Newsmakers: Aug. 8-14, 2016

Last edited 8:24 a.m., Aug. 10, 2016

Banking
First National Bank of Clinton named Aaron Buerge as its new CEO. The third-generation community banker has served as president of the family-owned bank since 2001.

Central Bank of the Ozarks promoted four officers: Ann Crow to vice president/banking center manager in Fair Grove and Strafford; Terri Choate to assistant vice president/banking center manager on South National; Lisa Ward to assistant vice president/banking center manager in Chesterfield Village; and Denise Hicker to assistant vice president of account services.

Central Bank of the Ozarks also promoted five employees to retail officers and banking center managers: Marlene Giebler at its South Glenstone location; Sherry Davis in Pleasant Hope; Barbara Dillbeck at its Hammons Tower facility; Mary Bransfield in Marshfield; and Tyler Phillips at its Glen Isle facility.

Civic
The city of Springfield hired Faith Koppes as administrative assistant at Dickerson Park Zoo. She succeeds Blanche Jones, who had held the job for 43 years and retired in July. Koppes previously served as a regional director of health and safety services at American Red Cross for 12 years.

The Greene County Commission appointed Katie Moore to the Springfield-Greene County Library District Board of Trustees. Moore, an attorney with Baird, Lightner, Millsap PC, will serve until 2019.

Cynthia Dunnaway was hired as traffic engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Southwest District. An 11-year veteran at MoDOT, her duties include oversight of the engineering staff that is responsible for traffic studies, pavement striping layout and new road sign installation.

Education
Drury University appointed David Hinson as executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief information officer and Kevin Kropf as executive vice president of enrollment management. Hinson comes from Yeshivah of Flatbush, where he served as director of technology, and previously Hendrix College, where he worked with Drury President Timothy Cloyd. Kropf worked at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan., since 2010 and previously spent 12 years at Albion College in Albio, Mich., and three years at Hendrix College with Cloyd.

The Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education named Baylee Burk at Ozark High School as New Teacher of the Year. She is in her second year teaching family and consumer sciences. Burk also was named Missouri Educators of Family and Consumer Sciences’ New Teacher of the Year in 2015.

Health Care
American Hospital Association recognized Citizens Memorial Hospital as a “Most Wired” hospital for redefining the way to provide care through technology. The recognition was given to 12 hospitals in Missouri and 364 hospitals nationwide.

Insurance
Missouri Association of Insurance Agents honored John Barker as Company Representative of the Year. The regional sales manager for West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. was recognized for positive company-agency relations, consistent and quality service, professionalism and integrity.

Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance hired Jeff Kennedy as an employee benefits specialist. He has 15 years of experience in employee benefits, finance and management in southwest Missouri.

Law
Mark McQueary, partner at The Law Firm of Neale & Newman LLP, was selected as a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Comprising attorneys, judges, law faculty and legal scholars dedicated to the legal profession, membership is reserved for only 1 percent of lawyers in each jurisdiction.

Media
Cablefax named Mediacom Communications the Multiple Cable System Operator of the Year. This is the second time Mediacom earned the nation’s top cable operator honor in the annual Top Ops Awards.

Retail
Lew’s Fishing Tackle received Best of Show awards in three categories at the 2016 International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades New Product Showcase. Lew’s won awards in the freshwater reel, saltwater rod, and rod and reel combo categories.