the Farm Bureau, agriculture and their community, according to a news release from the Missouri Farm Bureau. The award includes $500 checks from the Missouri Farm Bureau Foundation and Ford Motor Co., as well as a trip to Orlando, Florida, to represent Missouri at the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Contest in January. The Nothdurfts farm 1,200 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat, along with 80 cows, with Jeremie Nothdurft’s father and brother among the multiple generations on the farm.

__THREE RETIRE FROM SEMO PORT BOARD__

Three members of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority board of commissioners are retiring. Bob Kielhofner, Jimmie Johnson and J. Ronald Fischer recently were presented with plaques by board chairman Pete Burns, according to a news release from the Semo Port. The port board has eight regular members — four each from Cape Girardeau and Scott counties, serving four-year terms. The ninth position is a member at large who serves a two-year term. Kielhofner served for 15 years, beginning in 1999, first as a member at large, then as a regular member beginning in 2004. Johnson was member at large in 2014 and 2015. Fischer had the longest tenure of the three, 20 years, beginning in 1996. He served as board chairman from 2004 to 2006. Appointments to the board are being made by respective county commissions.

__MCELROY NAMED DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR__

Cape Girardeau has a new development services director. Alex McElroy took over the position Dec. 14. Most recently, he served as assistant to the city manager in Bloomington, Illinois, according to information on the city of Cape Girardeau’s blog. He also has been assistant city manager in Centralia, Illinois. He has experience in land-use planning, capital improvement plans, budgeting, performance management, economic development, public works and other areas. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, and a master’s degree in public administration from Cleveland State University.

__HUFF ELECTED TO LEADERSHIP POST__

A Southeast Missouri State University alumnus has been elected president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. John Huff is the first Missourian to hold the position in 60 years, according to a news release from the university. The association is a standard-setting and regulatory support organization through which state insurance regulators establish standards and best practices, conduct peer reviews and coordinate regulatory oversight, the release stated. Huff earned his bachelor of science in business administration from Southeast and received his MBA from Saint Louis University. He began his duties as president Jan. 1.

__CITY OF CAPE HONORS EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR__

The City of Cape Girardeau recently recognized its employees of the year for 2015. Awards went to Tim Maynard, senior maintenance worker, Parks and Recreation Department Employee of the Year; Robbie Reed, solid waste worker II, Public Works Employee of the Year; Patrolman Jim Zeidler, Cape Girardeau Police Department Employee of the Year; Capt. John Ryan, Fire Department Employee of the Year; and Cindy Redecker, accounts payable coordinator, Finance Division Employee of the Year.

__REHAGEN GETS STATE AGRICULTURE AWARD__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Kurt Rehagen of Perryville received the Missouri Agriculture Forestry Legacy Award during the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture Dec. 18 at Tan-Tar-A Resort in the Ozarks. Rehagen is a second-generation sawmill owner who has grown his business through innovative domestic and international marketing, the Perryville Republic-Monitor reported. Rehagen’s business, Rustic Wood Products Inc., was established in 1972. He is past president of the Missouri Forest Products Association and has served on the executive committee for seven years. He also is one of only 14 Missouri Master Loggers.

__SANDGREN-KEMPF COMPLETES CRUISE EXPERIENCE__

Carolyn Sandgren-Kempf, president of Elite Travel in Cape Girardeau, completed and passed Holland America Line’s Premium Cruise Experience. The HAL Academy Training is a highly acclaimed training program designed to grow cruise business and build knowledge of Holland America Line, according to a news release from Elite.

__LONG RETIRES FROM ASSOCIATED ELECTRIC__

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Booker T. Long of Marston, Missouri, a yard equipment operator, has retired after 16 years at Associated Electric Cooperative’s New Madrid Power Plant. Long started at the plant in 1999 as a general utility first period. He worked in the bunker room for five years, then advanced to auxiliary operator.

__HORNERSVILLE FARMER RECOGNIZED FOR HIGH YIELDS__

HORNERSVILLE, Mo. — Tim Jamerson, a Hornersville cotton farmer, received an award for making the highest yield in the Mid-South region with the new Deltapine cotton variety DP 1612, the Daily Dunklin Democrat reported. The award was presented Dec. 18 during the Deltapine New Product Evaluator Summit in San Antonio. Jamerson won a trophy for averaging 1,399 pounds per acre with the new variety, according to a news release from Monsanto.

__NANCE RETIRES FROM SIKESTON PARKS DEPT.__

SIKESTON, Mo. — Bill Nance retired Dec. 31 after more than 38 years working for the City of Sikeston, the Standard Democrat reported. He started working for the city on May 2, 1977, and spent most of his years working in the Sikeston Parks Department.

__POPLAR BLUFF NAMES NEW SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The Poplar Bluff Board of Education voted Dec. 17 to hire Scott Dill, superintendent of Houston, Missouri, schools, as the new superintendent of Poplar Bluff public schools, effective in May, the Daily American Republic reported. Dill brings almost 20 years of experience in education to the district. He will replace current Poplar Bluff superintendent Chris Hon, who is retiring.