People in the News

Community

Karen Mills joined Court Appointed Special Advocates as a volunteer coordinator. Her responsibilities include volunteer recruitment, training and supervision. Mills has worked in the legal field for 13 years and has served as a CASA volunteer for one year.

Finance

Don Davis joined Trust Company of the Ozarks as chief investment officer. He previously worked for Banc of America Investments where he served as market manager and investment advisor. He graduated from Southwest Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in economics and public administration, and a master of business administration degree with emphasis in finance.

Alfonso Corona was promoted to loan representative at Liberty Bank. His responsibilities include business development, credit analysis, management of a loan portfolio, aiding in further development of bilingual banking services and assisting Hispanic customers with deposit and investment services. Corona joined Liberty Bank earlier this year in the loan review department. He has an undergraduate degree in computer systems engineering from the Technical Institute of Queretaro, Mexico, and a master's degree in business administration from SMSU.

BKD LLP announced three additions to its internship program.

Kevin W. Hogg, Laurie D. Poor and Cara G. Walker have joined the firm's Springfield office as interns. Their responsibilities include assisting with general tax, audit, accounting and consulting engagements. Hogg and Walker attend Drury University; and Poor attends Southwest Baptist University.

Health care

Mina Higgins, RNCS, FNP, has joined Cox Family Medicine of Mountain Grove. Board-certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, Higgins earned a master's degree in nursing from SMSU and is a member of Advance Practice Nurses of the Ozarks.

Anthony T. Tay, MD, has joined Ferrell-Duncan Clinic. Board-certified in rheumatology and internal medicine, Tay attended medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed his residency at St. Louis University School of Medicine. He also completed a fellowship with the University of Southern California-Los Angeles County and previously worked as a staff rheumatologist at Southern California Permanente Medical Group.

Kevin Tulipana, DO, has joined Cox Health Center of Nixa. Tulipana earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Truman State University and received a doctor of osteopathy degree in 2002 from Des Moines University in Iowa.

Restaurants

Scott Swisshelm has been promoted to senior vice president of the Swisshelm Group. His responsibilities include direct control of the Joplin-area Burger King restaurants. Swisshelm is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia.