BUSINESS BRIEFS

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jul 18, 2004 by Capital-Journal

Irene Haws was awarded the Topeka Professional Chapter of the Association for Women in Communications Vanguard Award for 2004.

Haws joined AWC in 1995 and has served as vice president of finance, president-elect and chapter president. She also served on numerous committees. Haws was honored in 1998 as the chapter's Rising Star Award winner. She will serve as the National Chapter Star Award recognizing the Topeka chapter at the national convention.

Haws is an account representative at Mainline Printing and has a freelance design business, I-Design Graphic Services. She lives in Topeka with her son.

Kathy Spain, a vice president and audit services manager with Capital Federal Savings, has been named a certified financial services auditor by The Institute of Internal Auditors. Requirements for the CFSA designation include a challenging examination and high standards of character, education and experience.

Spain has been with Capital Federal's audit and compliance department for 16 years.

Julie Prideaux received the Topeka Professional Chapter of the Association for Women in Communications Rising Star Award for 2004.

Prideaux joined AWC in 2002. During the past year, she has served as the vice president of membership and was just elected as the chapter's new president. She has also served on several committees.

Prideaux is the communications coordinator for Midland Hospice Care. She lives in Lawrence with her husband, Tony, and their children.

Diane B. Hall, a speech and language pathologist with the Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Health Care System, was named the VFW's Outstanding VA Health Care Employee of the Year. Hall has treated veterans whose disabilities interfere with their communications skills for more than 20 years. She was nominated by VFW Post 1650.

Jeffrey L. Dishman and Thomas D. Miller, of Quantum Wealth Advisors LLC, attended a two-day education program at Wells University in Atlanta. The program, sponsored by Wells Real Estate Funds, is designed to education investment representatives of the various real estate investment opportunities that are available to the public.

Dishman and Miller have more than 25 years combined experience in providing investment programs and related advice to clients. They can be reached at (785) 273-4168.

John V. Spain, director of Affinity Programs and Regulatory Relations for Benchmark Insurance Co. in Overland Park, qualified for the Continuing Professional Development Program. The designation, available through the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, recognizes CPCUs who participate in continuing education activities.

An alumnus of Washburn University, Spain holds the CPCU, Associate in State Filing and Associate in Reinsurance professional designations. He lives with his family in rural Tecumseh.

Debbie Larson, a certified consumer credit counselor with Consumer Credit Counseling Service, is qualified for reverse mortgage counseling. She completed and passed the AARP Foundations Reverse Mortgage Education Project exam on Home Equity Conversion Mortgages earlier this year.