It's Your Business

PROMOTIONS

Heather R. Eichem has been admitted as a member of Wendling Noe Nelson & Johnson, certified public accountants and management consultants. Eichem, a native of St. George, joined the firm as a staff accountant in January 2003 and has been an audit manager since 2009. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from Fort Hays State University in 2002.

NEW FACES

Nancy Lindberg, of Topeka, has been named executive director of The Library Foundation. Lindberg, a fundraiser with expertise in major gifts, planned giving and gift annuities, succeeds Kathy Groesbeck, who retired in December after 13 years with The Library Foundation. Lindberg most recently directed the philanthropy efforts of the Kansas Masonic Foundation, leading multiple campaigns for cancer research, including its $15 million Partnership for Life. She also has extensive experience in nonprofit organization management and political campaigns.

Emmanuel O. Martinez, who has been practicing neurology in Topeka since 2010, has joined the staff at St. Francis Neurology. Martinez received his medical degree from the University of the Philippines in Manila in 2003. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Metropolitan Hospital in New York in 2006, and his neurology residency at the University of New Mexico in 2009. He is accepting patients by referral.

Dian Goebel has joined Capital Title Insurance Co. as a Senior Closing Officer for the Topeka Office. Her responsibilities include residential and commercial loan closings, and both refinance and sales transactions. In addition to closing responsibilities, she will be responsible for escrow account supervision and control.

Todd Fertig recently was named director of communication and legislative liaison for the Kansas Department of Administration. Fertig previously served on the communications team at the Kansas Department of Corrections as publications writer. He also has experience in traditional and social media from stints with the Wichita Eagle and Manhattan Mercury.

Chris Young recently was named Kansas regional director for Ducks Unlimited. The Kansas native replaces Russ Hawley, who now works for DU in Texas. Young, who has a degree in biology with an emphasis in fisheries and wildlife, was a district sales manager for a distribution business. He has been a volunteer for multiple Kansas DU chapters, and recently served as co-chair for the Kansas DU State Convention. DU also announced that Mike George has been named director of conservation programs for Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming. He previously was the Nebraska state supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Robert D. Simari, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, has been named executive dean of The University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, effective March 24. Simari, who received his medical degree from KU in 1986, will succeed Douglas Girod, who has served as interim executive dean since he became executive vice chancellor on Feb. 1, 2013. At the Mayo Clinic, Simari is the vice chair of the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and co-director of the Mayo Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences.

NAMES

Justin McFarland is the new director of labor market information services for the Kansas Department of Labor. McFarland, a 2009 graduate of the Washburn University School of Law, will continue in his role as deputy general counsel. Prior to joining the Department of Labor in 2010, McFarland worked as an associate lawyer for Frieden & Forbes.

Dane E. Ditto is returning his internal medicine practice to his hometown of Wamego after practicing in Manhattan for 15 years. Ditto, a longtime Wamego resident, officially will begin seeing patients at the Wamego Health Center and Family Clinic on Feb. 1. Ditto received his medical degree at The University of Kansas School of Medicine.

RECOGNITION

An open house will honor Mike McGee in appreciation of his 17 years of dedicated service to the city of Topeka. The open house will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, at The Celtic Fox, 118 S.W. 8th.

MISCELLANEOUS

The ONEOK board of directors on Jan. 8 unanimously approved the separation of the company’s natural gas distribution business into a stand-alone, publicly traded company called ONE Gas. The split received the approval of the Kansas Corporation Commission in December. ONE Gas common stock is expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Feb. 3 under the symbol OGS. ONEOK will continue to trade as OKE.

ELSEWHERE

Chris Marshall has been promoted to president of Callahan Creek, the Lawrence-based marketing agency. Marshall has been with the agency for nine years and most recently served as vice president of account management, which he will continue to lead.