Newsmakers

Pellham Phillips Architects and Engineers added Gene Douglas as an architectural intern. Douglas, who has experience in all facets of architecture, works on design, facilities assessments, assisting with construction documents and administration. Douglas earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Drury University in 2000.

Aviation

Kent Boyd is the new marketing and communications director for the Springfield-Branson National Airport. Boyd, who previously served as community relations manager for the Joplin office of the Missouri Department of Transportation, replaced Sherry Wallace, who resigned last fall. Boyd’s airport responsibilities include public and media relations and marketing.

Community

The Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks named three new members to its board of directors. Scott DeNeen works for The Private Bank of Bank of America; Susan Kirkman is marketing director for Commerce Bank; and Dan Schumacher is general manager of Millwood Golf & Racquet Club.

Springfield City Council appointed several people to area boards and committees. William Powell was appointed to the Tree City USA Advisory Committee, and Jodie Adams was appointed to the University of Missouri Extension Council. Dan Compass was sworn in to the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, while Debra Dorshorst and Denise Gordon were sworn in to the city’s Personnel Board.

Abbie McLaughlin was named 2006 Youth of the Year for Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield. McLaughlin, a 16-year-old sophomore at Central High School, is a member of the clubs’ Henderson Unit.

The program, which recognizes superior leadership skills and academic achievement, also awarded her a $6,000 college scholarship. McLaughlin is president of Keystone Club and has participated in fund-raisers for the Salvation Army and Newborns in Need.

James “Chip” Wolf joined Boys & Girls Town of Missouri as regional vice president of southwest Missouri. Wolf oversees all programs based at Boys & Girls Town’s Springfield campus, including foster care case management, residential treatment, community outreach programs and the Ozarks Family Resource Center emergency shelter.

Education

Missouri State University named Adele Newson-Horst as the dean of the university’s College of Arts and Letters. She’ll assume the position July 1, pending approval from the MSU Board of Governors. Newson-Horst previously served as special project director to the provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She has a doctorate in American literature from Michigan State University.

Finance

David Sederholm joined the Springfield office of the Commerce Trust Co. as vice president and senior portfolio manager. Sederholm has more than 24 years of banking experience in financial analysis, investment and portfolio management. Prior to joining Commerce, he held key positions for national and regional trust and wealth management companies in Denver, Kansas City and Springfield.

Mike Bennitt, Great Southern Bank financial services director, earned the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor designation, awarded by the College of Financial Planning. Financial advisers with this designation have taken rigorous coursework designed to give them advanced knowledge of asset management, allocation and selection; investment performance and strategies; and taxation issues.

Government

Gary Duncan, of Joplin, and Gordon L. Kinne, of Springfield, were named to the Missouri Healthcare Information Technology Task Force. Duncan, president and CEO of Freeman Health System, and Kinne, president of Med-Pay, will serve on the task force until it expires on Dec. 31.

Health Care

A. James Budzinski was named St. John’s Health System senior vice president and chief financial officer. He previously served 11 years as chief financial officer of Sparrow Health System in Lansing, Mich. Budzinski holds a Bachelor of Science from Ferris State University and is also a certified public accountant.

Dr. Keith LaFerriere was the keynote speaker at the Rejuvenation of the Aging Face course, sponsored by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Boca Raton, Fla. LaFerriere, a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at St. John’s Clinic – Facial Plastic Surgery, gave a presentation called “My Philosophy for Facial Rejuvenation.”

Drs. Shannon Calvert and Leo Shunyakov, both employees of Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar, passed board certification exams. Calvert, a pediatrician at Butterfield Park Pediatrics, is now board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics after passing a two-day exam last fall. Shunyakov, medical oncologist and hematologist with the Central Care Cancer Center, earned his board certification in medical oncology and hematology from the American Board of Internal Medicine. He was previously certified in internal medicine.

St. John’s Clinic added three physicians to its staff. Dr. Nancy Mullett Service joined St. John’s Clinic-Psychology-Lark. She has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Mississippi. Dr. Nicki Diane Rippeteau joined St. John’s Clinic Anesthesia after earning a medical degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Dr. Sharif Insaf joined St. John’s Clinic-Adult Psychiatry after completing the medical degree program at Odessa Pirogov Medical Institute in Odessa, Ukraine.

Law

Askinosie Law Firm LLC added John Gore as an associate attorney. Gore graduated cum laude from Creighton University School of Law, where he also earned certificates in the criminal law and procedure, and dispute resolution areas of concentration. He is licensed to practice in Missouri.

Literature

Ozarks Romance Authors, a nonprofit group for fiction writers, recently installed its new board. Board members for 2006 are Georganna Myers, president; Diana Locke, vice president; Jean Rosenow, treasurer; and Maurine Howell, secretary. Jill Slack-Henry serves as the newsletter editor for the group, which was founded in 1987.

Manufacturing

The Southwest Area Manufacturers Association named its 2006 board of directors. Officers are Gary Moss, president; Greg McVay, first vice president; Rick Andrulis, second vice president; John Gentry, treasurer; Dan Conner, secretary; Sally Hargis, past president; and Jack T. Gentry, president emeritus. Other board members are Jim Conley, John Ermold and Brian Hammons.

Utilities

Empire District Electric Co. in Joplin elected Kelly Walters as vice president for regulatory and general services. Walters, who currently serves as general manager of regulatory services, succeeds David W. Gibson, who will retire April 30.[[In-content Ad]]