Banking and Finance Metropolitan National Bank hired Brandon Plank as a commercial loan officer for its Lamar banking center. Plank, who holds a bachelor’s in management from Missouri Southern State University, has two years of banking experience.
Education Computer Science Online ranked Missouri State University’s information technology service management program third out of 52 on its list of 2015 Best Online Computer Science Degrees. MSU was selected based on quality and affordability of its online degrees.
Two Southwest Baptist University mathematics professors presented at the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference in Columbia. Mathematics Department Chairman Kevin Hopkins presented a session on GeoGebra, a free, Web-based software for dynamic geometry and graphing, and Robert Glasgow concluded the professional development program for K-12 teachers.
Government Gov. Jay Nixon appointed RobertAndrew Bryan, of Springfield, to the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund board. Bryan has served as lead pastor of Campbell United Methodist Church since 2008. The state board works to alleviate and prevent child abuse. Bryan’s term ends Sept. 15.
Health Care Mercy Springfield Communities added 16 health care professionals: Drs. Charles Beavers and Jamie Odem, Mercy Clinic Pathology; Travis Lundell, Jessica Greene and Olivia Kilburn, Mercy Clinic Anesthesiology; Dr. Ashley Thill, at the Mercy Clinic Eye Specialists Optical Shop in Smith Glynn Callaway; Nurse Practitioner Rachel Leone and Dr. Michele Brother, Mercy Clinic Hospitalists; Dr. David Nawoor and Meredith Napierala, Mercy Children’s Urgent Care in Smith Glynn Callaway; Dr. Robert Carr, Mercy Clinic Radiology; Dr. Dipali Apte, at Mercy Clinic Eye Specialists Surgery Center; Dr. Yuyang Tian, Mercy Clinic Family Medicine on East Sunshine; Dr. Holli Bagwell, Mercy Clinic Emergency Medicine; Betsy Mullings, Mercy Clinic Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery Center; and Dr. Kasey Grass, Mercy Clinic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Dr. Phillip Finley, a senior scientist with Mercy Trauma Research, was honored for best overall research in the Laboratory Science category from the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care.
Alexis Gonzales joined Lakeland Behavioral Health System as its Jason Foundation representative. Trained and certified by the foundation, a youth suicide prevention and awareness organization, Gonzales runs Lakeland’s Jason Foundation Community Resource Center. She has previously served Lakeland as a behavioral health technician for three years.
Law Douglas, Haun and Heidemann PC attorneys Donald Brown and Nathan Duncan were named Rising Stars by the Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers magazines. With qualifications including less than 10 years in practice and under the age of 40, the honor is awarded to no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in each state. Brown and Duncan joined DHH in 2005 and 2007, respectively.
Nonprofit Alternative Opportunities Inc., in collaboration with the city’s Department of Workforce Development, was awarded a $40,000 grant from JPMorgan Chase Foundation to provide career readiness testing to students in underserved rural communities. The program will launch in Stone and Taney counties, enabling them to pursue Certified Work Ready Community status.
The Healthy Living Alliance received the Reaching for the Stars Award from the Community Partnership of the Ozarks in recognition of its commitment to neighborhood improvement.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks received $55,000 to support operations from the proceeds of the Ozarks Beerfest, which had 200 varieties of craft beer and 1,200 attendees.
The Kitchen Inc. received $8,100 in proceeds from the Halloween Hustle fun run organized by City Utilities of Springfield.
Real Estate Affiniti Management Services received three awards at the Springfield Apartment and Housing Association annual awards banquet. Affiniti Management’s Beacon Student Housing was named Community of the Year, and Les Butterfield, who provides leasing services for Beacon Student Housing, was named Leasing Person of the Year. Ted Shelton of Beacon was named Maintenance Person of the Year.
Retail The International Chocolate Awards honored Askinosie Chocolate with a gold medal for its dark milk chocolate and black licorice bar. The Askinosie bar was one of five selected from the United States to receive a gold medal out of nearly 1,000 entries.[[In-content Ad]]
