Shonna Parrent Jerrica Fox Dawn Carrier Dr. Jayne Niskey

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women
BUSINESS
in
DR.
MARIBETH
PAYNE
DEAN OF INSTITUTIONAL
EFFECTIVENESS ACCREDITATION
LIASON OFFICER
THREE RIVERS COLLEGE
Celebrating
the achievements
of women
in the workplace.
Dawn Carrier
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
POPLAR BLUFF REGIONAL
MEDICAL CENTER
Dr. Jayne Niskey
LPC, LCSW, LMFT
Jerrica Fox
POPLAR BLUFF CITY COUNCILWOMAN
FIRST MIDWEST BANK
Shonna Parrent
CORPORAL
POPLAR BLUFF POLICE DEPARTMENT
photo by Corey Matthews
SUPPLEMENT TO THE DAILY AMERICAN REPUBLIC
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016
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2
W omen in business
TRC’s Dr. Maribeth Payne
says in
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By PAT PRATT
Staff Writer
Dr. Maribeth
Payne
Three Rivers College dean of
institutional effectiveness, Dr.
Maribeth Payne, currently has a
successful position in the world of
higher education. But during her
early career, she was breaking barriers in one of the most competitive
industries in the nation.
Payne holds a doctorate in
education, a master’s degree in
human resource development and
a bachelor’s degree in business.
Since 1990, she has worked in the
field of higher education at several
colleges.
Those include Palm Beach
Atlantic University, Indian River
State College, both in Florida,
Nunez Community College in
Louisiana and most recently at
Three Rivers College, leading the
college in areas of accreditation
compliance, policy development
and strategic planning.
Her list of awards and accomplishments in higher education
over 25 years is impressive.
However, few know that during
the early 1980s, Payne sought to
“make her bones” in the highly
aggressive and male-dominated, at
the time, field of professional real
C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E
Christy Shawan, CEO, Black River Medical Center
Thanking the many outstanding women for their hard work
and dedication to the success of Black River Medical Center.
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daily american republic 3
WWW.LARRYHILLIS.COM
estate appraisal.
And much to the chagrin of her
cohorts, she was extremely good at it.
“I was in there with the best of them
and it used to make the men in the office
very angry that I could out produce
them,” said Payne. “It was a competition
to them, although I didn’t realize that. I
was just there to make a living. I wasn’t
competing against anyone; I was just
trying to do my job and do it well”.
Payne was the first female real
estate appraiser in Palm Beach County,
Florida, and member of the Society of
Real Estate Appraisers saying,“In the
early years of my career as an appraiser,
I was often the only female present at
our monthly chapter meetings”.
“I learned very early on that it was
going to be a challenge, because men
often looked at me as if to say, ‘What
are you doing here?’ I was the first
female and was often sitting in a room
with 200 men from our chapter. And I
was in there at the table and competing
and all I knew is that I was doing my
job,”she said.
Payne refused to let the mindset of
her peers affect her work, and instead
sought solutions to improving those
relationships. This led her to researching what she believes is a cause of many
misunderstandings between genders –
differing communication styles.
“I began researching how to communicate better with the males I was working with, because the style is absolutely
different. As an example, I am very
expressive; I want to explain everything
in detail. I will get to the bottom line,
but I do spend a lot of time making it
very colorful along the way. And I think
it used to really irritate men, because
they just wanted me to get to the bottom
line,” Payne said.
Payne transitioned into her true passion in the world of higher education in
1990. But despite her now relating with
college officials instead of businessmen
and clients, she still focuses on communication styles as a means to improve
business relationships. She also became
certified in learning styles for the same
reason and has often successfully used
diagrams to explain a process to help her
colleagues with their understanding.
“I realized that people have both different communication styles and learning styles, not only men and women.
Everyone brings a different world view
to the table. So, it’s not just about the
difference in communication between
men and women, it’s about the differences between people, their back-
grounds, cultures and the past experiences they bring to the table,” said Payne.
“When I meet people, I often spend
time getting to know them better and
building trust with that person. Also,
when I know and understand where a
person comes from I am able to focus
the conversation on topics they can
relate to. It does not matter what gender
is at that point, the focus is about the
communication because the barrier does
not exist,” she said.
Payne believes that conditions in the
workplace have changed for the better
regarding female employees since her
early career days, and attributes this to a
number of changes in the family dynamic and society in general.
“I think there is more sharing of the
traditional roles than ever before, and
this is something we are experiencing in
the workplace as well. I believe, women
in traditional male dominated fields are
more accepted and I think society has
shifted that way. Additionally, there are a
greater percentage of males and females
in the workplace with a higher level of
education,” Payne said.
“Family planning has also become
very important. People are waiting and
are not having children at a younger age,
so they are spending more time looking
at their life and career planning early on
than they ever have before,” she said.
However, with the shift to professional life, and the stresses and challenges that come along with it, many
women face difficulties few of their
male counterparts know, as they juggle
the demands of balancing motherhood
and career.
“The challenge I faced in my life
was trying to do everything, trying to be
everything to everybody and trying to do
it all well... therefore, I am quite forgiving when I have staff that need to take
time off when their child is sick or has
a school recital, because when you face
those things yourself and still have to
maintain a job, it’s not easy,” Payne said.
Payne says despite those challenges,
the future for aspiring female professionals is bright. America currently has
more female doctors, attorneys, engineers, etc. than it has ever had in history,
according to a number of surveys, and
Payne hopes that trend will continue.
“Young women should not be
intimidated to seek a career in a male
dominated field. They should pursue
their dream job and realize they bring
a unique perspective that creates a balance that is needed in the workplace,”
she said.
in business
Thank you ladies of Larry Hillis Dodge for your
hard work & dedication to our family business!
-The Hillis Family
EXCEEDING YOUR EXPECTATIONS!
Hwy. 67 N & Shelby Road, Poplar Bluff
877-620-6713 573-686-5555
Left to right: Marilyn Brayton, Linda Wood, Ashley Eaker, Amber Robbins, Tracy Pierce,
Angie Croy, Jessica Walker, Jessica Reece, Jenny Fears, Julie Limpert, Rebecca Woodrum.
Not pictured: Robyn Hillis and Cheryl Chaffin.
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4
W omen in business
Marketing director, community
relations
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By BARBARA ANN HORTON
News Editor
Dawn Carrier
Dawn Carrier’s passion for
Poplar Bluff Regional Medical
Center, along with her skills in
time management and organization, help her fulfill her role as the
hospital’s director of marketing
and community relations.
“I am a huge ambassador of this
hospital,” Carrier said. “The hospital has been my home for over 15
years and I take pride in contributing to our success.”
Sustaining an injury in a traffic
accident created Carrier’s interest
in the medical field.
“Before I moved here I was in a
really bad car accident,” she said.
“I was rear ended by a semi and
Women in Real Estate
Patty Wright, Lucy Wheeler, Terri Whitten, Sara Pulliam,
Janet Davis, Julie Spencer, Tonya Carter, Donna Holloway, Jonell Miller
pictured from left to right:
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perfect fit for your lifestyle!
603 S. Westwood
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785-0867
PAUL ARNOLD Owner-Broker, GRI
the EMTs and paramedics were so
good to me.”
“I started as an EMT (emergency medical technician),” said
Carrier, adding she soon realized
the “hours are really hard for my
family.“
Emergency medical services
personnel often work 24-hour
shifts.
Infected with her love for health
C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E
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daily american republic 5
care, Carrier began working PRN (as
the occasion arises) at the hospital
in marketing, as well as working in
EMS. She wasn’t ready to return to a
career in a nonmedical field.
While in college at Missouri State
University in Springfield, Mo., she
worked at Wal-Mart. Later, she was
hired as the administration assistant to
the department head in charge of shoes
and jewelry at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. She
worked there five years prior to moving to Poplar Bluff. Locally, Carrier
managed the First Midwest Bank
branch at Wal-Mart.
After a few years working at
PBRMC in the marketing and human
resources departments, Carrier decided
to devote her skills to recruitment in
human resources. She was made director of business development and for
three years did all the recruiting at the
hospital.
Carrier recalls when she started her
career at Doctors Regional Medical
Center in 1999, there were few spe-
cialists practicing in Poplar Bluff.
Today, patients are able to stay in
town and receive specialized treatment.
“This is part of how we have
grown,” said Carrier, explaining with
pride, how PBRMC has expanded to
meet the needs of the area.
Carrier agreed to accept the director of marketing and community relations in April 2015 and works closely
with her team, which includes Amber
Christian and Lesli Campbell.
Describing her coworkers as “creative,” “hard working,” “truly amazing,” Carrier said, she and her team
work to create events to build pride
in the employees and to make the
employees and the physicians happy.
One of the results is the increased
scores on the patients surveys.
“I am always telling them that
working hard and being nice to people
will pay off,”she said.
Carrier and her team always are
looking for ways to “celebrate the
wins. Happy employees and physi-
cians are the ones who take care of
our patients.”
As director of marketing and community relations, Carrier works closely
with hospital operations and division
leadership on the marketing direction,
budget processes and quality of all
marketing and communication efforts.
She executes internal and external
marketing strategies to include advertising, public relations, crisis communication, online services, physician
marketing, service line development
and hospital outreach. Carrier maintains an ongoing awareness of customer research, market conditions and
competitor data relative to PBRMC.
She also assists with special projects,
research and events in support of division and/or company initiatives as
requested.
As active as Carrier and her staff
are at the hospital, they are “just
as active in the community,” she
said. Community groups they work
with include UCAN, Greater Poplar
Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce,
American Heart Association,
Alzheimer’s Association, American
Cancer Society, Women Aware and the
Boys & Girls Club.
To accomplish everything she needs
at work, Carrier utilizes time management and organization. Smiling as she
confessed she may be “OCD,” quickly
adding you have to be when you have
children and grandchildren.
Carrier’s four children are Dylan,
23, Kyle, 19, Maddie, 9, and Lawson,
2; and her two grandsons are Memphis
and Sebastian. Her husband, Jim, is
the varsity coach for baseball and basketball at Naylor High School.
Away from work, Carrier said, “I
enjoy spending time with my family.”
“I love to go to concerts,” she said.
While she enjoys attending a variety
of venues, she loves live acoustical
bands and goes to four or five concerts
a year.
Carrier “loves to travel as much as
possible,” with her most recent destinations being Seattle, Wash., Jamaica
and Mexico.
Ozark Federal Credit Union would like to thank Sharron Payne for her service and dedication for the
past 18 years. Sharron brings a lot of experience and professional judgment on behalf of the members to the
board meetings. Besides being on the Board of Directors, which is also a member appointed volunteer position,
Sharron serves on the Employee Relations Committee along with the Supervisory Committee. She is always
willing to volunteer for any community outreach we are involved in.
We were at a local event and I was amazed at how many phone calls she got during the evening to handle client
situations as the Public Administrator. While driving home I jokingly asked her what she did in her spare time
and she told me “You have to be exible because your job is 24/7 and there is always something that is going
to change your schedule.”
Sharron is also on the Division of Youth Services Board in Jefferson City and the board for Sierra Osage and
Sears Youth Center. She is a Multi-Purpose Committee Member for the Division of Mental Health and on
the Advisory Board for the Regional Center. As Public Administrator for 16 years she became a nationally
Registered Guardian. Sharron nished the conversation talking about how much she loved her church. Sharron
is a 20 year member of First Baptist. She said “God put me here for a purpose...and at the end of the day; when
you know you have helped someone...that is your reward.”
We are so grateful to have Sharron Payne as a board member because she has a heart to serve. That is “People
helping People” at its best.
Main Office
2438 Katy Lane / 573-686-7221
5 Locations to Serve You. Poplar Bluff, Piedmont and Dexter.
Membership Eligibility Required
Loan Terms & Conditions
Based on Eligibility
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W omen in business
In her new role, PBPD supervisor
s
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‘go-to
By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH
Associate Editor
Shonna Parrent
In her new role as a supervisor with
the Poplar Bluff Police Department,
Shonna Parrent sees herself as the “go-to
person” for the junior officers she works
with and the public.
A seven-year veteran of the department, Parrent was promoted to corporal in December after having been
the night-shift supervisor for several
months.
“I was kind of field training, leading up to this (but) it kind of got here
sooner than we expected,” said Parrent.
“There was a position open
in November, a corporal
spot.
“None of us were really
expecting it, so it came open
and I jumped on it, and it all
worked out.”
Now, Parrent said, she
and the other supervisors
rotate shifts, and she is in
charge of approving reports
and taking citizens’ complaints.
“It’s pretty much the same
stuff as being on regular
patrol,” she said. “I’m just
the go-to person if a problem
arises.”
During the course of a day,
Parrent said, a full shift is 13
officers.
“Usually, we have about
seven throughout the day, and
five or six at night,” Parrent
said.
Several of those officers on
Parrent’s shift are fairly new to
the department.
“The past couple of years,
we’ve got several new guys
that have under two years (of
experience) under their belts,”
said Parrent. “I’m trying to
be the go-to person and offer
guidance for junior officers.”
In law enforcement, Parrent
said, there is always something
different that goes on every day.
C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E
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“No two calls are exactly the
same; that’s the nature of the
work,” Parrent said. “Once you
get in and get a couple of years
under your belt, you see most
of just about anything.”
Parrent said her new position
has been a little bit more work.
“Before, I was accountable
for me and myself,” she said.
“Now, I’m accountable for 10
to 12 other people.
“When they turn in a report,
and then I have to sign off on it,
I’m signing off that it is good,
and there are no mistakes.”
Parrent said her shift mates
have responded well to her new
position.
“We’ve all adapted well;
they don’t have a problem at all
following or asking my advice,
having me come by their calls,
asking what direction they
should take,” Parrent said. “I
appreciate them having the confidence in me to come to me for
guidance.”
women
daily american republic 7
Everyone on the shift, she
said, works “real well together.
We all help each other out when
we need to.”
Being an officer, according
SEE
PA R R E N T
O N PA G E 1 2
We salute the many
of First Midwest Bank
ane Smith
Norma McL
ton
Erin Eding
Breck (Mac) Crook
Teresa Ruec
k
Debbie Shelt
on
n
Lisa Adamso
KACIA ARMES
REBECCA ATWOOD
BRITTNEY BARKER
TAYLOR BARKER
SAMATHA BARRETT
SHELLEY BRUCE
BRANDY BURLESON
MARGARET CARTER
TERRIE COOPER
ANNA MARIE DAVIED
KATIE DENNIS
CHARMAYNE EDINGTON
Jana McLa
ne Brown
SANDY EMERSON
WHITNEY ENGEL
KAREN ESQUIVEL
JERRICA FOX
TAMMY GORDON
ALEXIS GREEN
MADELINE GUETHLE
LORIANNE HALL
RHONDA HANCOCK
AMANDA HARMON
AMIE HAYS
FRANCES HEFNER
GENNY HOFFMEISTER
KRISTIN HOFFMEISTER
JENNIFER HUBBARD
AUDREY KASTER
DEBBIE KIRKMAN
PATRICIA KOWALSKI
BARBARA LEWIS
MELISSA LEWIS
KELLY LUCAS
AMY LUKE
SHAUNA LYONS
JULIE MARSH
ALICIA MCANULTY
TIARA MCCLURE
ALLISON MCCLURE
LYNN MCCORMACK
STACIE MCCUTCHEON
CATHERINE MCDANIEL
DAKOTAH MCMEANS
JEAN MILLER
TWILLA LANSFORD
JAMIE LATHUM
JODI POGUE
TARA PORTER
MICHELE PORTER
ALLISON POTEET
ASHLEY POYNOR
ASHLEY PROCTOR
MEGAN REED
SHIRLEY ROUEN
HANNAH SHACKLES
MARGIE SHIPMAN
MICHELLE SOMERS
TAMMY SOMERS
CARLY STUCKER
CARRIE THURNER
RAEANNA TOTH
BRITTANY VAUGHN
WANDA WARREN
CASSIE WHELCHEL
BARBARA WHITE
KARA WILMOTH
AMBER WINTERBOWER
COURTNEY WOODALL
MARCI WOODLARD
North
3069 N. Westwood Blvd.
785-0044
Columbia
10 East Southampton
442-9900
1215 Fellows Place
815-7500
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W omen in business
Family tradition led
Jerrica Fox
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By DONNA FARLEY
Staff Writer
Jerrica Fox
Loss and experience have transformed Jerrica Fox from a high
school student who wanted a big
paycheck to the family-focused and
community-minded woman now
making her home in Poplar Bluff,
Mo.
