Branson Newsmakers

Gail Myer, vice president of operations for Myer Hotels, received Best Western International's All-Star Governor's Award. Myer serves on Best Western's Governor Committee, which helps to build the Best Western brand.

Comfort Inn & Suites in Branson Meadows was named Inn of the Year by Choice Hotels International Inc., the franchisor of the Comfort Inn brand, based on guest satisfaction and quality assurance scores, and unannounced on-site inspections.

Dr. Maryann Mugo, a physician with Skaggs Regional Medical Center, was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Endocrinology, the educational and scientific arm of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

Randall Gammill, partner with Connell Insurance, was named to the faculty at the Institute of Work Comp Professionals. The institute trains, tests and certifies selected insurance professionals to alert employers about hidden costs and overcharges in the workers' compensation insurance system. Gammill has nearly 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, including 12 years with the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation.

Nathan Read, executive chef of the Branson Convention Center, Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel and Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing, was certified as an executive chef by the American Culinary Federation. A certified executive chef is a department head, usually responsible for all culinary units in a restaurant, hotel, club, hospital or food-service establishment. To earn the designation, a chef must supervise a minimum of five full-time employees, complete coursework in food safety, nutrition and supervisory management, and pass a practical exam in front of peers.

Sue Braun joined the Table Rock Lake Area Chamber of Commerce as director of membership and sales. Braun spent six years as senior account executive for the Springfield News-Leader, serving clients in Stone, Taney and Barry counties. Her chamber duties include membership recruitment and retention, development of membership benefits and advertising sales for the Web site and publications.

John Joslyn was named to a one-year term as chairman of the Skaggs Foundation. Joslyn, chairman and CEO of Titanic museum operator Cedar Bay Entertainment, has been on the board for Skaggs since 2006. The Skaggs Foundation coordinates and seeks donations benefiting Skaggs Regional Medical Center.

Drs. Robert Halterman and Justin Fanning joined Skaggs Regional Medical Center. Halterman, an obstetrician and gynecologist, joined Skaggs Family Health Clinic. He received his medical degree from University of Missouri-Kansas City Medicine and Biosciences. Fanning, a cardiothoracic surgeon, joined Skaggs Regional Cardiac Center. Fanning received his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and most recently practiced at St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Branson Municipal Court Judge Tom Motley was elected to the board of directors of the Missouri Municipal and Associate Circuit Judges Association. The association is charged with assisting and training members to better perform their duties as judges and to maintain the highest possible judicial standards in the state's courts. Motley has been the city's municipal judge for eight years.

The city of Branson added Kelli Fleck as deputy personnel officer. Fleck spent seven years as human resource director for Brown Derby Stores in Springfield and has more than nine years of HR experience. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Illinois.