Lawrence Central’s Newest Members

On March 6th the members of Lawrence Central welcomed four new members into our burgeoning community.  The induction ceremony was held and then we had a panel discussion lead by our Membership Chair Kate Campbell where each of the members told us a little about themselves in a relaxed setting. We’re very excited to have these new faces at our meetings and to help the work that we do locally and internationally.  Our fifth new member Debbie Briggs was unable to attend but we will  have an upcoming meeting we all get to meet her.

• Shelly I. McColm, D.D.S., P.A., is a downtown businesswoman providing patients with comprehensive orthodontic care.  She has spent the past few years establishing her dental practice and now is looking for ways to meet people and become involved in community activities.  Shelly earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri in 1987 and then attended UMKC School of Dentistry. In 1992, she completed her Advanced Education in General Dentistry with the United States Air Force and received her Certificate in Orthodontics from Oregon Health Sciences University in 1997.  Shelly maintains memberships in many professional organizations.  In her personal life, Shelly has been married to her husband for over 20 years. They have two daughters and a Maltese named Oscar. Shelly spends most of her free time in activities related to her children. She also enjoys reading, biking, traveling and going to the lake.
• Marty Mosier has considered joining a Rotary club in the past, but accepted a temporary position with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation which took him out of town before he could complete the process.  Marty has lived in Lawrence since 2003.  Currently, he is a commercial loan officer at Central National Bank. Prior to working at Central National Bank and the FDIC, he worked as a lender for Peoples Bank and as a Real Estate Closing Manager for Kansas Secured Title, both in Lawrence, KS.  Marty has been married to wife Tammy for 22 years and has two children, Oliver age 21 and Frank age 20.

• Jim Peters, J.D., has been Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at KU since 2011.  A native of Quincy, Ill., Jim has a bachelor’s degree in government from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a law degree from the New England School of Law in Boston.  After practicing law for eight years, Jim relocated to Washington, D.C., where be became involved in publishing—first as a writer and then in marketing. He is the author of Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine to America’s Heroes, which has been the nation’s best-selling book on Arlington Cemetery for more than 20 years.  Jim worked for 11 years as director of marketing for Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company, a national textbook publisher in Dubuque, Iowa. Jim also spent three years as assistant director of Publications and Alumni Communication for the University of Missouri–Columbia.  He joined KU Continuing Education  in 2005 as director of Marketing and Communications and served as director of Professional Programs and Communications before assuming his current role.

  

• Nancy Thellman is beginning her second term as a Douglas County Commissioner for the Second District. Nancy was educated in Lawrence public schools,holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Kansas University, and a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University. She is currently an ordained Presbyterian minister and is a former registered nurse.  She serves on a variety of church and county boards:  Destination Management, Inc., Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, East Lawrence Village, Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Just Food.  “The job of a county commissioner isn’t just about roads and bridges any more. It’s about growing our community responsibly. It’s about jobs,” Thellman said in a news release during her recent campaign. “It’s about human services and safety. It’s about public amenities. Being a county commissioner these days is really about building quality of life.”  She declares her governing principles to be “a responsible use of taxpayer dollars; open, honest and accessible government; a balanced approach to growth and environmental stewardship; and compassionate, comprehensive social services.  These are key elements to build a healthy and resilient community.” She and her husband Scott, a local physician, live on a hay and vegetable production farm north of Lawrence.  They have three children.

• Debbie Briggs is owner of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 937 Mass.  In addition to carrying more than 50 flavors of extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars, Debbie sells specialty items like stuffed olives, pasta, cruets from Italy, plus body care products made of olive oil.  “I’ve always loved using olive oil myself and realized the health benefits of using olive oil,” she says.  “I had (the shop idea) in my head for a couple of years, and knew I wanted to do it in Lawrence.”  Running a business is a new venture for Debbie, who lived in Overland Park before deciding to open the store in 2011 and move to Lawrence.   Two of her sons and two employees assist her with the job of keeping the store open seven days a week.  Debbie is active in the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Lawrence, Inc. and enjoys walking, movies, and motorcycling.  She has seven children and twelve grandchildren.  http://www.lawrence.com/news/2012/jul/10/oil-boom-extra-virgin-captures-niche-olive-oil-mar/