Newsmakers

Rick Hill Jr. joined the National Association on Mental Illness’ Southwest Missouri chapter as director of the Hope Center. Hill previously worked as human resources director for Prestressed Casting Co.

Monett YMCA and Developmental Center of the Ozarks in Springfield received Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The Monett Y will receive $350,000 to conduct a capital campaign for the construction of a new full-service recreation, education and community facility. DCO will receive $230,514 for its therapy program, which provides evaluations, therapy, parent education and support to families.

Education

College of the Ozarks ranked No. 10 on the list of Top Baccalaureate Colleges in the Midwest in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking.

The list measures academic quality, based on assessments by administrators at peer institutions, student retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

Health Care

Dr. Gary Buzbee of Buzbee Dental attended two continuing education courses. The Clear Essentials Certification course teaches about the Invisalign system for treatment procedures used to straighten teeth with clear, invisible and removable aligners, while the Cerinate Smile Design Workshop on Advanced Lumineers Esthetics provides techniques on noninvasive porcelain veneer procedures.

Drs. Ernest C. Lewis and Rajesh R. Nair joined St. John’s Clinic-Cancer & Hematology. Lewis received his medical education from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency with Keesler Medical Center in Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. He is board-certified in medical oncology and internal medicine and is a member of the American College of Physicians and the Wisconsin Medical Society.

Nair received his medical education from the University of Kerala in India and performed an internal medicine residency with St. Louis University Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine and is a member of the American Society of Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

Citizens Memorial Healthcare added Drs. Rahul Kapur and Kristopher J. Kaufmann to its medical staff. Kapur, a hospitalist, attended medical school and completed his internship at Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, India, and completed a residency through the Wesley Family Medicine Residency Program in Wichita, Kan. He is a member of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Kaufmann, a family practitioner, attended medical school at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, and completed a family practice internship and residency through the Fort Wayne Medical Education Program in Fort Wayne, Ind. He is a member of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Mark Skrade, president of the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute, and alumna Marci Manna received the American Psychological Association’s Division 55 award for outstanding contribution to prescriptive authority on the state level. Skrade and Manna have co-chaired the Missouri Psychological Association RxP Taskforce for the last five years.

Jeremy Goehring joined Zen 3. He is a graduate of Professional Massage Training Center, a member of the American Massage Therapy Association and a Missouri-licensed massage therapist.

Kevin Rusenstrom joined Access Hospice Care as chaplain and community relations specialist. He previously served as marketing director for Creekside at Elfindale.

Lloyd Goodwin of Preferred Hearing Care in Springfield attended an international conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, on developments in hearing care. The weeklong professional gathering included seminars at the world headquarters of hearing instrument manufacturer Oticon Inc. and the Eriksholm Research Center.

Insurance

Aaron Tackett joined Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance as an employee benefits producer. He earned his degree from Missouri State University and has six years of experience in the pharmaceutical sales industry. Tackett designs group health and employee benefit programs.

Dennis Smith, president and CEO of Missouri Employers Mutual, was chosen to serve on the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents Board of Directors as a company representative. MAIA represents 4,000 independent insurance agents and brokers and their employees. Smith previously served as a company representative in 2003–04.

Law

John L. Waite III joined Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown PC as an associate. Waite’s practice is concentrated in creditors’ rights, creditors’ bankruptcy, and civil and business litigation. Waite had five years of experience in the financial sector before earning his law degree from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in 2003.

Marketing

Jarad Johnson was named creative director for Internet design firm Ethix Studios. He previously worked as a designer for Departika.