Newsmakers: Dec. 16-22, 2019

Accounting
Abacus CPAs LLC promoted 16 staff members: Michael Sullivan to director; Annette Wright to senior associate; Taylor Graves and Brooke Shepherd to senior client support specialists; Tucker Virnig and Chris Abercrombie to senior analysts; Leona Towe and Christina Cooper to senior executive assistants; Kasey Bippert, John Taylor, Betsy Dyer and Shuhan Gu to consultants; and Jill Coleman, Sam Shafer and Teri Wingo to senior consultants.

Health Care
CoxHealth was one of four Missouri hospitals honored for volunteer service by the Missouri Association of Hospital Auxiliaries at its annual convention in Osage Beach. The CoxHealth Auxiliary’s 1,380 members provided 168,010 hours of service and supported $241,123 in donations to the hospital and through scholarships to nursing students.

Hospitality
The Best Western Plus Bolivar Hotel & Suites was recognized with the M.K. Guertin Award at Best Western Hotels and Resorts’ 2019 North American Convention in Maryland. The award represents the vision of Best Western’s founder and demonstrates exceptional levels of quality, guest satisfaction and brand dedication. The Bolivar hotel is one of 44 out of 2,100 Best Western North America properties to receive this award and the only one in Missouri.

Law
Criminal defense lawyers Dee Wampler and Joseph Passanise were named to the 2019 Super Lawyers list for Missouri and Kansas by Super Lawyers magazine. The designation is based on a multiphase selection process of peer nominations, evaluations and independent research. Only 5% of attorneys in Missouri and Kansas receive the distinction.

Manufacturing
ENX Magazine named CPI Technologies as one of its 137 Elite Dealers for 2019. The selections are based on criteria including marketing prowess, digital transformation, leadership, work environment, technology, customer service and charitable donations.

Municipal
The Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau hired Madison Russell as content coordinator. She manages the CVB’s social media accounts, blogging and assisting with public relations activities.

Nonprofit
Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri Inc. named John Lunardini as senior vice president of operations for its 39-county service area. He previously worked as chief operating officer at Catholic Charities Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi.

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri earned national accreditation through the Council on Accreditation. The 36-month accreditation process reviews and analyzes an organization’s administration, management and service delivery functions against international standards of best practices. Catholic Charities’ wholly owned subsidiary, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Ozarks Inc., also was reaccredited.

Real Estate
Keller Williams Realty of Southwest Missouri broker/partner Donny Allen was inducted into the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council Hall of Fame at the National Association of Realtors Conference & Expo in San Francisco. He has been licensed since 1996 and focuses on residential real estate in Joplin.

Retail
Atlas Security Service Inc. hired Paige Townsend as a security consultant. She most recently worked as a project manager at Frank & Maven advertising agency. Townsend earned a bachelor’s in business communication from Westminster College.