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Member News & Events

To list your business announcement here, send details to opcc@opks.org.

Straub Construction Kansas City was awarded the J. Timothy Anderson Awards for Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation for an apartment complex project on Armour Road in Kansas City, Mo. The National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA) presented the award at the fourth annual awards reception in Boston on October 28.
(posted 11.19.08)

DLR Group has appointed John Fuller, LEED AP, Steve McKay, LEED AP, and Dan Munn, PE, SE, LEED AP, as Senior Principals in the firm.
(posted 11.19.08)

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City President and CEO, Tom Bowser, has been named Chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the highest elected office for the national Blue System.  The Association is the governing body for the 39 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, which cover 102 million members, and has annual revenues of more than $300 million. As a result, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brands are among the most recognized in corporate America.  Bowser began his career at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City in 1969 as a provider relations representative. In addition to working most of his career at the Kansas City Plan, he has also worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma in Tulsa and at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association in Chicago.  The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is headquartered in Chicago with additional offices in Washington, D.C.  Bowser’s term for this position runs from November 2008 through November 2010.
(posted 11.19.08)

BHC RHODES claimed a 2^nd place award among 400 attendees at Leica Geosystem’s worldwide user conference in San Ramon, Ca. BHC RHODES won in the Building/Heritage category with an entry of the deliverable they had provided to one of their area customers for a local University building project. The entry was chosen for having the most intuitive and user friendly representation of the use of high definition scanning. BHC RHODES’ experts used a color map to represent units of measure of construction tolerances, a method known as an Isopach. Judges claimed BHC RHODES’ creative use of Isopach in high-definition scanning was unique in the manner in which the data was delivered to the customer for the face of a building. Most Isocpach methods in high-definition scanning are used on horizontal ground surface projects, such as the new $36 million dollar soccer complex in Overland Park, where BHC RHODES used this same method. BHC RHODES’ high-definition scanning was highlighted on NBC Action News and footage can be viewed by clicking the NBC logo on their web site, ibhc.com .
(posted 11.19.08)

Byron G. Thompson, chairman of Country Club Bank, announced that the bank has formed a Registered Investment Advisory firm focused on asset and wealth management. The RIA, which manages some of the assets from the Country Club Trust Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Country Club Bank, will do business under the name Tower Wealth Managers.Thompson said Tower Wealth Managers already manages in excess of $750 million in assets.
(posted 11.19.08)

Amy Sandlin has joined GBA (formerly George Butler Associates), as a traffic engineer for the firm’s Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning Group.  Sandlin specializes in all aspects of traffic engineering analysis and design including traffic impact studies, intersection design and layout, interchange design, signal design, construction traffic control, and street lighting and signing.
(posted 11.13.08)

Kiewit Power Engineers Co. recently announced the addition of Robert D. Adkins to its management team. As Assistant Director of Strategic Planning, Adkins is responsible for researching power markets and other information that will provide business intelligence to gain a competitive advantage in the North American power industry. Adkins has more than 15 years of experience in the electric and natural gas utility industries in the areas of energy forecasting, market research and strategic planning.
(posted 11.13.08)

Johnson County Community College (JCCC) will retain its seat on the board of directors of the prestigious League for Innovation in the Community College.
“The League is the only major international organization specifically committed to improving community colleges through innovation, experimentation, and institutional transformation,” said Terry Calaway, JCCC president. “Only the best community colleges serve on the League’s board; we’re very proud to be among them.”
The League for Innovation’s board of directors consists of the chief executive officers of 19 member institutions. League board members serve for as long as they remain the chief executive officer. When a college CEO changes, the college must go through a reaffirmation process to retain its place on the board. For its reaffirmation, JCCC prepared a self-study document focusing on its innovative practices and programs and submitted it to the League in March 2008. League representatives then visited the college in September to speak with the trustees and learn more about the college. The reaffirmation was given November 6. JCCC has been a League board member since 1978.
(posted 11.13.08)

The Design-Build Institute of America’s Mid-America Region (DBIA-MAR) recognized the City of Overland Park’s Matt Ross Community Center with a Best Project Award, Public Sector Building Over $15 Million, at a recent Design-Build Awards and Annual Membership Meeting. The new 80,000-square-foot building in downtown Overland Park offers a variety of fitness opportunities to serve the City’s needs, including a two-court gymnasium; natatorium with leisure and lap pools; separate areas for cardiovascular machines, free weights and group exercise; an elevated walking track; locker rooms and a large game room. In addition, it provides meeting space, an arts and crafts studio, childcare area, catering kitchen and offices. The project’s design-build team was primarily made up of McCownGordon Construction and Gould Evans.
(posted 11.6.08)

