Newsmakers in Banking & Finance

Kim Nichols, CFP, joined Citi Smith Barney as a vice president-wealth management and a financial adviser working in the firm’s Springfield office. Nichols has eight years of experience in the financial services sector, most recently as vice president at Springfield Trust Co. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Drury University with bachelor’s degrees in business administration and psychology. In her new position, Nichols provides financial planning and investment services to high-net-worth clients and individual investors.

Denise Worsham was promoted to banking center manager/loan officer at Empire Bank’s Strafford location. Her responsibilities include retail operations, lending, and business and community development.

Empire Bank Vice President Kris Nau received Graduate With Distinction honors from Southwest School of Banking at the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He has been with Empire for six years and is responsible for commercial lending at the bank’s Chesterfield Village location.

Mid-Missouri Bank announced a new hire and a promotion at its Lebanon location.

Monty Hays joined the bank as vice president, with responsibilities in lending and business development. He has 16 years of lending experience.

Josh Helton was promoted to vice president, with duties in lending and business development. He joined Mid-Missouri Bank in 2002.

Alison Holmes joined Peoples Bank of the Ozarks as loan operations officer. She has 24 years of experience in the banking industry.

Letty VanKleeck, Realtor with Murney Associates, was appointed to the board of directors of Old Missouri National Bank. Van Kleeck has worked in Missouri real estate for 33 years and specializes in high-end and unique properties.

Nixa resident Charles L. Spangler, chairman of First Independent Bank in Aurora, was elected president of MIB Inc., the holding company for Midwest Independent Bank and Nebraska Bankers’ Bank. Midwest Independent Bank is based in Jefferson City, and Nebraska Bankers’ Bank is based in Lincoln, Neb.

Commerce Bank announced a promotion and a new hire. Stoney Roberts was promoted to vice president and small-business banking specialist.

Roberts has more than 37 years of experience in banking and finance, and was Commerce’s market manager in Nixa prior to his promotion.

In his new position, he is responsible for developing and implementing initiatives to spread awareness of the bank’s small-business banking products among small-business owners.

Holly Covey joined Commerce Bank as branch manager of Commerce’s Nixa banking center. She is a graduate of Drury University with 15 years of business and banking experience.

She is responsible for business development, customer service and overall management of branch operations, including the staff.