Newsmakers: Sept. 23-29, 2024

Banking & Finance
James Reed, business services relationship manager at Great Southern Bank, earned the designation of certified treasury professional. Serving as a benchmark of competency in the finance profession, the CTP designation is recognized as the leading credential in corporate treasury worldwide. With around 30 years of experience, Reed joined Great Southern Bank in 2023.

Guaranty Bank hired Erik Dahlgren as an assistant vice president, consumer lender and underwriter. Dahlgren has worked in firefighting, information technology and banking, with six years of experience in the banking industry.

Branson Bank promoted Rebecca Mullen to assistant vice president. The company’s compliance officer, Mullen started with Branson Bank in 2013. She attended College of the Ozarks and Ozarks Technical Community College and is a graduate of the American Bankers Association National Compliance School.

Chambers of Commerce
Tori Mercado was promoted to public affairs manager at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Hired by the chamber in 2021, she previously worked as marketing promotions specialist for O’Reilly Automotive Inc.’s corporate office. Mercado has a bachelor’s in public relations, advertising and applied communication from Harding University, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in strategic communication and integrated marketing communication, respectively, from Drury University.

The Springfield chamber hired Alexandria Dool and Kaleb Creason. Joining the chamber in the role of talent retention coordinator is Dool, who has past experience at Ozarks Technical Community College and the city of Springfield, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminology and criminal justice from Missouri State University. With a bachelor’s in entrepreneurship/entrepreneurial studies and a master’s in public administration from University of Missouri-Kansas City, Creason has joined the chamber as public affairs coordinator and previously worked at MRE Capital LLC.

Jennifer Dalton, chief operating officer of the Springfield chamber, earned the certified chamber executive designation from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. A Springfield chamber staffer since 1999, Dalton is one of 10 chamber professionals to earn the CCE designation in 2024. The CCE program assesses and tests core chamber management areas such as planning and development, membership, communications, revenue and operations.

Health Care
The Foot Doctors hired Dr. Emily Barnes as a podiatrist. Barnes completed her podiatric medicine doctorate at Des Moines University and her medical residency at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Matthew Caviness joined CoxHealth Cassville Clinic as a family medicine physician. Caviness earned his medical degree from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Julie Gordon, registered nurse in the medical/surgical unit at Citizens Memorial Hospital, received the health system’s Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Gordon was nominated by a co-worker for exceptional care and patient dedication.

The American Heart Association recognized Cox Medical Center Branson, Cox Medical Center South, Cox Monett Hospital and Cox Barton County Hospital with Get With the Guidelines awards for their commitment to research-based care of stroke patients.