Deb ballarD
Deb Ballard owner and operator of Deb’s Diamonds and More has been in the business of
helping others for over 40 years. She moved here in 1972 from St. Louis and in 1978 she
and her husband Laymon with their daughter Christy opened their jewelry store. Located for
years on Westwood Blvd., she decided in January of 2015 to move into the Consignment Mall
of Butler County located at 1901 Sunset Drive. While Deb was at the mall she found another
passion, selling furniture and now she not only has her jewelry store but in December she took
on another job as manager of the mall. Deb has always had the passion to help others, she is
a life time member of the Girl Scouts and served over 40 years being of service from leader
to trainer to service unit manager. You will find Deb at the Consignment Mall between 8 and
6 on Tuesday through Friday and 8 to 5 on Saturday. Her passion is tending to others’ needs
whether it be selling a first engagement ring to a young couple or finding the right sofa for
someone who’s looking for that special piece. Give Deb a call at 727-9952 if you’re interested
in buying or if you have a piece of furniture or jewelry that you would like to consign, she and
her staff will be more than happy to help you.
Consignment Mall
1901 SUNSET DR. • POPLAR BLUFF, MO
727-9952
LAURIE M. ALLEN, DC FIAMA
Dr. Allen has been in chiropractic practice 23 years. She received her degree from
Logan Chiropractic College, St. Louis, MO. She expanded her practice to include
acupuncture and clinical nutrition.
She blends state of the art technology with ancient healing arts. The treatments
are very safe, gentle and effective.
She takes a natural approach to health and wellness by looking at the whole
picture. The body’s structure is only the starting point. A total wellness evaluation
includes assessing imbalances in structure, nutrition, energy, stress levels, allergies
and toxicity. Patients have experienced relief from conditions including back pain,
headaches, allergies, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia to name a few.
Allen Chiropractic Wellness Center
1018 S. Westwood Blvd., Suite 5
573-778-0500
www.allenchiropracticwellness.com
Fox, 24, took the helm in
January of First Midwest Bank’s
synergy department in Poplar
Bluff. This group is tasked with
creating digital files from the
bank’s paper loan documents.
This has offered an opportunity
to learn the many ins and outs of the
banking world, according to Fox.
It’s also a step forward on a
path that still remains uncharted
for the Butler County native, who
was elected in April to an at large
position on the Poplar Bluff City
Council.
“The real thing that was important to me (in high school), was
what position can I get in to make
the most money,” Fox said. “Now,
I’ve learned that none of that’s
really important.”
Fox’s plans began to shift in her
C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E
Donna Belcher
Owner of Quality Choice Hearing Aid Center, Inc. has over 26 years experience as a hearing health
care provider and has been serving the community’s hearing health care needs in Poplar Bluff and
Dexter many years. Donna grew up and attended school in Lilbourn Mo. and college at Southeast
University in Cape. She became liscensed to dispense hearing aids in 1990 and received her
National Board Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences in 1998. Donna started her practice
in 1999 in Poplar Bluff and then extended to an additional office in Dexter in 2005.
She attributes her success to her loyal patients and strongly believes that her faith in God and
prayer is the reason for their success. Donna, along with her husband Bruce is pleased to announce they will be celebrating their 19th anniversary at Quality Choice this year. We have expanded the Poplar Bluff office to include an on-sight lab for repairs of hearing aids, and we also
have an additional full service office in Dexter which is located at 1615 W. Bus,. Hwy. 60 #F.
Bruce and Donna have 4 children and 11 grandchildren. They reside in Dexter and are members of First Baptist Church. We would like to thank all those who have placed their trust in us
and allowed us to take care of their hearing healthcare needs.
Quality Choice Hearing Aid Center, Inc.
2725 N. Westwood Blvd. • Suite 3 Ozark Plaza
Poplar Bluff, MO • 573-686-6500 • 1-800-244-5219
1615 W. Bus. Hwy. 60 Suite F • Dexter, MO • 573-624-5400
Please visit our website at: qualitychoicehearing.com...................................
Like Us On Facebook
Tyler Tinsley Kramer, OD
At Kramer Family Vision, a patient will always receive professional eye care with a
personal touch. A Poplar Bluff native, Dr. Kramer opened Kramer Family Vision in
2008 where she and her experienced staff enjoy working with patients of all ages.
The practice offers an extensive frame selection for any style or budget, including
basic and designer frames, sunglasses, sports goggles, and safety eyewear.
