The Village Shalom Board of Directors announces the election of new officers for the 2010-2011 term and the appointment of several new board members. Michael Abrams was elected Chairman of the Board; other newly elected officers include Rod Minkin, Vice Chairman; Ann Darke, Treasurer; and Steve Gershon, Secretary.

Jonny Girson, Dr. Andrew Kaufman, Vicki Novorr and Marcia Schoenfeld are newly appointed to the Board of Directors. They join Bernard Erdman, Pella Fingersh, Karen Glickstein, Susie Goldsmith, Shirley Helzberg (Life Member), Joseph Hiersteiner, James Klein, Michael Liss, Rodney Minkin and Debbie Sosland-Edelman, who are continuing their service as Board members.

Sue McCord-Belzer is stepping down as a member of the Board after a two-year term. “Sue has been a tremendous asset,” said President and CEO Matthew Lewis. “She is extremely committed to our organization and our residents, and we know that she will continue to be involved in Village Shalom and the community as an advocate for the care and well-being of our senior population.”

Michael Abrams assumes leadership of the Village Shalom Board of Directors from James M. Klein, who has served as Chairman since 2008. Abrams, an attorney and partner in the law firm Lathrop and Gage LLP, has been a Village Shalom Board member since 2004. He also has been board chair of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee, and has served on the boards of Congregation Beth Shalom and the Johnson County Library Foundation. He was recently appointed to the Kansas State Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He and his wife, Renana, have three children.

Michael Abrams

Klein expressed his enthusiasm for the new Board to be led by Michael Abrams. “I have had the pleasure of working with Michael in other community efforts and have always been impressed by his sound thinking, steady leadership, and thoughtful consideration of others. His skills are a great fit for helping Village Shalom realize its full potential.” Regarding the new Board members, Klein added, “It is gratifying to see the caliber of community volunteers wanting to serve on the Village Shalom Board. These four new members will add valuable insight and passion to an already dynamic group of community leaders.”

As new members of the Village Shalom Board of Directors, Girson, Kaufman, Novorr and Schoenfeld bring a broad spectrum of skills and experience to the governing body of the continuing-care retirement community.

Jonny Girson and his wife, Jane, own The Learning Tree, a store for educational toys and gifts. A native of South Africa, Girson holds degrees in business and accounting from the University of Witwatersrand and the University of South Africa. He moved to the United States in 1989. His community involvements have included serving on the board of directors of Congregation Beth Torah, and as a director and officer of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. He has also served as president of the board of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) and currently is a director for The Good Toy Group. The Girsons have three children.

Jonny Girson

Dr. Andrew Kaufman is a neurosurgeon affiliated with Midwest Spine Care in Kansas City, MO. He received his degree in medicine from Case-Western Reserve University, and completed his residency at Yale-New Haven Medical Center. He is a returning member of the Village Shalom Board of Directors, having previously served from 2000-02. His community involvement also includes terms on the board of directors of Mid-America Coalition on Health Care, Menorah Medical Center Foundation, The Jewish Community Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City and Temple B’nai Jehudah. He also has served as president of the Metropolitan Medical Society Health Care Plan and the R.A. Bloch Cancer Management Center. He and his wife, Lynn, have two grown daughters.

Dr. Andrew Kaufman

Vicki Novorr is an owner of Travel with TLC, a division of The Travel Group. She attended the University of Texas-Austin and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Her extensive commitment to community service spans 32 years, and includes membership on the boards of the Menorah Medical Center Auxiliary and the State Ballet of Missouri Guild. She and her husband, Keith, have two sons.

Vicki Novorr

Marcia Kraft Schoenfeld received a B.S. degree in elementary education from the University of Kansas. A former teacher for the Hickman Mills and Shawnee Mission school districts and The Kansas Institute, she is currently coordinator of donor family services and community education for Midwest Transplant Network. Her many years of community involvement include membership on the board of directors of Menorah Medical Center Auxiliary, Health Midwest of Johnson County, Menorah Medical Center, HCA Midwest Division Internal Review Board, and Menorah Legacy Foundation. She has two grown children, and is married to Fred Greenstein.

Marcia Kraft Shoenfeld

“Once again, Village Shalom is blessed with an excellent addition of community leaders to serve on its Board,” said Abrams in acknowledging the caliber and experience of the new members. “With the energy they bring to an already outstanding Board, we will continue to focus on ensuring that Village Shalom fulfills its mandate to the community by providing excellent care and programming for our seniors.”