Newsmakers: Sept. 14-20, 2015

Banking and Finance
Christopher Story of Metropolitan National Bank received credentials from the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists. Story is the assistant vice president and Bank Secrecy Act security officer for the company.

Education
Baptist Bible College promoted Nate Harmon to vice president of student affairs from executive director of student services. A BBC graduate, Harmon has worked as a worship pastor and executive pastor at Baptist churches in Kansas and Ohio.

College of the Ozarks hired Emily Steiding as event sales and marketing manager for The Keeter Center. Steiding holds a bachelor’s in hospitality leadership from DePaul University.

Drury University recognized Kevin Henderson, assistant professor of English, with the Faculty Award for Teaching and Robin Sronce, dean of the Breech School of Business, won the Faculty Award for Leadership.

Southwest Baptist University-Mountain View hired Susan Frazier as associate director of admissions. Frazier holds a bachelor’s and a master’s in elementary education from SBU-Mountain View.

Engineering
Matt Bedinghaus, owner, CEO and chief engineer of A2V Partners LLC, was installed as president-elect of the 1,100-member Missouri Society of Professional Engineers. He joined the society in 1985.

Health Care
CoxHealth added five doctors: Abid Aslam and Kevin Christian, at Ferrell-Duncan Clinic; Gretchen Christian, on the hospitalist team at Cox South; Heather McCurdy, at The Pediatric Center; and Valeria Bohrt Terceros, at Adult Medicine and Endocrinology Specialists. Aslam received his medical education at King Edward Medical University in Pakistan. Kevin Christian completed his medical education at Nova Southeastern University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. Gretchen Christian received her medical education from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, and she is board-certified in internal medicine. McCurdy received her medical education at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Terceros received her medical education at the University Mayor de San Andres in Bolivia.

Hospitality
Comfort Inn & Suites of Branson received the Hotel of the Year Award from Choice Hotels International Inc. during an annual convention in Las Vegas. The property, owned by Myer Hotels, was honored for meeting high standards and a commitment to customer service.

Law
Rick Van Pelt of Van Pelt & Van Pelt PC received the Missouri Bar Association’s 2015 Roger P. Krumm Family Law Practitioner of the Year Award at the 15th annual Family Law Conference. The honor recognizes competence, skill, integrity, commitment and dedication.

Andrew Donelan joined Baty, Holm, Numrich & Otto PC practicing civil litigation defense and medical malpractice. He previously worked for five years at Hyde Love & Overby LLP.

The Best Lawyers in America named Neale and Newman LLP attorneys Richard Owensby the 2016 Lawyer of the Year for trusts and estates in Springfield and Richard Schnake was in The Best Lawyers in America 2016 publication in the area of appellate practice. Owensby holds a master’s in accounting and a law degree from University of Missouri. Schnake received a law degree from Washington University School of Law.

Three Lathrop & Gage LLP attorneys in Springfield were listed among the Best Lawyers in America rankings: Gary Cunningham, for mediation; Frank Evans II, for commercial litigation; and Dwayne Fulk, for corporate law.

Polsinelli PC attorney Phillip Garrison was named among the Best Lawyers in America for appellate practice.

Strong, Garner & Bauer PC attorneys Neil Charter and Steven Garner were honored as Best Lawyers in America – Charter in medical malpractice and personal injury plaintiff litigation, and Garner in insurance law, personal injury and product liability plaintiff litigation.

Spencer Fane added associate Tara Bailes to the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice group. Bailes earned a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The Missouri Bar added Deborah Dodge of Hall Ansley PC and Deanna Scott of Legal Services of Southern Missouri to its board of governors. Adam Pihana of Hall Ansley PC joined the bar’s Young Lawyers’ Section Council.

Manufacturing
Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems hired Paul Mild as vice president of finance and Andy Tuthill as director of manufacturing. Mild holds bachelor’s degrees in information technology from the U.S. Navy and in accounting and finance from Westminster College, as well as a master’s in accounting. Tuthill previously worked as product manager for Tuthill Transfer Systems in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Southwest Missouri Containers received the Vendor Excellence Award from National Enzyme Co.

Media
Buffalo Reflex Editor and General Manager Paul Campbell was named the 2015 Region 10 Missouri Outstanding Older Worker of the Year. Campbell has worked 50 years as a journalist.

EW Scripps Co. in Springfield promoted Missouri Digital Content Producer Chase Snider to director of digital operations for the company’s Omaha cluster, which includes a CBS affiliate and five radio stations. Snider, who founded Chaser Media Group and currently produces digital content for KTTS, is finishing his business degree at Drury University.

Nonprofit
Kenny Gott, executive vice president of Piatchek & Associates Inc., was elected to a one-year term as president of the Ozarks Literacy Council Board of Directors.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks named three new board members: Courtney Brown of O’Reilly Hospitality Management LLC; Sundy Muse-Morton of Steelman Transportation; and Stephanie Murphy of Guaranty Bank.

Big Brothers Big Sisters hired Rob Blevins, a former board member, for the newly created community relations coordinator position. He previously worked for Jack Henry & Associates Inc.