Newsmakers: Jan. 5-11, 2026

Education
College of the Ozarks received the following rankings from U.S News & World Report: No. 1 Best Performers on Social Mobility – Regional Colleges in the Midwest; No. 2 Most Innovative Schools in the Midwest; No. 3 Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest; No. 4 Undergraduate Teaching Programs in the Midwest; and No. 6 Best Value Regional College in the Midwest. The Best Colleges rankings have been ongoing for more than four decades. College of the Ozarks started the fall semester with enrollment of nearly 1,500 students.

Nine college students joined the Ozarks Teacher Corps, a scholarship program managed by Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc. to help recruit teachers for rural school districts. The students are as follows: McKenzie Furr, a 2021 graduate of Branson High School who is currently attending Missouri State University; Jeremy Graham, a 2022 graduate of Marshfield High School who is currently attending MSU; Rosa Hester, a 2022 graduate of Bloomfield High School who is currently attending MSU; Kenna Humble, a 2023 graduate of Ozark High School who is currently attending MSU; Lillyan Johnson, a 2024 graduate of Charleston High School who is currently attending MSU; Makayla Karr, a 2019 graduate of West Plains High School who is currently attending MSU; Hannah Phillips, a 2024 graduate of Marionville High School who is currently attending MSU; Emily Whitaker, a 2017 graduate of Ava High School who is currently attending Drury University; and Natalie Wilks, a 2023 graduate of Sparta High School who is currently attending Drury.

Branson High School senior Hanah Barnes was selected as a 2025 QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship recipient. Through one of the nation’s most competitive full-ride scholarship programs, Barnes has matched with Yale University and intends to enroll in fall 2026. Only 2,550 students received a scholarship out of more than 25,000 applicants.

Health Care
Citizens Memorial Hospital hired Dr. Racheal Smith as its new medical director of emergency services. With a decade of emergency medicine experience, Smith has experience at CoxHealth and Mercy. Smith earned her medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and she completed her residency at the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was chief resident. Smith, who completed the Vituity Administrative Fellowship at Memorial Medical Center, is board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Mirza Mahmood joined CMH as a hospitalist. With a medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Mahmood completed a family medicine residency at the Southern Illinois University Family Medicine Residency Program. He is board certified by the American Academy of Family Physicians and previously worked at Ozarks Health Care in West Plains.

Manufacturing
Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. promoted Billy Roberts to an account executive role focused on food service accounts. A Hollister resident, Roberts started at Ozarks Coca-Cola’s Rolla branch as a route driver in 1994. He’s held myriad leadership roles in the company, including district sales manager, regional manager and future consumption manager. Roberts additionally is a veteran of the U.S. Army and National Guard.

SRC Holdings Corp. was honored on Tugboat Institute’s Best Evergreen Companies list for the second consecutive year. Presented at the Tugboat Institute Summit this summer, the award recognizes companies for their long-term societal impacts. Evergreen companies are defined by Tugboat as purpose-driven organizations that make a long-term difference through the qualities of grit and resourcefulness. SRC was founded in 1983 and operates an employee stock ownership plan that has paid out millions of dollars to date.

Nonprofit
Afhtan Ransom joined the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame as administrative and business development coordinator. Previously serving as marketing specialist and leasing agent with Green Circle Projects, Ransom has experience at organizations including Central Bank, America’s Incredible Pizza Co. and the Woman’s Clinic.