Banking and Finance Empire Bank added Terri Choate as banking center manager on South National Avenue. She has 33 years of banking experience in the Springfield market.
BKD LLP’s southern Missouri practice promoted Scotti George and Kim Haynes to senior consultant II, and Kim Dumas to senior consultant. George is a graduate of the University of Texas-Dallas with a master’s in accounting and information management. Haynes has experience in billings and operations software applications and is Medicare Part A and Part B certified. Dumas has experience in medical claims processing, medical plan document writing and financial services.
General agent Mike Morris of Morris Financial Group was honored as a 2014 member of Kansas City Life Insurance Co.’s Century Club. Recognized among agencies with at least $100,000 of net annualized first-year commission during the year, Morris has qualified for the club 25 times.
Education Nixa’s John Thomas School of Discovery earned accreditation from STEM.org, recognizing the traditional public school’s teaching approach in science, technology, engineering and math. The school completed a series of STEM-focused events, programs and professional development.
The Wellness Council of America named Sheila Bowen, coordinator of employee wellness programs at Missouri State University’s Taylor Wellness Center, to its list of top 100 health promotional professionals.
United Ministries in Higher Education at MSU received a $100,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., under a national initiative to strengthen campus ministries in public universities.
MSU’s School of Social Work received additional grant funds through the Child Welfare and Adoption Assistance Act to cover some $31,000 in costs for eligible students. The federal program helps fund tuition, student fees and books for master’s students currently working in social services.
Government Gov. Jay Nixon appointed longtime deputy collector Kathy Galbraith as Webster County assessor, succeeding the retired Jim Jones. Galbraith has served the county as deputy collector since 2000.
Health Care Ozarks Community Hospital CEO Paul Taylor was named one of the 50 Rural Hospital CEOs To Know by Becker’s Hospital Review.
Manufacturing Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems added John Coghlan as a product manager and Jens Rodman as a quality engineer. Coghlan, who manages engineered solutions and blower packages, worked the last eight years at Roper Pump Co. in Georgia as a product and marketing manager. For the past two years, Rodman worked as a quality and manufacturing engineer for Raytheon Missile Systems in Arizona.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
