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1. BAYNES BANK

   Tuesday, May 15 2012 12:07 PM

   BAYNES BANK has been promoted to become vice president and business development officer at Mission Bank. Bank, formerly a relationship manager at Mission, has more than 30 years of experience as a real estate and business professional in and around Kern County. He served as executive vice president of operations at Lennar Homebuilders and has worked for Tricor Title, Coldwell Banker Commercial Group and Royal T Management Co. In his new position he is to assess market opportunities and identify target markets. He is an elder at First Presbyterian Church and is a member of East Rotary Club and former president of the Active 20-30 Club.

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2. MARGIE GATSON-SCHWARTZ

   MARGIE GATSON-SCHWARTZ has earned a designation as a Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer from the Independent Community Bankers Association. Gatson-Schwartz serves as assistant vice president and compliance and risk officer at Mission Bank. She has more than 40 years of banking experience, having begun her career at American National Bank in the early 1970s. She started with Mission in December 2000, working in branch and administration operations. Her new designation certifies that she is more knowledgeable and proactive in complying with requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act and regulations of the U.S. Department o the Treasury, the Community Investment Act, as well as rules regarding information technology, safety and soundness/risk management and various lending disclosure requirements.

3. JIM KNAPP

   JIM KNAPP has joined Premier Realty. Formerly with Karpe Real Estate, Knapp has won the Bakersfield Association of Realtors’ Salesperson of the Year award, and has served as the group’s president. He is a former director of the California Association of Realtors.

4. RHESIRIC “BEAUTY” BEDUYA

   RHESIRIC “BEAUTY” BEDUYA has joined Premier Realty as a Realtor. Formerly employed in the banking industry, Beduya comes to Premier from the Philippines, and is fluent in Visayan and Tagalog. She serves as second vice president of the Women’s Active 20/30 Club.

5. MARIE CASTANEDA

   MARIE CASTANEDA has been promoted to become deputy court executive officer for operations at Kern County Superior Court. Castaneda is to oversee all of the county’s court operations. She has worked at the court for 30 years and previously served as operations manager for the regional courts and traffic court.

6. MARK TOMLINSON

   MARK TOMLINSON has been accepted to work as a legal intern this summer at the Law Office of Michael C. Lukehart. Tomlinson graduated from Bakersfield Christian High School and earned a bachelor’s degree at Biola University. He is working on a law degree at Pepperdine University’s School of Law.

7. DENNIS STITT

    

9. DEIDRA BAUSANO

   DEIDRA BAUSANO has joined Avante Behavioral Health as a business developer and account manager in the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Coast. She is to be responsible for identifying and managing client/broker relationships as well as enrollment and assistance for group clients. She has 12 years of experience in the field of employee benefits. She is a founding member of the Kern Association of Health Underwriters and is a member of the state and national health underwriters associations, as well as the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and the Bakersfield Republican Women Federated. Avante is a licensed behavioral health-care company that provides carve-out mental health plans and employee assistance programs.

10. MARCELO RODRIGUEZ

     

11. ALIZA MCCRACKEN

    ALIZA MCCRACKEN has received a Marquis Spirit of Achievement Cathedral award. The honor is intended to recognize the Bakersfield-based artist’s creative expression and community outreach. McCracken has authored and illustrated four award-winning artistic and poetic books. She is working on a fifth book, “Celebrating a Beautiful Life.”

12. DR. AMANDA HARTNACK

    DR. AMANDA HARTNACK has been awarded a 2012 Food Animal Incentive Award by the Western Veterinary Conference. Hartnack, an Ohio State University graduate living in Bakersfield, was among only five veterinarians to receive the distinction, which is intended to honor graduates’ commitment to food animal practice.

13. RICK BRAUER

    RICK BRAUER has been promoted to become vice president and manager of Citizens Business Bank’s Central Valley Agribusiness Department in Bakersfield. Brauer previously worked as vice president and manager of the Rosedale Business Financial Center and the Ming Business Financial Center in Bakersfield. He joined Citizens when it took over San Joaquin Bank in October 2009; he had worked at San Joaquin for 18 years as a center manager. Brauer earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Eastern New Mexico University. He also attended the University of Washington and the National School of Lending at the University of Oklahoma.

14. LINDA HARPER

    LINDA HARPER has been promoted to become vice president of operations for State Farm California. Harper joined State Farm as a health claim examiner in 1986. She has worked in various leadership roles in auto and fire claim operations. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the University of Florida, and has earned designations as a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter, Chartered Life Underwriter and Fellow of the Life Management Institute.