People in the News

Architecture & Engineering

Kevin Buecke joined the staff of Great River Engineering as a senior design technician. He has more than 20 years of experience working on various projects, including road design, traffic signal design and installation, commercial and residential site layout and site grading.

Pellham-Phillips-Hagerman Architects and Engineers announced two staff additions. Mark Schober joined the company as a mechanical engineer. He earned his degree in mechanical engineering from Kansas State University. Schober specializes in HVAC systems design for commercial and industrial facilities.

Heather Arneson joined Pellham-Phillips-Hagerman as a receptionist. She holds a degree from Northeast Iowa Community College. In her new position, Arneson is responsible for customer service and front office operations.

Education

John C. Dailey, PhD, was named creative director of the Media Center for the Future at the University of Kentucky, Lexington.

He was also named technology coordinator for the college of communications. He will use the center's laboratory facilities for Web publishing and design, multimedia digital photojournalism, and broadcasting video and audio productions.

Dailey, a Springfield native, was an assistant professor of interactive media at Southwest Missouri State University prior to his new position.

Finance

The Springfield office of Baird Kurtz & Dobson announced a promotion and a new partner. Michelle M. Brekken was promoted from manager to senior manager.

She provides audit and consulting services for not-for-profit organizations and wholesale and retail businesses. Brekken also serves as the assistant director of accounting and auditing for BKD's Southern Missouri practice. Cary G. Jones, CPA, was admitted to the firm partnership. He has more than 10 years of experience in public accounting. Jones specializes in all aspects of business and personal tax planning services. He primarily works with clients in the manufacturing, retail and wholesale industries.

Jim Ward was promoted to vice president and senior loan review officer of Empire Bank. He is responsible for adherence to legal and regulating requirements, management of loan review and overseeing the loan operations department.

Mark Jacques was appointed office manager for the Union Planters branch at 3271 E. Battlefield. He is responsible for the branch's daily operations, including traditional deposit services and nontraditional bank products. He has more than four years of experience in bank management and lending.

Health Care

Sherry L. Clouse was promoted to chief financial officer of Skaggs Community Health Center in Branson. She has more than 15 years of experience in health care accounting and auditing. Clouse has been employed with Skaggs for more than five years, serving as director of audit and compliance, and most recently, as controller.

As CFO, she directs the health center's financial planning and accounting practices, and is responsible for directing activities in several departments, including accounting, business services and medical staff services. She also continues to serve as the corporate compliance officer, and as executive director of Skaggs Health Systems Inc., a physician-hospital organization.

St. John's Health System has added four physicians.

Thomas B. Kelso II, MD, PhD, joined the orthopedic staff at St. John's Smith-Glynn-Callaway Medical Building. He was previously a Lt. Commander with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps in the department of orthopedic surgery at the Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va. He earned his medical degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1991. Kelso completed his residency and internship at the Naval Medical Center.

Consolacion Sison-Switala, MD, joined the neonatology staff at St. John's Regional Health Center. She earned her medical degree in 1978 from the University of the Philippines, Manila. She completed an internship, a family practice residency, a pediatric residency and a neonatology fellowship in the Philippines, as well as a pediatric residency and neonatology fellowship at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. She is board certified in neonatal-perinatal medicine and pediatrics.

Mark Walterskirchen, MD, joined St. John's Urology Surgical Associates. He earned his medical degree in 1991 from the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.

He completed his urology residency at the University of Kansas.

Frank D. Roam, DO, general surgery, joined St. John's Surgical Center in Lebanon. He earned his medical degree from the Kirksville, college of osteopathic medicine in 1985, and previously was in private practice in Osage Beach.

Insurance

Jacob Salinas was named manager of St. John's Premier Plus. He has nine years of experience in professional health insurance, including respective positions as senior director of marketing and communications for Illinois HealthCare in Bloomington, director of Medicare and marketing for Cigna Healthcare in Chattanooga, Tenn., and assistant director of Medicare services and marketing for NYLCare Health Plans, Oakbrook, Ill.

Kim Jolley joined Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance as a personal insurance specialist. Jolley has three years of experience in the insurance business. At Nixon & Lindstrom, she specializes in home, auto, health and life insurance.