Career Management Associates announces two new employees. Diane Schmidt has joined as a Career Consultant. She will provide outplacement career transition programs to individuals facing career change. Deanne Keener has joined as Talent Acquisition Consultant for the executive search practice. She will be responsible for permanent and temporary search assignments with a core specialty of Human Resources.
(posted 11.6.08)

Shawnee Mission Medical Center has announced the opening of Shawnee Mission Primary Care at 23401 Prairie Star Parkway in the Shawnee Mission Outpatient Pavilion, offering western Johnson County the convenience of receiving quality care close to home. The clinic is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information about Shawnee Mission Primary Care, or to make an appointment, call the ASK-A-NURSE Resource Center at (913) 676-7777.
(posted 11.6.08)

Joseph Aranki has joined The Mayer Group, Inc., a business consulting and recruiting services organization, as Vice President of Business  Development. He will focus on building market share for TMG’s Profiles to Partners® Recruiting and Candidate Screening services. He also will support TMG’s sales consulting, training, and career development services.
(posted 11.6.08)

Heartland Habitat for Humanity is partnering with IDEX, an Overland Park company that serves the legal community, to sponsor a build of a house in Johnson County in 2009. Heartland Habitat for Humanity currently is searching for appropriate property on which to build.
(posted 11.6.08)

Straub Construction Kansas City, a general contractor, recently announced a promotion and new employee. Dan VanDonge has been promoted to senior project manager.  VanDonge has over seven years of experience, specializing in commercial construction.  One of his current projects is The Phoenix Building multi-use project in downtown Overland Park. DeNell Morris has joined Straub Construction Kansas City as a project assistant.  Morris has more than nine years of experience in construction.
(posted 11.6.08)

JE Dunn Construction has been selected to provide Design-Build services for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Ft. Leavenworth Battalion Headquarters and Combined Operations Facility Complex at Fort Leavenworth. The 150,000-squre-foot complex consists of two company operation facilities and three Battalion Headquarters buildings. All facilities were designed and will be constructed for a LEEDTM Silver rating. Aesthetically, the facilities will blend with the surrounding context at the Fort. The project will be complete in the summer of 2010. The construction budget is $38 Million. DLR Group is providing mechanical, electrical and structural engineering services, and TranSystems is providing civil engineering services. JE Dunn will serve as the general contractor orchestrating the efforts of the design-build team. JE Dunn broke ground in June on the $86 Million Midwest Regional Joint Correctional Facility at Ft. Leavenworth, which is adjacent to the Company Operation Facility and Battalion Headquarter site.
(posted 11.6.08)

Dave Mennenga has been named an Associate by GBA, a Lenexa engineering and architectural firm. A member of the firm’s Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning Group, Mennenga serves as project manager and lead engineer on many traffic and transportation planning studies and improvement projects. Studies include private development traffic impacts, roadway safety, parking and circulation, corridor/access management, and highway interchanges. He is also experienced in intersection capacity analysis and simulation modeling; roadway and intersection design; and roundabout analysis and design.
(posted 11.4.08)

Congratulations to Classic Catering on being named "Best Wedding Caterer in Kansas City" for 2008 in the KMBC TV A-List competition. To view the results, visit http://kmbc.cityvoter.com/winners/best-of-kansas-city-s-a-list/1926.
(posted 11.4.08)

HMN Architects, Inc. 7400 W. 110th Street was recently selected as one of the Mid-Sized Ten Best Places to Work by the Kansas City Business Journal. This is the second year in a row that HMN was given this honor.
(posted 11.03.08)

Paul Snider has been promoted to Senior Manager of Governmental Affairs at Kansas City Power & Light. He will have oversight on both sides of the state line and the Federal level.
(posted 11.3.08)

AMLI at Cambridge Square, 10701 Ash; Ash Grove Cement, 11011 Cody; and Waddell and Reed, 6300 Lamar, were among five businesses honored by the Overland Park City Council for outstanding landscaping efforts. Every year, the Legacy of Greenery Committee accepts nominations for outstanding landscaping efforts by commercial developments, businesses and public entities. Waddell and Reed received the "Award of Continued Landscape Excellence," which recognizes previous honorees who exhibit continued efforts of maintenance, revitalization and enhancement of their landscape.
(posted 11.3.08)

Validity Screening Solutions announced that it has acquired an Ohio-based provider of background checks and drug screening and will move the company’s operations to Validity headquarters in Overland Park. The deal will increase Validity’s client base to over 3,600 accounts across the country. Validity Screening Solutions is a leading national provider of background checks, drug testing and personality assessments.
(posted 11/3/08)

BHC RHODES Civil Engineering and Surveying firm has a reputation for giving back to the community, and like years past, employees joined together with the non-profit organization Christmas In October to provide home improvements to a recipient who doesn’t have the resources or skills to make necessary home repairs. BHC RHODES’ employees from across the organization gathered on Saturday, October 11 for all day hands-on labor, tackling home repairs for Kansas City, KS resident Ms. Willa Jean Bennett. Bennett has lived in the home for thirty years and it was in need of several safety repairs such as a new retaining wall to prevent the home from sliding down hill, new front steps, and new smoke alarms. Other repairs included removing a rotted wood ceiling, floor and frame from a front screened-in porch and building an entirely new screened porch, all new exterior house paint, and insulating a hot water heater. BHC RHODES donated all supplies.
(posted 10.21.08)

Backwoods, Overland Park’s popular upscale specialty outdoor apparel and accessories store, recently held a grand opening for its newly relocated free-standing store at 6825 W. 135th Street. The specialty outdoor retailer features top brands of men’s and women’s clothing and outerwear, performance and casual shoes, tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, fly fishing gear and equipment, travel luggage, kayaks, climbing equipment, GPS units and camping accessories.
“Because of the loyal following of our customers in the Kansas City area, it was necessary to open a larger, enhanced store that can offer even more products,” said Jennifer Mull, Backwoods CEO. “We work hard to find just the right merchandise to inspire active adventure in a variety of ways in our customer’s lives. It is especially rewarding to open such a beautiful store in Kansas ; the same state in which my father opened his first small outdoor gear store more than 35 years ago.” The 10,000-square-foot store is one of the first retailers to open in the new Corbin Park shopping development on the southeast corner of 135th and Metcalf. It is one of the company’s larger concepts for the fast-growing national retailer. Inside the store customers can experience custom fitting of the latest backpacks, track their vacations with a high-tech GPS system or even schedule their next rainforest adventure trip. Some product brands include Patagonia, The North Face, Osprey, Keen, Marmot, Icebreaker, Chaco , Asolo, Mountain Hardwear, Eagle Creek, ExOfficio and many more.
(posted 10.21.08)

Shawnee Mission Medical Center has opened western Johnson County’s only advanced health care facility – the Shawnee Mission Outpatient Pavilion at 23401 Prairie Star Parkway in western Lenexa. The 79,000-square-foot outpatient facility features a 24/7 Emergency Department, Surgery Center, Imaging Center, Laboratory, Shawnee Mission Primary Care location and offices for physician specialists. Plans call for a full-service inpatient hospital to be built on the site as community need necessitates, most likely in three to five years.
(posted 10.17.08)

JE Dunn Construction Group announces the promotion of Dan Euston to the position of President and CEO of JE Dunn Construction Midwest. In this role, he will provide executive leadership and oversight of JE Dunn Midwest with offices in Kansas City; Topeka; Omaha; Des Moines; Springfield, Mo.; Bentonville, Ark.; and Oklahoma City, Okla. Euston has been with JE Dunn for 34 years providing outstanding leadership and guidance on a number of highly visible projects. These include the JE Dunn Corporate Headquarters currently under construction and the $700 million Sprint World Headquarters in Overland Park.
(posted 10.17.08)

Wallace, Saunders, Austin , Brown & Enochs, Chartered is pleased to announce the addition of Tyler Hibler to its Overland Park office. Hibler earned his undergraduate degree from Baker University , magna cum laude in 2005 and received his law degree from The University of Kansas in 2008. He is licensed to practice law in Kansas and his practice focus is on insurance defense litigation.
(posted 10.9.08)

Johnson County Community College has named Lindy Robinson as dean of its business division and Bill Brown as dean of its technology division. Robinson was JCCC’s assistant dean of design and hospitality. Brown was interim dean of JCCC’s business and technology division. In a reorganization, the college has split business and technology into two divisions.
(posted 10.7.08)

Validity Screening Solutions announces the following new hires: Emily McClelland as an Account Executive, Claressa Clem as an Accounting Assistant, and Ryan Morley as a Quality Assurance Assistant.
(posted 10.7.08)

Geri Christian, Director of Administration for the BNSF Railway Technical Training Center on the campus of Johnson County Community College, was presented with the Hugh Speer Award for Distinguished Service by the JCCC Foundation Board of Directors at their Annual Dinner on September 24.  The award is one of the Foundation's highest honors, given to an individual who has profoundly served the college to help fulfill its mission to the students and the community. Over the course of her tenure at BNSF, Ms. Christian maintained the relationship between BNSF and JCCC, practicing the philosophy that Learning Comes First - not only at JCCC but also at the BNSF Training Center .  Ms. Christian helped secure BNSF’s support for many JCCC projects, including a major gift for the capital campaign completed in 2007. She also secured event sponsorship over many years for scholarship fundraisers. Geri is retiring from BNSF at the end of December 2008.
(posted 9.30.08)

