Newsmakers

Elliott, Robinson & Co. in recent months hired two employees and promoted three staff members. V. Sue Butts joined the company in November as a supervisor. She spent the previous six years as an internal auditor and internal audit manager for Herschend Family Entertainment. Karen Spisak started in October as a staff accountant. She has experience in both the manufacturing and public accounting industries and has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Missouri State University. Matt Solidum was promoted to supervisor. Solidum, who has been with Elliott, Robinson & Co. for five years, has a degree in accounting from Missouri State. Amanda West moved to a senior accountant position. She has been with the company since 2004, after graduating from Drury University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and minors in business administration and criminology. Jacob Sanders also was named a senior accountant. He joined the company directly after graduating from Missouri State in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and administrative management. Sanders is pursuing a Master of Business Administration at MSU.

Whitlock, Selim & Keehn LLP promoted Jennifer Silliman to chief operating officer and hired Aaron Spencer as a staff accountant. Silliman joined the company as a part-time accountant in 1993 while completing her bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration at Drury University. She is responsible for managing the planning and business functions, as well as the overall operations. Spencer worked as a teller for Empire Bank while pursuing his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Missouri State University.

Whitlock, Selim & Keehn LLP Partner Tom Beisner was selected to serve as a member of the PKF North American Network’s financial institutions committee, and Managing Partner W. David Myers was selected as a member of the network’s firm management committee for 2007. PKF North American Network is a membership association comprising 90 independent accounting and consulting firms in North America that serve middle-market businesses and individual clients.

Architecture

Jill Ryan joined Sapp Design Associates Architects PC as an administrative assistant. Her job duties include a variety of operations with each design studio and office personnel. Ryan spent 10 years as the membership manager for the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers in Jefferson City.

Community

St. John’s Foundation for Community Health has given $72,612 to seven area organizations for projects to improve health and promote health education. The seven organizations receiving donations are Family Violence Center, Child Advocacy Center, Good Samaritan Boys Ranch, Pregnancy Care Center, Newborns in Need, Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks and Camp Barnabas.

Education

The MFA Foundation gave a $5,000 grant to Drury University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies to help keep classrooms up to date with appropriate technology and furnishings. The grant will be divided between Drury’s campuses in Ava, Cabool, Lebanon and Rolla, chosen because of MFA’s presence in those cities.

Grocery

Several employees were honored by RPCS Inc., the parent company of Ramey, Price Cutter and Smitty’s grocery stores, for more than 30 years of service to the company. Local honorees are Ronald Brooks, Ronnie Cox, Joyce Moore, Jerry Iseminger, Kay Koch, Mary Lyall, Judy Herman, Bill Pfannenstiel, Neal Binkhoelter, Patty Graham, D’Laine Barr and Marcie Mickey.

Health Care

Dennis Heim, a partner with Heim, Young and Associates, joined the board of directors at CoxHealth. Heim, a certified financial planner, has served on the finance and pension committees of CoxHealth as an advisory board member since 2000. He will continue to serve on those committees as well as the audit, building and grounds, and quality improvement committees. Heim replaces Evelyn Howard, who served on the board for 13 years.

Dr. H.J. Bains joined the medical staff of Citizens Memorial Healthcare. Bains completed a residency in general psychiatry and a fellowship in child/adolescent psychiatry from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He also participated in numerous research projects at the University of Missouri, Stanford University and Loma Linda University.

Hospitality

Two properties of Myer Hotels of Branson received honors from Choice Hotels International. The Comfort Inn & Suites Branson Meadows and the Comfort Inn West both received a 2006 Platinum Hospitality Award from Choice Hotels International. The platinum award is given annually to hotels exceeding Choice Hotels’ quality assurance standards. Hotels undergo inspections evaluating each operating department to qualify for the award.

Human Resources

Kayla Raub joined the team of Haggerman & Associates as executive assistant to President Lynne Haggerman. Raub has a bachelor’s degree in business education and a master’s degree in education, as well as many years of management experience.

Insurance

Land O’Lakes Insurors in Springfield recently received designation as a Missouri Employers Mutual Premier Signature Partner Agent for 2007. The program was designed to reward MEM’s top agencies for performance in eight categories.

Manufacturing

Shunan Wang joined Allen Filters as marketing director. Wang was previously marketing director for Shanghai Exchange and has wide-ranging experience in the Chinese and East Asian markets. Her new job requires her to develop the Chinese and Far Eastern markets for Allen Filters products.

Media

Justin Kennedy was promoted to senior account executive with OnMedia. Kennedy has been with the company for four years, and his promotion was based on hitting monthly goals, exceptional customer service and team leadership.

Services

Rex Mueting and Eric Hopkins of Two Men and a Truck’s Springfield franchise received the corporation’s Six 5’s Award, given quarterly to individuals within the company who were ranked highest by customers based on care of property, professionalism, courtesy and overall excellence.[[In-content Ad]]