Newsmakers: June 19-25, 2023

Accounting
FORVIS LLP promoted six professionals to managing directors in the Springfield market: Rhonda Christopher, Gretchen Cliburn, Jason Corson, John Gamble, Tim Klassen and Kevin Rash.

Christopher and Cliburn both work in the private client group – Christopher with 25 years of providing audit, tax and consulting services and Cliburn having 25 years of experience providing financial and estate planning services to high-net-worth families. Corson, in the capital advisers group, has 20 years of experience managing corporate finance engagements. In the advisory region firm services, Gamble has 20 years of experience in accounting and finance roles. Klassen, an assistant audit and accounting director for southern Missouri in the firm’s professional standards group, has 15 years of experience providing audit services for nonprofit, governmental, health care and utility entities. Rash, who works in health care performance advisory services, has 25 years of experience helping providers improve processes and create efficiencies.

Banking & Finance
Arvest Bank hired Zion Spurgeon as a commercial banker in the Springfield market. He has 11 years’ experience in banking, as well as five years in accounting, and holds a bachelor’s in finance from Missouri State University.

Mid-Missouri Bank hired Eric Bowman as a commercial loan officer in the Springfield market. He has four years of banking experience and previously worked for Simmons Bank.

Education
Kyle Rapinchuk, School of the Ozarks’ associate professor of Christian worldview, received the Christian Teacher of the Year award from the Stanley M. Herzog Charitable Foundation.

He receives a monetary gift and a trip to Washington, D.C., for the foundation’s awards gala in September.

Law
James E. Meadows joined Carnahan Evans PC as an of counsel attorney in the litigation and business law groups.

He previously served as partner with Kutak Rock LLP. With a practice focused on contract disputes, real estate claims, construction payment and defect claims, insurance coverage actions and employment cases, Meadows also is a former law clerk for the Supreme Court of Missouri.

Marketing
Fried Design Co. won four honors at the 2023 Craft Beer Marketing Awards: platinum honors in the Best Overall Brand category for Pennsylvania-based Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co. and in the Best Sell Sheet category rating presentations of beer offerings, and gold awards in the Best Can Design category and for Best 12-Pack Packaging.

Nonprofit
Ozarks Food Harvest installed Dana Ausburn to its board of directors, succeeding Jill Reynolds of Commerce Trust. A community volunteer, Ausburn previously worked as vice president of commercial banking at Commerce Bank.

Utilities
City Utilities of Springfield and four employees were recognized by the Employee Support of the Guard and Reserve office of the Department of Defense for support given to employees serving in the National Guard or Reserve. Steve Gore and Relina Taylor, in customer services, and Tracy O’Dell and Mara Mooneyham, in human resources, received the Patriot Award for supervisors that support staff members’ military obligations through flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for their families and granting leaves of absences. The public utility company earned the Above and Beyond Award for exceeding the legal requirements to support those employees serving.