It’s Your Business, Jan. 14, 2018

Items for It's Your Business can be submitted 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.

Promotions

& Hirings

Bob Schwarz Financial recently announced the promotion of Laurie Johnson to senior director of operations for Schwarz Insurance Group (SIG) and Bob Schwarz Financial (BSF).

In her new position, she will be responsible for corporate guidelines, office procedures and compliance for both SIG and BSF. She is also a licensed property, casualty and life insurance agent and will continue to work on that side of the business.

She has been with BSF since 2011. She was formerly with Hill's Pet Nutrition in Topeka. She is a native of Silver Lake, has a master's degree in business from Baker University, and has over 30 years of experience in corporate administration.

Goodell Stratton Edmonds & Palmer recently announced that Cynthia J. Sheppeard has joined the partnership of the firm. She has been Special Counsel since early 2016, when she and the rest of her previous practice, Weathers, Riley & Sheppeard, LLP, joined the firm.

She has had an active litigation practice since graduating from Washburn University School of Law in 1984. Her practice includes employment; products liability; premises liability; personal injury defense and claims; and contract and administrative law.

Recognition

The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) recently announced John Carpinelli, board member, workers compensation, as the winner of its December Employee Recognition and Award Program. He was honored for Volunteerism. The KDOL Award Program is designed to recognize individual efforts that epitomize excellence. He and his wife volunteer at Helping Hands Humane Society (HHHS) in Topeka. He also serves on the HHHS Volunteer Advisory Council. They both teach people how to be volunteers and how to follow the shelter's rules to properly take care of the animals in their custody. He is a foster parent for dogs in need and assists in the adoption process for shelter animals. To date he has logged over 600 volunteer hours at the HHHS including about 400 hours in 2017.

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New business

John and Craig Larsen recently announced the opening of a second Waddell & Reed office located at 3300 S.W. 29th St., Suite 300, in Topeka.

An Open House for Larsen Financial will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18. Refreshments will be available.

Craig Larsen has been a financial advisor with Waddell & Reed for 35 years and has been joined by his son John Larsen, an advisor associate, in the last five years to run their practice together.

Craig Larsen is a financial advisor offering securities and investment advisory services through Waddell & Reed, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC and Federally Registered Investment Advisor.

Larsen Financial and Waddell & Reed are non-affiliated entities. For more information, call (785) 433-5610.

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Achievement

A Kansas State University research team recently won a 2017 R&D 100 Award for a vest specially designed to contain devices that detect illicit nuclear material. This is the team's fifth award since 2005 for one of the year's 100 top technologies awarded by R&D magazine.

Douglas McGregor, university distinguished professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering, led the team of K- State, industry and government contributors to develop a vest designed to contain multiple gamma ray and neutron detectors. The garment allows the wearer to blend into the environment while detecting dangerous radiation, and the general direction of its origin, with wired or wireless small, lightweight, modular detectors that operate for weeks at a time.

The functional garment is the result of collaborative efforts to develop radiation detector technologies while ensuring that all components and the vest could be manufactured and mass-produced. The project was funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Contributors included Radiation Detection Technologies Inc. -- integrated the products; Kansas State University's Semiconductor Materials and Radiological Technologies Laboratory, or SMART Lab -- faculty and graduate students designed the detectors; and Electronics Design Laboratory -- staff and students built the electronics; and Alion Science and Technology Corporation -- produced the communications protocols and software, along with McGregor's students.

The project group also worked with Emily Pascoe, a doctoral student in the apparel, textiles, and interior design department at Kansas State University. Pascoe's expertise ensured that the team used the correct fabric, notions and construction methods for the vest.

The coveted R&D 100 Award emphasizes the bringing of inventions from their initial concepts on the blackboard, through research and development, and into the commercial marketplace.

The project has been in development for three years.

Ryan Fronk, research associate in mechanical and nuclear engineering, completed his doctorate in May 2017 and worked on the project as a student. He started by designing and simulating the original concept of the vest while investigating the standards for detection technologies in an effort to meet or exceed them. Packaging design for the detector devices was a major hurdle. Logan Whitmore also worked on the project as a student while finishing his degree. As an Electronics Design Laboratory employee, he worked on the electronics for the devices.

