People in the News

Communication

Larry Allen was promoted to regional director of dealer sales for NuVox Communications. The region includes Springfield. As regional director, Allen will oversee NuVox's dealer managers and dealer programs in Springfield and Kansas City; Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio; Lexington and Louisville, Ky.; and Wichita, Kan. Allen joined NuVox as an account executive in September 1999 and was promoted to senior account executive in March 2000 and then to sales manager in Kansas City in May 2000.

Community

Brad Toft joined the Springfield Family YMCA as chief executive officer. Toft has an extensive background in programs and administration with the YMCA. Prior to coming to Springfield, Toft was the executive director for the Mankato Family YMCA.

Greg James joined the staff of American Red Cross Disaster & Safety Services as director of financial development. He is responsible for fund-raising efforts to support daily operations and disaster-relief services for the 14 counties served by the local Red Cross. James, a Southwest Missouri State University graduate, has 30 years of sales experience.

Linda Hyde was named general operations manager for Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southwest Missouri. Hyde has been with CASA since January, previously serving as a volunteer coordinator and administrative assistant. Her new position as general operations manager was created by CASA's board of directors in June. In her new role, Hyde oversees and trains the office staff and handles the financial reports including payroll and other administrative duties.

Health care

Skaggs Community Hospital announc-ed the addition of five physicians to its emergency department: Robert Hockman, MD; J. Randall Lea, MD; Todd Lilje, DO; William Nelson, DO; and Peter Selove, MD. Lea, who was named medical director of Skaggs' emergency department, previously was an emergency department physician for St. John's in Springfield. Lilje previously worked as medical director of the department of emergency medicine at Alliance Community Hospital in Ohio. Nelson also previously served as an emergency department physician at St. John's. Selove practiced most recently in the Level II Trauma Center and Chest Pain Center at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. Hockman previously practiced at the Ozarks Medical Center in West Plains.

Law

Alex C. Lewis joined Lathrop & Gage as an associate in the Springfield office. He will concentrate his practice in business litigation. Lewis holds an undergraduate degree from SMSU and a juris doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Prior to joining Lathrop & Gage, Lewis was a senior prosecuting attorney for Greene County.

Jennifer Headley joined Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin as an associate in the litigation department. She will practice in business and commercial litigation. Headley holds a degree in communication management from SMSU, and she earned her juris doctor from Creighton University School of Law. Prior to joining Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin, Headley practiced with Cunningham, Harpool and Cordonnier LLC.

Marketing

Christine Ballew-Gonzales joined the staff of PaperWise Inc. as a writer. In her new position, she develops supporting documentation and marketing materials for the company's document imaging products. Ballew-Gonzales has done freelance writing and editing for newspapers, magazines, corporations and Internet markets.

Tourism

Sandy Z. Poneleit joined The American National Fish and Wildlife Museum Wonders of Wildlife as public relations manager. In that position she is assisting in the design and execution of a strategic communications plan and will serve as a liaison between the museum and media, community groups, government officials, tourism organizations and conservation partner organizations. Prior to joining the museum, Poneleit was a business reporter for the Springfield News-Leader.