Banking and Finance RPS Financial Group hired Matthew Strode as a financial representative for Northwestern Mutual products. Strode holds a bachelor’s from Missouri State University.
Arvest Bank in Lebanon hired Josh Helton and Kim French as commercial lenders. Helton previously worked as a lender with Mid-Missouri Bank for 12 years and earned a bachelor’s in finance from MSU. French previously worked as special assets manager and commercial lender with Liberty Bank and holds a bachelor’s in agricultural business and economics from Arkansas State University.
BluCurrent Credit Union hired Hanna McCaig as assistant branch manager of its Sunset branch. McCaig previously worked as activity director at a retirement community for 13 years.
BKD Wealth Advisors LLC was recognized among six Missouri companies in The Financial Times’ top 300 registered investment advisers nationwide. The Financial Times selected from 2,000 independent advisory firms with $300 million or more in assets under management.
Education Evangel University named Tilahun Adera provost and vice president for academic affairs. He previously worked five years as New Mexico University’s dean of the College of Health and Social Services. Adera holds a doctorate in public health from Oregon State University, master’s in public health from the University of Washington and OSU and a bachelor’s in pharmacy from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.
The Lewis Family Foundation donated $100,000 to Ozarks Technical Community College to endow the OTC Student Emergency Fund. David Lewis, before his death in 2009, pledged $1 million to OTC for student scholarships. The fund aids students with living expenses.
Government City Utilities General Manager Scott Miller was appointed to the 2014–15 executive committee of the American Public Power Association Board of Directors. APPA represents 2,000 community- and publicly owned utilities nationwide.
The Springfield Art Museum’s Art Hunters game was featured on the Alternate Reality Gaming Network website. The game teaches players about missing artwork and sends them to the museum to look for clues to unlock videos on the website.
The Springfield Police Department presented Carlos and Michelle Edwards with Citizen Service Commendations for providing leads in the Hailey Owens’ abduction case. The Edwardses witnessed the abduction and described the suspect and his vehicle to the police.
The SPD promoted Sgt. Chad Eutsler to lieutenant, officer Mark Schindler to sergeant and civilian DeAnn Reynolds to fleet and equipment supervisor.
Police officer Mark Foos was recognized with a Command Commendation as a member of the Special Response Team for assisting with security of a February 2013 standoff on Grand Street.
Health Care Isaac Cowart, director of ARC Physical Therapy, received certification in mechanical diagnosis and therapy from the McKenzie Institute International. Cowart holds a doctorate in physical therapy from Rockhurst University.
Arc of the Ozarks made five personnel moves: Dr. Kayette Glass was named lead psychologist and clinical director of Cornerstone Psychology Clinic; Libby Barnard was named safety and risk management officer; Lori Pace was named director of training and staff development; Jacqueline Atkins was named director of community connections and employment solutions; and Cindy Miller was named administrative assistant.
Insurance Ollis & Co. hired Carly Adams as marketing and communications coordinator. Adams previously worked as Meek’s marketing and events coordinator. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in marketing from MSU. The firm promoted Myleah Shrimpton, the marketing and events coordinator the last four years, to claims account manager.
Ollis & Co. hired Jennifer Campbell as its small group and individual account manager. She has 17 years of experience in customer service and the last four years working in employee benefits.
Nonprofit The Council of Churches of the Ozarks and the city of Springfield selected 10 individuals as Volunteers of the Year at the Gift of Time Awards. The recipients, listed with their representative entities, were nominated by nonprofit, public and service organizations: Barbara Hover, Greene County Medical Society Alliance and Community Partnership of the Ozarks; Beth DeHaven, Safe to Sleep; David O’Dell, Ozarks Area Community Action Corp.; Karis Agnew and Tara Venable, Ambassadors for Children; David Pierce, Child Care Aware and CPO; Karla McHaffie, Beyond the Walls Oil Change; George Deatz, Springfield-Greene County Park Board; Jill Bright, CoxHealth; and Barbara Cosby, Willard Care Center.
The Springfield chapter of the Association for Women in Communications named Anjanette LaBellarte-Gilbert as president. LaBellarte-Gilbert works as director of development and major gifts at Drury University.
Community Foundation of the Ozarks promoted Bridget Dierks to grants program officer, Brianne McCormick to assistant vice president of accounting, Winter Skelton to assistant vice president of donor development and operations, Matt Lemmon to media director and Cassie Halfmann to accounting manager.
CFO also named Randy Russell the Springfield coordinator and national trainer for the Any Given Child program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, appointed Executive Vice President Julie Leeth over the Agency Partner program for nonprofits and hired Jamie Swenka as part-time scholarships and communications assistant.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
