People in the News

Finance

BKD LLP announced the addition of three interns to its staff. Michael D. Byrd, Jill S. Gregory and Daniel W. Williams will assist with general tax, audit, accounting and consulting engagements. Byrd is a 1999 graduate of Southwest Missouri State University with a bachelor of science degree in computer science and mathematics. In 2003, Byrd is scheduled to graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a master's degree of business administration. Gregory is scheduled to be a 2003 graduate of Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar with a degree in accounting. Williams is scheduled to graduate this year from Evangel University with a degree in accounting.

Marcalene DeField has joined Village Bank as financial services officer. DeField has six years of banking experience. She is responsible for supervision of the teller area and assisting with loan processing at the Village Bank west location on South Kansas Expressway.

Robin E. Robeson was promoted to senior vice president and market executive for Commerce Trust Company, a division of Commerce Bank. Robeson has overall responsibility for management of the Commerce Trust Company's Springfield region. Her focus is on all aspects of staff development, new business development and relationship management related to the division's asset management, traditional trust and financial advisory services, private client group and private banking services for individual and institutional clients. She previously was vice president and manager of Commerce Bank's private banking division.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage added two mortgage lenders to its staff. Robert Weems joined the firm as a sub-prime loan specialist. He assists customers who face credit challenges. Weems is a graduate of SMSU. He has 15 years of experience in real estate and banking. Kelly Kerans joined Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, working with conforming loans. Kerans also is a graduate of SMSU, and she is finishing her master's degree studies at Drury University.

Health care

Lauri Carlson has joined St. John's Health System as administrator of behavioral health services. She has a bachelor's degree in mental health and human services from Georgia State University and a master's degree in social work and business administration from the University of Michigan. Carlson previously served as the director of clinical services for Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare in Memphis.

Janice Walker has joined Freeman Neosho Hospital as chief operating officer. Walker will oversee day-to-day clinical operations at the hospital. Prior to her move to Neosho, Walker served as chief nursing officer for a 188-bed hospital in Slidell, La. She has 13 years of experience in nursing administration and clinical responsibilities.

Insurance

Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance announced two staff additions.

Trevor Crist has joined the company's employee benefits sales department. Crist, a graduate of SMSU, serves as a group health insurance provider. Lisa Wood has joined Nixon & Lindstrom as employee benefits service coordinator. She has eight years of experience in the insurance industry. As coordinator, she services group health insurance clients and assists the sales department in new client acquisition.

Parks

Miles Park was named the new superintendent of parks general services for the Springfield-Greene County Parks Department. His responsibilities include parks construction management, facility improvement and repairs, parks, open space, trail and sports field management, landscape, forestry, greenway and special facility management, golf turf management, park service center and warehouse, and park planning. Park previously served as coordinator of facility improvements and maintenance for the Springfield Public Schools. He is a licensed landscape architect.