People in the News

Finance

Mid-Missouri Mortgage Company announced a staff promotion and a staff addition.

Laurel Chayer was promoted from mortgage specialist to operations manager at Signature Bank. In her new position, Chayer is responsible for the supervision of all functions related to the processing and closing of mortgage loans. She has 13 years of mortgage lending experience.

Brian Straughan joined Signature Bank as vice president of commercial loans. Straughan holds a bachelor's degree from Southwest Missouri State University, and he has more than eight years of experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining Signature Bank, Straughan was previously employed by Commerce Bank.

Insurance

Adrian Danels joined the staff of Rebsamen Insurance as life and employee benefits consultant. Previously, Danels worked in marketing at Cox Health Systems Insurance Company and has two years' experience in the life insurance and employee benefits field. His primary areas of expertise include employee benefit plans for small groups, individual health and Medicare supplement policies.

Kathleen A. (Katie) McCroskey, CPCU, AAI, has joined Rebsamen Insurance as assistant vice president of transportation. She has more than 17 years of experience in the insurance industry, and has specialized in transportation coverages for 13 years. In her new position, McCroskey is responsible for providing insurance and risk management services to the trucking industry.

Nonprofit

Don Tillman was named development director for Friends of the Zoo. Tillman served on the Friends of the Zoo Board of Directors for six years and served as board president for three years. Tillman has served on the boards of the American Cancer Society and the Discovery Center, and he has a long history of involvement with and knowledge of the zoo and the community.

Sports

Ken Knierim joined the staff of The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the Buy.com Ozarks Open as an assistant director. Knierim has served as a State Farm Insurance agent in Republic since 1989. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies. Knierim is the host of "Sports Talk" on KWTO AM 560.

Barry Jones returned to Mountain Duck Baseball as field manager for the 2001 season. Jones will begin his fourth full season as manager in the Texas-Louisiana League.