Newsmakers

Tamera Jahnke, Ph.D., was named Missouri State University’s acting associate vice president for academic affairs, completing President Michael Nietzel’s administrative reorganization. Jahnke has been a university faculty member since 1987 and department head of chemistry since 1997.

Teresa White, Ph.D., was named Zone 1 associate superintendent for Springfield Public Schools. White is a graduate of the district and has worked for SPS for nearly 32 years as director of research and development, director of state and federal grants, and principal at Pittman and Fairbanks elementary schools, among other positions.

Engineering

Anika Careaga, project engineer for Midwest Environmental Consultants, has obtained the status of professional engineer from the Missouri Board of Architects, Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. To receive this designation, Careaga had to satisfy engineering experience requirements and pass two examinations. Careaga provides engineering services related to solid waste, storm water management, stream-bank stabilization and low impact development for MEC.

Health care

Bobby Honicutt, of Springfield, completedthe National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences National Competency Examination, making him board-certified in hearing instrument sciences. Honicutt works for National Hearing Centers, located inside the Wal-Mart Supercenter on North Kansas Expressway in Springfield.

Dr. David Anderson joined the urology department of Ferrell-Duncan Clinic. Anderson earned his medical degree at the University of Iowa College of Medicine and completed an internship and residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Katherine Trombetta was named income development director for the southern Missouri region of the American Cancer Society, Heartland Division Inc. in Springfield.

Trombetta supervises 13 specialists and coordinates the organization’s regional fund-raising efforts. Trombetta was formerly the organization’s income development specialist.

Dr. Sabrina Schmidt joined the Family Medical Care Center staff. Schmidt is board-certified in family medicine and earned her medical degree at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Kansas City.

She is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Insurance

The Missouri Association of Insurance Agents named Paul Long of Capstone Insurors in Bolivar Missouri’s Young Insurance Agent of the Year during a recent ceremony at Chateau on the Lake in Branson. The award recognizes a young agent who has worked to help other agents, consumers and the industry as a whole.

Sonya Gaunt joined Barker Phillips Jackson as a customer service agent in the Springfield office. She joins the firm as a result of the merger with Group Benefits. Gaunt has been involved in the insurance industry for more than five years and has been licensed for the last four years. She attended Ozarks Technical Community College.

David Potter, Teresa Zucchini-McChlish, Tan Nguyen, Greg Iott, Kathy Lang, Jerry Regain and Brian Hemingway have been named All American Agents by American Family Insurance. The group was given the honor based on sales of American Family Insurance products.

Law

Jennifer L. Graddy joined Evans & Dixon LLC as an associate in the firm’s workers’ compensation practice. Graddy is based in the firm’s Springfield office, where she represents major insurance carriers and self-insured employers in workers’ compensation and employers’ liability cases. She also has experience in family law, including orders of protection, divorce, custody and guardianship.

Graddy holds a doctorate of law from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and Spanish from Drury University.

St. Louis-based Husch & Eppenberger LLC, which has an office in Springfield, was named the 168th largest firm in the nation by “The American Lawyer.” The list of the top 200 U.S. law firms, based on 2004 gross revenues, was published in the magazine’s August issue.

Meanwhile, Kansas City-based Lathrop & Gage LC, which has an office in Springfield, made its first entry on the publlication’s listing at No. 199.

Only fee income for legal work is considered for the rankings; disbursements or income from nonlegal ancillary businesses is not included.