The Ozark R-6 School District Board of Education yesterday selected former city Mayor Shane Nelson to fill a vacancy.
Nelson succeeds Angie Barnes, who resigned to spend more time on her career as institutional account manager for biopharmaceutical company Theravance Biopharma Inc. (Nasdaq: TBPH), according to her
Aug. 9 resignation letter.
Nelson, the owner of Ozark Abstract and Title Co., was selected to fill the remainder of Barnes’ term through April 2017. He beat out three other finalists:
• John Archer, administrative director of emergency departments at CoxHealth;
• Jeff Laney, an attorney with Haden, Cowherd & Bullock LLC; and
• Joey Mills, a community volunteer.
The school district advertised the vacancy online and through local printed news sources, accepting applications through Sept. 1. The final four candidates were interviewed during a Sept. 15 open session by the board, according to a news release.
On the board, Nelson joins members Patty Quessenberry, Sarah Adams Orr, Aaron Johns, Tom Bass, Bob Burgess and Andy Hedgpeth, according to the school district's
website.