Jayne Hopkins has joined the Sales & Catering Team at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites-Overland Park West. She will be responsible for coordinating meeting and guestroom needs for the military, education, religious, fraternal and association markets.
(posted 9.23.08)

RubinBrown, one of the Midwest ’s largest accounting and business consulting firms, has expanded into new offices at 10975 Grandview Drive, Suite 600 in Corporate Woods. “ “From the card access security to the newly renovated main lobby and elevator lobbies, Corporate Woods has done a nice job of providing modern office space in a scenic, easy-access office park. We love our location and the plentiful parking is a real asset for our clients and team members,” said Todd R. Pleimann, CPA, managing partner of the Kansas City office.
“In addition to a strong lobby presence with an attractive glass entry, the sixth-floor space features private offices, work stations, and a large conference center for client meetings and team member training,” noted Wendy Gray, principal. “Four corner conference rooms with exterior window views provide additional attractive meeting space for clients.”
(posted 9.23.08)

Alan R. Stetson has joined First National Bank as a Vice-President / Senior Trust Officer. With 24 years of experience in the trust and wealth management field, Stetson’s focus will be on personal trust administration and new business development within First National Bank’s Wealth Management Group.
(posted 9.19.08)

The Mdivani Law Firm has spun off a separate but related business to help other businesses get a better grasp on immigration law compliance. I-9 Seminars is geared toward human relations professionals and other lawyers.
(posted 9.19.08)

The Blue Valley School District is pleased to announce that the Blue Valley North High School was recently named a 2008 Blue Ribbon School, a prestigious honor awarded to only 320 schools nationwide this year. The program honors exemplary elementary and secondary schools. This is the second time Blue Valley North has received this award. The Blue Valley North school community will celebrate the Blue Ribbon Award at an event in October. For more information, click here.
(posted 9.10.08)

Professionals at DLR Group, an architecture and engineering design firm, recently collected $3,126 for Bridging the Gap. DLR Group hosted Green Week, July 28 through August 1, to promote sustainable design practices to employees and clients. Local companies donated items for a silent auction during the week-long event, with all proceeds benefiting Bridging the Gap, which works to make the Kansas City region sustainable by connecting environment, economy, and community.
(posted 9.8.08)

Media Services/ShredTime has named industry veteran Bob Featherston, Jr. as vice president of sales and marketing for the 12-year-old company. He will be responsible for all sales and marketing efforts in Kansas City and other markets as the company expands.  He will lead the strategic business development planning as the company continues double digit growth.
(posted 9.8.08)

Lee Associates has formed a strategic alliance with Top Priority Wireless to offer managed services for companies and clients wanting a total solution for voice and data including both wireless and landline. "Bundling our services for clients provides independent, unbiased recommendations geared toward bottom-line savings,” according to Maggie Lee, President of Lee Associates. “Our clients appreciate the package approach to reduce both costs and the internal use of resources,” Visit www.telecombusinesspartners.com for more information.
(posted 9.8.08)

Deffenbaugh Industries is launching its new commercial recycling program in the Kansas City metro area. This program allows businesses to recycle all its office paper, #1 & #2 plastics and aluminum all in one container. This system doesn’t require any sorting or separate containers. Deffenbaugh is the only company in the area offering this type of system due to the recent purchase of a Bollegraaf Sorting System and Mayfran International Conveyor Systems. Together they sort all recyclable material, making recycling more hassle-free for the client. All recyclable materials are transported to Deffenbaugh’s Material Recovery Facility. This building is approximately 75,000 square feet and sits on 25 acres. An estimated 70 percent of materials recovered come from commercial, with residential equaling 25 percent and drop-off 3 percent. For more information or to start your organizations’ recycling program today, call Jami McKenney at (913) 745-1591.
(posted 9.8.08)

SKC Electric, a Kansas City-based electrical and specialty systems contractor, has adopted their parent company name, Faith Technologies, to better represent their expanded service offerings and continuously expanding national presence. The Faith Technologies, Inc., name was created in 2002 by Roland (Rollie) Stephenson, CEO of Faith Technologies, Inc.; Mike Jansen, Executive Vice President of SKC Electric in Kansas City ; and Rick Schinke, President of Town & Country Electric in Wisconsin and Indiana . Since then, each company has been operating under their own names in different markets. However, as the company continues to grow across the country, employees and executives believe that it’s crucial to work under the same name to be properly identified as a leading electrical contractor in the country. The name transition in Kansas City is the first in a series of name transitions at all locations. Along with the name change came another important change for SKC Electric: their recent relocation to a new office building at 11086 Strang Line Rd in Lenexa . The relocation is a result of increased growth; from 162 to over 250 employees in the past five years as well as a steady increase in revenue; specifically, a 29% increase from 2005 to 2006 and a 20% increase in 2007 over 2006. The 45,000 square -foot facility, over 100% larger than the former building, is now the home office for all commercial and industrial contracting work in the Kansas City market.
(posted 9.8.08)

