Newsmakers: Dec. 21-Jan. 3, 2015

Accounting
Elliott, Robinson & Co. LLP was named one of Accounting Today’s 2015 Best Accounting Firms to Work For. One-hundred companies were selected through a survey and ranked by independent researcher Best Companies Group.

Abacus CPAs LLC hired Cindy Abner, Shelby Convery and Nicole Johnson as client service representatives. The firm also added tax department interns Ron Hill, John Taylor and Drew Klaus. All three are studying accounting at Missouri State University

Architecture
Rachel Shanks of Buddy Webb & Co. Inc. passed all seven architectural registration exams. She passed all tests on the first try over a 10-month period.

Advertising
DL Media Inc. added four staff members: April Clore, social media manager; Cheri Ellens, an accountant; Samantha Richardson, graphic designer; and Darren Rush, Web developer. Clore earned a bachelor’s in electronic arts and a certificate in writing for television and film from Missouri State University. With 12 years of work experience, Ellens has a bachelor’s in accounting from Arkansas State University. Richardson has design experience from her previous work at a map publications company. Rush has three years of programming experience.

Banking and Finance
Shana Jahnke, vice president of branch operations at Community Financial Credit Union, was one of 16 selected for the Heartland Credit Union Association’s 2016 leadership class. Dubbed CUlead: Leadership Excellence and Development, the one-year, interactive program is designed for Kansas and Missouri credit union staff with sessions and field trips in the Kansas City area.

Construction
Anderson Engineering Inc. and Branco Enterprises Inc. were part of the Joplin High School project team named a runner-up in the 2015 Associated General Contractors of America annual construction awards. Recognized as a specialty contractor for building projects under $2 million, other team members were Hayward Baker Inc., Corner Greer & Associates Inc., DLR Group and Universal Construction Co. Inc. Joplin High was destroyed in the 2011 EF-5 tornado.

Government
Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Amanda “Mandi” Armitage, of Nixa, as Christian County coroner. She has served as the county’s deputy coroner and as a morgue manager for the Missouri Disaster Response Team.

Education
Diana Gallamore, director of the Center for Global Connections, and Troy Bethards, dean of the Robert W. Plaster College of Business and Computer Science, received the Staff and Faculty Life Beautiful Awards from Southwest Baptist University. An SBU alumnus in religious education, Gallamore worked in University Ministries for 15 years. Bethards has been a member of the SBU faculty since 1996 and holds a bachelor’s in economics and business administration from SBU, an MBA from MSU, and a doctorate in business administration from Anderson University in Indiana.

SBU mathematics professor Bob Glasgow gave two presentations at the annual conference of the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Glasgow also discussed his work as part of the House Bill 1490 workgroup charged with creating new Missouri Learning Standards for grades 6-12.

Drury University named Justin Leinaweaver as director of institutional research and effectiveness. He holds a doctorate in political science from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and served as an assistant professor of political science at Drury since 2012.

MSU selected Dr. John Bentley to receive its 20th honorary doctorate. Bentley received the doctor in public affairs for volunteering and administering free health care to the uninsured homeless through Sister Lorraine’s Kitchen Clinic and the Missouri Hotel for more than 20 years. He also was instrumental in opening the federally qualified Jordan Valley Community Health Center.

The Missouri School Boards’ Association awarded Nixa Public Schools a $7,500 grant through its Missouri Center for Education Safety. The funds will be used to enhance the district’s safety evacuation plans.

Entertainment
Herschend Family Entertainment Corp. promoted John J. Fitzgibbons III to senior vice president of its attractions group. Fitzgibbons has 25 years of experience with the company, serving in leadership positions in operations, finance and management across numerous properties.

Government
Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams received the Donald “Red” Loehr Outstanding Police Chief of the Year Award from the Missouri Police Chiefs Association. The award recognizes chiefs for law enforcement experience, organizational affiliations, innovative programs they have initiated and dedication to service.

The Springfield Fire Department received 86.06 points out of a possible 100 through an evaluation by the Insurance Services Office. The point total, a five-point improvement over its previous evaluation four years ago, allows the city to maintain its Class 2/2x ISO rating. The higher score was attributed to improved fire prevention efforts, including the department’s fire safety education program, fire codes and fire investigation program.

Health Care
Dr. Jody Vance, a periodontist, was named the 147th president of the Missouri Dental Association. He received a doctorate in dentistry and a master’s of oral biology from the University of Nebraska and has served as trustee of the Greater Springfield Dental Society.

CoxHealth’s neurosurgery and spine program was named to Becker’s Hospital Review 2015 list of 100 neurosurgery and spine programs. The recognition is based on national rankings and awards, including those from U.S. News & World Report and Healthgrades.

Nonprofit
Springfield Sertoma Club member Nick Love was named Sertoman of the Year. Owner of Love Insurance and Financial Services, he and his wife, Susan, chartered Helping Others in Latin America Sertoma to help relieve poverty.

Marketing
Paul Mueller Co. hired former Springfield newscaster Christine Daues as a senior marketing strategist. She worked as a reporter and anchor at KY3 Inc. from 1998-2004 and 2007-10.

Real Estate
The Greater Springfield Apartment & Housing Association named Paula Sutton of Debco Management Inc. as Manager of the Year. Other 2015 awards were Maintenance Person, Bill Choate of Affiniti Management; Leasing Person, Jessica Wallace of Debco Management; Vendor, District Public Safety Authority; Community of the Year, Blue Block Lofts; Large Owner of the Year, Michelle Gipson of At Home Real Estate Service with over 100 units; Small Owner of the Year, Warren Harper of Crosswood Apartments in Rogersville with less than 100 units; Big Heart Award, Jay Titus of BancorpSouth; Outstanding Leadership, Lonnie Funk of Affiniti Management; and Distinguished Service, Craig Lowther of Lowther Johnson Attorneys at Law LLC.