Dr. Matthew Kufahl joined the Springfield dental practice of Dr. David Ukena DDS PC. Kufahl received his doctor of dental surgery from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry and earned his bachelor's degrees in biology from Pittsburg State University. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Missouri Dental Association and the Greater Springfield Dental Society.
Three dentists from Buzbee Dental attended a course in Nevada on jaw muscle dysfunction and joint problems. Gary, Todd and Tyler Buzbee participated in Dr. Clayton Chan's course on The Fundamentals of Physiologic Occlusion at Occlusion Connections.
Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Dr. Mark F. Saladin of Carthage to the Missouri Dental Board. While he already has begun serving, his appointment is subject to confirmation by the Missouri Senate when it reconvenes in January.
Education
Evangel professor emeritus L. Turner Collins' nearly 40-year-old plant species discovery was recently confirmed as a new species in DNA studies. The plant, orobanche riparia, had been misidentified for more than 100 years. Collins, who is working on the Missouri Botanical Garden's Flora of North America Project, wrote about the discovery in an article titled "Orobanche riparia (Orobanchaceae), A New Species from the American Midwest." published by the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
Seven Missouri State University students were recognized with awards during a Fashion Group International of Kansas City competition. In the store concept category, Christina Benson placed third and April Whitlow received an honorable mention. Renee Osborn brought home a first place award in the personal shopper category. In that same category, Leanna Yanes won second place, Whitney Davis won third place, and Shannon Soper received an honorable mentions. Michelle Kelsay was a winner in the T-shirt design category.
Four articles by Randy Tate, professor of humanities at Evangel University, have been included in Scarecrow Press' The Encyclopedia of Christian Literature. The two-volume encyclopedia features essays about Christian literature; Tate's articles are titled "Hroswitha of Gandersheim," "Erasmus of Rotterdam," "Roger Bacon" and "Apocalyptic Literature."
Drury chemistry professor Rabindra Roy received two grants totaling $229,184 from the National Institutes of Health. The money will be used to fund undergraduate chemistry research.
Finance
Springfield-based Dunton & Associates and The Whitlock Co. were named among the 2009 Best Accounting Firms to Work For by Accounting Today and Best Companies Group. Dunton & Associates was honored in the small-firm category, for companies with 15 to 24 employees, and The Whitlock Co. was recognized in the medium firm category, for companies with 25 to 249 employees.
The Whitlock Co. partners Tom Beisner and Brad Baker were selected to serve on 2010 committees for accounting firm association PKF North American Network. Beisner is chairman of PKF's financial institutions committee, and Baker will be part of PKF's not-for-profit committee.
UMB Corporate Trust & Escrow Services, a division of UMB Financial Corp., was selected as an agent for all three bond types created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Build America bonds, qualified school construction bonds and recovery zone economic development bonds. UMB also tops the list as agent of choice with the largest volume of these bonds in Missouri.
Health Care
Psychologist Dr. Michael Murrell pre-sented a workshop last month at the Missouri Mental Health Counselors Annual Conference at Lake Ozark. Murrell diagnoses and treats the psychological effects of trauma.
Gov Jay Nixon appointed Springfield attorney Lois Zerrer to the Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force. Her appointment is subject to Missouri Senate confirmation in January.
Insurance
Cary D. Prater, a producer at Jenkins & Associates Insurance Consultants, earned the certified insurance counselor designation. Prater, who's been with Jenkins & Associates since 2007, has 14 years of experience as an insurance agent.
Janet Kesler was hired by PJC Insurance Agency as a corporate health technician. Kelser oversees customer service, contract preparation and marketing to the southern Missouri region.
Law
At a recognition lunch, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association honored 53 attorneys who volunteered to represent indigent defendants in probation violation cases during the past year.
Through the SMBA program, developed to help alleviate staff and funding shortfalls in the Missouri public defender's Springfield office, the attorneys represented more than 100 defendants. Additionally, private defense attorney Teresa Grantham was recognized for training and supporting the volunteers.
Matthew D. Wilson joined the business litigation team at Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool PC, as an associate attorney. His practice is concentrated in the areas of product liability, appeals and complex corporate litigation. Wilson previously worked for Bryan Cave LLP in Kansas City.
Brooke E. Robertson was hired as an associate in the corporate department of Husch Blackwell Sanders' Springfield office. Robertson received her Juris Doctor this year from Washington University School of Law and earned her bacehelor's degree from Drury University in 2006.
Nonprofit
Older Adults Transportation Service honored driver Janet Chapin with 30 years of service and a 28-year safe driver award. Chapin joined OATS as a relief driver in November 1979.
The Ozarks Literacy Council elected new officers: Jennifer Mueller, attorney for Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP, president; Eric Leonard, senior vice president at Guaranty Bank, president-elect; Denise Cunningham, assistant professor at Missouri State University, secretary; and Meridith Roberts, senior accountant for Associated Electric Co-Op Inc., treasurer.
The Family Violence Center hired Danielle Conti as director of development. Conti, formerly community liaison in the marketing and business development department at Integrity Home Care, earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration from Missouri State University.
GYN Cancers Alliance added board members and selected its board officers for the 2009-10 fiscal year. New board members are Chad Mellentine, Liberty Bank; Judy Thompson, consultant and community volunteer; and Robin Woodard, Myriad Genetics Laboratories.
Board officers are Susan Mihalevich, president; Steve Bach, president-elect; Sue George, secretary; and Beth Bolyard, treasurer.
Tourism
Silver Dollar City in Branson won a Brass Ring Award from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions in the PR Program category for amusement parks with between 1 million and 2 million visitors.
The award was presented in mid-November at the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 in Las Vegas.
Real Estate
Paul Dizmang, broker owner of Dizmang & Associates, and office manager Jessica Hickok were chosen to speak at the National Realtor Conference Nov. 13-16 in San Diego. More than 20,000 Realtors from 27 countries were at the event.[[In-content Ad]]
