Published: June 29, 2008 12:13 am            

FYI for 6-29-08

Coldwell team raises funds



For the fourth consecutive year Coldwell Banker Realty III has partnered with Ameri-can Cancer Society to assist in the fight against cancer.

This year the Coldwell Banker Realty III Team raised more than $2,200 for the annual Relay for Life event.



Runnels gets promotion



Shona Runnels, Enid resident and designer with Home & Garden Party, recently was promoted to silver designer with the company. To reach this goal, Runnels had to have sponsored two team members and monthly sales of $300 or more.

“I am so happy to have reached this coveted achievement with Home & Garden Party and to be acknowledged for my determination in successfully maintaining my business here in the Enid area,” Runnels said. “The great thing about Home & Garden Party is that there is a sense of unity among its designers: Everyone encourages each other. I thank the entire team for their support and, most of all, for their friendship.”

Besides products such as wall decor, home accents, dining and entertainment pieces, as well as gourmet food, Home & Garden Party provides a way for people to grow financially while also giving them flexible hours, freedom and time with their families, Runnels said.

“It has really been a true pleasure working for a company that has such strong roots and loyal founders,” Runnels said. “I look forward to this new level and I know I can continue to reach my goals with the company’s continued encouragement.”

For information about the Home & Garden Party business in Enid, contact Runnels at (580) 541-1483 or sckrunnels@suddenlink.net.



Panchel named News &

Eagle Employee of Month



Darshana “Dee” Panchel has been named Enid News & Eagle June Employee of the Month.

Hailing from London, she worked in recruitment in Manhattan, N.Y., for four years before she and husband, Amit, moved to Enid in hopes of raising daughter Emani in a more “family friendly” town.

She moved to advertising at the News & Eagle in March, after 18 months in staffing at Advance Food Co.



2 Enid CPA’s honored



Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants honored its 30-, 40- and 50-year members at its annual members meeting June 11 in Oklahoma City.

Two Enid men were among those honored.

John D. Lovell, CPA, a shareholder with Moore Lovell & Glasser Inc., and Jerry D. Koehn, CPA, an accountant with Central Machine & Tool, were recognized for 30 years of OSCPA membership and dedication to the organization and to the accounting profession. They received certificates of appreciation and gold lapel pins.



Pollard makes gift to OSU



Oklahoma State University received a $250,000 gift from Waukomis alumnus Barry Pollard, M.D., to establish a professorship focused on agribusiness.

Once fully matched by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as well as T. Boone Pickens’ $100 million chair match commitment, the gift will provide $1 million in endowed funds.

An Enid native, Pollard is a neurosurgeon, rancher, John Deere dealer, Cowboy fan and active philanthropist who saw the benefits of combining agriculture and business into one academic focus as a result of his involvement with his farm equipment company, P&K John Deere Equipment.

Pollard serves as a trustee of the OSU Foundation and founded the OSU Medical Cowboys scholarship program.

“In addition to his passion for medicine, Barry Pollard has a passion for agriculture, business and OSU, and we applaud him for supporting all three with this generous and timely gift,” said OSU President Burns Hargis.

The Barry Pollard, M.D./P&K Equipment Inc. professorship in agribusiness will be housed in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Pollard came up with the endowed position after hiring many employees who had grown up in the agriculture industry but came to work for him with business degrees.

“I was able to find a way to emphasize agriculture blended with the necessary business course requirements that will give students the training and experience needed to be successful in the agricultural world,” said Pollard. “This is a unique opportunity to give a dollar and get four dollars back, so it seemed like a good time to get it done.”



Dillingham named to board



Jed Dillingham has been named to the board of directors of Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma (IIAO), the state’s largest insurance and property casualty agents association.

Dillingham Insurance, with offices in Enid and Oklahoma City, has been providing insurance services for business and individual clients for more than 81 years statewide and throughout the central United States.

“I’m excited to welcome Jed to our board,” said Dan Ramsey, IIAO president and chief executive officer. “He will do a great job, and I’m looking forward to working with Jed as we advance our industry and strive to provide, as independent agents, the best, most cost-efficient insurance services in the industry.”



Community members

attend annual conference



Enid community members recently attended Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault annual conference in Norman.

YWCA Enid staff members attending the conference were Tricia Mitchell, Kayte Anton, Mary Lou Jones, June Barnes, Haylee Johnson, Linda Anderson, Dena Patterson, Meri Spurlock and Shalonda Kearney. Rae Wilson, YWCA board member and Northwestern Oklahoma State University instructor; Tallena McMichael, assistant district attorney; and Detective Amy Firestone, Enid Police Department, also attended.

The theme of the conference, “Getting It Right: Solutions for Safer Communities,” focused on developing a coordinated community response to domestic violence. Attendees participated in more than 40 workshops, including developing social marketing campaigns, effective sexual assault response teams, child programs, engaging volunteers in advocacy work, domestic violence court and a prosecutor’s role and how law enforcement identifies the predominant aggressor in domestic violence calls.

“The children’s services workshops were outstanding. They provided necessary skills for working with children as well as a tool kit that can be utilized,” said Patterson, children’s services director at the YWCA.

On June 19, members of Enid’s Coordinated Community Response Team participated in a panel discussion to aid other communities in developing a CCR team. Panel participants were Anton, McMichael, Firestone, Johnson and Mitchell. Enid’s CCR team discussed the challenges and benefits of working together to increase safety for victims of domestic violence. Enid’s CCR team functions as a subcommittee of Garfield County Domestic Violence Task Force.

“The CCR panel was a great way to share all the work we’ve been doing in the Enid community, and realize how far we’ve come. We still have a lot of work to do, but it was great to see that Enid is still far ahead of many communities throughout the state,” said Johnson, victim advocate at the YWCA.

The conference was made possible by the Office on Violence Against Women. For information about the Enid CCR team, contact Mitchell at 234-7581.