List-based Newsmakers

Anderson Engineering Inc.

Springfield-based Anderson Engineering Inc. received the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri's Distinguished Service Award in recognition of the firm's 50 years of service. Distinguished Service awards are presented to member firms on their 25th year of business and thereafter at 10-year intervals, with special recognition of 50th and 100th anniversaries. Firms are recognized for outstanding service to clients, the public and the engineering profession.

Anderson Engineering is located at 730 N. Benton.

Carnahan Evans Cantwell & Brown

Clifford S. Brown, a shareholder of Carnahan Evans Cantwell & Brown, served as moderator at the Fratcher Estate and Trust Symposium, presented by the Missouri Bar and the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. The event was held April 9 in Columbia.

The symposium, which was designed for experienced estate planners, addressed the most current issues in estate planning. Brown, who has frequently served as an educator and speaker on behalf of the Missouri Bar, the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri and other organizations, is listed among Who's Who in American Law and was recently appointed by the Supreme Court to the Board of Law Examiners. In that capacity, he is involved in the investigation and determination of the character and fitness of persons seeking admission to the bar, and in determining the qualifications of practicing attorneys from other states who are seeking admission to the Missouri Bar without examination.

Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realtors

Faunlee Harle, a sales associate with the Springfield office of Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realtors, attended Coldwell Banker's International Business Conference held in Las Vegas. She was among more than 10,000 sales associates, brokers, managers and employees who attended and heard keynote speaker Barbara Walters of NBC news.

Environmental Works Inc.

Springfield-based Environmental Works Inc. announced several staff changes. Greg Bischof, Suzan Gonder and David Vaughan were each promoted to principal scientists and division managers with the company.

Bischof is division manager for remediation. He is primarily responsible for the development and installation of remedial systems, management of underground storage tank closures and the planning and implementation of sampling and monitoring programs. He holds a master's degree in technology and human affairs from Washington University and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Gonder is the division manager of railroad services. She has more than 20 years of experience as a geologist, with 13 of those in the environmental consulting field. She has been a developer of training programs on regulatory environmental issues for the company's clients. Gonder holds a bachelor's degree in geology from the University of Missouri, and she is a certified hazardous materials manager.

Vaughan, division manager of assessment and compliance, has more than 18 years of experience in environmental investigations, 15 of which have included project management responsibilities. Vaughan has been a critical part of Phase I and Phase II investigations for the company's clients, and he has been involved in environmental compliance auditing. He also is knowledgeable in karst geology. Vaughan holds a bachelor's degree from SMSU. He is a registered professional geologist and a certified hazardous materials manager.

Pamela Holley and Shawn Jester joined Environmental Works as project managers. Holley recently served as a senior risk assessor with the Missouri Department of Health. She holds a degree in geological sciences from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Jester previously served as a project manager and response coordinator for an environmental services company in Cushing, Okla. He also previously worked as a research assistant with the agricultural department at Texas A & M University-Commerce, where he earned his master's degree.

First National Bank of Springfield

Tina M. Bryant was promoted to assistant vice president with First National Bank of Springfield. She helped open the Springfield location of First National Bank in 2002, and she has more than 12 years of experience in the banking, accounting and retail management fields. Prior to her promotion, Bryant was teller supervisor and deposit services manager. In her new position, her areas of responsibility include all aspects of operations, deposit services management and teller supervision.

Kirkpatrick, Phillips & Miller CPAs PC

April Mitchell, CPA, recently earned the qualified 401(k) administrator designation from the American Society of Pension Actuaries. To obtain the designation, Mitchell passed a series of six examinations. Her responsibilities with Kirkpatrick, Phillips & Miller include retirement-plan record keeping and consulting, as well as assisting with general tax, audit and accounting engagements. She joined the firm in 2003.

Ozark Bank

Ozark Bank announced several staff changes. Matt Riley joined Ozark Bank as a vice president and loan officer at its new location at 1351 State Highway NN in Ozark. Riley is a 1984 graduate of St. Louis University, and he has more than 16 years of commercial loan experience.

Lisa Langford joined Ozark Bank as the manager of the new Ozark location. She has more than 17 years of banking experience with SunTrust Bank, and she recently returned to Christian County from Nashville.

Gary Crutchfield joined Ozark Bank as a vice president and loan officer at its Nixa location. He is a 1981 graduate of Murray State University, where he also earned his master's degree in business administration in 1983. Crutchfield has more than 20 years of commercial lending experience, primarily in the commercial real estate and construction development areas.

Jeff Casto, vice president and loan officer with Ozark Bank, was named to manage the bank's secondary market residential lending sector. Casto has been with Ozark Bank for more than 15 years, and he has received his consumer credit and real estate lending diplomas. He also is a graduate of the Missouri Bankers Association's school of banking.

Prime Inc.

Springfield-based Prime Inc. was ranked the "Top Performing Carrier" in the nation for the refrigerated sector by Transport Topics, a national newspaper for the trucking industry. Research by Martin Labbve Associates for the American Trucking Association found that Prime led the field of top performers in a benchmarking guide called "20 From the Top." The benchmarking guide identified the Top 20 best-performing carriers in each of six sectors, based on a review of 2002 financial results. Carriers were ranked on the basis of operating ratio expenses as a percentage of revenue and total revenue. Data was drawn from annual reports of approximately 2,250 motor carriers.

Skaggs Community Health Center

Skaggs Community Health Center in Branson earned the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Skaggs has held continuous accreditation since 1984. The accreditation was granted after scrutiny of Skaggs' policies, procedures and programs, and a comprehensive three-day, on-site inspection by a Joint Commission survey team. In its most recent survey, Skaggs achieved its highest survey score ever 94 out of 100 for the hospital and clinics, and 98 for its home health and hospice agency.

Union Planters Bank

Union Planters Bank announced two staff additions and a promotion.

Casey Pyle joined Union Planters as the assistant vice president/business banker at the company's South Glenstone location. Pyle began his banking career in 1999 with US Bank, and most recently served as a relationship manager with Great Southern Bank. Pyle is a 2000 graduate of Southwest Missouri State University with a degree in agriculture business. He is working toward his master's degree in business administration at Webster University.

Phil Hopper joined Union Planters Bank as a business banker at the company's downtown Branson location. Hopper, a 2003 graduate of SMSU, has a business degree in finance. His previous experience includes credit analysis.

Justin French was promoted to assistant vice president of commercial lending at Union Planters' South Glenstone branch. French, a 1994 graduate of Drury University with a degree in business administration, has 10 years of business experience and two years in the banking industry with Union Planters Bank.