Newsmakers

Lisa Workman, partner with BKD’s southern Missouri practice unit, was named the company’s firmwide director of tax services, where she develops opportunities to increase the firm’s depth and breadth of services. Workman has more than 18 years of experience in tax consulting for businesses and individuals.

Banking

CU Community Credit Union promoted Annette Messerli to vice president of lending and Jamie Nelson to branch manager of the credit union’s Republic Road location. Messerli oversees day-to-day operations of the credit union’s lending department. She has 18 years of lending and management experience. Nelson has six years of experience in the mortgage industry, including three years at CUCCU.

Communications

Emily Denniston joined the staff of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce as public affairs coordinator. She provides staff support for the public affairs and communications departments, along with presenting the chamber’s policies and positions to state and national government officials. Denniston graduated in 2006 from Arizona State University with two bachelor’s degrees in journalism/mass communications and women/gender studies.

Community

The Springfield Police Department received full accreditation status from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement agencies. It marks the fourth accreditation review for the department, which was granted initial accreditation in 1997 and goes under such review every three years.

Construction

Walton Construction Co. announced four promotions. Grant Miller and David Atkisson were promoted to senior project managers. Miller is managing two Walton projects – the Taney County Justice Center and the Branson Intermediate School – and has a bachelor’s degree in construction and science management from Kansas State University. Atkisson is working on two church projects and is preparing groundwork for Evangel University’s new administration building. He has a degree in construction management from Missouri State University. Darren Beck and Darren Wagner were promoted to assistant project managers. Beck is working on a new church facility for Northside Christian Church and an expansion for North Point Church. Wagner is working on the Branson Intermediate School.

Several area companies received an award from the Missouri/Kansas chapter of the American Concrete Pavement Association for work on the James River Linear Park Trail at Lake Springfield Park. Towe Construction Co. was the general contractor on the project, Springfield Ready-Mix was the supplier, Monarch Cement Co. provided technical service, and Springfield-Greene County Park Board is the project owner.

Government

Gov. Matt Blunt received the Voice of Missouri Award from Associated Industries of Missouri. The award is given annually to members of the state General Assembly. Blunt was recognized for his workers’ compensation and unemployment compensation reform, expansion of economic development projects and ongoing efforts to improve Missouri roads.

Missouri Rep. Sara Lampe, D-Springfield, received one of the 2007 Friend of Education awards conferred by the Missouri Association of School Administrators. Lampe, a Springfield educator for more than 31 years, was recognized for her work on public school policy issues.

Joan Chowning, Taney County economic development director, received the Heartland Scholarship from the Missouri Economic Development Council. The scholarship funds the recipient’s attendance to the Heartland Economic Development Course, which offers five days of training.

Health Care

Missouri Hospital Association awarded a grant to a partnership between St. John’s Hospital and Southwest Baptist University. The grant is part of more than $820,000 in grants to partnerships to expand student capacity for registered nursing and health-science laboratory programs.

Utilities

Springfield-based Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. was named 2006 Wind Co-op of the Year by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the U.S. Department of Energy. AECI made the initial commitment to purchase energy produced by the Bluegrass Ridge wind farm in Gentry County, which encouraged developer Wind Capital Group to proceed with two additional Missouri wind farms. AECI plans to purchase all the electricity from those wind farms as well.