Newsmakers: Dec. 7-13, 2020

Accounting
The Whitlock Co. hired Neil Frost as marketing director. He most recently worked as director of business development for Lakeland Behavioral Health System and held marketing director positions for Mercy in Springfield and CoxHealth in Branson. Frost has a bachelor’s in marketing and management from Missouri State University.

Banking
Old Missouri Bank hired Stephen Bishop as its chief operations officer. He comes from Jack Henry & Associates Inc., where Bishop spent seven years as director of client services. He holds a bachelor’s in finance and economics from Missouri Southern State University, as well as a master’s in technology change management and project management, and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Education
The Evangel University Alumni Board of Directors issued five 2020 alumni awards: Rebecca Donaldson, principal of Weller Elementary School, was named Distinguished Alumna, recognizing contributions to a chosen field, church, community, state, nation or to the university. She’s a 1982 graduate with a bachelor’s in elementary education.

Kelsey Bardwell, a general practice attorney in Arkansas, received the Outstanding Young Alumna. She’s a managing partner with Sprott, Golden & Bardwell in Harrison, Arkansas, and in 2018 won the Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Rising Star Award. Bardwell is a 2003 graduate with a bachelor’s in management and marketing.

John Easter was honored as the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary Alumnus of the Year for his work overseeing the AG’s Africa’s Hope and the Association for Petecostal Theological Education in Africa. He is also vice chancelor of the Pan-Africa Theological Seminary and an associate professor of intercultural studies for Evangel and AGTS. Easter received a bachelor’s in Bible studies from Central Bible College in 1995 and a doctorate in international studies from AGTS in 2011.

Steve Pulis, Convoy of Hope’s senior director of community events, received the Distinguished Alumnus from CBC for community contributions. He earned a bachelor’s in missions and Bible studies and an associate degree in music from CBC in 1990.

The Rev. Saehee Duran was honored as Outstanding Young Alumnus by CBC for her work as lead pastor of Life360 Intercultural Church in Springfield, the national training director at the Assemblies of God Network of Women Ministers and a volunteer chaplain with the Springfield Police Department. She’s a 2013 graduate from CBC, with a bachelor’s in Bible/theology, and in 2016 earned a master’s in leadership in Christian ministries from AGTS.

Municipal
The city of Nixa hired Garett Tyson as director of the Planning and Development Department. Tyson worked for 10 years as the city of Republic’s community development director and has consulted for municipalities as the founder of CivicMinded Consulting.

The Missouri Public Utility Alliance presented Nixa City Council Member Scott Perryman with its Public Official Award for his participation in municipal utility issues. He is a member of MPUA’s Legislative Committee, where he’s advocated for local control of municipal utilities, the federal budget for hydropower and its agencies, pole attachment legislation and regional water supply. Also, Perryman was appointed earlier this year to serve a year on the American Public Power Association’s Policy Makers Council, which meets in Washington, D.C., and visits with elected representatives and congressional staff to support APPA’s national agenda for public power.