Newsmakers

Accounting

Brent Sharp was hired as a staff accountant at Davis, Lynn and Moots PC. Sharp performs audit, accounting and tax services.

Education

Rodney Reeves was named dean of Courts Redford College of Theology and Church Vocations at Southwest Baptist University. Reeves was a professor of New Testament and Greek and was an interim dean at SBU. He previously served as chairman of the department of religion and philosophy and was an associate professor of religion at Williams Baptist College in Arkansas.

Joyce Roberts received Drury University's Distinguished Faculty award that recognizes faculty whose teaching excellence and personal values provide a positive influence on student academic and career achievement. Roberts began teaching at Drury in 1978 after a career in dancing and choreography in Las Vegas.

David Whitlock, dean of the College of Business and Computer Science at SBU, wrote a story for Andrews University Press' series "College Faith: 150 Christian Leaders and Educators Share Faith Stories from their Student Days, vol. 2." Whitlock served as chair of the department of business information management at Southeastern Oklahoma State University before coming to SBU in 1999.

Finance

William W. Miller Jr. and Randal J. Renkel, CFP, with Kirkpatrick, Phillips & Miller, were given Top Producer awards at the Terra Securities Corporation annual convention in Las Vegas. Miller and Renkel are registered representatives with the corporation, which operates as GE Independent Accountants Network.

Health care

Springfield Rehabilitation and Health Care Center was given the Center of the Year Award by the National HealthCare Corporation. The award is based on a high standard of patient support, safety, rehabilitation and nursing care, employee turnover and budget performance. The Springfield center was chosen out of 75 long-term health centers in 11 states. The center also received the Five Star Excellence Certification for high ratings in customer satisfaction, consumer view and patient care.

CoxHealth received the Clinical Effectiveness National VHA Leadership Award for 2004 for its adult mechanical ventilation clinical management program. The award is based on leadership and innovation in activities engaging practitioners in improving clinical quality outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Home inspections

Aimee Dixon Plumlee, HouseMaster Home Inspections, was named Affiliate of the Year by the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors. The award was based on volunteerism, ethics and business promotion of Realtor-endorsed programs and policies, and community involvement.

Restaurant

Four area employees of A&M Pizza Inc. dba Domino's Pizza were honored at a national awards event held in May in Ann Arbor, Mich. Brian Ranft was named National Supervisor of the Year 2003. The award considers 5,500 stores and is based on sales increase, training and inspection scores by the corporation. Ed Christiansen, manager of the Domino's location in Branson for 2 1/2 years, was named National Manager of the Year 2003. The award is based on sales increase, inspections and numerous record sales weeks. Franchise owners Art Hurteau and Marty Prather received The Gold Franny award for sales increase, inspection scores, community involvement and leadership within the community. Hurteau and Prather have owned the southwest Missouri franchise since 1981 and have 11 stores.

Work force

Skipper Maybee, who works at Fordland R-3 Schools with the Parents as Teachers program, was honored as one of 11 finalists for Missouri's 14th Annual Outstanding Older Worker Contest in Jefferson City. The contest recognizes the contribution older workers bring to the work force. Maybee wrote numerous grants for the school district and initiated the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides children monthly with developmentally appropriate books from birth to age 3. Maybee has received the Distinguished Service Award for her years as a PAT educator. Frances Lyle of Clinton was named the 2004 Missouri Outstanding Older Worker and will represent the state at the Experience Works National Prime Time Awards program in October.