Newsmakers

Archie Bifulk joined the Greater Springfield Community Olympic Development Program as head hockey coach. Bifulk most recently was assistant coach and head coach for the Springfield Spirit hockey team before the team’s move to Alaska in 2005.

Banking

Charles Vandivert joined the support team for The Bank of Missouri. Vandivert, who has previous experience in the Springfield commercial lending industry, joins former Regions Community Bank President Mick Nitsch.

Education

Anne Spence, wife of Evangel University President Robert Spence, received the Distinguished Service Award during the school’s Homecoming chapel service. The Evangel Alumni Association presents the award in recognition of contributions to the school. Ann Spence has served as executive vice president of the Evangel Ladies Auxiliary for 32 years and has been active with alumni activities.

Two Evangel University alumni published an article on the recent clergy scandals. Geoffrey Sutton and Eloise Thomas published “Following Derailed Clergy: A Message of Healing for a Shocked Congregation,” an article describing the problems congregants experience following the discovery of pastors’ offenses. Sutton is an associate professor of psychology at Evangel, while Thomas is an adjunct professor of psychology at Ozarks Technical Community College.

Drury University established the David Gohn Endowed Scholarship Fund in honor of Gohn, a 1964 Drury graduate and chairman of the board of trustees from 1999 until May of this year. The fund began with $40,000 in gifts from trustees.

Missouri State University honored six former faculty and staff members with enshrinement on the school’s wall of fame Oct. 27. The six honorees: Kenneth Brown, professor emeritus of accounting; Ralph Manley, former finance professor and current Springfield city councilman; the late Grace Palmer, former head librarian; J.N. Smith, founder of the school’s agricultural business program; Bob Trewatha, former head of management and associate vice president of academic affairs; and Max Wood, the school’s first director of auxiliary services and licensing coordinator.

Finance

Clay Cook joined the staff of Heartland Payment Systems in Springfield as sales manager. Cook previously was a sales manager in Heartland’s Birmingham, Ala., office.

Health Care

St. John’s Hospital was named one of the nation’s top neuroscience programs and designated as a center of excellence in the 2006 Neuroscience Center of Excellence Survey. The survey analyzed 150 neuroscience programs in 41 states, measuring overall performance in four key areas: clinical and research programs, staff, facilities and technology, and business.

Insurance

James Shuler joined Capstone Insurors of Bolivar as a new agent, focusing on quoting new accounts and re-evaluating commercial accounts. He earned a degree from Southwest Baptist University and has three years of experience in the insurance industry.

Randall Gammill of Connell Insurance was appointed to a statewide workers’ compensation advisory group. The group studies the state workers’ compensation residual market and offers advice to the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents and Travelers Insurance. Gammill, a certified workers’ compensation adviser, previously spent 12 years with the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation.