Newsmakers: July 17-23, 2017

Gibson

Biskup

Cuff

Wang

Embree

Alberhasky

Layman

York

Hinke

Architecture
Kurtis Gibson and Brandon Biskup joined H Design Group LLC as intern architects. Gibson graduated from Drury University’s Hammons School of Architecture earlier this year, and Biskup currently is finishing Drury’s architecture program.  
 
Education
Drury appointed two new deans: Shannon Cuff in the School of Education and Child Development and Jin Wang in the Breech School of Business Administration. Cuff most recently taught undergraduate and graduate classes at Park University in Kansas City. Wang was dean of the Gore School of Business at Westminister College in Utah, where he also served as assistant to the president for international programs. 

The Missouri Accreditation of Childhood Care and Education Programs granted the Little Angels Learning Academy an accreditation certificate for the fourth time. It recognizes developmentally appropriate experiences in an environment conducive to children flourishing intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically. 

Carol Embree was named Springfield Public Schools’ deputy superintendent of operations. For the past three years, she served as SPS’ chief finance and operations officer. Embree’s expanded role includes responsibility for the human resources department and oversight of school safety and emergency planning. 
 
Health Care
Dr. Tricia Derges of Lift Up Springfield received the Jefferson Award for Missouri and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award in Washington, D.C., from the Jefferson Awards Foundation. Derges founded the medical, dental and mental health services clinic in 2016 after returning to medical school in her 50s. She treats the homeless, veterans and uninsured. 
 
Insurance
Robin Talty of Ollis/Akers/Arney was named Missouri’s 2017 Outstanding CSR of the Year by the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. An employee of Ollis/Akers/Arney since 2000, she is among 37 individuals now eligible for the national customer service representative award.
 
Law
Randy Alberhasky of The Alberhasky Law Firm PC was elected to the Executive Committee of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys. He has 20 years of trial and appellate court experience representing injured workers, veterans and their families. He also has served on the Board of Governors for the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys since 2012. 
 
Politics
The Missouri Republican Party appointed Springfield businessman Jeff Layman, senior vice president at Morgan Stanley and Co. LLC, as finance chairman. Previously, he served as state finance chairman for Gov. Eric Greitens, and he continues to assist in the role. 
 
Restaurant
The 2017 Best of Fest awards at the 11th annual Taste of SoMo honored Greek Belly with the Best Appetizer, Black Sheep Burgers & Shakes as Best Entree and Civil Kitchen with the Best Dessert and Best Booth awards.

Retail
Lew’s Fishing Tackle hired Chris York as chief operating officer and made two promotions: Gary Remensnyder to CEO and Dave Hinke to vice president for product development.

York has 20 years of experience in global manufacturing, distribution and logistics, most recently serving as vice president of operations for KGPCo. Remensnyder joined Lew’s in 2011 and succeeds founder Lynn Reeves, who stayed on as chairman. Hinke has worked at Lew’s Fishing since 2015 and has 35 years of experience in store management, distribution sales and product management, including a stint with Bass Pro Shops.