Dr. Kramer studied at the University of Missouri College of Optometry and
graduated with honors in contact lens fitting. In addition to comprehensive vision
exams, Dr. Kramer provides experienced care and management of eye injury and
the detection of eye disease. As an associate member of the College of Optometrists
in Vision Development, Dr. Kramer is trained in Behavioral Optometry and Vision
Therapy to help patients with learning related vision problems, disorders of
binocular vision, and traumatic brain injury. In her spare time, Dr. Kramer enjoys
spending time on the Black River with her large extended family.
Kramer Family Vision
BLACK RIVER MEDICAL CENTER • SUITE 107
Located at the Copper Top Building - Hwy. 67 & PP Hwy.
573.686.3991
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daily american republic 9
senior year of college, when she realized a love
of math wasn’t enough by itself to build a career
in accounting. At the same time, she moved back
to Poplar Bluff because her grandmother, Brenda
Fox, had been diagnosed with cancer.
Fox learned to enjoy working with numbers
while spending summers in the Butler County
courthouse with her grandmother, a longtime
Butler County collector.
“It brought home to me how precious time
with family is, and that I am fortunate,” she
said.
While spending as much time as possible
with her family, Fox also worked full-time at a
First Midwest Bank branch. She commuted to
Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark., to
finish her course work for a degree in finance,
with an emphasis in financial management and
banking.
During three years that followed, Fox lost
three people who were close to her, including
her grandmother. She realized whatever her
future held, it would happen in her hometown.
“I’m a very, very family oriented person.
This is where my family is,” said Fox.
She joined the banking field because it
offered an opportunity for customer interaction.
“What matters to me is to be able to go to
work and not feel like I’m at work,” Fox said.
Her interests may take her into lending one
day, or a full-time move to pubic service, following in her grandmother’s footsteps.
As a city council member, Fox wants to help
make Poplar Bluff a better and stronger community.
“Since joining the council, I feel like that
has really brought awareness to me of the great
things Poplar Bluff is doing, as well as of the
problems we have,” she said.
Too many people of my generation believe
they have to move away to improve their lives,
according to Fox.
“I hope I can help change that, and show
them that they can make their dreams happen at
home,” she said.
Right now, Fox is carefully choosing which
and how many groups she participates in. She
is active in her church, Sacred Heart Catholic
Church, where she was recently asked to serve
on the church council, and is a member of St.
Ann’s Society. Fox is the council representative
on the city’s park board and art museum board,
and is a board member of Altrusa International,
which promotes literacy.
“I make sure that I make time for everything that I sign up for,” she said. “I want to
make sure to be involved, if I’m a member.”
She hasn’t ruled out a run for other elected
offices.
Whatever happens next, Fox understands
that it will take hard work.
“I know that nothing is ever given to you,”
she said. “That makes it even more exciting to
me, when you reach that point, because you
know what you put into it to get there.”
Fox draws on the lessons she has learned
from her grandmothers, Brenda Fox and Trudy
Duncan, as well as her mother, Gail Fox.
“I would say these three women right there
are why I’m so passionate about being success-
ful as a woman in business,” she said.
Duncan raised five children on her own, and her own mother
raised two daughters as a single mother, Fox said. They both
started their own businesses, while Fox also saw the passion her
other grandmother had for serving the community.
“They are why I am so independent and know that I can do
anything I set my mind to, that I can work in a team, but also do
it on my own if I need to,” she said.
General Dentistry for Children & Adults
DO YOU HAVE TIME FOR
TWO DENTAL VISITS?
WE DIDN’T THINK SO.
Amy Rowland, DDS
HOW DOES CEREC WORK?
1611 N. Westwood Blvd.
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
573-686-5030
Now Offering Same Day Crowns
Unlike typical restorations, which require you to wear a temporary crown and return for a second appointment, CEREC
restorations are created the same day, right in our practice. Color matched, metal free and highly durable, CEREC delivers
the results you need in a single appointment, whether you need a full crown, a simple filling or veneers.
And you can get back to your life.
• Single-visit convenience • No uncomfortable temporaries or impression trays • Beautiful esthetics
• Natural look and feel • Clinically proven with millions of successful restorations worldwide
• General Dentistry
Fillings, Crowns
Root Canals
Extractions
Dentures
• Cosmetic Dentistry
Implant Restorations
Teeth Whitening
Porcelain Veneers
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
• Children’s Dentistry
Teeth Cleaning
Fluoride Treatment
• Preventive Care
RECOGNIZING OUR
professional women
IN REAL ESTATE
We are proud of our professional women
who help make our office successful.
