Accounting Julie Wagner of Kirkpatrick, Phillips & Miller CPAs PC has earned the certified fraud examiner status from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Wagner met the ACFE’s character, education and experience requirements and demonstrated knowledge in fraudulent financial transactions, fraud prevention and deterrence, legal elements of fraud and fraud investigation.
Banking & Finance Million Dollar Round Table, an organization that honors and supports insurance professionals and financial advisers, recognized Southern Missouri Bank of Marshfield Vice President Danny O’Neal with its Court of the Table designation. O’Neal is a 10-year member of Round Table, and this is the fourth time he has qualified for the honor.
Shannon Thomason joined Empire Bank as vice president and compliance officer, responsible for management of the bank’s compliance program, including implementation of regulations, staff training and daily compliance inquiries. Thomason, who has 10 years of compliance and internal audit experience, holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and human resources from Missouri State University.
Great Southern Bank promoted Christi Gibson to corporate services officer managing and developing relationships with corporate clients.
Gibson has a bachelor’s from Drury University and a Master of Business Administration from MSU.
Arvest Bank hired Randal Lyons as a private banking officer. Lyons, who holds Series 7 and 66 licenses, previously spent six years in personal banking and as a branch manager and regional private banker for Wells Fargo Bank.
Waddell & Reed financial adviser Glenda Bond qualified for the company’s annual Circle of Champions conference along with 550 other advisers for the May 7–10 event in Kansas City. This is the 17th time Bond has been recognized with the honor.
Arvest Asset Management hired J.W. Gibbs as a regional investment officer. Gibbs has 20 years of investment service experience, most recently with Elliott, Robinson & Co.
Edward Monserrate, a financial adviser with Ameriprise Financial, was rated in the top 25 percent of 3,791 financial advisers in a recent client relationship study.
Advisers who ranked scored 95 percent or higher based on overall client satisfaction.
Brooke Bigham, a financial adviser with The Layman Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, received the firm’s financial planning specialist title, following completion of more than 50 hours of online training and completion of a two-hour exam.
Education Reliable Superstore donated $21,000 to the Ozarks Technical Community College Foundation to support scholarships in the school’s automotive programs. The money will fund two endowed scholarships in automotive technology, collision repair and diesel technology programs.
The Missouri Colleges Fund received a $25,000 donation from The George H. Riedel Private Foundation to underwrite need-based scholarships at its 16 member schools, including Evangel, Drury and Southwest Baptist universities.
Franchising Comfort Inn & Suites received the 2012 Gold Hospitality Award from franchisor Choice Hotels International Inc. The Springfield hotel placed in the top 1 percent of the more than 4,900 U.S. Comfort Inn hotels for customer satisfaction.
Health Care Darla Marler joined Phoenix Home Care as its director of marketing to manage online media and branding. Marler earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Missouri State University.
Insurance State Auto Insurance Co. named Carmine Ingenito of Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance a PaceSetter agent. The designation recognizes top sales performers, and the company plans to work with PaceSetter agents in the coming months to gather feedback from those individuals to improve its sales efforts.
Nonprofit The Springfield Symphony Association Board of Directors named Amy Muchnick assistant conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s 2012–13 season. Muchnick’s leads the education and outreach programs, and conducts the annual Home for the Holidays pops concert. Muchnick has experience as a violist, conductor and clinician, and she has worked with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra since 1993.
The Greater Springfield Apartment & Housing Association named its 2012–13 officers and directors. Officers are Tim Roth, president; Dane Allen, vice president; Jay Titus, secretary and treasurer; and Sam Coryell, past president. Directors are Mike Breeding, Gordon Elliott, Jean Harmison, Brent Haselhorst, Bob Hunt, Nancy Preffitt, Judi Samuel, Kara Turner and Gary Wilson.
Sales Panera Bread franchisee Traditional Bakery Inc. named Elisa Kruger to the new position of retail catering sales manager. Kruger supports the catering coordinator in the Springfield and Branson cafés by cultivating new clients and keeping existing customers.
Sally Fenton joined the sales and marketing staff at The Montclair Retirement Community. Fenton, who earned a bachelor’s degree in cytology from University of Missouri-Columbia, started working in the senior housing field in the 1980s.
Play It Again Sports franchisee Jeff Newlin received the systemwide Sales Excellence Award at the chain’s annual conference and trade show in Las Vegas. Newlin was recognized for achieving the highest sales volume among 340 stores, and it is the 11th consecutive year the Springfield store received the award.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
