Banking First Home Savings Bank promoted Tyrell Molleck to assistant vice president and bank manager and Tera Mathewson to operations manager at its Crane branch. Molleck graduated from Missouri State University with a bachelor’s in finance and has five years of experience. Mathewson has nine years of experience.
Arvest Bank named Lorna Creech a customer coordinator at the Republic Road branch and Kala Morgan as branch manager of the Sunshine branch. Creech earned an associate degree from Crowder College and joined the banking industry in 1992. Morgan has five years of experience and earned an undergraduate degree from Cox College.
Metropolitan National Bank promoted Jerry Gardner to loan officer at its Marshfield branch. Previously working as a credit analyst, Gardner joined Metropolitan National Bank in 2011 and has nine years of industry experience.
Consulting People Centric Consulting Group hired Sherrie Freyer as project administrator. Freyer has 30 years of experience as an executive administrative assistant, working most recently for Bass Pro Shops, and 13 years of experience as a small-business owner.
Education H&R Block Bank/H&R Block Foundation and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation donated two $10,000 grants to the Missouri Colleges Fund to underwrite need-based scholarships at 17 member schools, including Drury, Evangel and Southwest Baptist universities.
National forensic organization Pi Kappa Delta named David Bailey as its 47th president. Bailey is Southwest Baptist University’s director of forensics and chairman of the Bob R. Derryberry School of Communication Arts.
MSU advertising students were recognized in the inaugural AT&T Campus Marketing Challenge. The students shared a $1,000 scholarship for their “inTEXTicated” campaign, which taught students about the effects of drinking and driving through events, social media, ads and public relations messages.
The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education awarded MSU the 2013 Sustained Excellence in Educational Fundraising Award. This is the third time in five years MSU was recognized for fundraising achievement. CASE judges used an analysis of fundraising data, including a pattern of growth in total support, overall scope in program areas, pattern of donor growth and the impact of the 12 largest gifts.
Springfield Public Schools named Josh Holt principal of Portland Elementary School. Holt formerly served as middle school principal in the Hollister school district.
Environment The $8 million Dewey Short Visitor Center in Branson earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Gold certification for green features such as HVAC systems utilizing water from Table Rock Lake and the use of nontoxic, recycled and locally sourced building materials. Owned by the Corps of Engineers, the building is the first in Taney or Stone counties to receive LEED-Gold certification.
Government Missouri Scout, a news service covering state politics, awarded an A grade to Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, for his 2013 legislative accomplishments. Parson sponsored legislation addressing agriculture, sales and use taxes, and the Missouri Works Training Program.
Health Care The Missouri State Orthopedic Association appointed Dr. David Merriman to its board of directors. Merriman specializes in trauma surgery at Mercy Clinic Orthopedics.
Cox Medical Center Branson added Allan Plank as physician assistant to CoxHealth Urgent Care. Plank, who has provided care in neurosurgery and orthopedics, earned a bachelor’s in business administration and master’s in physician assistant studies from MSU.
Hospitality John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts received 15 of 45 Embassy Suites recognitions, including the Connie Award for performance and the inaugural Embassy Suites Director of Front Office of the Year Award, which went to Paige Lawrence at Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort and Spa. Eight JQH Hotels properties in seven states were honored.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Springfield, as well as the Hilton Branson Convention CenterHotel and its Level 2 Steakhouse, each received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on traveler reviews.
Law Lindsey Bragg joined Husch Blackwell LLP as an associate in the real estate and development group. With six years working in real estate law, she earned a bachelor’s from Butler University and a doctorate of law from Southern Methodist University.
Nonprofit The Council of Churches of the Ozarks appointed Paulette Wasmer as director of its Retired and Senior Volunteer Program and Rebecca Anderson as annual fund coordinator. Wasmer has 10 years of experience with at-risk and special-needs students. Anderson graduated from Drury with a bachelor’s in advertising and public relations.
The Arc of the Ozarks appointed Mark Johnson to its board of directors. Johnson worked for 30 years with Teters Floral Products, serving as its president, CEO and director through 2011.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield added Tanya Marion, Mercy’s regional vice president of human resources, to its board of directors. She is serving a three-year term.
The Discovery Center received a $7,500 grant from U.S. Bank to enhance the WorldWise Gallery. The funds will help the museum acquire interactive objects and visual resources that teach about ethnic diversity.
Tammy Mast joined Children’s Smile Center as community relations director, a newly created position. Mast previously worked as division director for March of Dimes and as regional development director for Lutheran Family and Children’s Services.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
