Newsmakers

Kimberly Dana joined Springfield-based Stonegate Creative Group as an executive assistant. Dana previously served as conference coordinator for National Men’s Ministries.

Architecture

Butler, Rosenbury & Partners is a finalist for the 2007 Wall Street Journal and Winning Workplaces Top Small Workplaces. BRP is one of 35 finalists chosen from 440 applications submitted for the award. Finalists were selected based on the ability to foster teamwork, flexibility, productivity and innovation while treating employees with respect and providing them with opportunities for professional growth.

Community

The Greater Springfield Sports Commission added two members to its board of directors. Kyle McClure, director of public policy/government relations with City Utilities, replaces Karl Plumpe, who recently retired from City Utilities, and Edsel Matthews, athletic director at Drury University, replaces Anne-Mary McGrath, Drury’s former athletic development director.

Education

Bernard McCarthy, director of the Community and Social Issues Institute and visiting professor of criminology at Missouri State University, was named a 2007 Academic Fellow by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. FDD is a nonpartisan policy institute with headquarters in Washington, D.C. McCarthy will travel to Israel for an intensive course on how democracies can defeat worldwide terrorist threats.

Carey Adams, head of the MSU communication department, is the new dean of the College of Arts and Letters. Adams, a communication professor, has been at MSU for 16 years and has been head of the department since 2001. He holds a doctorate in communication from the University of Kansas.

Portland Elementary School is among 16 Missouri public elementary schools selected as a Gold Star School for 2006-2007, marking the first time a Springfield district school has received the award since 2002-2003. The award cites Portland for successfully meeting U.S. Department of Education assessment criteria for Title I schools.

The George H. Riedel Private Foundation contributed $25,000 to the Missouri Colleges Fund. The fund will award scholarships to students at member schools, including Drury and Evangel universities in Springfield and Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar.

Daniel R. Beach, department chair of the school of education and child development and director of teacher education at Drury University, retired from the school. Beach had been with Drury for 24 years.

Glendale High School Principal Gary Prouty received the Secondary Advocate of the Year award from the Southwest Missouri School Counselor Association. Prouty was nominated by the school guidance staff for being an advocate of guidance and counseling services. He is in his 32nd year with Springfield Public Schools.

Finance

Great Southern Bank hired Dave Jacobson and Steve Mayfield as senior mortgage loan officers. Jacobson has more than 15 years of experience as a mortgage loan originator and in real estate sales and management. Mayfield has more than 20 years of experience in the mortgage and finance industries.

Government

Robert Qualls, of Springfield, joined the state Mental Health Transformation Working Group. Qualls retired as director of the Hope Center in 2006. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harding University in Searcy, Ark.

Gov. Matt Blunt appointed Springfield real estate broker Paul Nahon to the Missouri State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Nahon has served on numerous boards in Greene County, as well as the Missouri Dam and Reservoir Safety Council. His appointment, subject to Senate confirmation, is for a term ending Jan. 24, 2010.

Health Care

Dr. Judith Smith, orthopedic surgeon with Ferrell-Duncan Clinic, was designated as a certified physician executive by the Certifying Commission in Medical Management. Smith received the certification for superior levels of management education and leadership skills as a physician. Only 700 physicians nationwide have the designation.

Dr. George Graham of George Graham, DDS, The Smile Architect, and his clinical assistants attended a seminar in Dallas. By attending, Graham is certified for orthodontic treatment using Invisalign, a clear alternative to braces.

Dr. Russell Dirksen of The Foot Doctors PC renewed certification with two boards: the American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics and Primary Podiatric Medicine and the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Both boards require re-certification every 10 years.

CoxHealth received Gold Level recognition from the American Heart Association for its efforts to promote employee and community wellness. CoxHealth has sponsored mall-walking programs, provided healthy meal options in hospital cafeterias and offered employee discounts at the Meyer Center for Wellness and Rehabilitation.

Sleep Disorders Center at St. John’s Hospital received reaccreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. To receive five-year accreditation, a sleep center must meet or exceed all AASM standards, including detailed facility and staff inspections.

Springfield’s Dermacare Laser & Skincare Clinic was named franchise of the month by Dermacare LLC in April. The clinic, which opened in November 2005, is one of 26 Dermacare clinics nationwide.

Insurance

Nick Love, owner of Love Insurance & Financial Services Inc., qualified for membership in the 2007 Million Dollar Round Table. It is his 10th year qualifying for the honor, making him a qualifying and life member.

Law

Allison Greenwade joined the workers’ compensation practice group of Evans & Dixon LLC’s Springfield office as an associate. Greenwade, who is licensed to practice law in Missouri, has been a member of the Missouri Bar and Springfield Metropolitan Bar associations since 2005. She received a doctorate from the University of Arkansas.

Matthew Russell joined the Law Offices of Dee Wampler & Joseph Passanise. Russell, who joins the firm as an associate, practices in the area of criminal defense.

Attorney Sidney Pearson received the Philip S. Huffman Memorial Award from Legal Services of Southern Missouri. The award recognizes the commitment of volunteer time to organization clients by a private attorney. Pearson, a lawyer since 1982, has accepted 115 bankruptcy cases a year during the past six years for low-income clients living in rural Missouri.

Media

Missouri State University’s student newspaper, The Standard, received awards from two separate competitions. The Standard took eight of 25 first-place awards in the large-school division at the Missouri College Media Association awards.

The publication also received two third-place awards at a national newspaper advertising competition conducted by College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers Inc.

Drury University’s student newspaper, The Mirror, was named Best Overall Newspaper among Division III schools at the Missouri College Media Association awards. The school won the award in its first year as an MCMA member and first year competing in the event. The paper also won awards for best Web site, best advertisement, best sports photo and best news writing.

Real Estate

Mike Fusek joined the team of Sperry Van Ness Rankin Co. LLC. Fusek is adviser for the Ingram Mill Road office. He specializes in the sale and leasing of retail and office properties in Springfield. He previously served as the principal and managing partner for Pathway Properties Group, a commercial property investment and management group.

Transportation

Tuthill Transport Technologies of Mount Vernon was among 15 companies to receive a Supplier Performance Action Review Committee award from Spartan Chassis Inc.

The awards recognize the top 5 percent of Spartan Chassis’ 300 suppliers for their ability to deliver parts on time and on budget. Suppliers must have at least 97 percent on-time shipments and fewer than 1,800 parts-per-million errors.