Dr. John H. Jeter, president and CEO of Hays Medical Center was inducted as the 2009 chair of the Kansas Hospital Association board of directors recently at the association's annual convention in Overland Park. Jeter has been an active member of the association and previously served as a member of the organization's executive committee and as treasurer and chair-elect. He began serving in the chair position in July due to an early departure of the previous KHA board chair. As board chair, Jeter guides the 21-member governing board that oversees the organization's strategic activities.

* * *

Pauline Erickson, continental breakfast hostess at the Hays Days Inn, has been designated special employee recognition by the company's Kansas-Missouri region for summer 2008, an award generated by customer responses. This is the fourth consecutive year that a member of the Hays facility has been a recipient of the award.

* * *

Teri Klitzke, Ransom, has joined the WaKeeney office of Mapes and Miller CPAs as a certified public accountant. Klitzke graduated from Fort Hays State University in 2001, earning a bachelor's degree in accounting and completing CPA requirements in 2002. Klitzke has eight years experience in private and public accounting.

* * *

Heather Zerr, a junior from Ulysses, has been named 2008-09 governmental relations intern for the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association. Zerr graduated from Seward County Community College, Liberal, where she received associate's degrees. She holds memberships in Phi Theta Kappa and Kappa Beta Delta. While at SCCC, Zerr served as a member and presenter for the national qualifying Students in Free Enterprise team. She is planning a career in recreational sports management and is taking a minor in Spanish.

* * *

Fort Hays State University's Bill Smriga, director of Memorial Union, Andy Smriga, a senior from Hays, and Tosha Lyon, a senior from Norton, received honors at the Association of College Unions International Regional Conference at Missouri State University, Springfield Mo. Bill Smriga accepted the William H. Smith Distinguished Service Award, which honors longtime student union or student activities professionals who have made exceptional contributions and demonstrated a long-term commitment to the student union and student activities profession on their campuses and within Region 11. His son, Andy, accepted the Outstanding Student Achievement Award. The award recognizes an outstanding student from a member institution. He is majoring in organizational leadership. Andy Smriga has served as a member of the University Activities Board for three years and as its president for two years. He has also served two years as a student senator with the Student Government Association. Lyon, the union's student graphic designer, received first-place both in the "Logo and Brand Identity" and "Best of Show" categories of the graphics display competition. She is majoring in graphic design. Competing universities included the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, the University of Missouri, the University of Nebraska, Pittsburg State University and Oklahoma State University.

* * *

Midwest Energy's annual meeting of members was Nov. 17 at Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays.  Those in attendance heard the reports of the officers and a presentation outlining energy efficiency services offered by the cooperative. More than 45,000 customer-owners had the opportunity to cast ballots for board positions earlier this month, and the results were announced at the meeting.  Retaining their positions on the board of directors were Chuck Moore from District 1, Gary Moss from District 2 and Ed Pratt from District 4. After the annual meeting, the board elected the following new officers for the upcoming year: Moss, Menlo, chairman; John Blackwell, Larned, vice chairman; Keith Miller, Ellinwood, secretary; and Louise Berning, Scott City, treasurer.

* * *

Levi Salmans, a Fort Hays State University senior from Hanston, has been announced as the West Central regional winner of the New York Life Insurance Company's 10th annual college agent intern program. The contest recognizes four of the company's college agents who have submitted the highest number of new applications for the purchase of an insurance product. In January, Salmans, along with other winners, will go to New York Life's headquarters in New York City. He will meet the agency department's senior management team, receive a special tour of the historic headquarters building and have the opportunity to meet many of the people who work behind the scenes in New York Life's home office.

* * *

Susan Nickerson, west regional director for the Kansas Department of Commerce, Hays,  was among more than 125 National Rural Economic Developers Association attendees at the association's annual conference in Kansas City, Mo. NREDA is a national network of more than 250 rural economic development professionals providing expertise and leadership on rural issues. The conference theme, "Celebrating What's Right With Rural America!" brought in more than a dozen presenters from all facets of economic development.

