Newsmakers

CPA firm Bush, Ramlow & Shore PC added Elizabeth R. Ogan to its staff. Ogan, an accounting graduate from Missouri State University, provides audit and tax services to businesses, not-for-profit organizations, financial institutions and individuals.

Whitlock, Selim & Keehn LLP promoted Lizzie Arnold to marketing director. She creates and implements marketing strategies, and writes and edits reports and proposals. Arnold has degrees in communication and journalism from Missouri State University. WSK also added Sara Stepp as a full-time staff accountant. She worked for the Greene County collector of revenue while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in accounting from MSU. She is pursuing a certified public accountant designation and a master’s degree in accounting.

Architecture

Josh Harrold and Andrew Wells of Dake Wells Architecture spoke at the American Institute of Architects’ Central States Regional Conference in Tulsa, Okla. The conference, which had the theme, “Building Livable Communities,” featured architects from Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. Harrold participated in the emerging professionals charrette, while Wells was a featured panelist at the emerging professionals roundtable.

Greg Mitchell and Brooke Cinalli joined Buxton-Kubik-Dodd Inc. Mitchell has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Drury University and has 10 years of experience with a focus on religious design. Cinalli was employed at Buxton-Kubik-Dodd for two years before moving to the Kansas City area. She also has worked for HMN Architects in Overland Park, Kan.

Advertising

Springfield Ad Club, an affiliate organization of the American Advertising Federation, announced its board of directors’ committee chairpersons for 2007–08. They are Barb McMeekin, KSMU/OPT, president; Jamie Dopp, KY3, Addy chair/vice president; Stacy Boysen-Krauck, KOLR/KSFX, secretary; Dianne Davis, DL Media, treasurer; Sheryl Blakeley, KOLR 10, public service chair; Christa Clemenson, OnMedia, programs chair; Dana Harding, DL Media, immediate past president; Art Hudkins, Hudkins Law Offices, governmental relations; Justin Kennedy, OnMedia, Addy co-chair; Kat Morgan-Gaines, ClearChannel, hospitality/club achievement; Natalie Murphy, KY3, hospitality; Eric Ray, Tracker Marine, Ad Bites: Lunch and Learn/club achievement; John Scroggins, Noble & Associates, at-large; Sarah Smith, MSU College of Business Administration, education; and Amy Tuggle, St. John’s Hospital, membership/communication. The 120-member club provides a forum to enhance the advertising marketplace along with monthly luncheons, workshops and public service.

Banking

Three residential loan specialists joined First Home Savings Bank: Sara Fear has five years of loan experience; Chris Roberts has six years of experience; and Jennifer Wilson has six years of experience. The residential lending department also added three loan officers: Kerry L. Norman has seven years of experience; Don M. Carriker Jr. has 10 years of experience; and Tyler McGill has nine years of experience.

Community

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded the Nixa Fire Protection District a $4,950 grant to be used for training, personal protective and other equipment, wellness and fitness, or modifications to fire stations and facilities.

J. Howard Fisk received the Silver Beaver Award from Boy Scouts of America Ozarks Trails Council. The national award is presented for distinguished service to young people within a Boy Scouts of America local council. Fisk has served on the Ozark Trails council executive board for four years and is council vice president.

Construction

General contracting firm DeWitt & Associates added Mike Epley as a project manager. Epley has more than 32 years of experience as a facilities manager in the health care and communication fields.

Education

Southwest Baptist University named Brian Hopwood the 2007 Faculty Newcomer of the Year and Mike Pitts the 2007 Staff Newcomer of the Year. Hopwood holds music degrees from Oral Roberts University, the University of Colorado and Arizona State University. Pitts is SBU sports information director. He graduated from SBU in 1985 with a bachelor’s in economics and business administration.

Svetlana Dovbniak, a senior at College of the Ozarks, finished third in the nation on the international business test and fourth in the nation on the marketing test at the Phi Beta Lambda Leadership Conference in Chicago. Phi Beta Lambda is a national organization for college students who have an interest in business.

Drury University’s chapter of Mortar Board National College Senior Society won the Silver Torch Award for the 2006-2007 academic year. The chapter was one of 51 chapters nationwide to receive the award. Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes achievement in scholarship, leadership and service.

Environmental

Environmental Works Inc. added five staff members. Kassia Travers, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in public relations from Drury University, is marketing manager. She has four years of sales and marketing experience. Shaynan Johnston, who graduated from MSU with a bachelor’s in biology, oversees Phase I Assessments. Brandon Thornhill, who earned his bachelor’s in geology from MSU, is an environmental technician. Natalie Hines is administrative assistant. Joey Maloney, who earned bachelor’s degrees in both environmental studies and economics from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, is an environmental technician in the EWI Kansas City office.

Finance

Whitlock, Selim & Keehn LLP promoted Jacque Mattson and Crystal Reynolds to senior staff accountants. Mattson joined the firm in 2005 following an internship. She has a degree in accounting from Drury University and is pursuing her certified public accountant designation. Reynolds graduated in 2004 from Missouri State University and received her master’s degree in accountancy in 2005 from MSU. She also is pursuing her CPA designation.

Insurance

PJC Insurance added two employees and transferred another. Christy Dixon joined the company as receptionist. She has 14 years of professional office experience. Lacey McDaniel joined as a customer service representative in the fleet trucking department. She has more than nine years of customer service experience. Judy Chambers, personal lines agent, moved to the company’s Nixa branch, where she is responsible for writing all lines of insurance.

Law

Charity Elmer, general counsel for CoxHealth, was named a 2007 Up and Coming Lawyer by Lawyers Weekly magazine. Elmer, who has been with CoxHealth since 2004, is one of 35 attorneys recognized for winning important cases, being involved in challenging legal issues or otherwise furthering the profession.

Virginia Fry was elected to the Board of Governors of the Missouri Bar at the group’s annual meeting in Springfield. Wallace S. Squibb was re-elected to a two-year term on the board, and Aaron D. Jones was re-elected to another term on the Young Lawyer’s Section Council.

Media

KSMU Radio and Ozarks Public Television received three first place awards at the Missouri Broadcasters Association Awards ceremony in St. Louis. First place entries were “Why We’re Thankful,” a story produced by News Director Missy Shelton. An episode from the “Sense of Community” series about the renovation and reopening of the Gillioz Theatre and an episode of “Healthstyles” focused on the reliability of child-resistant caps on medicine bottles. Randy Stewart, KSMU fine arts producer, received a Certificate of Merit for the feature “Once On This Island,” and Shelton received a Certificate of Merit for “Return to Riverbluff Cave,” which aired live on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.”

OPT also received Certificate of Merit honors for several entries, including “Route 66: Missouri’s Mother Road,” and “Ellen Rohr’s Is There A Business in You?”

Real Estate

Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realtors received three national awards from the Coldwell Banker Corp. The Springfield office ranked 58th among the Top 100 offices nationally in adjusted gross commission, 24th among the Top 100 offices nationally for total units, and eighth in the Top 20 offices with 51 to 100 sales associates for total units.

Service

James Abshire and Steve Earls, technicians with U.S. Automotive in Nixa, completed training at Linder Technical Services. The one-week session teaches technicians new procedure-based automotive diagnostics skills.

Transportation

Louie M. Bunch Jr. joined Bentonville, Ark.-based Fulmer Logistics Corp. to help open the company’s Springfield branch. Fulmer is a transportation company specializing in domestic and international freight. Bunch has more than 10 years of experience in the logistics industry.