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IT'S YOUR BIZ [Topeka Capital Journal (KS)]
[March 08, 2014]

IT'S YOUR BIZ [Topeka Capital Journal (KS)]


(Topeka Capital Journal (KS) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) 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 Michael A. Padilla, chief of enforcement for Alcoholic Beverage Control with the Kansas Department of Revenue, retired Friday after a decade with the department. Padilla served 34 years with the Topeka Police Department before joining ABC.

NEW FACES Nick Pientaka is the new superintendent at Western Hills Golf Course. Pientaka previously served as assistant superintendent at Firekeeper Golf Course near Mayetta for its first three years. Prior to that he worked in the same capacity at Alvamar Country Club in Lawrence. Pientaka is an honors graduate of Rutgers University's Professional Golf Turf Management program.


Jason Divis and Carrie Jo Gros have joined Jones Huyett Partners in Topeka as the company's interactive developer and digital marketing coordinator, respectively. Divis most recently worked as a web programmer for Personalized Brokerage Services, while Gros previously worked in sales and social media for WIBW-TV. Both received bachelor's degrees from Washburn University.

Emily Schallock has joined Clayton Financial Services in Topeka as a client services administrator. Schallock previously spent 13 years with Aviva as a senior compliance analyst, internal auditor and new business specialist. She has a bachelor's degree from Friends University.

NAMES J.J. Jones, marketing and trade director for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, has been elected chairman of the United States Livestock Genetic Export board of directors. Jones will represent the USLGE and Kansas in increasing global trade across multiple livestock markets for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses.

RECOGNITION Wichita lawyer Robert I. Guenthner received the 2014 Justice Award for contributions to the advancement of justice in Kansas throughout his career from the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday at a ceremony in Topeka. Guenthner was chairman of the Kansas Bar Association committee that developed rules on disciplinary enforcement and was the principal draftsman of rules adopted by the Supreme Court that established the office of the Disciplinary Administrator. He continues to serve on the Review Committee that studies complaints and investigative reports to determine whether probable cause exists to believe an attorney has violated disciplinary rules. Guenthner has been with the law firm Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy since 1967.

Kriste Hafenstein, Colleen Rine and Pam Hoefer recently were honored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas for outstanding performances in 2013. Hafenstein was honored as the outstanding small group enrollment specialist, while Rine was honored as the outstanding small group account representative and also received a special travel award from Advance Insurance Company of Kansas. Hoefer was honored for achieving a World Class customer service representative distinction for 2013. Also honored for sales achievements in 2013 were Sharon Carter and Michele Gross, small business account representatives, while Bert LaCerte was named small group support person of the year.

Christina Juarez, a human services assistant in the Kansas Department for Children and Families East Region, recently was honored for her work at an Employees of the Quarter reception hosted by Gov. Sam Brownback at the statehouse.

Jones Huyett Partners recently received 30 ADDY medals and a Best of Show Award at the American Advertising Federation Topeka Chapter awards competition. The Best of Show honor was for the Kansas Masonic Foundation Annual Report. In addition, JHP's Rachel Selden was named the chapter's 2014 Carolyn Terhune Volunteer of the Year.

ELSEWHERE Teresa Endecott has joined the Trust Company of Kansas as a trust administrator. Endecott, who will be responsible for the daily operations of the Lawrence office, has 16 years of experience in the financial industry.

Robin Norris has been promoted to vice president of operations, and Laura Laughlin has been promoted to manager of client services at DPI Benefits in Manhattan. Norris, who has been with DPI since 2005, previously served as manager of client services. Laughlin, who has been with DPI since 2008, previously was a client services specialist.

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