IT’S YOUR BIZ

Items for It's Your Business can be submitted online at http:// cjonline.com/business, by email to [email protected] or by mail to The Topeka Capital-Journal, 616 S.E. Jefferson, Topeka, 66607. Items and photographs will run in print as space permits.

RETIREMENTS

Topeka Unified School District 501 has announced the retirements of the following staff members:

- Highland Park High School -- Darlene Palmer, 32 years of district service; and Lynda Crowl, nine years.

- Topeka High School -- Barbara Padget, 22 years; Paula White, eight years; Bethany McGuire, 13 years; Peggy Shaverdi, seven years; Pam McComas, 40 years; Mary Samz, 13 years; Boyce Butcher, 25 years; and Willie Lyons, eight years.

- Topeka West High School -- John Lewis, 36 years; Jenny Prichard, 20 years; Michael Boyer, 15 years; Jeanne Carton, three years; Susan Affolter, 38 years; and Nancy McMurray, 13 years.

- Chase Middle School -- Mary Lynn Morgan, nine years.

- Eisenhower Middle School -- Susan Hoge, 33 years; Thomas Murphy, 34 years; and Rita Minner, 36 years.

- Landon Middle School/McCarter Elementary School -- Veronica Holloman, 30 years.

- Robinson Middle School -- Gwenda Wilcox, 40 years; Patricia Cook, 34 years; and Mary Andrieni, 11 years.

- Capital City School -- Kenneth Brancaccio, 36 years; Barbara Dingman, 40 years; Richard Wilds, 36 years; and Janis Weishaar, one year.

- Hope Street Academy -- Larry Brayton, 13 years; Delbert Allen, 17 years; and Rex Weimer, 44 years.

- Avondale West Elementary School -- R. Gayan Stanley, 30 years.

- Avondale West/Lowman Hill/Quincy/Ross/Stout Elementary Schools -- Gerald Boster, 27 years.

- Bishop Elementary School -- Cindy Nussbaum, 35 years; and Diana Hoffman, 22 years.

- Highland Park Central Elementary School -- Cleo Gardner, 16 years.

- Highland Park Central/Randolph Elementary Schools -- Martha Thomas, 29 years.

- Lowman Hill Elementary School -- Juan Avalos, 33 years.

- McClure Elementary School -- Ruth Eileen Cox, 32 years; Kathryn Snell, 29 years; and Diane Johnson, 38 years.

- McEachron Elementary School -- Steve Fuller, 28 years; and Rhonda Artzer, 35 years.

- Meadows Elementary School -- Glenda Brown, 32 years; Linda Chapman, six years; and Lindsey Beaver, 16 years.

- Randolph Elementary School -- Kristina Rowan, 39 years.

- Ross Elementary School -- Laurie Rigg, 28 years; and Karen Campbell, 13 years.

- Scott Magnet School -- Sarah Meadows, 40 years.

- Shaner Elementary School -- Margaret Dagg, 12 years; and Annie High, 14 years.

- <org>State Street Elementary School -- Janette Edmonds, 29 years; Andrea May, 25 years; David Huss, 20 years; Patricia Rodeheffer, 31 years; Shirley Johannsen, 50 years; and Rodney Deffenbaugh, 35 years.

- Whitson Elementary School -- Jolene Saunders, 26 years.

- Williams Magnet School -- Barbara Weidner, 39 years; and Linda Currie, 18 years.

- Lundgren Education Center -- Earl Hoyt, 29 years; and Denise Larson, 22 years.

- Sheldon Child Development Center -- Marjorie Pritz, 10 years.

- Avondale East -- Kenneth Johnson, 27 years.

- Burnett Center -- Pam Leinwetter, 16 years; Rosanne Haberman, 29 years; Cynthia Warren, 10 years; Diane Hitchens, 26 years; Marilyn Greeve, 18 years; Marcia Newton, 13 years; Michael Jones, 21 years; and Mary Simpson, 411/2 years.

- Service Center -- Robert Hoke, 11 years.

NEW FACES

Michael Eichten has been named director of external sales at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. Eichten brings 35 years of experience in the health insurance industry to his new position. He spent 15 years as president of Peoples Benefit Group in Topeka. He also worked two years as marketing and communications officer at Century Health Solutions and 17 years at Prudential Insurance, including two years as vice president of marketing.

Sandra Garcia has been named administrative assistant for American Tax Service in Topeka. Garcia holds a certificate from Washburn Institute of Technology in administration. She has tax preparation experience, speaks fluent Spanish and has worked in customer service for 12 years. Her responsibilities include interpreting for tax and accounting clients, handling all functions at the front desk and acting as a liaison between the practitioners and clients.

RECOGNITION

Jill Harrison, owner of Interim HealthCare of Topeka, recently received the Raymond C. Herriges Management Award at Interim HealthCare'sNational Franchise Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The award is presented to the individual who has achieved the greatest degree of operational excellence combined with outstanding sales growth during the previous year.

The Advantage Metals Recycling facility in Topeka recently received the Ozarks Regional Safety Award from the Safety Council of the Ozarks for the second consecutive year. The award is presented to companies that strive to provide a culture of safety in the workplace, with safety practices and accident rates better than the industry average.