Newsmakers

Banking
Erica L. Crain was promoted to senior vice president/director of risk management at Guaranty Bank. She joined the bank in 2008 as vice president-director of risk management after working for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. as an examiner for nine years.

Micah Scott, Guaranty Bank credit analyst, was named a chartered financial analyst by the CFA Institute. The designation is awarded to investment professionals who met the requirements of the CFA program, including a three-part exam and standards of character, education and experience.

H. Justin Giles was promoted to assistant vice president/commercial lender at Empire Bank. Giles, who has more than eight years of banking experience and earned a bachelor’s in finance from Missouri State University, is responsible for commercial, consumer and real estate lending.

Great Southern Bank named Mark Mallian as mortgage loan originator. Mallian, a lifetime resident of Springfield, has more than 25 years of experience in the financial industry, with specialization in mortgage lending the past seven years.

Community
Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau named three people to its board of directors. Meghan Chambers, owner of Staxx Apparel and Jelly Beans, and John Wilson, regional president of U.S. Bank, joined the board to represent the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Melissa Dallas, department head and professor in the hospitality and restaurant administration department at MSU, was appointed to the board by Mayor Jim O’Neal and confirmed by City Council.

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce appointed its 2011 executive committee members: Chairman Jerry Harmison, president of Harmison & Pearman PC; Chairman-elect John Wilson, regional president of U.S. Bank; Vice Chairwoman-community development/special events Paula Adams, president of Penmac Staffing; Vice Chairman-economic development Joe Reynolds, vice president of Digital Monitoring Products; Membership Director Jennifer Jackson, associate publisher of SBJ Publishing Inc.; Vice Chairman-public affairs Dave Roling, division manager and vice president of Emery Sapp & Sons; Treasurer Russ Marquart, president/CEO of Empire Bank; and Assistant Treasurer Greg Horton, CEO/co-owner of Integrity Home Care.

Education
Debbie Yonke, associate professor of education at Evangel University, was named a part-time national trainer in cooperative learning for Kagan Professional Development.

Engineering
Philip England joined Smith-Goth Engineers Inc. as an engineer for electrical systems. England earned a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Government
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-MO, was appointed to four committees: appropriations, which writes legislation that allocates federal funds; commerce, science and transportation, which addresses highway safety and interstate commerce; rules and administration, which manages Senate infrastructure, assigning offices and Senate rules; and intelligence, which oversees and funds the country’s intelligence activities.

Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Billy D. Sexton, of West Plains, as southern commissioner of Howell County. Sexton is a licensed auctioneer and the owner of Sexton & Summers Auctioneers. The position became vacant after the resignation of Associate Commissioner Mark B. Collins, who was elected presiding commissioner in November.

Medical
Springfield veterinarians Michael Pfander, Philip Brown, Dean Rund, Ned Caldwell and Kara Amstutz attended the 119th Missouri Veterinary Medical Association Convention. The continuing education program featured more than 250 speakers.

Nonprofit
The Missouri Partnership, a marketing organization for the state’s nonprofit businesses, named Springfield attorney Randell Wallace, a partner with Lathrop & Gage LLP, as its board chairman. Wallace practices in real estate development, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities, and economic development incentives, and was named a finalist for the 2008 “Lawyer of the Year” by the Missouri Lawyers Weekly publication.[[In-content Ad]]