Suzann Nance
776.5799
Kim King
429.9200
Rhenda Hutchison
776.5555
Jackie Robison
Carla Hicks
714.2803
Office Manager
Cindy-Lou Morgan
Administrative Assistant
Traci Barbour
718.8859
Poplar Bluff Realty,Inc.
1800 N. Westwood Blvd., Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
573.785.7600
www.poplarbluffrealtyinc.com
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10
W omen in business
Dr. Jayne Niskey’s
passion is ves
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c
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helping
By BARBARA ANN HORTON
News Editor
Dr. Jayne E.
Niskey
Dr. Jayne E. Niskey’s counseling practice and
her home are nestled in a serene valley about 12
miles north of Poplar Bluff, Mo., which makes
her commute to work short.
While her early career path wasn’t as serene as
her life is today, it prepared her to make a difference in others’ lives, as well as her own and manage her own business.
800.286.5892
Niskey is a licensed professional counselor (LPC), licensed
clinical social worker (LCSW), and licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT).
“I do individual, marriage, family, child, adolescent and geriatric issues and compulsive disorders, such as substance abuse
and eating disorders, gambling,” she said.
She worked in factories while earning her bachelor’s
degree in elementary education from Millersville University,
Millersville, Pa. She also worked as a waitress and secretary.
After college, she and a friend planned to move to Hawaii
where Niskey had a job teaching. The friend, who had dropped
out of college, died of a drug overdose shortly before they were
to settle there. Niskey’s plans changed when she was recruited
during the Watts riots to work in the Watts District of the Los
Angeles City Schools, where she was the only white person at
the school.
Although she was teaching second grade, many of her students
C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E
www.poplarbluffchamber.org
p p
g
1111 W
W. Pine
Pine, Poplar Bluff
573-785-7761
www.vnasemo.com
“You Will Feel Better....
Just Knowing We Are There!”
Skilled Nursing-Therapy-Hospice-Homemaker Services
&
The Chamber of Commerce salutes
our local business women
for their outstanding
SERVICE
DEDICATION
to our community.
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daily american republic 11
were old enough to be in fifth grade. One day, Niskey was
confronted by other teachers about a student named John who
had killed his father with a butcher knife in the family’s kitchen. When Niskey asked him what happened, he said he had to
stand up for his mother’s honor and so he killed his father.
“That was when I decided, I needed to teach core values
and go into counseling,” she said. “It took me six years to
get the money to return to school.”
After completing her master’s and doctorate degrees
at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, and her training, she
returned to California, where she met and married Warren
Kerber. A veteran who served with the Army Medical
Service Corps in Korea during the Vietnam era, Kerber has
a Master’s degree in Hospital Administration. She credits
him with teaching her to “run the practice as a business.”
Moving often for Kerber’s career, Niskey was a counselor in Santa Ana, Calif., Oregon City, Ore., Canoga Park.
Calif., Camarillo, Calif., and Colorado Springs, Colo.,
before arriving in Southeast Missouri. She worked in
Kennett, Mo., before practicing in Poplar Bluff. Niskey and
Kerber decided to make their home in the area with Niskey
practicing locally while Kerber often commuted for his
career.
In her efforts to give back to the community and remove
the stigma associated with mental health, Niskey became
one of the first mental health providers in the area to offer
free brown bag luncheon programs. She planned hour-long
mental health programs and invited anyone to attend. The
First United Methodist Church officials donated the church’s
fellowship hall, which usually was packed.
Niskey is proud of being a charter member of Women
Aware and recalls the group’s founder, Eleanor Jacks, coming to visit with her about helping establish the organization.
She also served on the Missouri Committee for Professional
Counselors, an appointment made in the early 1990s by
Gov. Mel Carnahan.
After several years working in town, she decided to move
her office adjacent to her home so she could personally look
after her dad, Jay Niskey. She wanted to ensure he was well
cared for at the end of his life.
Niskey and her patients made the transition smoothly, all
the while contributing to her dad’s joy in life. Her patients
always visited with her dad, and he’d say, “I have
so many friends!” Niskey considered it one of
God’s blessings that they were able to enjoy the
time they spent together.
Today, she believes moving her practice has
been an amazing opportunity for the patients.
