Economic Development
The Willard Area Chamber of Commerce hired Jen Welton as its first executive director. She has six years of experience as owner of Boundless Creative and currently serves in leadership for Junior League of Springfield as vice president of communications.
Education Stacy Soden received Southwest Baptist University’s Orien B. Hendrex Distinguished Teacher Award and delivered the school’s recent convocation address. She joined the SBU faculty in 2010 and currently is chairwoman of the health sciences department, as well as an instructor in the radiology and health sciences programs on the Springfield campus. Soden previously worked 16 years in the Mercy health system.
SBU named Debbie Walker faculty newcomer of the year and Alyssa Glasgow staff newcomer of the year. Walker serves as assistant professor of psychology and coordinator of counseling services, and Glasgow works as the graphic designer in the marketing and communications office.
Health Care
Charlie Hungerford, director of admissions for the Mercy College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University, was selected for a two-year term as the communications committee chairman for the National Association for College Admission Counseling. NACAC comprises nearly 17,000 college and university admissions staff members.
Access Home Health Agency received a 4-star rating in patient satisfaction through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ quality rating system. It is the highest rating possible in the patient satisfaction category.
Phoenix Home Care Inc. promoted financial services billing specialist Brandi Crane to public relations representative. She’s worked for Phoenix since graduating from Indiana State University in 2014 with a bachelor’s in marketing and a concentration in sales and supply chain management.
Law
Best Lawyers in America listed Neale & Newman LLP partners J. Richard Owensby and Richard Schnake in its 2016 edition. Owensby, who practices in estate planning and probate, was named in the trusts and estates section, and Schnake, who specializes in appeals and intellectual property, was named in the appellate practice area.
Law Enforcement
Springfield Police Department promoted Sgt. Jennifer Charleston to lieutenant and officer Brian Reeves to sergeant. Also, police services representative LeAnn Keithley was promoted to records management systems administrator.
Manufacturing
Springfield Sign & Neon hired Abbie Fralicx as a process control engineer. She most recently worked as operations business process manager for Anheuser-Busch in Williamsburg, Va., and started with A-B in St. Louis.
SWI Industrial Solutions Inc. added John Foley, Joe Johnson and Brent McCoy to its board and appointed Jana Wolfe as secretary.
Foley is the retired general manager of SWI and former CEO of Arc of the Ozarks, Johnson is an attorney at Lathrop & Gage LLP, and McCoy is vice president of business development and commercial lending at OakStar Bank. Wolfe is a parent of an SWI employee and a community volunteer.
Nonprofit
The Rotaract Club named its 2016-17 board of directors: President Derek Richardson of Ollis/Akers/Arney; President-elect Jessica Harmison of Jack E. Weimer CPA PC; Secretary Lindsay Dale of BKD, LLP; Membership Director Madeline Brown of H Design Group LLC; Treasurer Andy Robinson of Robinson & Co. LLP; Public Relations Director Megan Neyer of Old Missouri Bank; Sergeant at Arms Dayle Duggins of 417 Magazine; Professional Development Director Abby Glenn of Habitat for Humanity of Springfield; and Past-president Bryant Young of Insurors of the Ozarks.
Private Companies
Inc. magazine ranked 11 Springfield-area firms on its 35th annual Inc. 5000 listing of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.
Based on three-year revenue growth, the local companies are Missouri Sun Solar LLC, No. 156; GigSalad, No. 690; Paragon Architecture Inc., No. 1,611; Russell Cellular Inc., No. 2,287; Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, No. 2,347; Group Benefit Services Inc., No. 2,393; The Great Game of Business Inc., No. 2,724; Classy Llama, No. 2,863; The Payroll Co., No. 3,680; JMark Business Solutions Inc., No. 4,078; and Everything KitchensLLC, No. 4,498. The companies will be honored Oct. 18-20 during ceremonies in San Antonio.
