STILLWATER, Okla. — Emde named president of Oklahoma Realtors group

Doug Emde of ERA Emde & Associates in Stillwater is the 2010 President of the Oklahoma Association of REALTORS and was sworn in during the OAR Membership Conference Feb. 11.

Emde has been part of the OAR leadership team for the past three years. He is also a member of the Stillwater Board of REALTORS where he served as president in 1999.

Emde has been married to his wife Peggy for 30 years and they have two grown children, Caleb who is a first lieutenant in the Oklahoma National Guard and Whitney who is graduating in May from OSU. In addition to his work in the real estate industry, Emde is active in the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce and the Stillwater Lions Club.

The Oklahoma Association of REALTORS was established in 1921 and is one of Oklahoma’s largest trade associations, representing almost 10,000 members involved in all aspects of the real estate industry.



CStar Real Estate adds Kushera

Lynsey Welch Kushera recently joined CStar Real Estate.

Kushera grew up in Stillwater, graduating from Stillwater High School in December 1998. She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a marketing degree in 2003.

Kushera moved to Dallas in late 2004 and worked for Re/Max Premier. She achieved the million dollar club award her first year. She met her husband, Justin Kushera, in Dallas, and they returned to her home town in 2006 where she joined CStar Management. Now she is joining the CStar Real Estate team.

Claudette Lamb, managing broker of CStar Real Estate, is excited to have Kushera join the her team. “Lynsey, brings a wealth of experience with her to the Stillwater market, and I know our customers will love her enthusiasm and work ethic. She will not slow down until the job is done and done right, “ Lamb said



Page takes over Creativity Initiative

The Creativity Initiative at Oklahoma State University has a new director.  

Melanie Page, professor of psychology, is overseeing the initiative initially started by OSU President Burns Hargis in fall 2008, and directed by John Mowen, professor and director of the department of marketing in the Spears School of Business.  

“My goal is to transform our campus into a place where creative and innovative ideas are welcomed and valued in addition to finding ways of taking those ideas and putting them into action,” said Page.

The initiative has been moved to the School of Entrepreneurship in the Spears School of Business.  



OSU Foundation hires two

The Oklahoma State University Foundation announces the addition of Dr. Stephanie Hueftle Vogel, senior director of development, and Benjamin C. Stahmann, senior director of gift planning, to its staff.

Vogel, from Eustis, Neb., provides identification, cultivation, solicitation and ongoing relationship with major gift prospects for the OSU College of Human Environmental Sciences

She comes to the Foundation from the University of Nebraska Foundation, serving colleges on both the Kearney and Lincoln campuses for five years. Prior to that, she served as assistant director of the University of Nebraska at Kearney Alumni Association for 11 years.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations and a master of arts in education degree in speech communication from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She also earned a doctor of education in educational administration and higher education leadership from the University of Nebraska/Lincoln.

Vogel’s husband, Dr. Jason Vogel, is an assistant professor in the OSU Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department. They have 5-year-old twin daughters, Paetyn and Piper.”

Stahmann, from Orem, Utah, provides ongoing relationship and services to donors who wish to donate planned gifts. He comes to the Foundation from after nine years as national director of gift-planning/endowment counsel at the Boy Scouts of America National Office.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1991 from Brigham Young University and a juris doctor in 1994 from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU.

Stahmann and his wife, Debbie, have three children – Katie, 10, Daniel, 6 and Christina, 3. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, reading, spending time with his family, studying history, hiking and Italian cooking.



Roberts joins Meridian Tech

Meridian Technology Center has expanded its guidance services for students with the addition of career counselor Teri Roberts.

Roberts will work with high school and adult students to help them identify a customized career path based on their areas of interest. Additionally, she will coordinate all of the activities for Meridian’s student organizations.

She most recently worked as a career counselor for MacArthur High School in Lawton where she was a liaison between the high school and Great Plains Technology Center.

Roberts received her associate degree in business administration and marketing from Cameron University in 2001. She completed her bachelor’s degree in education, trade and industrial education at the University of Central Oklahoma in 2005 and received her master’s degree in secondary school Counseling from East Central University in 2007. Roberts is currently perusing her master’s degree in educational leadership from Cameron University.



Women’s Leadership conference slated March 3

The 19th annual Women’s Business Leadership Conference will be held March 3 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tulsa from 8:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m.

The program includes speakers who will share their experiences as businesswomen in leadership positions. Topics and speakers are: “Finding Your Voice” by Roslyn Brock, director of advocacy and public policy for Bon Secours Health System, Inc. in Marriottsville, Md.; “Surviving in Today’s Workplace” by Ronne Froman, retired rear admiral in the U.S. Navy; “Who You Are … Not What You Do” by Sherri Kroonenberg, senior vice president of Charles Schwab Investor Services in Englewood, Colo.; “Finding Your Inner Entrepreneur” by Debra Facktor Lepore, president of DFL Space LLC in Kirkland, Wash.; and “Developing New Leadership Patterns in Difficult Times” by Molly Tovar, co-founder of Tovar & Wheeler Consulting in Mannford, Okla.

Sara Freedman, dean of the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University, will serve as conference facilitator.  

The conference is presented by the International Women’s Forum Leadership Foundation, the Oklahoma International Women’s Forum and the Center for Executive and Professional Development in the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University.

To register or for more information, call the Center for Executive and Professional Development at 866-678-3933 or visit cepd.okstate.edu.



Rig count drops by 1

HOUSTON — The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. dropped by one this week to 1,345.

Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 893 rigs were exploring for natural gas and 440 for oil. Twelve were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week, the rig count stood at 1,300.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, New Mexico and West Virginia each gained three rigs, Louisiana gained two and Arkansas one. Oklahoma lost three rigs, Colorado and Texas each lost two and North Dakota and Alaska each lost one. California, Pennsylvania and Wyoming were unchanged.

Myers receives Patriot Award

Doug Myers with National Standard in Stillwater has been selected to receive the Patriot Award of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in recognition of outstanding support of the National Guard and military reserve forces.

Myers was nominated by Dale Schoepflin, a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard.

The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is a national organization of volunteers working with the Department of Defense to support national defense needs. They work with civilian employers to solve problems which may come about between the military service and civilian employment of National Guard and military reserve members.

The Patriot Award recognizes outstanding support and cooperation with the National Guard and military reserve forces by employers and supervisors of men and women under their civilian employ who also are members of guard and reserve organizations.

Women of Year nominations sout

Nomination forms are now available for “Outstanding Women of the Year.”

The award was established to recognize outstanding women who have positively affected the Stillwater Community. Nominees should demonstrate:

• Excellence in their chose field (professional accomplishments).

• Support for and advancement of women and girls.

• Be a positive role model.

• Be active in programs and activities in the community.

Nominees will be selected as the 2010 Outstanding Women of the Year. A reception will be held at 2 p.m. March 21,  in room 301 of the Stillwater Public Library. All nominees will be invited to attend.

The application deadline is March 10. Nomination forms may be obtained from Kathie Turner at 405-612-3335 or k.tanner@sbcglobal.net.

Potbelly Sandwich Shop coming?

A Potbelly Sandwich Shop may be coming to Stillwater. A group of investors is discussing a franchise with the company.

Potbelly Sandwich Shop started in 1977 in a little antique store in Chicago. It has approximately 200 stores in the Midwest. A Stillwater location would be its first venture into Oklahoma.

Additional information will be available this week in the NewsPress.



– Staff, Wire Report

Send information and/or photographs about new businesses, new employees or awards or honors received by a business, business owner or employee to cday@stwnewspress.com.