She offers a solo private practice and since
she’s the only one on staff, there is total confidence. She does her own chart work and uses a
bonded typing service. All the files are stored for
the legal amount of time until they are burned.
While streamlining her practice, Niskey decided to stop accepting insurance. “They pay me at
the time of service and if they want to bill their
insurance, they may.”
One does not have to be mentally unstable to
come to a counselor. Often times, a person needs a
consultant for a short period.
“I tell my patients you are coming to me and
my practice for quality of life,” she said. “You are
coming to me for stress management skills. We are
a team. We will problem solve this together.”
Niskey custom creates sessions for each person,
couple or family. “What do they want solved,” she
asks. “We make a list and treatment plan. It is very
simple.” She explains it is as “cooperative effort
and requires team work and homework on their
part.
“I care about my patients,” she said. “I believe
I’m here in a certain role and to bring a little
blessing. We should be able to cope and run our
lives. We need to take charge of our lives.”
She wants her patients to not only learn about
coping and surviving but how to really improve
the quality of their lives.
“We should be able to run our lives; not our
lives run us,” she said.
“I love family work. Being a parent in today’s
world is stressful,“ she said, adding she “helps
families work through the tough times.” When
counseling families, Niskey wants the “children
there for the sessions,” which she describes as
“very wonderfully simple” using common sense
and her training.
A Christian counselor. Niskey said, “I pray
every day God will send me those who I may help
and bless each of us. That is how it should be.”
Staying up-to-date not only in her training, she
is keeping up with the information age by having
web and Facebook pages about her practice.
“If I am doing the work right, I will work
myself out of a job,” she said. “This is how I make
my living; it is not just a job. I am working two
days a week and it is just perfect for me. It is very
modern and serene. I keep current. It is simple and
a great way to run a practice.”
“This is a passion for me,” said Niskey, adding
“The day I am not connected, I’ll hang it up.”
Danielle SiSSon • JeSSica Sawyer
Poplar Bluff natives Jessica Sawyer and Danielle
Sisson take great pride in serving the community with
fresh food in a fun and friendly environment at THE
MADD HATTER CAFE. The Cafe is located inside the
consignment mall at 1901 Sunset Drive. Jess & Dani
serve up excellence daily between the hours of 7:00am
- 2:00pm. New breakfast and lunch specials keep the
menu from becoming the same old...same old, you
never know what you’ll find! Both ladies are excited
about fulfilling their dream of owning and operating a
business and look forward to future expansion.
co-owners:
Madd Hatter Cafe
1901 Sunset Drive. • Poplar Bluff, MO • 573-785-7423
Carry-out is available. The Cafe is closed on Sunday and Monday.
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PARRENT FROM PAGE 7
to Parrent, is not the “easiest job”
to go into and learn in a week.
“It’s not like a factory job,
where repetition” is involved,
Parrent said. “Dealing with the
public sometimes can be different.
“I don’t see people on their
best days; I don’t see people on
the days of their wedding, births
of their children.”
As an officer, “I see people on
the day of their most tragic event,
be that a car crash or they’ve just
got robbed or they had a death in
the family,” she said.
While Parrent hates to be the
“bearer of bad news,” she said,
that is usually “what this job
entails.”
Being a supervisor, Parrent
said, has been what she expected.
“I’ve always worked close,
been close friends, with the current administration and supervisors,” Parrent said.
Since joining the department
in January 2009, Parrent said,
she always has wanted to go into
supervision and be promoted.
“I paid attention to what the
senior officers do over the course
of the year (and) pay attention
to what other people are doing
and correcting small mistakes,”
Parrent said.
Being a woman in a supervisory role, she said, hasn’t been
an issue.
“Most of the administration
seems pretty happy; I didn’t really expect there to be much of a
difference,” Parrent said. “Like I
said, I’ve got a pretty good working relationship with everyone on
the shift.
“It’s transitioned fairly well
for me. I don’t think there is anyone who would have any complaints … I don’t get any negative (comments) that come from
being a female as opposed to a
male in this field of work.”
Parrent said she will continue
to “strive to try to better myself”
and be open to further promotions.
“I’m pretty goal oriented; I’m
not going to stay content at this
point where I’m at,” Parrent said.
“If a position opens in the future,
then I’ll be right in line to try to
go for it just as much as everyone else.”