Newsmakers: March 5-11, 2018

Architecture
Erik Valiulis, a project manager for Esterly Schneider & Associates Inc., earned a LEED Green Associate Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Valiulis started with the firm in 2017 as an intern.

Banking and Finance
Guaranty Bank hired Sandy Datema as deposit operations manager. She has 40 years of banking industry experience, most recently as regional operational manager for Simmons Bank in Missouri and Kansas.

OakStar Bank promoted Robin Rees to Community Reinvestment Act officer. With 20 years of banking experience, she is a graduate of the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing and Management and the Missouri Bankers Association Banking Leadership Class.

Education
Traci Sooter, professor of architecture at Drury University, was named to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows. She will be honored this summer at the AIA Conference on Architecture in New York. A former general contractor and developer, Sooter directs Drury’s design-build program at the Hammons School of Architecture.

Health Care
Dr. Steven Loehr of Loehr Chiropractic and Acupuncture earned board certification from the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics in the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. The 200-hour, 16-module program provides doctors with techniques and protocols to care for children and pregnant women, in addition to covering advanced levels of training.

Hospitality
Chateau on the Lake in Branson received the AAA Four Diamond rating for the 20th year running. As such, the resort, spa and convention center is among 7 percent of AAA-rated properties.

Best Western Plus in Bolivar named Chris Rozier as general manager. He previously worked as sales coordinator and retention specialist for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, before joining O’Reilly Hospitality Management as sales director, and most recently front office manager, of the TownePlace Suites in Springfield.

Marketing
Mid-West Family Broadcasting added Stephanie Dickinson and Molly McCool to its Springfield marketing team, which represents 104.7 The Cave, 92.9 The Beat, Q102.1 and 105.1 The Bull. A native of Hawaii, Dickinson has eight years of sales experience and also runs a goat farm with her husband and two children. McCool’s experience includes working with Anheuser-Busch, Ford Racing, NASCAR and Reliable Chevrolet.

Sun Solar LLC hired Chelsey Bunch as marketing director and Alan Kindall as business development and finance manager. Bunch previously served as director of marketing for TLC Properties. Kindall has 25 years of experience in local financing and real estate, most recently working for Flat Branch Home Loans.

Nonprofit
The Discovery Center of Springfield promoted Jennifer Collins to marketing and advancement director. She started as a graphic design intern, before moving into the center’s education and marketing coordinator role and serving as interim marketing director.

Service
LCS Kleen-Aire earned a 2017 Angie’s List Super Service Award, meeting eligibility requirements such as “A” ratings for its overall, recent and review-period grades. The company has been on Angie’s List since 2015 and received the award for the past three years.