Johnson County Community College has received a $25,000 grant to fund a new advanced dementia care certificate program. The grant is from the International Longevity Center under the 2008 Community College Caregiver Training Initiative, funded by MetLife Foundation. The new 30-hour program will train family caregivers and in-home care workers to provide long-term home care services to older adults with cognitive deficits due to Alzheimer’s, dementia or stroke. The program will emphasize holistic, person-centered care and the importance of the family unit in the patient’s care. It will also focus on the stress and mental health of the caregiver. The certificate will be offered through Health and Human Services, part of the college’s Center for Business and Technology. The five-day course will be offered six times between February and December 2009, with 12 participants enrolled in each two-week session. Students will have three days of six-hour instruction the first week and two days the second week.
(posted 8.2.8.08)

RubinBrown, one of the area’s largest accounting and business consulting firms, has contributed $70,000 towards the new Accounting Doctoral Scholars initiative, sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Foundation. The total $15 million initiative will provide funding for up to 30 new candidates each year for four years for a total of 120 newly-trained Ph.D.s in audit and tax. According to the AICPA Foundation, building a robust supply of accounting faculty was a recommendation in a March 2008 report by the Subcommittee on Human Capital of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Advisory Committee on the Auditing Profession. The new Accounting Doctoral Scholars program is recruiting practicing professionals in tax and audit from the ranks of U.S. public accounting firms. Each candidate will receive an annual stipend of $30,000 for a maximum of four years and then join the accounting faculty at a U.S. university accredited in business by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. Applications of doctoral scholars for the ’09 academic year will be accepted beginning Sept. 9, 2008. For further information, contact ADSprogram@aicpa.org or call (919) 402-4524. A new Web site outlining the program soon will be found at www.adsphd.org. In Overland Park , RubinBrown is located at 9300 West 110th St., Suite 600 .
(posted 8.2.808)

BHC RHODES awarded Mr. Wayne Moody, P.E., Deputy County Engineer for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, with their fourth annual Community Leadership Award during a breakfast reception at Mission Hills Country Club on August 12.
(posted 8.21.08)

A local favorite for 3.5 years, Culver’s® restaurant at 8600 W. 135th Street is now under the ownership of Darrell Propp, David Jorgensen, and Greg Remus.
(posted 8.19.08)

The 110-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott has opened at 12440 Blue Valley Parkway . It is managed by True North Hotel Group, Inc. Rates begin at $129 per night.
“We are pleased to introduce Fairfield Inn hotels in the Overland Park area,” said Lisa Larson, vice president for Fairfield Inn, Marriott International. “This hotel offers business and leisure travelers convenient, quality accommodations at an affordable price. We look forward to welcoming guests and providing the friendly service that sets Fairfield Inn apart.”
An innovative new offering from Fairfield Inn by Marriott, the hotel features a variety of enhancements to guest rooms and public areas, as well as the addition of distinctively designed suites. The signature “king suite” offers separate living and sleeping areas. In the living area there’s a pantry with coffee maker, mini-refrigerator and microwave. A dividing wall separates the pantry and it features a 32-inch LCD television and state-of-the-art compact disc stereo system. Additional in-room amenities include luxury bedding, an ergonomic desk chair, hair dryer and two phones with free local calls.
A complimentary continental breakfast is available each morning in the lobby area. Other hotel amenities include an indoor swimming pool with whirlpool spa, lobby bar, exercise room, valet laundry service, free high-speed Internet and business center. The hotel also offers 1,000 square feet of meeting space to accommodate small meetings and functions of up to 100 people.
For more information or reservations, call the hotel directly at (913) 338-3600 or visit www.fairfieldinn.com.
(posted 8.20.08)

Neighbors Construction, Inc., is breaking ground on a $5.3 million, 22-unit infill townhome development for the Summerfield Development Company LLC at 78th Street and Conser streets in downtown Overland Park . Consistent with Overland Park ’s Vision Metcalf plan to revitalize commercial, residential and retail growth along a nine-mile stretch of the city’s main corridor from Interstate 35 to 123rd Street , the Townhomes at Buckley Court will provide a vibrant, “walkable” lifestyle. Located just two blocks north of downtown Overland Park, the project will provide high-quality, energy-efficient living for people who want to live close to shops, restaurants and other services.
Scheduled for completion in late spring 2009, the development will include 12 townhomes, five walk-ups and five flats ranging from 930 to 2,300 square feet – all with high-quality interior finishes and energy-efficient features such as 2 x 6 exterior wall construction, high-efficiency heat pumps and windows, and compact fluorescent lights. Every home will offer an enclosed garage and either a private courtyard or a terrace. Buckley Court prices will range from the $130,000s to the $290,000s and include exterior maintenance. Learn more at www.BuckleyCourt.com.
(posted 8.13.08)

