Accounting
BKD LLP’s Southern Missouri practice promoted Jennifer Barboa, Ana Hill and Jeanette Gunya to senior consultants in the National Health Care Group. Barboa and Gunya work in health care billing services, and Hill is on the long-term care team that handles Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Education
College of the Ozarks hired Geoff Akers as a faculty member for the general engineering program, scheduled to launch in the fall. With a 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force, Akers has a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, a master’s degree in electromagnetics from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and a doctoral degree in radar signal processing from the University of Kansas.
Becky Schoeneberg, assistant professor of physical therapy at Southwest Baptist University, was selected to receive the Minority Faculty Development Scholarship Award from the American Physical Therapy Association. Presented annually to minority faculty members pursuing a post-professional doctoral degree, the award provides doctoral education support.
Alliance Bus Co. Inc.’s service to Nixa Public Schools received a 100 percent rating on its first inspection by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. It’s the school’s 17th year of perfect rating on initial inspection.
The Ozark School District Transportation Department qualified for the Total Fleet Excellence Award for school bus inspections from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Exemplary School Bus Maintenance Award from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education after the spring school bus inspections. Ozark’s initial inspection score was 95.3 percent.
Government
Bill Prince was appointed as family court administrator and chief juvenile officer in the 31st Judicial Circuit. He previously served as legal counsel for the Greene County Juvenile Office for 18 years.
Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Becky Borthwick as associate circuit judge for the 31st Judicial Circuit in Greene County. She currently serves as a judge for the Springfield Municipal Court and is the founding and presiding judge of the Springfield Homeless Court.
Health Care
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named CoxHealth Family Nurse Practitioner Maryann Blevins the 2016 Childhood Immunization Champion in Missouri. Blevins, manager of CoxHealth’s CARE Mobile, was recognized for promoting childhood immunizations across the 32 counties the clinic-on-wheels serves.
Insurance
Missouri Employers Mutual named Ollis/Akers/Arney a 2016 Elite Signature Partner based on an evaluation of the company’s operating performance.
Manufacturing
Ben York joined Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems as line of product leader. He previously worked as operations manager for Springfield Remanufacturing Corp., and holds a bachelor’s in mathematics from College of the Ozarks and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from University of Missouri.
Nonprofit
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks presented three top awards in the Taste of the Ozarks competition: Gilardi’s Ristorante was the People’s Choice, Vito’s Kitchen got Best Appetizer, and Butcher and Baker won Best Entree.
Habitat for Humanity of Springfield received a $30,000 Collective Impact grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for renovations of Grant Beach Neighborhood’s Hovey House.
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce promoted Lindsay Haymes to vice president of workforce development, a newly created role. She continues to serve as executive director for the Greater Ozarks Center for Advanced Professional Studies program.
Publishing
Niche Media named Biz 417 Best New Niche Magazine of 2016 in the business-to-business category with several regional magazines.
Real Estate
Zachary Harrell, an associate with commercial real estate firm Scott F. Harrell & Associates Inc., received the certified commercial investment member designation from the CCIM Institute. He completed curriculum and presented a portfolio of qualifying industry experience.
Restaurant
Springfield-area McDonald’s owners Chip and Teresa McGeehan earned the Fred L. Turner Golden Arch Award as the chain’s best owner-operators. He serves as a chairman for the National Supply Chain Leadership Council, and she works on national employee-educational efforts with the McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity program.
Springfield event venue Belamour LLC gained new ownership; The Wok on West Bypass opened; and Hawk Barber & Shop closed on a business purchase that expanded its footprint to Ozark.
