Newsmakers in Banking & Finance

CU Community Credit Union promoted Susan Richardson to accountant from accounting assistant. A graduate of Missouri State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Richardson has worked in the credit union industry for nine years, and at CU Community Credit Union since 2005. Her duties include preparation of financial statements, reconciliations, postings, ATM settlements and administering the credit union’s share draft program.

Commerce Bank hired Kristy Hale as a small-business banking specialist. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Missouri State University and has four years of banking and sales experience. Hale is responsible for building small-business banking product packages, as well as offering customized lending, credit and money management options for small-business owners and operators.

Stoney Roberts was promoted to vice president and small-business banking sales manager for Commerce. He has more than 37 years of experience in banking and finance, previously serving as small-business banking specialist and market manager in Nixa. Roberts is responsible for growing Commerce’s small-business banking services.

Great American Acceptance Corp., an independent provider of financing for used-car dealers, hired Dale York as branch manager of its new Springfield office. York has more than 23 years of management and sales experience in the car business, as well as a background in mortgages. GAAC is a division of National Bank of Kansas City.

Doug Buckner was named vice president and loan officer of Empire Bank’s Nixa operations. He has a bachelor’s degree in management from Missouri State University and more than 27 years of banking experience. Buckner provides commercial, consumer and real estate lending to the Nixa community.

BKD Wealth Advisors LLC hired Gretchen K. Cliburn as a supervising adviser. She earned a business degree from the University of Maryland’s European division and holds a Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law license. Cliburn coordinates investments, retirement and benefit planning, as well as insurance, tax and estate planning for high-net-worth families and business owners.

Bill W. Jones, president of Branson Bank, was appointed to his first term on the board of directors of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Jones, whose board term runs through 2009, has been president of Branson Bank since its inception more than eight years ago.

Melissa Sixkiller joined Peoples Bank of the Ozarks as an assistant vice president of lending at the bank’s Ozark location. She has more than 26 years of banking experience.

The Springfield office of The Mutual Fund Store is one of five offices to receive the company’s Keystone Awards, given to locations that reach $100 million in assets under management.

Joel S. Pearson, associate financial adviser with Penney, Murray and Associates, Ameriprise Financial, attended the Putnam Investments Research Analyst Due Diligence Conference in Boston, Mass.