Newsmakers: Dec. 4-10, 2023

Accounting
KPM CPAs & Advisors appointed Keith Seiwert as a co-leader of the audit and assurance department, along with Jonathan G. Cummings. Seiwert, a certified public accountant, has 15 years of experience.

Architecture
The Springfield chapter of the American Institute of Architects added Danielle Palmer of HK Architects and Nathan Burkholder of Burkholder Architecture to its board of directors and elected its 2024 officers: Layne Hunton, president; Emily Whitty, president-elect; Amber Summers, secretary; and Tim Rosenbury, treasurer.

Athletics
The Springfield Sports Commission hired Stan Adams as director of sports business development, succeeding Katie Johnson, who transitioned to director of local strategies and events. Adams previously served as executive director of sports at Visit Tuscaloosa in Alabama and also has worked as the sports business representative for Wicomico County in Salisbury, Maryland. He holds a bachelor’s in business administration-marketing and a master’s in sport management from University of Alabama.

Education
The Keeter Center at College of the Ozarks received 2023 Best of the Best and Readers’ Choice awards from ConventionSouth, a national multimedia resource for event planning. The center is featured as an award recipient in the December issue of ConventionSouth magazine.

Health Care
Mercy hospitals in Springfield and Joplin received A grades in the fall 2023 hospital safety report by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit patient safety advocate. Seven other hospitals in the Mercy system also scored an A, joining 30% of hospitals across the country to earn the highest possible grade based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, and the processes in place to prevent harm.

Law
Carnahan Evans attorneys John M. Carnahan III, Thomas D. Peebles Jr. and Joseph “Chip” Sheppard III were named top attorneys for 2023 by Missouri-Kansas Super Lawyers magazine and Andrew T. Peebles was on the Missouri-Kansas Rising Stars list. Each was recognized by peers in their respective practice areas: Carnahan, tax; Peebles Jr., estate and probate; Sheppard, cannabis law; and Peebles, estate and probate.

Manufacturing
Vital Farms’ Egg Central Station was named Food Engineering magazine’s Sustainable Plant of the Year. The award recognizes sustainability initiatives including LED lighting, solar panels and a stormwater management system designed to improve energy efficiency.

Media
Mediacom Communications Corp. (Nasdaq: MCCC) recognized seven Springfield employees for top performance rankings in system administration and customer service. Charles Heflin earned the highest marks in customer service over the past year and received one of 40 national gold-level awards issued by the company. Nicole Fienhold received Lead Agent of the Year, and Johanna Gelsheimer was named Sales Agent of the Year – both national silver-level awards. Deborah Dukes earned a national bronze-level award for technical support and sales performance. Other awards went to Michelle Schmitt, Area Operations Employee of the Year; Dianalynn Sparkman, Employee’s Choice Award; and Linda Diaz, People’s Choice Award.