1950s
CHARLES B. LARSON ’51, retired CPA, published two new books in 2011: “The Entrepreneurial CPA,” which provides a vision of a new role for CPAs in the digital world of entrepreneurs; and “30,” which explains how to run a profitable professional service firm.

1970s
DAN DANFORD ’78, Principal/CEO of Family Investment Center in St. Joseph, Mo., was named one of America’s Top Financial Advisors for 2012 by Conquest Press. He will be included in the new book, “2012 America’s Top Financial Advisors – The Titans of Wealth Management.”
Selection criteria included rankings on industry-based lists, number of clients served/client retention, educational background and professional designations, assets under management, professional longevity, regulatory review, and impact his services have made on clients.
Dan also recently contributed to an article about financial issues for workers over 50 for the New York Times.

1980s
DAVE SCHEER ’80, was inducted into the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. He played baseball for Missouri Western and is in his 32nd year of teaching and coaching in the Union (Mo.) R-XI School District.

LORA BAUGHER 82, is the director of information technology at Village Shalom, Overland Park, Kan.

ESTHER (LANDIS) GEORGE ’80, accepted the 2011 Missouri Quality Award for the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, Mo. Esther is the president of the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City. The bank was one of four recipients in the state.

DEAN BROOKSHIER ’88, was appointed Clay County (Mo.) administrator. Dean had served as Chillicothe’s city administrator and as deputy chief of staff for Congressman Sam Graves.

1990s
LT. COL. KEVIN MOSS ’90, retired from the United States Marine Corps.

MELISSA REWINKEL ’93, and Eric Taylor were married Jan. 14, 2012.

2000s
RICK MOECKEL ’00, and his wife, April, announce the birth of their fourth child, a son, Luke James, born Jan. 24, 2012.

DONNA M. (SALFRANK) GIBSON ’01, and her husband, James, announce the birth of their first grandchild, Jaxon Alan Hall, born Sept. 26, 2011.

ABBY BROWN ’02, graduated with a PhD in genetics from Duke University. Her dissertation is, “Competing RNA Structures and Their Effects on HDV Antigenomic RNA Self-cleavage and mRNA Processing.” After traveling to Mexico, Central America, Africa and the Philippines, she began a job with a pharmaceutical company in Raleigh, N.C.

RACHEL A. PEPPER ’03, graduated from the University of Kansas with a doctor of practice in nursing degree with a specialization in organizational leadership.

JOHN FABSITS ’04, was named one of “20 under 40” by the Columbia (Mo.) Business Times. The magazine called the list “the best and brightest of Columbia’s businessmen and women.” John is director of development and marketing for the Boy Scouts of America Great Rivers Council.

JON-PAUL BELLAMY ’05, and Sarah Franklin were married May 21, 2011. The couple resides in Blue Springs, Mo.

JACEY J. (JOHNSTON) MERLE ’07, and her husband, Jesen, announce the birth of a daughter, Kara Grace, born Nov. 3, 2011.

SETH G. HANE ’08, and Amy Borovetz were married Sept. 24, 2011 in Shawnee, Kan. The couple resides in Centerton, Ark.

MICHAEL ’08, and RACHEL (BOOTH) ’09, DEFELICE announce the birth of a son, Luke Austin, born Dec. 28, 2011. The family currently resides in Liberty, Mo.

TRACY L. JONES ’09, is an English lecturer at Raffles International College HCMC, a Singapore-based group of design/business colleges and universities, with 37 campuses throughout Asia and Oceania. In 2010, Tracy helped launch a new English language center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

2010s
MEGAN (ANDERSON) MORTON ’10, and her husband, Matthew, announce the birth of a son, Ethan Dean, born Aug. 25, 2011.

RYAN RICHARDSON ’10, joined the staff of the Savannah (Mo.) Reporter.

In Memory … We honor those who have recently passed away. If you want to include someone in this listing, please call 816-271-5651, mail the information to Diane Holtz, Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, or email holtz@missouriwestern.edu

THELMA (BRUCE) CONNER ’37, Teton Village, Wyo., died Dec. 1, 2011.
MAX GROOMS, JR. 82, St. Joseph, Mo., died Dec. 3, 2011.
DENNIS RATLIFF ’95, Easton, Mo., died Dec. 21, 2011.
MARY E. (TEGELER) RIDDLE ’41, St. Joseph, Mo., Dec. 29, 2011.
STEVEN A. STROUD ’05, St. Joseph, Mo., Dec. 8, 2011.