Published: April 19, 2008 10:44 pm            

FYI for 4/20/08

Cronkhite wins national award



Pat Cronkhite has been nationally recognized for earning the Platinum Club Award. The award was presented in February at the Oklahoma Awards Celebration in Oklahoma City.

Cronkhite is an associate with RE/MAX Premier Realtors in Enid. This award represents gross income for the 2007, and only 19 RE/MAX associates in the state achieved this status. Cronkhite was ranked sixth in the overall “Top 100” RE/MAX associates in Oklahoma, which reflects a combination of team and individual sales commissions.

Cronkhite has been in the real estate business since 1993, joining RE/MAX in 1998. She is past president of Enid Metro Association of Realtors and has served on the financial and MLS committees, as well as the board of directors for EMAR. She is a former director of Oklahoma Association of Realtors.



Nafus attends design workshop



Merry Lee Nafus, owner of Buck’s Party Shop and Sunshine Balloons, recently attended Euro Design Balloon Experience in Dallas.

Sponsored by Qualatex Balloons and Conwin Inc., the seminar featured instructors Jodie Norris from Great Britain and Dee White from Ireland. Workshops included High Impact Balloon Arrangements, Classic Décor with a Profitable Twist and The Power of Shaped Balloons.

Nafus and her husband, Steve, opened Buck’s in November 1998 to sell items not legal to sell in their liquor store, Buck’s Wine & Spirits. In April 2000, they purchased Sunshine Balloons, a business that had been in downtown Enid for many years.

She has earned the designation Certified Balloon Artist (CBA). Her work has been featured in Images magazine, a publication for professional balloon artists. Her portfolio can be seen at www.buckspartyshop.com. Buck’s Party Shop & Sunshine Balloons is at 1320 S. Van Buren and is open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.



Phillips earns ERA award



Bonnie Phillips, real estate broker-associate with ERA Nicholas Real Estate in Enid, has received the 2007 Beyond Excellence award.

The award is earned by a select group of ERA associates who have excelled in service, client satisfaction and total production during the preceding year. Each year fewer than 5 percent of the more than 38,000 ERA associates worldwide receive the award.

“The secret of Bonnie’s success is her commitment to making the process of buying or selling a home a positive experience,” said Jimmy Nicholas, broker with ERA Nicholas Real Estate. “Bonnie’s e-Pro qualifications allow her to comfortably utilize ERA’s cutting edge technology tools to provide excellent customer service.”

Nicholas Real Estate is the longest active Realtor group in northwest Oklahoma, having been established in 1955. Nicholas Real Estate became an ERA affiliate in 2007.



NORCE names top employees



Northern Oklahoma Resource Center of Enid has selected its employees of the month for January, February and March.

Yolundrus Owens and Josh Peters were named employees of the month for January.

Owens works at 2501 Cherokee and has been an employee of NORCE since 1988. She is a first shift certified medication aide. She advocates for her clients and ensures they receive the services they need, according to her supervisors.



Peters works in the vocational department and has been a NORCE employee since 2005. He has developed relationships with community job supervisors to ensure the contract jobs run smoothly, according to his supervisors.

Dorothy Medlock and Jeff Witt were named employees of the month for February.

Medlock works at 2408 Chickasaw and has been a NORCE employee since 1985. She works on the third shift. She has received numerous awards for her service to the clients at NORCE. She is dedicated to her assigned clients and works many hours to ensure they have their needs met, according to her supervisors.

Witt, an employee of the housekeeping department, has worked at NORCE since 2001. He does a great job ensuring the Halfway House is well-maintained, but he also volunteers to work overtime when the need arises, according to his supervisors.

Judy Poolaw and Lois George were named employees of the month for March.

Poolaw works at the Halfway House and has been an employee of NORCE since 2006. She works as a certified nursing aide on third shift. She cares for her clients and works with them to help them attain their highest level of achievement, according to her supervisors.



George, a licensed practical nurse, works in the central clinic for the whole campus. She always is upbeat and fills in where needed, according to her supervisors. She has been an employee of NORCE since 1997.



Butler completes certification



Kathie Butler, Hospice Circle of Love patient care coordinator, has completed a 10-course human resource management program at Autry Technology Center.



She attended 138 hours of classes over a two year period and now is certified as a human resource generalist through Autry Tech and American Management Association. Certification will help Butler in her management role. She oversees the nursing staff and coordinates services Hospice Circle of Love provides to its patients. She also admits new patients and performs administrative tasks.



The courses covered communication skills, performance appraisals, successful interviewing and safe hiring and management practices.



She has a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Idaho State University and more than 30 years nursing experience. She has worked at Hospice Circle of Love for four and one-half years.