The University of Kansas Edwards Campus now offers a new graduate certificate program to give facilities management professionals the opportunity to stay abreast of the most innovative developments in this increasingly complex field. Only six accredited degree programs in Facilities Management are offered in the United States , according to the International Facility Management Association. No others are offered in the region. The program is designed for facility managers, architects, engineers, interior designers, space planners and others engaged in managing and designing buildings and building complexes. Enrollment is underway, and classes begin August 21. For details, click here.
(posted 8.13.08)

Sarah Colombo Casey, CPA, has been promoted to manager in the Tax Consulting Group at RubinBrown. Casey brings more than six years to the position and joined the tax group at RubinBrown in 2002. Casey is a member of the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants .
(posted 8.13.08)

Tekniq Data Corporation, 10955 Lowell Avenue, Suite 810 , has become a Kyocera office machines dealer. The company is now offering Kyocera copiers and printers as part of its information technology portfolio. As a copier dealer, Tekniq is qualified to properly connect devices to a network, remotely monitor and resolve problems, and integrate with document management solutions. Tekniq continues to offer computer networking, Web site design and VoIP phone systems. For newly updated information, visit Tekniq’s Web design site at www.tekniqdesign.com, and new information technology site at www.tekniqdata.com.
(posted 8.07.08)

Adam Stodola, a highway engineer for George Butler Associates, Inc., (GBA) has been recognized as the 2008 Outstanding Young Engineer by the Kansas Society of Professional Engineers (KSPE). The award recognizes Stodola’s exceptional service to the organization and the profession. An active member of KSPE since 2001, Stodola currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Eastern Chapter and effective August 1, became the chapter’s vice president for 2008/2009. Stodola joined GBA in 2005 and is an engineer with GBA’s Highways and Streets Group where he provides planning and design for highway, interchange, and roadway projects for state and local agencies. Prior to joining GBA, he was with KDOT.
(posted 8.07.08)

Bossler-Hix Office Staffing, which has offered premier staffing solutions for over 39 years, has officially changed its name to Todays Office Professionals, a recognized staffing leader offering highly specialized talent solutions. The office is located in Lighton Plaza at 7300 College Blvd, Suite 160 . Founded in 1982, Todays Office Professionals delivers high-quality administrative and clerical, call center, customer service, legal and financial staffing talent. For more information, call (913) 491-0944 or visit www.todays.com.
(posted 8.05.08)

Prescription Solutions, a leading pharmacy benefits management company, recently donated more than $46,000 worth of diabetic supplies to two community indigent clinics in Kansas City and Topeka . Executives from the company’s Overland Park mail service facility hand-delivered several pallets of more than 50 different product labels of diabetic supplies, including diabetic strips, monitoring systems and lancing devices. Marian Clinic of Topeka and Duchesne Clinic of Kansas City, two safety-net clinics serving low-income and uninsured families, received the supplies. Prescription Solutions received the shipment of diabetic supplies late last year before system and formulary adjustments in the organization prompted alternative packaging and distribution. Executives collectively decided to take these unopened, in-date supplies and donate them to those who may not have easy access to diabetic equipment.
(posted 8.05.08)

SPIDERtel, Inc. has been selected by Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP to provide technology and marketing support for the firm. SPIDERtel will be providing strategic and executional support for the firm’s web sites, Internet marketing campaigns and other related marketing and video services. Joe Lieberman, SPIDERtel’s founder and president said, “SHB is clearly one of the world’s premier law firms, a leader in product liability litigation and other categories, and we are extremely proud to be working with them.” SPIDERtel, founded in 1996, is a Kansas City based firm specializing in design and development, Internet marketing and hosting services. SPIDERtel’s clients include NASB, CarterEnergy, Ring Side, The Kansas City Small Business Monthly, The University of Pennsylvania and many others. For more information on SPIDERtel: www.spidertel.com or send email to inquiries@spidertel.com.
(posted 8.05.08)

George Butler Associates, Inc. (GBA) announces the following new staff: Will Barkman has joined GBA’s Water Environment Group as a Water Resources Engineer specializing in storm water analysis and design and erosion control. Matt Just has joined the company’s Water Environment Group as a Sanitary Engineer involved in the study and design of a wide range of wastewater collection projects, including residential collection systems, interceptor sewers, pumping stations, and force mains. Doug Norman joins as a Mechanical Engineer in GBA’s Critical Facilities Design Studio, which focuses on the planning and design of critical, zero-downtime environments such as telecommunications facilities and data centers.
(posted 8.05.08)

