News about area businesses and businesspeople.

Tuesday, March 09, 2004

Auto suppliers place at Honda conferenceOn March 2, two local automotive suppliers placed at the Honda of America Spring 2004 Southern Supplier Conference. A team of judges looked at projects developed by teams of workers who picked processes at their plants that could be improved, developed a plan to make the improvements and then implemented it. Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems Technical Innovators at the New Model Development Center in Bowling Green placed first in their Tier One contest. Team members include Delores Dockery, Patricia Garner, Ron Howell, Edna Keown, Bonita Morris, Wendall Myers, Tina White and facilitator Alisa Willis. The team will travel to the Honda International Bloc Team Competition in Long Beach, Calif., in November. This teams project saved the company about $12,000 a year. Tower Automotives Flowmasters team, including Edna Harless, Bill Baum, Lee Lindsey and facilitator Tom Cooper, placed second. The team in May will travel to two Honda facilities in North and South Carolina to showcase its work. A second team from Sumitomo, Wasted Days and Wasted Nights, from Edmonton placed third. That team included Marsha Graves, Michele Smith, Carla Jo Ward and facilitator Sheila London. The team will travel in July to the annual Honda Homecoming in Marysville, Ohio. This project saved the company about $500,000 a year. James recognized by General MotorsA Bowling Green man was one of eight General Motors engineers recognized as innovators and leaders and for supporting the minority presence in a technology enterprise. Corvette engineer McKinley James received the award during the 18th annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference at the Baltimore Convention Center on Feb. 21.These engineers are shining examples of GMs highly talented family of employees and were very pleased they are being recognized for their contributions, said Katy Barclay, GM vice president, global human resources. GM strives to create a supportive work environment where individuals can grow and realize their career aspirations regardless of race and these employees are a big part of our ability to achieve this goal. As a manufacturing engineer, James has spent much of his two-year GM career directing the activities of skilled trades in designing and building unique assist tools for assembly line operators. His work already has generated notable productivity and quality gains for the plant. He also is responsible for solving manufacturing problems and coordinates the plants Operator Assist Build Shop. He also recently began work on a post-graduate degree. DuBose passes the Maryland Bar examRichard A. DuBose III, the son of Rick DuBose Jr. and Brenda Douglas Mule and the grandson of James Douglas, has passed the Maryland Bar Examination. He earned a bachelors degree in English from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and a J.D., magna cum laude, from University of Baltimore School of Law. While attending the University of Baltimore, he was a staff and board member of the law review. During his service on the law review, he published an article titled Katsenelenbogen v. Katsenelenbogen: Through the Eyes of the Victim, Marylands Civil Protection Order and the Role of the Court, 32 U. Balt. L. Rev. 237 (2003) He is currently clerking for a circuit court judge in Prince Georges County in Maryland. Greenview to continue contract with AnthemGreenview Regional Hospital announced that it has extended its contract with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, assuring that Anthem enrollees have access to healthcare at Greenview for the next two years. This new agreement continues the partnership Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Greenview Regional have enjoyed for a number of years and will provide Anthem BCBS enrollees with a choice in local hospitals when accessing needed medical care, said Brenda Waltz, chief executive officer at Greenview. The new two-year contract, effective Feb. 1 through 2005, encompasses all Anthem BCBS commercial plans. It also includes the Anthem Medicare Select plan for outpatient services only. Four appointed to Neace Lukens agencyNeace Lukens Insurance has announced four recent appointments at the Bowling Green insurance agency. John Kernohan, a former professional golfer with a Bachelor of Science, in accounting from Indiana University, will concentrate his efforts as a producer of commercial property and casualty lines insurance. Virginia Troll, with 23 years of experience in the personal and commercial insurance lines in New York and Kentucky, will be an account manager supervising small business insurance lines. Martha Watt, who has her general insurance certificate and P & C license, has over 34 years of experience in insurance with McGuffey Insurance Agency. She will be an account manager, handling farm insurance policies and farm auto insurance lines. Sue Lofton has an extensive and experienced career background of over 30 years in the insurance business with various top insurance companies. She will concentrate her account executive duties in the group employee benefits and individual life/health benefit lines. Neace Lukens Insurance, located at 1919 Scottsville Road, is a full-service insurance brokerage and consulting firm providing property, health and casualty insurance, third party administration, estate planning, bonds, employee benefits and risk management services. Webb selected 2003 businessman of yearNational Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Congressman Tom Reynolds of New York announced the selection of Bowling Greens Regina Webb, owner of Regina Webbs Salon & Spa, as a 2003 Businessman of the Year. Webb was selected for her involvement as a community and business leader in the Bowling Green area; steadfast support for Republican ideals, such as lower taxes and limited government; and for generous support for the Republican Party. She will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony held at the 2004 Congressional Tax Summit in Washington, D.C., on April 1 to honor these accomplishments. President Bush, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and Congressional Republican leaders will be in attendance at the Spring Gala in Washington. Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700