Newsmakers

Community

Donna J. Jones was appointed development director at Council of Churches of the Ozarks. She will continue as executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Springfield through Feb. 20. As development director with Council of Churches, Jones is responsible for the organization's overall development plan, annual fund and special events.

Education

Vatterott College announced two staff additions.

Allison Smith joined the college as a pharmacy technician instructor, responsible for lab and theory instruction of students in pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacology, patient services, bookkeeping, insurance and technician duties. Smith is a certified pharmacy technician with six years of experience.

Sheri Bridges joined Vatterott as a medical office assistant instructor. She is responsible for lab and theory instruction of students in medical terminology, anatomy, insurance billing and coding, medical law and ethics, accounting, transcription and medical office procedures. Bridges has 13 years of experience as a medical office assistant manager and medical insurance account adjuster. She has a bachelor's degree from John Brown University.

Fairs

The Ozark Empire Fair was recognized for excellence in advertising and exhibit competitions at the recent 113th Annual International Association of Fairs and Expositions convention in Las Vegas. The advertising campaign for the 2003 Come n' Get It theme won first place in four communication awards categories: newspaper ad-colored print, promotional advertising-outdoor, printed promotional material-brochure/flyer and best advertising campaign. In the competitive exhibits contest, first place awards were received in four categories: competitive exhibit display method and/or prop, new or unique class of competitive exhibits, use of fair's theme in competitive exhibits, and new or unique strategy to increase the number of competitive exhibitors. Three agriculture awards also were received: overall agricultural program for the fair-going public, agriculture series photos and outstanding media commitment to agriculture programming, radio. Ozark Empire Fair's media commitment partner was KTTS radio.

Industrial

Certified Metals Inc. announced two staff changes.

David Neill was named company president. He has been involved with Certified Metals since 1990, holding positions in inside and outside sales, purchasing and administration. He is a 1981 graduate of Southwest Missouri State University where he earned a degree in business and finance.

Jeff Berger has been named vice president of sales. He is responsible for marketing in the four-state area for the company, which is a distributor of industrial stainless steel products to the manufacturing and fabricating industries.

Insurance

Christin Spitz was promoted to transportation underwriter with Gresham & Associates Wholesale Insurance Brokers. She has been with the company for three years and specializes in local and long-haul trucking.

Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance, a provider of workers' compensation insurance, has created a business systems unit to help maximize its operational systems. The unit is directed by Cassandra McGinnis, who has led MEM's e-commerce unit since December 1999. Jan Sloan will be the business systems unit's assistant director of policy systems. Sloan headed MEM's change in policy management systems, coordinating the project's design, testing and implementation phases. Slone also has served as manager of Missouri Employers General Agency, a wholly owned subsidiary of MEM, and as underwriting coordinator for MEM. Jeanne Storm is assistant director of claims systems for the business systems unit. Since 1997, Storm has provided management and direction for claims strategic projects and operational enhancements to the claims systems and processes. She continues to analyze claims data to identify trending needs and enhance the operational efficiencies of MEM's claims department.

Law

Attorney Richard E. Walters of Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLC's Springfield office was named a partner with the firm effective Jan. 1. Walters earned his undergraduate degree from Southwest Missouri State University and his juris doctorate from the University of Tulsa College of Law, with honors. He joined Blackwell Sanders in 2001 and practices in the firm's corporate department.

Scott E. Bellm has become a principal in the law firm of Turner, Reid, Duncan, Loomer & Patton PC. Bellm practices in insurance defense and product liability litigation.

Clifford S. Brown, Thomas D. Peebles Jr. and Jennifer K. Huckfeldt, shareholders of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown PC, gave presentations at the Missouri Bar Annual Estate & Trust Institute, held in the fall of 2003. Brown, serving as moderator, presented "An Update of Case Law and Legislation for the Estate and Trust Practitioner." Peebles discussed the fundamentals of the estate planning practice, and Huckfeldt discussed the planning options, opportunities and pitfalls of income taxation of trusts and states.

Bryan Wade, a member of the firm Husch & Eppenberger LLC, was one of three recipients of the David J. Dixon Appellate Advocacy Award, which was created by the Missouri Bar Foundation to recognize outstanding achievement in appellate practice by members of The Missouri Bar who have been in practice for less than 10 years. The award is named after the late Judge Dixon, who made a substantial contribution toward the establishment of the award.

Springfield News-Leader received one of The Missouri Bar's Excellence in Legal Journalism awards, which are presented by the Board of Governors of the Missouri Bar in recognition of outstanding work by the print and broadcast media in covering the legal profession.

Public safety

Kelly Rostic, anchor and reporter for KDEB and KOLR television stations, was appointed by Gov. Bob Holden to serve on the Amber Alert System Oversight Commission. The nomination is subject to confirmation by the Missouri Senate. The Amber Alert System Oversight Commission's primary duty is to develop criteria and procedures for the Amber Alert System, a system designed to notify the public of abduction cases.

Transportation

O & S Trucking announced two staff additions. Frank Reynolds joined the company as an inside sales representative for its newly developed refrigerated division. Reynolds ended his tour with the U.S. Navy in 1976 and he has more than 25 years of experience in the transportation industry, from driving to operations management. Nikki Withee also joined O & S Trucking. She is responsible for all license and permit requirements and she assists in the recruiting department.

Veterinary Medicine

Philip R. Brown, DVM, head veterinarian with the Animal Care Center, attended the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association Convention in January at Osage Beach. He attended a continuing education program featuring more than 25 speakers who addressed various specialized topics.