Bob Lindeblad, L.A. , ASLA, has joined BHC RHODES as the Business and Project Development Manager. He has 30 plus years of experience including the Planning and Development Services Department at the City of Overland Park. He is a licensed Landscape Architect and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
(posted 7.29.08)

RubinBrown has promoted Chester Moyer, CPA, to manager in its Assurance Services Group. Moyer joined the Assurance Services Group at RubinBrown in 2002. As a manager, Moyer provides audit and attestation services, specializing in the manufacturing and distribution, home building and public sectors. Founded in 1952, RubinBrown has offices in Kansas City and St. Louis and has grown to be the 44th largest accounting firm in the country. The firm’s Web site is located at www.rubinbrown.com.
(posted 7.24.08)

Two Overland Park Convention and Visitors Bureau (OPCVB) staff members recently were elected to leadership positions within the tourism industry. Gerald L. Cook, Ed.D., president of the OPCVB, was elected as Second Vice President of the Travel Industry Association of Kansas (TIAK). During the 2008 Kansas Legislative session, Cook served as the TIAK Board of Directors liaison for the Kansas Tourism Initiative. Mindy Lallier, sales manager for the OPCVB, was elected to a second term as Second Vice President of the Heart of America Chapter of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP). She also will serve as Second Vice President Representative for Region Five at the National Convention of SGMP, which acts as a liaison between the regional representatives and national board.
(posted 7.24.08)

Darcy McGrath has been named dean of workforce development and operations at Johnson County Community College . In this position, McGrath has responsibility for Regnier Center and Carlsen Center operations; grants and contracts management; national, regional and statewide partnerships; strategic planning for workforce and economic development; and oversight of the branch’s budget process. McGrath comes to JCCC from Kansas City Kansas Community College .
(posted 7.24.08)

Assurant Employee Benefits has hired Tim Knott as Vice President – Insurance Operations. With more than 24 years of insurance experience, Knott will lead the insurance carrier’s Life and Disability teams, as well as its subsidiary, Social Security Disability Consultants. Knott’s new position with Assurant Employee Benefits is a return to the company and Kansas City . He worked for the company for 13 years in various management roles.
(posted 7.23.08)

Johnson County Community College has received a $200,000 grant for bioscience education from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education program. The grant will fund the Bi-State Bioscience Consortium for Curriculum and Faculty Development. Through the consortium, JCCC, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Metropolitan Community College will work in partnership to create a model for a virtual community college that satisfies employer needs for job candidates in bioscience with relevant hands-on skills.
The virtual community college will support a comprehensive package of curricula for scientific math, scientific writing, and laboratory skills and safety available to students who fulfill the certificate/graduation requirements at each institution. The courses will be converted to a web-based learning environment and will be augmented by faculty from each college participating in learning communities around the common courses. Students will attend the courses at their parent college, use common texts, and participate in common field trips and seminars that prepare them for bioscience employment.
The consortium will be advised by a bioscience industry advisory council, which will identify the industry needs for specific knowledge and skill sets among new technicians. In addition, industry representatives will serve as guest lecturers for courses, provide site visits and give students an overview of the bioscience industry and relevant job skills.
The consortium also will leverage OneKC Wired resources to coordinate with the public workforce. The goal is to expand and align current and new science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce education and training strategies and resources in One Stop Career Centers to prepare disadvantaged youth and dislocated workers for STEM careers.
(posted 7.21.08)

Validity Screening Solutions is pleased to announce the addition of the following new staff to their team: Brandon Kenig has joined Validity as a new Account Executive.  He will be responsible for developing and maintaining new and existing partnerships with industry-specific clients to ensure their satisfaction.  Kenig has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and marketing with a co-major in political science from Creighton University . Cinnamon Long has been hired for the position of Quality Assurance Assistant. She will be responsible for ensuring efficiency, quality and compliance of information that is released to clients. Patrick Windes, Rebecca Scarlett, and Nicole Vera have joined Validity’s customer care department as Client Relations Specialists. Their responsibilities include assisting clients, daily administrative duties and ensuring client satisfaction.
(posted 7.17.08)

Don Ernst, Farmers Insurance Agent of Leawood, has been inducted into the Farmers’ “Topper Club” of Farmers' top sales producers. Ernst has been recognized by Farmers for outstanding sales achievements in 2007.
“Farmers congratulates Don on qualifying for this year’s Topper Club. Don is committed to providing quality insurance coverages and industry-leading service to Farmers’ customers,” noted Executive Vice president of Field Operations, Jerry Carnahan. Ernst represents Farmers Insurance locally at 4701 College Blvd., Suite 200 .
(posted 7.17.08)

