Names in the news

__MONDI JACKSON HONORS EMPLOYEES__

Steven Ward was employee of the month for February at Mondi Jackson LLC. Ward, a conversion operator, lives in Cape Girardeau and has been with the company since April 7, 2014. Mondi Jackson also recognizes the following employment anniversaries: Daniel Hemmann, 25 years of service; Bobby Breckenridge, 10 years; and Elizabeth Long, five years.

__HALTER NAMED PARTNER AT CPA FIRM__

FARMINGTON, Mo. — John Crouch, Terry Heuring, Rick Heuring, Laurie Sundhausen, Michael O’Shea, Anita Skaggs and Robert Mathes announced the admittance of Barbara Halter of Farmington as a new partner in the accounting firm of Crouch, Farley & Heuring PC. The firm name will not be changing with the addition of the new partner, the Park Hills Daily Journal reported. Halter has worked in public accounting since her graduation from Southeast Missouri State University in 1990. She has more than 25 years of experience, which includes nine years at Crouch, Farley & Heuring. She works in the Farmington office.

__HALTER GETS FINANCIAL CERTIFICATION__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Steve Halter, president of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, received certification on Feb. 2 as an Economic Development Finance Professional from the National Development Council. Certification is given to individuals who complete the intensive economic development finance training series conducted by NDC. The courses provide individuals working in the field of economic development with training in credit analysis, real estate financing, loan packaging, deal structuring and negotiating and the creation and implementation of development programs, according to a news release. Each of the four courses are five days in length and end with a written review that must be passed before a certification candidate is allowed to continue in the program. When a candidate has completed the entire four-week series, a comprehensive examination is given.

__SORRELL APPOINTED TO SAFETY COMMISSION__

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Jay Nixon on Feb. 9 appointed Daryl R. Sorrell of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to the Seismic Safety Commission. The commission provides, with the assistance of state and federal agencies, a program to help the state respond to a major earthquake either in Missouri or affecting Missouri, according to a news release. Sorrell is general manager of M&A Electric Power Cooperative in Poplar Bluff and has been with the cooperative since 2006. He also is a board member of Associated Electric Power Cooperative. He is a certified public accountant and a graduate of Missouri State University. The governor nominated him for a term ending July 1, 2018.

__NEWKIRK EARNS MONTHLY HONOR__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Phil Newkirk of Poplar Bluff, a financial representative at Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, was named district representative of the month for January.

__KNODELL, FEATHERSTON TOP P.B. REALTY__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Kurt Knodell was top producer for December at Poplar Bluff Realty Inc., and Gary Featherston was top lister for the month.

__WAWAK JOINS IT’S YOUR HAIR__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Autumn Wawak joined the It’s Your Hair team of stylists. She is a Poplar Bluff native and brings eight years of experience to the job.

__DELTA NEWS CITIZEN HAS NEW EDITOR__

MALDEN, Mo. — Trina Bell is the new editor of the Delta News Citizen, the newspaper reported. She came on board in late October, filling a reporter position. She is a graduate of Senath-Hornersville High School and attended Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, and Missouri State University in West Plains. She was a news reporter at the Daily Dunklin Democrat in Kennett, Missouri, from 2004 to 2008.

__ALSPAUGH OBTAINS NEW DESIGNATION__

Brock M. Alspaugh of Innovative Financial Solutions in Cape Girardeau obtained the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation from the College of Financial Planning. Individuals who hold the designation completed a course of study including pre-and post-retirement needs, asset management, estate planning and the entire retirement planning process using models and techniques from real-client situations, according to a news release.

__SIX FROM MISSOURI NAMED TO COTTON COUNCIL POSTS__

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Six Missouri cotton industry members were elected to leadership positions in the National Cotton Council for 2016, including David Blakemore, a Campbell ginner who was re-elected as a NCC director, according to a news release. Former NCC chairman Charles H. Parker, a Senath producer, was re-elected as an adviser to the NCC Board. Steve Droke, a Hornersville producer, was re-elected as Missouri/Illinois chairman of the NCC’s American Cotton Producers. Re-elected as the NCC’s Missouri/Illinois unit officers were A.C. Riley James, a ginner from New Madrid, chairman; William Hunter, a producer and marketing cooperative representative from Bell City, vice chairman; and Stephen Harris, a ginner from Senath, secretary. The cotton industry leaders were named to their posts during the NCC annual meeting held recently in Dallas.

__BHANDARI JOINS ELEMENT 74__

Pravin Bhandari joined Element 74 in Cape Girardeau as a junior developer. Bhandari, who was born and raised in Nepal, graduated in December from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in computer information systems, according to a news release.

__PIGG EARNS EXCELLENCE AWARDS__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — David Pigg, owner of Precision Heat & Air Inc. in Poplar Bluff, received excellence awards for top sales in Bryant equipment and controls for 2015. The awards were presented at the recent Koch Air LLC dealer meeting in St. Louis.

__YOUNG-DUNLAP JOINS C21__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Cindy Young-Dunlap joined Century 21 1st Choice Realty in Poplar Bluff as a licensed real estate broker, sales associate and senior real estate specialist. She has 13 years of experience representing sellers, buyers and investors in the residential and commercial markets.

__LANTZ JOINS CAPE CPA FIRM__

Vicki Lantz in January joined the public accounting firm of Begley, Young, