Awards and Achievements

Community

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce recently presented its 2002 community awards. Honored were Carol Orr, The Mary Award; Marvin Motley, The Pioneer Award; Bill Weimar, The Ambassador Award; Reeds Spring School District's "R" Project, The Beautification Award; and John Bates, The Community Spirit Award. Special Recognition Awards were presented to Lee Orth and Jim Langham.

KY3 and the American Red Cross Greater Ozarks Chapter honored 18 individuals at the third annual Everyday Heroes Breakfast. Honored were Sally Ann Nance, Lonnie Killingsworth, David Fenton, Madge Martin, Adam Lupton, Jeremy Halverson, Tommy Michael, Mark A. Powell, Larry Alexander, Dale Reber, Caleb Taylor, Shandalei Guinn, John W. Buckner IV, Trudi Scott, Col. Michael S. Clark, MD, and Delena, Deniece and Dennis Souder.

Education

Seven SMSU faculty members recently received grants.

Three members of the geography and chemistry faculties received a $21,000 grant from the Missouri Conservation Commission for their work with the Little Sac basin watershed. The grant, renewed for the past three years, assists with research on stream channels north of Springfield. Recipients of the grant were Robert Pavlowsky, Rex Cammack and Richard Biagioni.

Paul Durham, assistant professor of biology, received a $5,000 grant from the National Headache Foundation to look for ways to relieve migraine headaches.

Neal Lopinot, director of the Center for Archaeological Research, received a $50,593 grant from the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission, and says it may triple or quadruple in size following the recent archaeological findings at a cave and two rock overhangs in McDonald County. A full-scale excavation is expected to get under way quickly.

Marc Cooper, history department head, received a $216,372 grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the American History Education Enhancement Program. The project is a three-year program, linking SMSU with the Springfield Public School system, to improve student performance in American history by providing additional education to teachers.

John Havel, biology professor, received a renewal grant of $27,780 from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to continue monitoring algae levels on the James River arm of Table Rock Lake.

The Springfield Public Schools Foundation presented the Turner Family Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching Reading to five teachers. Each teacher received a $2,000 cash gift: $1,000 to be used for classroom school needs and $1,000 to be used at the teacher's discretion. Honored were Janice Bermudez and Joann Sanders, Pipkin Middle School reading specialists; Bettina George, Bissett Elementary School first-grade teacher; Sandra Peabody, York Elementary School fourth-grade teacher; and Melissa Riley, Williams Elementary School kindergarten teacher.

Environment

Springfield Winwater Works received the Missouri Rural Water Association's 2002 Associate Member of the Year Award at the Missouri Rural Water Convention in Springfield.

UniFirst Corporation received the Missouri Water Environment Association's Gold Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment Compliance Award for the fourth consecutive year.

Health care

Burrell Behavioral Health was awarded the Community Provider National Award of Excellence by the National Council of Community Behavioral Healthcare. The award is given to an organization within the U.S. that has demonstrated excellence in consumer-centered care, use of creative service options, community-based coordinated system of care and cost-effective care.

Insurance

Luke Nixon, president of Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance, was appointed to serve on Safeco Insurance Company's Missouri Agents Advisory Council. The council, made up of 14 top-performing agents, advises Safeco management on customer service and product development issues.

Safety

Central States Industrial Equipment & Service Inc. completed three years without a lost-time accident. The company holds monthly safety meetings for production and warehouse employees and has an active safety committee with representatives from each area of the company.

The Missouri Motor Carriers Association recently presented its 2002 safety awards. Honored from the area were Robert W. Aye, Willard; Bobby "Duck" Waynick, Joplin; David L. Allgood, Joplin; D & D Sexton, Carthage; Delta Companies Inc., Cape Girardeau; and Erickson Transport, Springfield.

Travel

Great Southern Travel was named one of the top 100 travel agencies in the nation in Travel Weekly for its 2002 gross sales. The agency also won the top producer award for the Missouri and Illinois region for Funjet Vacations.