Newsmakers: Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2019

Architecture
Trade publication Building Design and Construction named BRP Architects to its Top 150 Architecture Firms and Top 110 Hotel Sector Architecture Firms lists in its Giants 300 Report. BRP placed No. 149 on the architecture list and No. 39 on the hotel sector list.

Informa magazine recognized Missouri Southern State University and Springfield design firm Paragon Architecture LLC for Outstanding Design-Common Areas for the Jeremiah ‘Jay’ Nixon Hall on the Joplin campus. The project was featured in the American School & University 2019 Educational Interiors Showcase.

Banking & Finance
Central Trust Co. Assistant Vice President and Portfolio Manager Matthew Suarez passed an exam for his Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation. The program ensures those managing or advising on investor assets have a fundamental understanding of the principles of fiduciary duty and conduct standards.

Peoples Community Bank added Todd Wojciechowski as chief lending officer and executive vice president. He has 20 years of banking experience with a specialty in commercial and agricultural lending.

Government
Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry recognized 18 legislators from southwest Missouri as 2019 Business Champions: Sens. Eric Burlison, Sandy Crawford, Mike Cunningham, Lincoln Hough, David Sater and Bill White; and Reps. Sonya Anderson, John Black, Karla Eslinger, Craig Fishel, Elijah Haahr, Steve Helms, Brad Hudson, Jeff Justus, Jeff Knight, Lynn Morris, Mike Stephens and Curtis Trent. The designation is based on support of legislative policies for economic and business growth.

Law
Richard Schnake, partner at Neale & Newman LLP, was recognized by Best Lawyers In America as the 2019 Springfield Lawyer of the Year in Appellate Practice. He works in the areas of appeal and intellectual property and has handled 260 cases in the state and federal appellate courts in 60 areas. Schnake joined the firm in 1983 and became a partner in 1988.

Scott Pierson left The Law Offices of Dee Wampler and Joseph Passanise PC to form Twibell Pierson Criminal Law with fellow criminal defense attorneys Bert and Branden Twibell. With a bachelor’s in political science from Missouri State University and a Juris Doctor in litigation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Pierson was with Wampler and Passanise for five years and previously worked as a Missouri state public defender and a law clerk and attorney for McGonagle Spencer Gahagan PC.

Lowther Johnson Attorneys at Law LLC added Jacob Haskins as an associate. He spent the last two summers as a clerk at the firm and has a Juris Doctor from University of Missouri.

Technology
Huber & Associates Inc. added Dustin O’Neal as virtual chief information officer. He has 10 years of experience as a solutions architect with Lenovo, a client technical specialist with IBM and various roles with Jack Henry & Associates Inc.

Mid-Missouri Bank hired John Darrow as chief information officer. Succeeding the retiring Ron Green, he has 18 years’ experience in the financial industry, most recently at Volt Credit Union. Darrow is in charge of the bank’s IT infrastructure and networks, as well as the development of financial technology software for customers and employees.