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Anniversaries

J.P. Smith recently celebrated 25 years of service as the face of Eagle Auto Wash and Detailing Salon. He has been the service writer for the company since Jan. 15, 1993. Eagle is celebrating its 30th year in business having started in May of 1987.

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Meetings

The Shawnee County Landlord Association monthly meeting will be held 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, at The Landing Grille and Bar, located at 2920 S.E. Croco Road. A social hour will be 6:15 to 6:50 p.m. Dinner can be ordered from the menu.

Guest speaker will be Brent Trout, Topeka city manager. The topic will be landlord registration and licensing.

For more information, email [email protected] or call Bette Allen, president, at (785) 640-2828.

The Manhattan, and Manhattan Sunflower Lions clubs will jointly host Lion leaders from across Kansas as the Kansas Lions gather at the Four-Points By Sheraton Hotel for their annual Mid-Winter Rally, Jan. 26-28.

This will be the third meeting this year of the State Council of Governors, led by Linda Leander, council chairwoman of Assaria. The district governors are Randy St. Aubyn of Hutchinson (17-K West), Deb Weaverling of Leavenworth/Lansing (17-A North East), and Indrajit Phillips of Bel Aire (17-N South East).

Special guests will be Bruce Beck, director of Lions Clubs International, and his wife Erin of Palisade, Minn. He is a retired law enforcement administrator. He and his wife have two daughters.

The state council of governors is the official governing body of all Kansas Lions Clubs, and meets four times each club year. In addition, all three Kansas Lions Foundations and most state committees hold meetings designed to assist and support local clubs in service to their hometown communities.

The Kansas Lions Youth Services Committees include the State & International Band Program; Peace Poster Contest; Summer Camps for Vision & Hearing Challenged Children; Low Vision, and free Vision Screening for all pre-school age children of Kansas; and Leo Clubs for school-age students involved in community-based service projects. Some of the Adult Services Committees are Diabetes Awareness; Eye Bank Cornea Transplant information; Eyeglass Recycling; Public Relations & Media; Membership, Leadership & Service Promotions; and Environmental Photo Contest.

A statewide Women in Agriculture Workshop, hosted by Nemaha, Jackson, & Pottawatomie County Conservation Districts will be Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Corning Community Building in Corning.

Registration for the workshop, "The Heart of the Farm," begins at 8 a.m., with presentations starting at 8:30 a.m. Both men and women are welcome to attend this free and informative event.

The keynote speaker will be Jolene Brown from Iowa. Often called "The Dr. Phil of Agriculture," she is direct, respectful, and generous with her advice and focused solutions to family business challenges. She brings humor, hope, and helpful ideas to the people of agriculture.

Mykel Taylor, an associate professor in the department of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, will have important information in regards to measuring basis risk for commodity grains, evaluation of Farm Bill commodity programs, and analyzing trends in Kansas agricultural land values, rental rates, and leasing arrangements. This information is to help better the landowner/tenant relationships.

Cindy Williams, Meadowlark District Extension agent, is going to show how to make "From the Freezer to the Field: Healthy Meals in a Hurry!" Not only will these be great tips for those busy seasons on the farm, but also just for everyday.

Lucinda Stuenkel was just a mother and housewife when her husband and his farm partner brother were killed in an accident. She has an amazing story to tell on her decision to continue with the farming operation.

Marcia Conley was born and raised on a dairy farm in Pottawatomie County. She worked as a nurse for a little over 44 years. She enjoyed looking after the health and well-being of others and loved the idea of being able to care for herself and family on a day-to-day basis by using essential oils. She has integrated her knowledge and career to help empower others to improve their health.

Monica Becker, her husband Royce, and their five children found themselves in a wild situation with Mother Nature in the summer of 2013. She will share their story of how they survived and rebuilt not only their home, but also their way of life on their family farm near Corning.

Coffee and rolls will be served in the morning. There will be a break in presentations at noon for lunch. During the lunch break, entertainment will be provided by Katie Patterson-Ingels and Anne Bowser.

In order to know how much food to prepare for the workshop, contact the Nemaha County Conservation District at (785) 336-2186 Ext. 110 or register online at https://tinyurl.com/nemaha2018, no later than Feb. 10.

Credit: By Jessica Cole [email protected]