Diana Wall, executive director of the Marshall County Exceptional Center, was named Manager of the Year for Special Needs Housing by the Kentucky Housing Corporation and Housing and Urban Development. Wall was awarded for helping to make the Willis Green Group Home and Baker Apartments notable housing communities for people with varying disabilities in the state. Wall has worked at the center for 20 years and has served as executive director since 2008. The Marshall County Exceptional Center, based in Benton at 198 Old Symsonia Road, opened in the 1960s and serves clients 18 and older with disabilities.
Murray-Calloway County Hospital staff honored Glenda Duffy during her last day at work Friday. Duffy retired after working her entire 43-year career at MCCH, first as a nurse’s assistant for 19 years and then as a unit secretary for nearly 24 years. Duffy plans to work a few hours each week beginning today, but plans on making the most of her retirement.
Hampton Physical Therapy is now an IM Certified Provider. Cheri Hampton, Amanda Strum and Dana Collins completed the Interactive Metronome Course held in Memphis, Tenn. The IM is a therapeutive assessment and training program that improves attention, concentration, motor planing and sequencing, which lead to stronger motor control and coordination. Hampton Physical Therapy has locations in Paducah, Draffenville and Bardwell.
Dr. Spencer E. Romine joined the Orthopaedic Institute of Western Kentucky, part of the Lourdes medical staff. Romine completed his pre-med graduate work at Duke University and graduated from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He served as Sports Medicine Fellow at Emory University and also served as assistant team physician for the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons and Georgia Tech University athletics. For appointment information, call 270-442-9461.
WPSD-TV announced a promotion and two new employees. Chad Darnall, a Benton native, was promoted to assistant chief photographer. Briana Conner and Ashley Appel recently joined the station. Darnall began his career at the station 18 years ago as a studio camera operator. He has worked as a sports photographer, sports anchor/reporter and a news photographer. An Emmy-nominated photographer, Darnall has won 75 state and regional awards for his work, including photographer of the year by the Kentucky Associated Press for three years in sports and seven years in news. Darnall earned an associates degree from Paducah Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Murray State University. Briana Conner assumed reporter duties and anchors evening newscasts on the weekend. Conner also splits anchoring duties during the week with Todd Faulkner for newscasts on RetroTV and Antenna TV. Conner graduated from the University of Texas, where she studied broadcast journalism. She comes to WPSD from KAVU/KVCT-TV in Victoria, Texas. Ashley Appel joined WPSD as a promotion writer/producer. Appel formerly worked for WEEK/WHOI in East Peoria, Ill. She graduated from Columbia College in Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in film and video/editing. She also earned an associate’s degree in multimedia from Illinois Central College in East Peoria.
Western Baptist Hospital’s clinical laboratory and pathology department was re-accredited by the College of American Pathologists. The Western Baptist lab has been accredited for 40 years. The most recent two-year accreditation follows an intensive on-site assessment and establishes that the level of technical and administrative performance meets or exceeds national standards.
Amy Goebel, certified occupational therapist assistant, joined Hampton Physical Therapy in Paducah. Goebel earned an associate degree at Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Marketplace in Herrin, Ill. She will treat adults and pediatric patients at the out-patient center utilizing the unique Sensory Gym and SwimEx aquatic therapy pool, as well as providing contract therapy with various programs throughout the community. Hampton Physical Therapy also has locations in Draffenville and Bardwell.
FNB Bank, based in Mayfield, welcomed Tim Greer as its newest member of the commercial lending team at the bank’s Murray-Calloway County office, 1304 Chestnut St., Suite E. Greer is responsible for all areas of commercial lending. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in business administration from Murray State University.
Heath Bowling, a former local branch manager for financial services firm Edward Jones in Paducah, received a promotion to the position of regional leader for the 61 Edward Jones offices in western Kentucky. Bowling will lead the region’s branch offices while continuing to help people in Paducah with their investment needs. Based in St. Louis, Edward Jones was named one of the best companies to work for by Fortune Magazine for the 13th year.
Lourdes promoted Sonya Harper, a 15-year employee, to health information management manager. Chris Miller was promoted to director of operations for Primary Care Services. In Miller’s one year with Lourdes, he served as the regional finance liaison for Lourdes Physician Division-Mercy Medical Associates.
Amy Fennel, a clinical registered dietitian at Murray-Calloway County Hospital, earned certification as a certified nutrition support clinician from the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification. Fennel successfully completed a comprehensive written exam on nutrition support. The new certification shows Fennel’s expertise in specialized nutritional support, such as feeding tubes and parental nutrition, and she is better equipped to assist physicians in prescribing the appropriate nutrition therapy for patients. Fennel has worked at MCCH for 14 years.
