Jews in the news: Oct. 10, 2012

Jane Roodman Weiss

Editor’s Note: ‘Jews in the news’ is a new feature the Light is planning to run once a month, with information about people in the St. Louis Jewish community  who have made recent accomplishments — in business, school, volunteer work, etc.  Please send your news to Editorial Assistant Elise Krug, [email protected]. Photographs are accepted as well. 

Jane Roodman Weiss, RN/BSN, a Jewish Federation of St. Louis Board member, received the distinguished Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award at the International Lion of Judah Conference on Sept. 12 in New York City. She was honored for her philanthropy and key volunteer leadership in the St. Louis Jewish community. Weiss has been a Lion of Judah since 2003 and endowed it in 2007. She became active in the Women’s Division of Jewish Federation in 1991 and joined the Women,s Division Board in 1992. Most recently, she served as Co-Chair of Womenss Philanthropy. In 2003, she joined the Jewish Federation Board and currently Chairs the Community Engagement Subcommittee. 

Jeffrey A. Cohen has been elected to serve as President of the 2012-2014 Board of Directors of The Gladys & Henry Crown Center for Senior Living.  Involved in the organization for a number of years, this is the second term as President for Mr. Cohen. Cohen is a Shareholder of Capes, Sokol, Goodman + Sarachan, P.C. in Clayton. 

Andrew “Andy” Trivers, a St. Louis architect and best known for his historic restoration projects such as the 1884 Old Post Office, the Westin Hotel at Cupples Station and the Laurel and Washington University Umrath Hall, is stepping down as President of Trivers Associates. He named Joseph Brinkmann, 48, to succeed him. Trivers will remain as Chief Executive Officer of the St. Louis headquartered firm he started in 1975 and spend more of his time doing more design work. 

The Ladue Distinguished Alumni Awards took place recently at the Ladue Horton Watkins Performing Arts Center. The awards are presented once a decade and originated in 2002 in honor of Ladue Horton Watkins High School’s 50th Anniversary. Recipients are chosen for significant achievements in their respective fields, usually with a national or global influence. Some of the Jewish honorees included:

Judge Todd Edelman (Ladue ‘86) – Superior Court, District of Columbia

Daniel Estrin (Ladue ‘02) – Middle East correspondent for NPR and other media sources

Irv Gornstein (Ladue ‘69) – Executive Director, Supreme Court Institute at Georgetown Law

Bob Kolbrener (Ladue ‘60) – Photographer

Robert Nissenbaum (Ladue ‘69) – Co-founder – Imagine Foods, co-inventor – Rice Dream products

Rick Recht (Ladue ‘88) – Jewish rock star

Jill Turec (Ladue ’64) – Co-founder – Friends of Kids With Cancer.

Overland Sears Hometown Store owner Jim Cohen commemorated the grand opening of his new store at 9034 Overland Plaza with a ribbon cutting ceremony in July. Cohen is the fourth generation of the family that founded Central Hardware. For more information on the store, call 314-395-9444 or visit www.overlandsears.com

St. Louisian Shep Hyken was elected Vice-President of the National Speakers Association (NSA). He will become President of the organization the summer of 2014 at the group’s annual convention in Washington, D.C. Hyken is Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. As a customer service speaker and expert, Hyken works with companies who want to build loyal relationships with their customers and employees. He is a hall of fame speaker with the NSA and a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author.

Paul’z Burgerz & Dogz, co-owned by Robert Cassell, recently added 30 seats for their indoor and outdoor restaurant. The restaurant, located at 1947 Schuetz Road in Maryland Heights, also expanded its menu with an additional product line by G & W Sausage Company, a Bavarian-style supplier. Paul’z will feature the company’s sausage (Italian, hot polish, chorizo, and chicken) and bratwurst (jalapeno, as well as garlic).

Ryan Michael Fidell, now a senior at Parkway Central High School, was selected as a participant in the American Legion Boys State of Missouri, held this summer at University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. The program makes its selections based on leadership, citizenship, academics and character. It brings together 1,000 students to “build” an entire state government in a single week. Fidell is the son of Dan and Shellie Fidell. The family belongs to United Hebrew.

Eric E. Klein has been named one of 12 fellows of the American Society for Radiation Oncology. He will receive the designation Oct. 30 during the society’s 54th Annual Meeting in Boston. Klein is a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine. 

Amy Neuman has been appointed Program Coordinator at Gladys & Henry Crown Center for Senior Living, 8350 Delcrest Drive.  Neuman previously served as Associate Curator of Education at the Spertus Museum in Chicago. Most recently she served as the Volunteer Coordinator at the St. Louis Naturally Occurring Retirement Community.  Her responsibilities at Crown Center include coordination and planning of ongoing and new programs, as well as building relationships with and providing support to volunteers, residents and community participants.

 

Alan Prelutsky has been appointed Vice President of DASH Multi-Corp’s Textile Group, which produces coated, solution dyed, and laminated fabrics that are used in many industrial applications. Prelutsky has been with the firm for five years.

 

Julie A. Shapiro, D.O., was honored with two awards at the end of her first year of residency in Internal Medicine at Huron Valley Sinai Hospital in Commerce Township, Mich. Hospital faculty presented her the Intern of the Year award and she received the Gloria Belen Memorial Education Award for outstanding academic achievement. Daughter of Rand Shapiro and the late Susan Shapiro, Julie Shapiro is a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth.

 

Emily Sheffner, Client Administrator at Express Scripts, was named the first-ever board Fellow for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – Greater Missouri and Southern Illinois Chapter.

St. Louis Wing Company Chef and Owner Bobby Tessler and his crew took home three awards from the second annual Wing Ding, a chicken wing contest/fundraiser for the United Cerebral Palsy Heartland held at Queeny Park in August. Tessler and his crew earned the People’s Choice trophy, first place in the Hottest Wing category and third place for Best Specialty Wing (Cajun Alfredo). The eatery is located at 9816 Manchester Road in Rock Hill.

Jeremy Brenner, an attorney in Armstrong Teasdale’s Employment & Labor and Non-Compete/Trade Secrets practice groups, was named to the Anti-Defamation League’s Glass Leadership Institute for 2012-2013. He was also recently elected to the Board of Directors of St. Louis Hillel at Washington University. Brenner counsels and represents employers of all sizes and in a wide array of industries in employee-related matters and handles litigation at the administrative, state and federal levels. He also provides guidance and litigates claims concerning non-compete and non-solicitation agreements. A proponent of alternative dispute resolution, he is a Missouri certified mediator.