Newsmakers: March 23-29, 2026

Accounting
KPM CPAs & Advisors added Chloe Cecil and Joshua Rushing to its accounting outsourcing consulting and tax departments, respectively. Cecil has bachelor's in accounting and finance from College of the Ozarks, and Rushing has a business administration bachelor's in accounting and a bachelor’s in political science from Drury University. 

Architecture
Kinetic Design and Development LLC hired Adam Prost as director of operations and innovation. With 20 years of experience, Prost has bachelor's in psychology and physics from Missouri State University and a certificate in business strategy from Harvard Business School Online.

Banking & Finance
Branson Bank promoted Nikki Pursell to vice president and loan operations officer. With a banking career that started in 1998, Pursell graduated from Reeds Spring High School and attended North Arkansas College. Additionally, Pursell is a graduate of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau's Lakes Area Leadership Academy.

Government
Jenna Sweeney, of Nixa, was appointed to the Credit Union Commission by Gov. Mike Kehoe. Sweeney is chief operating officer at TelComm Credit Union and previously worked as vice president at Ozark Bank. Sweeney has a bachelor's and MBA from Western Governors University.

Education
Missouri State University junior Cole Coursen and senior Isaac Moon were named to the Conference USA Stars of Tomorrow. The program mixes college athletics with career development for top CUSA member institution students. Coursen is a double major in mechanical engineering and physics. Moon is set to complete an accelerated master’s in accounting this May.

Mimi Garstang, the first woman to serve as the state geologist of Missouri, was selected to receive an honorary degree from Missouri State University in May. The MSU alumna will receive the doctor of public affairs degree during spring 2026 commencement.

Law
Evans & Dixon LLC promoted Joshua Baker to equity partner and Jacob Eddy to partner. Baker has been employed at the law firm since 2021, and his practice includes business and real estate transactions. Eddy joined the company in 2019 as an associate in the firm's civil litigation group.

Nonprofit
Emilee Hinkle was named 2026 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield Inc. A senior and drum major at Parkview High School, Hinkle plans to attend the University of Missouri or the University of Alabama. The Youth of the Year honor comes with a $20,000 scholarship.

Good Dads Inc. hired Scott Lewis as project manager. A U.S. Army aviation operations veteran, Lewis has a bachelor's in general education from Missouri Southern State University.

Real Estate
Jeff Childs, a senior adviser with SVN/Rankin Co., earned a No. 3 national ranking among SVN International Corp. real estate agents. The distinction qualifies Childs for SVN's Partners’ Circle, which recognizes the top-performing advisers companywide. Childs has a bachelor's in finance with an emphasis in real estate from Missouri State University.