Newsmakers: Feb. 9-15, 2026

Architecture
Seva Nix, who joined nForm Architecture LLC in 2022, completed his exams to become a licensed architect. Nix has a master’s in architecture from Drury University.

Banking & Finance
OMB Bank hired Casey Jackson as branch manager of the company’s Mount Vernon location. With more than 15 years of banking and financial services experience, Jackson joined OMB Bank after more than four years with Southern Bank, most recently as assistant branch retail manager.

Jeff Killian joined Four States Bank as senior vice president with a focus on commercial and U.S. Small Business Administration lending. Previously with Regent Bank, Killian has a bachelor’s in finance and MBA from Missouri State University.

Education
Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool appointed Stephanie Rino to the newly created role of director of curriculum and learning. Previously program director of Little Sunshine’s Playhouse of Colorado Springs at Briargate, Rino has more than 25 years of experience and a bachelor’s in child and family studies from Portland State University.

Drury University honored five former students with its annual Distinguished Alumni Awards. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to 1956 graduate Donald Flesche, a leader at Kalamazoo College for 35 years. 1971 graduate Dr. Mark Martin, who received the Community Service Award, is a family medicine doctor in Lee’s Summit. Receiving the Career Achievement Award is David Petiford, a 1982 graduate who served in IBM senior management for over 20 years with the company. A 2015 graduate who works as a strategic account manager at Cencora, Samantha Williams received the Young Alumni Award. Honored with the Faculty/Staff Appreciation Award, professor Bruce E. Moore is a founding faculty member of the Hammons School of Architecture and has worked at the school for 40 years.

Missouri State University earned the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. MSU was noted by the organization for “excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement.” MSU is one of 277 institutions honored nationwide in 2026 with the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement.

Law
The Springfield Police Department honored the promotion of three staff members. Promoted to police services representative II are Alexandria Rook, Lauren Rosendale and Faith Stewart.

Manufacturing
Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. promoted Shon Brubaker to automation system manager. Brubaker worked the last 20 years as a dispatcher at the company.

Nonprofit
CASA of Southwest Missouri Executive Director Laura Farmer was appointed to the Missouri CASA Association board. A licensed clinical social worker with certification in trust-based relational intervention, Farmer has more than two decades of child welfare experience.

Ed Scavone and Robin Walker joined the board of OATS Inc., which does business as OATS Transit. The 501(c)3 nonprofit provides transportation in 86 rural Missouri counties. Scavone, of Columbia, is president and CEO of Central Bank of Boone County. Walker, of Springfield, serves as plant manager of SWI Industrial Solutions in Monett.