People in the News

Education

Jeff and Penni Groves have joined the adjunct faculty of Webster University's Springfield campus, co-instructing a course on labor-management relations for the evening human resources management program. Jeff Groves is an attorney with Shughart, Thomson and Kilroy, and Penni Groves is an attorney with Millington, Glass & Love.

Finance

Mike Neale has joined Mid-Missouri Tech Center as president and CEO. He is accountable for administration and management of all aspects of Mid-Missouri Tech Center, an affiliate of Mid-Missouri Bancshares Inc., First Financial Bancshares Inc. and Central States Bancshares Inc. His duties include oversight of item processing, proof, research, systems administration, data processing and customer support functions.

Neale has 13 years of technical and systems administration experience and has spent the past six years using his experience in the banking industry. He previously served as president of Liberty Tech Center.

Lisa Estes has been promoted to mortgage loan originator at Liberty Bank. She holds an economics degree from Southwest Missouri State University. She began her career with Liberty Bank as a commercial loan assistant; she then served as a mortgage loan processor prior to her promotion.

Home dcor

Decorize Inc., a Springfield-based provider of direct sourcing solutions for the global home dcor market, announced several staff additions in the United States and Asia.

Chris Cleckler has joined the company as vice president of product development. He formerly was the director of design and product development for Avon Home Products and he has developed new products for Mikasa, Thomasville and Thomas Kincade. Cleckler has 20 years of experience in the Far East, developing merchandise and setting up factories.

Cindy Emerman has joined the company as product director. She previously worked for a regional, 12-store retail furniture chain as a senior corporate buyer.

Cleckler and Emerman were added to the company to expand its U.S. operations. Decorize also appointed Eric Wu as general manager of its China operation. Wu has more than 20 years of experience in the Far East in purchasing, sourcing and logistics.

Jay Guittierez has been appointed product manager for the Philippines, where he has developed products for several companies.

Bruce MacLeod has joined the company as product manager in Indonesia, where he has more than 20 years of new product development experience in case goods and accents for brands including Thomasville.

Kopong has been hired as the company's product manager for its Thailand-Vietnam region.

Law

Michael D. Mayes has joined Evans & Dixon as a senior associate in the firm's Springfield office. He has more than 12 years of experience in litigation, including auto-accident and workers' compensation cases. He also has experience in administrative law and Social Security disability claims. Mayes earned his law degree at Duke University and his undergraduate degree at Drury University. Prior to joining Evans & Dixon, Mayes maintained a private practice. In his new position, Mayes concentrates on workers' compensation and insurance law.

Lisa Douglass Schrock, RN, was named a partner in the law firm of Cunningham, Harpool & Cordonnier LLC. She obtained her law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1997, and she holds a nursing degree from St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis. Schrock earned her undergraduate degree from Southwest Missouri State University. She spent nine years practicing as a critical-care nurse. She practiced law in Kansas City and Springfield prior to joining Cunningham, Harpool & Cordonnier, where she practices in the fields of medical malpractice defense, personal injury and civil litigation.