Kentucky State Police promoted 56 officers in Kentucky at a special ceremony Aug. 17 at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort. Local officers promoted were Dean Patterson and Derek Smith. Patterson was promoted from trooper to sergeant and transferred from Post 1 in Mayfield to Post 2 in Madisonville. A Mayfield resident, Patterson is a Paducah native and a nine-year KSP veteran. Smith was promoted from trooper to sergeant and transferred from Post 2 to Post 5 in Campbellsburg. An Eddyville resident, Smith is a Calvert City native and a seven-year KSP veteran.
The American College of Radiology re-accredited Western Baptist Hospital’s radiation oncology department for three years. The local hospital’s program has been accredited since 1998. Accreditation, representing the highest level of quality and patient safety, is awarded only to facilities that meet ACR guidelines following an evaluation by radiation oncologists and physician experts in the field.
In its first official meeting since its creation three months ago, the Dippin’ Dots, LLC Board of Managers announced the appointment of three new vice president positions: Steve Heisner was named vice president of administration and human resources. Stan Jones was named vice president of operations, and Michael Milner was named as vice president of finance. A fifth position, vice president of business development and new ventures, is expected to be filled by year’s end. Michael Barrette has worked as Dippin’ Dots vice president of sales and marketing since 2007.
Murray-Calloway County Hospital hired Bracey Hancock as an athletic trainer for the Calloway County School District. The hospital provides school nurses and certified athletic trainers to both the Murray Independent School District and CCSD as part of a commitment to community health and wellness. Hancock graduated from Hopkinsville High School, and earned a degree in exercise science with emphasis in athletic training from Murray State University.
Nephrologist Dr. Jonathan Wilkerson joined the medical staff at Western Baptist Hospital. Wilkerson earned his bachelor and medical degrees, and completed his residency, at the University of Louisville. He completed his nephrology fellowship at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Wilkerson is accepting new patients at Western Kentucky Kidney Specialists, Suite 315, 1532 Lone Oak Road. Call 270-538-5880 for more information.
Gov. Steve Beshear reappointed N. Jerome Mansfield, of Paducah, and Carl L. Hamblin Jr., of Calvert City, to the Kentucky Emergency Response Commission to serve a term expiring April 17, 2014. Mansfield is an emergency management analyst for the United States Enrichment Corp. Hamblin is a safety and environmental engineer at ATOFINA Chemicals Inc. Beshear also reappointed Tonya Michell Shea, of Benton, to the Kentucky Early Intervention System Interagency Coordinating Council for a term expiring April 20, 2014. Shea is a speech language pathologist at Easter Seals West Kentucky.
Gov. Steve Beshear appointed Paducah lawyer Mark P. Bryant to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees for a term expiring June 30, 2018. Bryant is a Paducah native and president of Bryant Law Center PSC in Paducah, as well as a life member of the UK Alumni Association.
Lourdes welcomed Dr. Crystal Rose to its medical staff. Rose earned degrees from Murray State University and the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Rose completed her residency at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and she is board certified in anatomic pathology and clinical pathology.
Derek Englert was appointed as assistant professor of Chemical & Materials Engineering with the University of Kentucky and assigned to the UK engineering programs in Paducah. Englert earned a doctorate in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University, and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Mississippi where he also held a Postdoctoral Fellow for the past two years. Englert is also a graduate of Marshall County High School. Englert’s research specialization is in application of microfluidics for the investigation of biological systems.
Paul Scott, FNB Bank’s senior vice president and CFO, earned a diploma in August from the prestigious Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The school, sponsored by the 18 state bankers associations comprising the Central States Conference of Bankers Associations, and the university was established in 1945 to provide bankers with an opportunity for advanced study and research in banking, economics and leadership. Scott, a Murray native, served as FNB’s CFO since 2002. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Murray State University where he also earned a master’s degree in business administration.
Dr. John Dressler, of Murray State University’s music department, was appointed as the informational director for the Granville Bantock Society. Granville Bantock was a British composer of classical music. He was born in London in 1868 and died in 1946. As informational director, Dressler will receive all inquiries about Bantock and his music from international society members. Dressler will also act as an assistant to the editor of the Journal of the Granville Bantock Society. The Granville Bantock Society’s mission is to promote the life and music of Granville Bantock. Dressler traveled to London in mid-July to receive this honor.
Financial services firm Edward Jones hired Elliot Treece as the new financial advisor for the company’s Paducah branch office at 3235 Olivet Church Road, Suite H.
For the second year, Western Baptist Hospital was named one of America’s best hospitals for patient experience and winner of the Women’s Choice Award by WomenCertified, an organization committed to helping women identify businesses that value the customer experience and appreciate female consumer needs. The survey to determine the awards is based on significant research of customer satisfaction among women, and award recipients are selected for the award instead of being chosen from applications. “We are honored that women recognize the efforts of our staff to create a healing environment, so patients and their loved ones experience true compassion and quality care,” said Larry Barton, Western Baptist president and CEO.
