Newsmakers

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce named Kristen Kelley graphic design/publications specialist and hired Kristen Westerman as manager of workforce and business development. Kelley is a former art director of Students in Free Enterprise world headquarters while Westerman spent three years as a membership coordinator for the chamber.

Financial Services

Springfield-based brokerage firm The Kingsley Group added John Boustead. Boustead has several years of experience with companies including Hospital Corporation of America, Herman Miller Inc. and Fisher Scientific International Inc. He has experience in sales, marketing, finance, product development, operations and international commerce.

Government

Mark Biggs, associate professor of media, journalism and film at Missouri State University, was appointed chair of the Missouri Film Commission. Created in 1983 to attract film, television, video and cable productions to Missouri, the commission promotes the industry and operates a full-service office devoted to saving filmmakers time, effort and money in arranging a shoot.

Hospitality

Oasis Inn & Convention Center hired Mandy Morton as director of sales and catering and Tonyea Roberts as assistant hotel general manager. Morton previously worked for Hilton Hotels in St. Louis, and previously worked for Quality Lodging.

Law

Karen L. Johnson joined the workers’ compensation practice group of Evans & Dixon LLC as a senior associate. Johnson has case experience in back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome and permanent disabilities. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in the Missouri attorney general’s office.

Monte P. Clithero was chosen as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Clithero, a partner with Taylor, Stafford, Clithero, FitzGerald & Harris LLP, has been practicing law in Springfield for 28 years. He is an alumnus of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.

Don Busch, of counsel with Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown PC, was one of the speakers at the recent Zoning and Land Use in Missouri seminar hosted by Lorman Education Services. The seminar provides an overview of land use law in Missouri.

Public Speaking

Sinara Stull O’Donnell was the morning keynote speaker at the Toastmaster International District 22 spring conference April 22 in Branson. O’Donnell, a former actress and stand-up comedian who now serves as a motivational speaker and writer as principal of Springfield-based SinaraSpeaks, spoke to the group about using humor for more effective communication.

Real Estate

Ethel Curbow, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realtors, was named the No. 1 producer in the state of Missouri for all Coldwell Banker affiliate companies at the company’s 2006 International Conference in San Francisco. Curbow also placed in the Top 10 in listings sold, total units sold and commissions earned in the northern region, which comprises nine states and 19,000 agents. Curbow has been a Springfield Realtor for 25 years, 21 of those years with Vanguard.

Lin Hill, Realtor with Re/Max House of Brokers, earned e-Pro certification from the National Association of Realtors. The certification course, which looks at new Internet business models, is presented entirely online and certifies real estate agents as Internet professionals.

Tanya Hensley-O’Neal joined the staff of Branson-based Weisz Commercial Realty as a real estate agent. Hensley-O’Neal, who is also general manager of marketing company Branson Getaways, has 13 years of experience in sales and marketing with Roark Vacation Resort and is an active member of the American Resort Development Association.

Charlie Gerken, broker with Branson-based Gerken & Associates, recently completed the e-Pro training program for real estate professionals. The program, endorsed by the National Association of Realtors, helps real estate agents streamline transactions, from showing to closing, through the use of online tools and advanced computer software.

Services

Becky Martens joined Nixa-based Aire-Master of America as a sales representative. Her responsibilities include representing the company’s odor control and commercial hygiene services and products to businesses.

Sports

The men’s and women’s basketball teams from College of the Ozarks were both recognized by the Missouri General Assembly and the governor’s office for making it to their respective national championship games. Gov. Blunt met with both teams in his office in Jefferson City, while the state House passed resolutions congratulating them for their accomplishment.

Technology

Matt Thompson, technical sales manager for medical device testing company Dynatek Dalta, presented a paper at the Rocky Mountain Bioengineering Symposium April 8. The paper evaluated the expansion characteristics of silicone mock arteries at varying frequencies.

Transportation

Sherry L. Hurd was named vice president and chief operating officer of Rapid Robert’s Inc. Hurd has more than 13 years of experience in the convenience store industry, including eight years with Rapid Robert’s as operations analyst and operations manager. Her responsibilities cover all operations-related functions, including personnel, vendor relations and expense and loss control.

Mark Hohensee and Mike Tettamble of O&S Trucking Inc. both received awards at the Missouri Motor Carriers Association Safety Awards Banquet in Jefferson City.

Hohensee was named Missouri Driver of the Year. In more than 23 years of professional driving, Hohensee has logged more than 2 million miles without an accident.

Tettamble was named Distinguished Safety Professional of the Year for his leadership in safety-related programs designed for the trucking industry.

Utilities

U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., received the American Public Power Association’s Public Service Award at the association’s legislative rally in Washington, D.C.

The award recognizes a publicly elected or appointed official at the national or state level whose activities have advanced the objective of public power. As a member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, Blunt was an advocate of long-term transmission access for public power systems.

Several employees of Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. celebrated their 25-year anniversaries. They are Jerry E. Bindel, principal environmental specialist; Cynthia R. Davison, programmer and analyst; Barbara McConnell, senior administrative assistant; Roddy R. Rupert, principal engineer; Nancy A. Southworth, manager of corporate communications; and Deborah R. Willis, manager of human resources.

Springfield-based AECI provides wholesale power to six regional and 51 local electric co-ops in Missouri, Oklahoma and Iowa.[[In-content Ad]]