Accounting Elliott, Robinson & Co. LLP hired Matthew Calhoun and Mia Young as interns for developing and applying technical skills in accounting, bookkeeping and tax preparation. Calhoun holds a bachelor’s in accounting from Missouri State University, and Young is studying accounting at Drury University.
The Whitlock Co. was named among the 100 Best Accounting Firms to Work For by Accounting Today and Best Companies Group, based on surveys evaluating workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics, as well as employee experiences.
Banking and Finance Metropolitan National Bank promoted Kody Redwing to credit analyst II after he graduated from the bank’s two-year Financial Internship program. With a bachelor’s in finance from MSU, Redwing joined the bank as a teller in 2009.
Ameriprise Financial adviser Edward Monserrate ranked in the top 25 percent of advisers in the recent Ameriprise Financial Client Relationship Study. Monserrate received a score above 95 percent in the survey.
Dustin Ross joined Metropolitan National Bank as a mortgage loan originator in Marshfield. Ross, who holds a bachelor’s in hospitality administration from Oklahoma State University, has a background as a real estate appraiser and as a partner with BizPros LLC.
Education Global University partnered with the Rural Compassion Initiative to award 30 scholarships to its Berean School of the Bible. The parties are working with eight selected Assemblies of God districts to advance the ministerial credentials of 30 rural pastors.
The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Springfield Public Schools a $4,000 School Nonfiction Collection Development Grant to support science, technology, engineering and math programs.
MSU received a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine for its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Ozark School District Assistant Superintendent Craig Carson was selected to a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education committee to review Missouri learning standards. The committee was formed as a result of the passage of House Bill 1490.
Jenell Wagner, an assistant professor of accounting at Southwest Baptist University, received the Enrolled Agent designation from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The highest credential awarded by the Internal Revenue Service, she now is federally authorized to represent taxpayers before the IRS.
Government Veronica Zeigler of the Springfield Police Department earned certification as a Crime and Intelligence Analyst from the Alpha Group law enforcement training. Zeigler completed 160 hours of classroom training and related assignments.
The National Federation of Independent Business awarded Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., its Guardian of Small Business Award based on his voting record related to the needs of small-business owners in the 113th Congress. Also, based on his voting record related to workforce issues, the Competitive Enterprise Institute awarded Blunt its Champion of the Worker Award.
The Missouri Municipal League elected Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley as vice president. Presley was elected to the MML board of directors in 2011 and the National League of Cities’ Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Steering Committee in 2012.
Christian County Circuit Clerk Barb Stillings was elected as second vice president of the Missouri Circuit Clerk’s Association at its annual conference in Springfield. She is slated to serve as president for the association’s 2017 conference.
Health Care The Greene County Senior Citizens Tax Fund awarded $30,000 toward outpatient therapy driving rehabilitation at Mercy Hospital. The program helps seniors drive following an assessment including in-clinic testing, on-the-road evaluation and training for people with age-related memory and thinking issues or mild cognitive impairment.
Cox Medical Center Branson hired Dr. Nicholas Anderson to work for CoxHealth Orthopedics as medical director of the inpatient rehabilitation facility. Anderson received his medical education from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Dr. Gus Gonzalez joined CoxHealth Cancer Center Branson. The oncologist received his medical education from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
Information Technology Ricky Afresah joined Northern Summit Technology as an information technology technician. Afresah, who earned his bachelor’s in IT service management from MSU, handles custom hardware, system troubleshooting, structured cabling and IT security.
Nola Essick joined Dazzee Integrations as its virtual chief information officer and service delivery manager. With 20 years of experience in IT and software support and development, Essick handles managed services, aligns business goals with IT and assists strategic planning for technology.
Insurance The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors named Mark Acre the 2014 Young Advisors Team Leader of the Year. Acre, 33, is president of OneSource Insurance Group in Nixa and has served on NAIFA-Springfield’s board of directors for five years.
Ashley Eastman joined Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance as a commercial insurance customer service representative. She has two years of experience in commercial lines.
Law Shelly Rosenfelder joined Husch Blackwell LLP’s business litigation group. She received a law degree from the University of Missouri.
Patrick Baird joined Baird Lightner Millsap PC as associate attorney. Practicing in civil and business litigation, real estate, development and municipal law, and insurance defense, he holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Missouri and a law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Media Whitaker Publishing LLC hired Heather Kane as art director for 417 Magazine. With six years of graphic design experience, her responsibilities include art direction for 417 Home and 417 Bride magazines.
Nonprofit Branson resident and former longtime Silver Dollar City employee Sue Noel received the President’s Award from the Missouri Recycling Association during its annual conference in Springfield. Noel led SDC’s recycling programs, which under her direction diverted 50 percent of the park’s waste from the landfill. She also served on the association’s board of directors for seven years.
Linda Leicht joined Ozarks Food Harvest as community impact specialist. With 36 years of experience in journalism, 16 years with the Springfield News-Leader, she works in the programs department to develop community connections and creative strategies for hunger relief.
A Rotary Club special committee selected Springfield Metro Rotarian David Bixler to serve as district governor in 2016–17. Bixler, president of Bixler Corp., has been a Rotary member for 12 years.
Harmony House named three new board members: Amanda Kastler, a certified public accountant with Elliott, Robinson & Co. LLP; Brooke Meier, a CPA with Tucker & Co.; and Byron Pierce, a vice president with Commerce Bank. The members were elected to serve three-year terms.
Real Estate Miles Noennig of Carol Jones Realtors was installed as president-elect of the Missouri Association of Realtors, effective Jan. 1. A state director of MAR since 2009, Noennig currently serves the organization as treasurer.[[In-content Ad]]