To kick off efforts to generate more local awareness and increase its local client base in the area of public relations and marketing communications, the GlynnDevins advertising and marketing agency recently hired a local senior-level professional, Lydia Alvarez. She will be responsible for local business development and overall planning, establishment and execution of strategic direction for clients. For the past ten years, Alvarez worked in the areas of advertising, branding, internal communications, event planning, media relations, crisis communications and commercial production. She’s worked in the areas of financial services, restaurants, entertainment, technology, health care, hospitality, retail, public issues and several leading non-profit organizations. Before joining GlynnDevins, she was a freelance public relations consultant. GlynnDevins is looking to expand outside its current specialty niche of senior living. For more information: www.glynndevins.com.
(posted 7.10.08)

In an article titled, "No Longer a Fad, Green Hits Mainstream," the June 22 edition of the Engineering News Record published its first-ever list of the Top 100 Green Design Firms. URS Corporation came within $670,000 (less than 0.5 percent) of winning the #1 spot at #2. According to the release accompanying the article, "The market for sustainable design has passed the tipping point and is rapidly becoming mainstream. ENR's first Top Green Design Firms is an attempt to bypass the marketing and hype and measure the market by ranking designers based on their 2007 revenue from projects that were registered and actively seeking certification from major third-party environmental standards or ratings organizations."
(posted 7.10.08)

A project designed by the Kansas City office of Gould Evans was recognized by the San Diego chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) with one of four honor awards given by the chapter on June 7. The award is AIA San Diego’s highest award, celebrating “extraordinary, thoroughly resolved architectural design, worthy of the profession’s highest regard.” It was awarded for the proposed new NOAA La Jolla Laboratory Consolidation project, which will replace the existing NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) in La Jolla , California , which is threatened by continuing bluff erosion. The project received further distinction from the chapter as being one of two unbuilt projects in the category, a rare occurrence in the AIA Awards program. The La Jolla Laboratory, designed to LEED guidelines, was specifically recognized for its innovative underground parking plan that minimizes the presence of automobiles. Past projects completed by Gould Evans for NOAA include the award-winning National Hurricane Center in Miami and Weather Service forecast offices nationwide.
(posted 7.2.08)

Craig Denny, Ph.D., a senior principal engineer and director of geotechnical engineering with Terracon Consultants, Inc., recently received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the Kansas Society of Professional Engineers.
(posted 7.2.08)

Robin Fish is the new executive director of the Downtown Overland Park Partnership, Inc.
(posted 6.30.08)

Brian J. Finucane and J. Randall Coffey, attorneys in the Kansas City office of Fisher & Phillips, recently were named to the Chambers USA: America ’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2008, a list of the top law firms and attorneys across the United States . Finucane is the managing partner of the company’s Kansas City office. Coffey devotes his practice to representing management in labor and employment matters, defending employers in state and federal courts throughout the United States .
(posted 6.26.08)

Jay E. Power, CPA, has been promoted to partner in RubinBrown’s Tax Consulting Services Group. Power has 18 years of tax accounting experience, specializing in tax return preparation and tax planning. He serves clients in the contracting, home building, manufacturing and distribution, and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to joining RubinBrown in 2006, Power served as a tax director for Employers Reinsurance Corp. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants.
(posted 6.26.08)

United Community Services of Johnson County was awarded a $9,910 grant from AT&T Foundation to purchase a new server and computers in order to help UCS with community-based planning. The grant will help UCS conduct research, convene community partners, advocate for policy change, leverage resources and other facets of human services planning.
(posted 6.26.08)

Bob Lovely recently was promoted to Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Career Management Associates headquartered in Overland Park. Bob will be responsible for strategic planning and business operations in his new role.
(posted 6.9.08)

Ron Petering, president of Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc. (SKW), recently was honored by induction into the Academy of Civil Engineers at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Ron has served as president of SKW since 1999 and was invited to join this prestigious group for his outstanding work in the civil engineering field and in the community.
The Academy of Civil Engineers was founded in 1972. From a charter membership of fifteen, a total of 244 members have now been elected into the Academy. Each member is either an outstanding civil engineering practitioner or one who is outstanding, recognized and distinguished in a field other than civil engineering. All are recognized community leaders, role models for young people and are worthy of emulation. They are called upon by the department to be partners in the education of Missouri S & T engineering students.
(posted 6.3.08)

BHC Rhodes was part of the project team to work on a downtown revitalization project for the City of Oak Grove, Missouri, that recently was named by the Kansas City chapter of the American Public Works Association as the 2008 Transportation Project of The Year award in the $2 million and under category. Improvements to the downtown area include maintenance free heated sidewalks with four heat zones, all with independent power sources, new traffic signals, signage and street lights, brick stamped concrete crosswalks and six foot wide sidewalks and new curbs.
(posted 6.3.08)

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