Helping people is the foremost purpose in business for Angela Stephens. The idea for Re-Focus the Creative Office was born to help her son, Drake Stephens, who had started struggling in school in fifth grade.

Newsmakers in the areas of accounting, banking & finance, education, health care, recognition, recreation/tourism and retail.

A newly formed pediatric partnership from Mercy Springfield Communities is seeking to fill service gaps that health system officials say have existed for years – but the arrangement does not involve partnering with CoxHealth to open a stand-alone pediatric hospital as previously planned.

Read profiles of this year's honorees.

Newsmakers in the areas of cannabis, education, health care, human resources, manufacturing, marketing, nonprofit and real estate.

Mercy is partnering with Children’s Mercy Kansas City.

Hidden Grounds Coffee House opened at The Fairbanks; Citizens Memorial Hospital launched a new clinic; and Springfield entrepreneur Mark Burgess brought a retro entertainment concept to town.

Ryan Skopec as Parkview Health Care Facility administrator is among a trio of promotions.

 The Alliance for Healthcare Education, formed last year by CoxHealth, Missouri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College and Springfield Public Schools, has appointed its first executive director.

Newsmakers in the areas of accounting, banking & finance, education, health care, media and recreation.

The Wheelhouse, a Mexican-Thai fusion restaurant, changed ownership; Ozark-based Clear Creek Golf Car and Vehicles LLC acquired local competitor Ozark Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles; and marijuana company The Farmer’s Wife changed hands.

The CMH Health & Wellness Clinic supports patients without primary care providers.

The hospital is the only one in Missouri among Money.com's best hospitals.

Newsmakers in the areas of banking & finance, education, health care and nonprofit.

The company, which built clinics for the health system, alleges it was retaliated against for blowing the whistle on executive activity.

Shallina Goodnight is hired to lead the Alliance for Healthcare Education.

The health system's International Nurse Fellowship Program is accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Places for People will become a subsidiary of Brightli through the deal.

A cannabis industry firm in Michigan is rolling out a rebranding of the dispensary to High Profile.

The Springfield higher education institution is now part of the Southwest Baptist University Mercy College of Health Professions.