Newsmakers: June 15-21, 2026

Accounting
KPM CPAs & Advisors staff accountant Kylie Gillen earned her certified public accountant license. Gillen has an associate degree in business from Ozarks Technical Community College, a bachelor’s in accounting from Missouri State University and a Master of Accountancy from MSU. 

Architecture
Robyn Niemeyer joined nForm Architecture LLC as a project associate. Niemeyer is a graduate of the Hammons School of Architecture at Drury University with a master’s in architecture. 

Banking & Finance
OMB Bank hired Kurt Shelangoski as a loan officer at its 1535 W. Sunshine St. branch. Shelangoski has 35 years of agriculture lending experience, as well as a lifelong background in farming and ranching. After retiring in 2020, he returned to the banking industry, most recently working as vice president of lending with HomePride Bank.

Central Bank hired new lenders Autumn Stapp and Joe Young. Stapp brings more than seven years of banking experience to her new roles of assistant vice president and TRID/small-business lender. She has an associate degree from Ozarks Technical Community College and a bachelor’s from Missouri State University. Young is Central Bank’s new senior vice president of commercial lending. He’s a graduate of College of the Ozarks and the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

Guaranty Bank promoted Darla Marler to senior vice president and director of treasury management. Marler, who joined Guaranty Bank in 2025, has 29 years of financial services experience. Marler is a graduate of Missouri State University.

Education
Magdalena Toda was hired as dean of Missouri State University’s College of Natural and Applied Sciences, effective July 1. Toda joins MSU from Texas Tech University, where she has served as a professor in the department of mathematics and statistics. She was named an Association for Women in Mathematics Fellow in 2025 and received Texas Tech’s President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008. Her doctorates are from the University of Kansas and the Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania.

Ozark School District’s Tiger Paw Early Childhood Center was recognized as Exhibiting High Quality through the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education’s Quality Assurance Report. The Exhibiting High Quality achievement is awarded to organizations that achieve at least four operational practices and responsive practice indicators.

Hospitality
Branson Landing hired Becky Blair as director of marketing and events. Blair most recently worked at Branson’s IMAX complex for more than eight years.

Manufacturing
Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. promoted Phillip Culbertson to dock operations manager. An employee with the company since 2006, Culbertson has held roles including order builder and working foreman on the loader dock.

Nonprofit
The Springfield Community Land Trust recognized Bob Jones with the Community Builder Award, the organization’s highest honor. Jones, who works for the city of Springfield, was honored for setting up the framework for the land trust model in Springfield and for advocacy for housing solutions serving families of all income levels.