Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau won an award and high praise from the 2002 Medicine on the Net Web Excellence Awards. In the category of Best Site Design, Saint Francis received an honorable mention for www.sfmc.net. The Roberts Group Inc., Waukesha, Wis., created www.sfmc.net for Saint Francis. The Medicine on the Net Web Excellence Awards recognize outstanding e-health Web sites in the areas of overall quality, user interface, design and content. Of the hundreds of entries in this year's competition, only 22 were recognized as winners. The Saint Francis Web site also won an eHealthcare Leadership Award from eHealthcare Strategy and Trends and a Show Me Excellence Award from the Missouri Hospital Association.

Marv Harman, Ste. Genevieve County economic development director, recently attended the Missouri Economic Development Council's 2003 Winter Conference in Jefferson City at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.

Over 100 of Missouri's professional economic developers, along with others interested in the promotion of the state's expansion and attraction of business and industry gathered for this conference. Included on the conference agenda were sessions on "Retail Development as an Economic Development Initiative, " an update from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, a legislative issues briefing by Missouri E.D. Director Joe Driskill, and a session on E.D. certification.

Roger Niswonger has been named salesman of the year for 2002 at McDowell South in Cape Girardeau. Niswonger has been with McDowell South for nearly five years and has been in the automobile business for 18 years.

Anne LaBelle, occupational medicine coordinator, Pat Lester, RN, Rachel Hanks-Browne, medical technician, and Pat Little, medical technician, of Immediate HealthCare in Cape Girardeau recently completed training for the new Department of Transportation Regulations (CFR 49 Part 40), as well as having passed the qualification examination as breath alcohol technicians. LaBelle, along with other staff members, has also been certified in DOT drug screening according to the new regulations. Immediate HealthCare offers many occupational services such as drug and alcohol screening (DOT and non-DOT), physicals (DOT and non-DOT), pulmonary function testing, and work-related injuries. Immediate HealthCare currently provides these services to many companies in the area.

Troy Wilson, president and CEO of Sikeston-based First National Bank, has been elected as chairman of the Missouri Bankers Association. First National Bank has a branch in Cape Girardeau. Wilson is one of a slate of officers who will be presented to the MBA Board of Directors at its annual meeting in April. As the chairman-elect, Wilson will serve a three-year term on the executive committee of the MBA Board of Directors. The year 2003-3004 will be spent as chairman-elect, 2004-2005 as chairman and 2005-2006 as the immediate past chairman.

Kathy Swan, co-owner of JCS Tel-Link in Cape Girardeau, recently met with U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao in St. Charles to discuss how President Bush's tax-relief plan, as well as legislation to create Association Health Plans (AHPs), will affect Missouri's Main Street businesses. The roundtable discussion, which took place at Wiliker's Restaurant, included approximately 20 other NFIB members and was moderated by NFIB State Director Brad Jones. The discussion focused on President Bush's new-tax relief plan, which will accelerate the income tax rate reduction from 2001 and increase small-business expensing limits by $50,000. The group of NFIB members also spoke with Chao about the formation of AHPs, which would allow small businesses to join together through existing trade and professional organizations to purchase health insurance as a group. AHPs would allow small-business owners to find affordable coverage for their employees, which they have named their No. 1 concern for more than a decade.

Ken Boyer of Jackson has been named the new president and chief operating officer of Southeast Missouri Workforce Investment Board. Boyer has been a senior employer of the group since 1991. During that time he has filled a number of key positions, including administration of dislocated worker and customized training programs in the 13-county region served by the board. Boyer has been the interim COO/president since June. The board is a nonprofit corporation recognized by Missouri as the administering entity for job placement and training services for adults and youth in 13 Southeast Missouri counties.

Renee Hinkebein and Jane Perry have attended a week-long hyperbaric technician course for the Brossett Corp. in Monroe, La. Then, in November, they passed their board certification with the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology. They are currently certified hyperbaric technologists at the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

Several Realtors have been recognized by the Three Rivers Board of Realtors in Poplar Bluff for achieving the Pinnacle sales level. They are Dale Bearden, Paul Arnold, Rick Brittingham, Julie Spencer, Terry Stewart and Nathan Maurer. These Realtors produced at least $5 million in sales or completed 50 sides during 2002.

Norman and Debra Swafford of Dexter attended the Professional Photographers of the Ozarks spring convention held in Branson on Feb. 16-18. Both hold fellowship degrees in the organization. The winning print titled "The Hideway," placed in the illustrated competition and was awarded with a trophy. In addition, "The Hideway" also won the People's Choice award, which was decided on by those in attendance out of a selection of 144 prints entered.

Joseph Myers, a 1998 graduate of Jackson High School, recently completed an intense training program at the Illinois Center for Broadcasting in Lombard, Ill. While there, he participated in a range of studies in the field of radio and television broadcasting. Following graduation, Myers returned to Southeast Missouri and works as an on-air music host for Withers Broadcasting at KBXB in Sikeston.

Sandra Elliott recently attended the BeautiControl Leadership Conference in Dallas. She is an independent skin care and image consultant in Poplar Bluff.