Newsmakers: Dec. 8-14, 2025

Banking & Finance
Darla Marler joined Guaranty Bank as a senior vice president and treasury management sales manager. A Missouri State University graduate, Marler has 28 years of financial services experience.

Brewing
Springfield-area breweries earned myriad accolades in the Missouri Craft Brewers Guild’s Missouri Beer Cup, a statewide craft beer competition. Hold Fast Brewing picked up a gold win for its Poblano Pils. Springfield Brewing Co. received gold honors for its Mayhem Marzen and Margarita-Style Squeeze, as well as a silver recognition for its Farmstand Cider and bronze honor for Italian Pilsner. Tie & Timber Beer Co. grabbed a gold award for its Sidetrack Stout, a silver for Jack Blast Pumpkin Spice and bronze honors for Dope Flannel Rye IPA, Juicy Brewski and OG Bob American Brown Ale. Turkey Creek Brewery was the recipient of a bronze honor for its Irish Red Ale. Wire Road Brewing Co. received a gold honor for Lingering Effect and silver honor for Grand Champ.

Government
Melinda Robertson, of Bolivar, was appointed to the Missouri Ethics Commission by Gov. Mike Kehoe. The six-member MEC oversees lobbyist registration and the reporting of lobbyist expenditures, campaign finance reporting and personal financial disclosure statements, and it has the authority to conduct audits and investigations and level penalties for violations. With nearly 30 years of experience serving as county clerk and south associate commissioner for Polk County, Robertson is a part-time tax and bookkeeping clerk at Winfield Tax Service after retiring in 2024.

Health Care
William Mahoney, president of Cox Medical Center Branson and senior vice president of the community hospital group at CoxHealth, received the Missouri Hospital Association’s Distinguished Service Award. The MHA’s top honor, the award recognizes significant contributions to the health care industry. Mahoney has worked in health care in Missouri since 2011.

Jenna Hicks, director of quality and population health at Citizens Memorial Hospital, received the Missouri Hospital Association’s Visionary Leadership Award. Established in 1999, the award recognizes hospital executives for innovative approaches to health care improvement. Hicks, who helped establish CMH’s Mobile Integrated Health program and assists in leading the health system’s participation in MO HealthNet’s Transformation of Rural Community Health program, is a registered nurse with an MBA.

Citizens Memorial Hospital hired Drs. David J. Lemons and James Liesen. An interventional cardiologist with nearly 10 years of experience in the field, Lemons joined the CMH Heart Institute Clinic medical staff. Liesen, who has 25 years of experience as a pediatrician, marked his return to CMH by joining its pediatric clinic. Lemons earned his medical degree from A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Liesen received his medical degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Trucking
Rebecca Anderson, director of recruiting, marketing and communications for Strafford-based trucking company TransLand, completed the yearlong Lead ATA leadership program through the American Trucking Associations. A TransLand employee for more than a decade, Anderson has a bachelor’s in advertising and public relations from Drury University.