Newsmakers: March 10-16, 2025

Banking & Finance
Craig Wright, a financial adviser at Strategic Financial, was appointed to the U.S. Department of Labor’s ERISA Advisory Council. The 15-member ERISA Advisory Council provides advice on policies and regulations that impact employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. With an MBA from Southwest Baptist University, Wright is a certified financial planner and holds the chartered financial consultant designation.

Chambers of Commerce
The Bolivar Area Chamber of Commerce presented four awards at its annual banquet in January. The Legacy Award went to Rose Roweton, a business owner of nearly five decades known for Roweton’s Home Center. Electrical contracting company Warwick Electric, owned by Chris Warwick, received the Business of the Year Award; the Polk County Humane Society was awarded Community Partner of the Year honors; and Double J Outdoor Party Rentals, owned by Joe and Jenni Olivera, received the New Chamber Member Award.

Ladona Weathers, director of members services and communications at the Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce, graduated from the Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Weathers completed 96 credit hours of course instruction in nonprofit management to receive the IOM designation.

Education
Julie Masterson, associate provost and dean of Missouri State University’s Graduate College, received the Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education. The award from the Council of Graduate Schools recognizes leadership in graduation education.

Human Resources
Diane Stites joined HR Advantage as a human resources adviser assistant. With a master’s in human resource management, Stites has more than 25 years of HR experience.

Nonprofit
Harmony House promoted Kristen Snell to assistant executive director. A Harmony House staffer for nine years, Snell has a bachelor’s in criminal justice and psychology from Drury University and a Master of Public Administration from University of Colorado Denver.

The Kitchen Inc. Board of Trustees appointed the following executive officers for 2025: President Rob Fridge, project manager at Spectra Composites; Vice President Jen Albers, senior managing consultant at Forvis Mazars LLP; Secretary Eric Latimer, fire operations division chief at the Springfield Fire Department; Treasurer Abby Glenn, assistant vice president and business development officer at Central Bank; and past President Kim Tilley, vice president of operations for hospital services at Mercy Hospital Springfield. Vicky Hales, branch manager at Guaranty Bank, and Mark Kastner, retired director of environmental services at Mercy, are new members to The Kitchen’s board.