Newsmakers: Aug. 13-19, 2018

Banking & Finance
Mid-Missouri Bank promoted Kim McNealy to director of retail training and moved personal bankers Ashley Lowery and Kristina Pohlenz to manage their own branches. McNealy has worked in banking since 1980, and she most recently managed Mid-Missouri Bank’s Republic branch. Lowery started at Mid-Missouri as a part-time teller in 2011 and now manages the Republic branch, while Pohlenz also started as a teller and she manages the Willard branch.

Central Bank of the Ozarks hired Greg Ritchie as a business development specialist and Doug Burnett as vice president and commercial loan officer in Ozark. With 20 years of experience in the financial industry, Ritchie has a bachelor’s in finance from University of Missouri-St. Louis. Burnett has a bachelor’s in agricultural economics and 30 years of financial industry experience.

Pension Consultants Inc. ranked No. 88 in Financial Advisor Magazine’s 2018 registered investment adviser list of the top 275 firms with more than $1 billion in assets managed. The magazine estimates Pensions Consultants is among the top 4 percent of advisers based on assets.

Environmental
Sunbelt Environmental Services Inc. appointed Karen Schaefer as CEO and Larry Smalley as president to succeed Leroy Schaefer Jr., effective Sept. 3. Smalley is a 32-year veteran of the company co-founded by Leroy Schaefer. The Schaefers will continue serving on Sunbelt’s board of directors.

Health Care
CoxHealth’s Meyer Orthopedic & Rehabilitation Hospital became certified as a hip and knee replacement center by DNV GL-Healthcare USA Inc. The certification follows guidelines of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Hospitality
Myer Hotels in Branson was named among the Best of the Best awards by the American Bus Association for its service to the travel group industry. Winners are chosen by ABA’s editorial staff and featured in the September/October issue of Destinations magazine.

Nonprofit
The Rotaract Club of Springfield appointed Megan Neyer of Old Missouri Bank as president for fiscal 2019. Other elected board positions are President-elect Brandon Bowenschulte of Commerce Bank, Secretary Derek Chaney of Mid-Missouri Bank, Membership Director Bethany Bishop of People Centric Consulting Group, Treasurer Chris Plate of Toth & Associates, Public Relations Director Chase Rabourn of Medical Consulting Group LLC, Professional Development Director Andy Peebles of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown PC and Sergeant at Arms Lynsey Coffey of Lowther Johnson Attorneys At Law LLC.

Springfield Little Theatre added Megan Buchbinder as marketing director and Laramie Ellis as marketing assistant and box office supervisor. Buchbinder has 10 years of marketing experience, most recently marketing director for Revel Advertising. Ellis previously was marketing/catering coordinator for Panera Bread Co. in Nashville, Tennessee, and she has a bachelor’s in theater and a minor in marketing and development from Missouri Southern State University. She also currently works as assistant speech and debate coach for Willard High School.

Sales
Pioneer Outdoor hired Jeff LaRocca as vice president of sales and added Tom Ladd to the sales and service team. Both associates have worked in the Springfield media market. Ladd is known as the voice of the Missouri State University Lady Bears and has called television games for the Missouri Valley Conference on ESPN.