* * *

Fort Hays State University named the following new faculty and staff in the fall 2008 semester: Heather Rounds accepted a position in the International Virtual College as an instructor of English. Rounds received an associate's degree from Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Md., in 1996, a bachelor's degree in English literature from Towson (Md.) University in 1999, and a master's in writing and publication design from the University of Baltimore in 2007; Ross Russell accepted a position in the Department of Agriculture as assistant rodeo coach. Russell received an associate's degree in criminal justice from Colby Community College in 2005 and a bachelor's degree in justice studies from FHSU in 2008; Sharon Severson accepted a position in Forsyth Library as cataloging and digital content specialist. Severson received a bachelor's in English from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in 1996 and a master's in library and information studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001; Stacey Smith accepted a the position as director of the new tourism and hospitality management program and as an instructor of management and marketing. Smith received a bachelor's degree in information networking and telecommunications from FHSU in 2000, a bachelor's of business administration in management from FHSU in 2000 and a master's in hotel, restaurant and travel administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 2002; Julius Takacs accepted a position in the International Virtual College as an instructor of English. Takacs received an associate's in general studies from Wilbur Wright College in Chicago in 1978; a bachelor's in anthropology from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago in 1992, and a master's in writing from DePaul University in Chicago, Ill., in 2006; Heather Teater accepted a position as an admissions counselor. She received a bachelor's in English from FHSU in 2008; Charles Thompson accepted a position as head wrestling coach and administrative assistant for events supervision. He received an associate's degree from Labette Community College in Parsons in 1999, a bachelor's degree in health and human performance in 2003 and a master's degree in sports administration, both from FHSU, in 2005; Lisa Treece accepted a position in the College of Business and Leadership as graduate coordinator. Treece received a bachelor's degree in human resource development from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich; Jeffrey Waggoner accepted a position in the International Virtual College as an instructor of English. Waggoner received a bachelor's degree in forestry from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill., in 1983, a master's degree in English literature from SIU in 1986; and a juris doctor degree from Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis in 1998; Lane Weaver accepted a position in the Department of Music as an instructor. Weaver received a bachelor's degree in music education from Utah State University in 1998 and a master's degree in trombone performance and literature from University of Notre Dame in 2000; Andrew Weiss accepted a position in Forsyth Library as digital collections librarian. Weiss received a bachelor's in English literature from Kenyon College in Gramier, Ohio, in 1993, and a master's in English literature from Temple University in 1998; Brett Whitaker accepted a position in the International Virtual College as an instructor of leadership studies. Whitaker received a bachelor's in organizational leadership from FHSU in 2006 and is working toward a master's in liberal studies from FHSU in 2008; Erica Koch Williams accepted a position in the Department of Allied Health as an assistant professor. She received an associate's degree in radiography from Mesa State College, Grand Junction, Colo., in 1988; a bachelor's degree in radiography education from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in 1992, and a master's degree in educational technology from City University in Seattle in 1996; Susanna Xin Xu accepted a position in the International Virtual College as a visiting professor of management and marketing. Xu received a bachelor's degree in administration and management from Peking University, Beijing, China, in 2001, and a doctor of philosophy from University of Bath School of Management, Bath, United Kingdom, in 2005.

Fort Hays State University named the following new faculty and staff in the fall 2008 semester: Heather Rounds accepted a position in the International Virtual College as an instructor of English. Rounds received an associate's degree from Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Md., in 1996, a bachelor's degree in English literature from Towson (Md.) University in 1999, and a master's in writing and publication design from the University of Baltimore in 2007; Ross Russell accepted a position in the Department of Agriculture as assistant rodeo coach. Russell received an associate's degree in criminal justice from Colby Community College in 2005 and a bachelor's degree in justice studies from FHSU in 2008; Sharon Severson accepted a position in Forsyth Library as cataloging and digital content specialist. Severson received a bachelor's in English from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in 1996 and a master's in library and information studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001; Stacey Smith accepted a the position as director of the new tourism and hospitality management program and as an instructor of management and marketing. Smith received a bachelor's degree in information networking and telecommunications from FHSU in 2000, a bachelor's of business administration in management from FHSU in 2000 and a master's in hotel, restaurant and travel administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 2002; Julius Takacs accepted a position in the International Virtual College as an instructor of English. Takacs received an associate's in general studies from Wilbur Wright College in Chicago in 1978; a bachelor's in anthropology from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago in 1992, and a master's in writing from DePaul University in Chicago, Ill., in 2006; Heather Teater accepted a position as an admissions counselor. She received a bachelor's in English from FHSU in 2008; Charles Thompson accepted a position as head wrestling coach and administrative assistant for events supervision. He received an associate's degree from Labette Community College in Parsons in 1999, a bachelor's degree in health and human performance in 2003 and a master's degree in sports administration, both from FHSU, in 2005; Lisa Treece accepted a position in the College of Business and Leadership as graduate coordinator. Treece received a bachelor's degree in human resource development from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich; Jeffrey Waggoner accepted a position in the International Virtual College as an instructor of English. Waggoner received a bachelor's degree in forestry from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill., in 1983, a master's degree in English literature from SIU in 1986; and a juris doctor degree from Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis in 1998; Lane Weaver accepted a position in the Department of Music as an instructor. Weaver received a bachelor's degree in music education from Utah State University in 1998 and a master's degree in trombone performance and literature from University of Notre Dame in 2000; Andrew Weiss accepted a position in Forsyth Library as digital collections librarian. Weiss received a bachelor's in English literature from Kenyon College in Gramier, Ohio, in 1993, and a master's in English literature from Temple University in 1998; Brett Whitaker accepted a position in the International Virtual College as an instructor of leadership studies. Whitaker received a bachelor's in organizational leadership from FHSU in 2006 and is working toward a master's in liberal studies from FHSU in 2008; Erica Koch Williams accepted a position in the Department of Allied Health as an assistant professor. She received an associate's degree in radiography from Mesa State College, Grand Junction, Colo., in 1988; a bachelor's degree in radiography education from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in 1992, and a master's degree in educational technology from City University in Seattle in 1996; Susanna Xin Xu accepted a position in the International Virtual College as a visiting professor of management and marketing. Xu received a bachelor's degree in administration and management from Peking University, Beijing, China, in 2001, and a doctor of philosophy from University of Bath School of Management, Bath, United Kingdom, in 2005.

The Hays Daily News welcomes submissions to its Business

Briefcase article, published each Sunday. E-mail items to

newsroom@dailynews.net or mail them to 507 Main, Hays, KS 67601.