Newsmakers

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce named seven new members to its board of directors for three-year terms. They are: Chuck Banta, Banta Foods president; Kim Day, St. John’s Health System president and CEO; Dwayne Fulk, Neale & Newman LLP partner; Rob Rector, Battlefield Mall manager; Tim Rosenbury, Butler Rosenbury & Partners executive vice president; John Schaefer, Ozarks Coca Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. president and chief operating officer; and Erick Taylor, Ramey Price Cutter Supermarkets president.

The inaugural class for Greater Ozarks Leadership Development, a program designed to teach leadership and community development skills, has 22 members: Richard Batson, Aurora; Mike Bristol, Ava; Margie Brown, Branson; Scott Burton, Monett; Travis Cossey, Nixa; Tim Eastin, Springfield; Nancy Edson, Rogersville; Terri Fallin, Nevada; Pam Hedgpeth, Republic; Linda Hill, Nixa; Robert Hite, Hermitage; Crista Hogan, Springfield; Jane Hood, Mt. Vernon; Mary Ann Johnston, Springfield; Doug Marrs, Nixa; Suzy McElmurry, Monett; Frank Schoneboom, Branson; Judy Stainback, Battlefield; David Stokely, Republic; and Frank Washburn, Monett.

Schuyler Community Center in Springfield received a $10,000 grant from the Greene County Senior Citizen’s Services Fund to install a new heating and cooling system for the center. The community center has been operating since 1905, when it was the one-room Schuyler School.

Two area fire departments received grants for new equipment from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters competitive grant program. The city of Branson Fire and Rescue will receive $213,251 to purchase a training house. The Ozark Fire Protection District will receive $44,939 to purchase 24 sets of protective clothing.

Education

Bernie Dana, Evangel University assistant professor of business, presented a professional development seminar in San Antonio at the 57th annual convention and exposition for the American Health Care Association. Dana’s seminar, Quality First: Tools and Roadmap, presented his philosophy for performance excellence to nursing and assisted-living facility leaders.

The Turner Family Foundation received the Award of Distinction from the Missouri Community College Association at its annual conference at Lake of the Ozarks. The foundation, established by former Great Southern Bank President and CEO Bill Turner and his wife, Ann, was recognized for its significant contributions of time, resources and funding to Ozarks Technical Community College.

Zach Manis, assistant professor of philosophy at Southwest Baptist University, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He will graduate from Baylor in December with his doctorate in philosophy.

Mike Fuhrman, director of in-service training and department chair of Christian ministry at SBU, is serving as president of the In-Service Guidance Association. The association is composed of Baptist colleges, universities and seminaries.

Finance

The Springfield Chapter of Credit Unions received a first-place Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award from the Missouri Credit Union Association. The awards recognize credit unions for outstanding efforts in youth financial education. Springfield Chapter credit unions are Assemblies of God Credit Union, Community Financial Credit Union, CU Community Credit Union, Educational Community Credit Union, Kraft America Credit Union, Metro Credit Union, Postal Federal Community Credit Union and TelComm Credit Union.

Health Care

Dr. Carla Colque joined the dental group of Goodin & Martin PC. Colque will provide general dentistry for the group. She is a 2003 graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry and completed a general practice residency at the University of Louisville.

Michelle Terry is the new head of public relations, marketing and recruiting for Bio-Kinetic Clinical Applications Inc. She previously served as the director of advertising and marketing for Bassett Furniture Direct in Kansas City.

The department of marketing at Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar received four Show-Me Excellence Awards. The department received first place in print advertising for its ad in Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. The “Hey Lady … Have a Heart” ad campaign won second place in photography and third place for best marketing/public relations projects for a small or rural hospital. The hospital also won second place in radio commercials for its Butterfield Park Pediatrics.

Law

F. Richard Van Pelt of the law firm of Van Pelt & Van Pelt PC and Douglas S. Evans, partner in the firm of Evans & Green LLP, were both named as Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers for 2006. This is the second year that Van Pelt was recognized as a Super Lawyer for his practice in family law.

Evans also has been elected to the Executive Council of the Creditors’ Rights Section of the Commercial Law League of America, while fellow partner Brent D. Green is president-elect of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association for 2007.

Law Enforcement

C.E. Wells is the new director of the Greene County Jail. Wells has 28 years of law enforcement experience including two terms as Webster County sheriff. He also has been a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal and has served as administrator and training director of the Christian County Jail. Wells fills a position that has been vacant since June.

Sales

Mike Robinson, vice president of Robinson Fence Co., successfully completed the American Fence Association’s national test and now holds the title of Certified Fence Professional. Robinson also was elected president of the Midwest Chapter of the American Fence Association, which includes members from seven states.

Utility

Cy Murray, director of community development for White River Valley Electric Cooperative in Branson, attended the Missouri Economic Development Council’s 2006 Fall Conference in Springfield. Murray joined more than 125 of Missouri’s professional economic developers and others interested in promoting the expansion and attraction of business and industry in Missouri.

Empire District Electric Co. hired Rob Sager as director of financial services and promoted Sam McGarrah to director of engineering and line services. Sager, who has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pittsburg State University, is responsible for overseeing operations and construction budgeting and reporting, financial forecasting, accounting systems coordination, and corporate tax issues. McGarrah has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Missouri.