Newsmakers

Empire Bank added three employees. Eric Wells is a loan officer in Empire’s Nixa branch. Responsible for assisting clients with consumer, commercial and mortgage loans, Wells has banking experience as a loan officer, security officer and operations manager. He holds a Bachelor of Science in finance from Auburn University.

Joselyn Baldner brings seven years of banking experience as Empire’s banking center manager and retail officer at the main Springfield branch.

Her responsibilities include managing the retail operations and business development of the branch.

Diane Rozier is assistant vice president and retail sales manager for the bank. She manages branch sales, providing leadership in obtaining financial, sales and profitability goals. She has a communications management degree from Missouri State University.

Marc Mayer joined Great Southern Bank as a commercial loan officer in its East Battlefield Road location. Mayer specializes in commercial construction, business acquisitions and subdivision development.

He has several years of banking experience, most recently with Peoples Bank of the Ozarks.

LeAnn Ray, of Springfield, attended the Financial Institution Analysis School at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s training center in Arlington, Va. Ray is assistant bank examiner for the Missouri Division of Finance.

Ray graduated from St. Louis University and has been with the Division of Finance since 2004.

Community

Roy L. Pischer was named clinical director for the Boys & Girls Town of Missouri’s southwest region, which is based in Springfield. Pischer is responsible for foster care programs, independent living and residential social services. Pischer was the organization’s director of social services for 16 years.

Education

The Missouri State University Board of Governors approved Janice Duncan as acting director of the Greenwood Laboratory School for the 2005–2006 school year. Duncan, who served as associate superintendent of Springfield R-12 Public Schools since 2003, succeeds Emmett Sawyer. Duncan holds a Bachelor of Science in education and a Master of Science in special education from MSU as well as a Doctor of Philosophy-Special Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Greenwood is a department of the College of Education at MSU and a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools in Missouri.

Lou Rice, culinary and hospitality chairman and instructor at Ozarks Technical Community College, and Glen Marcum, diesel instructor, recently attended a two-day workshop in Jefferson City as career education mentors. They were among 250 mentors across the state partnered with new and returning career education teachers. Mentors partner with their protégé students for a two-year period through a Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education program.

Katherine H. Leyden joined OTC’s training resource group. She has more than seven years of professional training experience in human resources and finance. Leyden holds a business administration degree from Evangel University. She is responsible for business development, coordination and presentation of workshops, seminars and conferences that will assist local businesses in performance improvement.

Grants

Missouri has received more than $500,000 in federal grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Missouri received $420,900 under the Bush administration’s Landowner Incentive Program to sponsor joint efforts with private landowners who are interested in conserving natural habitat for species at risk. The program is funded through competitive grants with funding from the federal Soil and Water Conservation Fund.

Community and local government agencies in Missouri have received nearly $2.5 million in grants for juvenile justice programs. A $1.06 million Title II Formula Grant, a $895,660 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant and a $500,000 Title V Formula Block make up the funding.

Health Care

Jeff Miller was promoted to administrative director of rehabilitation services for Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar. A nine-year CMH employee, Miller has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing management and health services from Southwest Baptist University.