People in the News

Business

Donald P. Matthews was appointed to membership director and sales manager for the Better Business Bureau office serving 24 counties in southwest Missouri. Matthews is responsible for recruiting new members and marketing the services of the bureau to area businesses. He has 19 years of experience in advertising and publishing.

Education

Vatterott College-Springfield announced four staff changes.

Cindy L. Camasse was named medical assistant lab instructor. She is responsible for the clinical and office laboratory instruction of the college's medical assistant programs. She is a registered medical assistant and is a graduate of Vatterott's medical assistant program.

Jeremy Hesser is instructor for the computer systems and network technology associate of occupational studies degree program. Hesser has more than five years' experience in the computer industry as a senior computer technician for the city of Springfield, a work center supervisor and a computer training instructor. He also owned Perfect Computers in Harrison, Ark.

Launa Maness was promoted to career services director. She is responsible for assisting students with resume preparation and obtaining entry-level employment as well as organizing the campus' advisory board. Previously, Maness served as a business instructor at Vatterott. She earned a bachelor of business education degree from SMSU.

G. Warren Wilkerson was hired as a computer technology instructor. He is responsible for teaching computer software support to students through laboratory and classroom instruction. Wilkerson holds an associate's degree in applied science of electronic technology.

Sheila Maerz has joined the adjunct faculty of Webster University's Ozark regional campus, where she will be teaching Developing and Managing Human Resources for the Spring II term. Maerz is director of human resources for the city of Springfield.

The Springfield Public Schools Foundation announced several staff changes.

Morey Mechlin joined the foundation as executive director. She previously served as president of the Junior League of Springfield and Greene County Medical Alliance.

Marcia Johnson was hired as project and development director. Johnson has held several positions with the foundation since 1994 and has served as a volunteer for Springfield Public Schools. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from Drury University and previously taught elementary school in Missouri and Texas.

Molly Wallace was promoted from administrative assistant to administrative director. She joined the foundation in March 1999 and has worked on several fund raisers since. She has a bachelor of science in business administration degree from Drury University.

Engineering

Catherine L. Fulkerson was named marketing director for Shell Engineering & Associates, Inc. in Columbia. She is a member of the adjunct faculty for William Woods University instructing international students. Previously, Fulkerson worked as news media relations coordinator for the Missouri Association of Realtors.

Chris Holland joined the staff of Ozark Mountain Land Surveying & Engineering. He has more than 25 years of civil, structural and construction engineering experience.

Financial

Empire Bank announced two staff promotions.

James W. Binn was promoted to assistant vice president/consumer lending manager. He holds a bachelor of science degree from William Jewell College.

Doug Page was promoted to vice president of commercial lending. He has a bachelor of science degree in management from Upper Iowa University.

H. Michael Mattson joined Liberty Bank as senior vice president of commercial loans. He previously held the same position for three and a half years with Metropolitan National Bank in Springfield. He is a graduate of Rockhurst College and has 22 years of banking experience.

Metropolitan National Bank announced five promotions.

Darlene Newton was named bank manager for the Bank on the Square location in Marshfield. Her responsibilities include managing retail operations, personal banking and business development of deposit accounts in the Webster County market. Newton previously worked for the bank from 1961 to 1973. She rejoined the bank in1985, has held various positions, and has served as assistant manager for the bank since 1994.

Mike McGoldrick was promoted from vice president to senior vice president. He oversees the bank's mortgage lending division from the South National location.

Tracy Stewart and Eric Leonard were both promoted from assistant vice presidents to vice presidents. Stewart will oversee loan operations from Metropolitan's main location at Glenstone and Cherry streets in Springfield. Leonard, who works at the South National location, will focus on the bank's commercial lending division.

Jeremy Ray was promoted from consumer loan officer to assistant vice president. He will continue his work in the bank's consumer loan division.

Ryan M. Nestleroad joined Baird, Kurtz & Dobson, certified public accountants, as an intern. He assists with general tax, audit and accounting work. Nestleroad attends the University of Missouri in Columbia and plans to graduate in May 2002 with a master's degree in accounting.

Insurance

Mark A. Phelan joined Croley Insurance & Financial as a producer of personal and business lines. He specializes in auto, homeowners, life, health and business insurance. Phelan has more than 18 years of insurance experience and is an SMSU graduate.

Adam Smith joined Barker Phillips Jackson Insurance as a commercial lines account executive in the Springfield office. A southwest Missouri native, Smith is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.

Law

Enforcement

Lt. Steve Hamilton was promoted to the rank of major by the Springfield Police Department. He is responsible for commanding the support services division. Hamilton has held many positions within the department since joining in 1977 and most recently served as a patrol field commander.

Legal Services

Christiaan D. Horton was made partner at the law firm of Neale & Newman, LLP. He continues to practice in the areas of general civil litigation and environmental law. Horton received his law degree in 1995 from the University of Tulsa and is a member of the American, Missouri and Springfield Metropolitan Bar associations.

Nancy Steffen Rahmeyer, a Springfield attorney, was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District by Gov. Bob Holden. She has worked as an attorney in Springfield since 1989, specializing in family law issues. She also has served as a substitute judge in the Municipal Division of Greene County Circuit Court since 1993. She earned her law degree from the University of Arkansas, as well as a bachelor's degree in history from Iowa State University and a master's in education from SMSU.

Lynn Snelgrove joined the corporate department of Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP as an attorney dedicated to helping the firm deliver greater value to its business clients. He is a licensed attorney and a former investment banker and received his bachelor of science degree and his law degree from the University of Kansas at Lawrence.

Media

Michael Clarke has been appointed deputy editor of the Journal of the Southern Orthopaedic Association. He assists with the editing of the major monthly journal, which reaches thousands of orthopedic surgeons throughout North America and the world. Clarke serves on the editorial board of the Greene County Medical Society Bulletin and on the editorial board of the American Running & Fitness Society.

Retail

Adam Fox has joined the commercial sales staff at The Carpet Shoppe full time. He will graduate from SMSU in May with a bachelor of science degree in accounting.

Larry Cairns was appointed general manager of Showcase Builder's Supply in Nixa. Mark Mullins, Dave Berg and Doug Hammond also were added to the marketing staff.

Technology

Dave Dorey joined Expanets as an application sales consultant. He has more than 10 years experience in the telecommunications industry.

Jack Henry & Associates in Monett, announced two staff changes.

Terry W. Thompson was named president and CEO. He joined the company in 1990 and served as chief financial officer for 10 years. Thompson has 28 years of finance and management experience. He holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Southwest Missouri State University.

Kevin D. Williams was promoted to the position of chief financial officer. He served as the company's controller since 1998. He previously worked in public accounting. He received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Missouri Southern State College in Joplin.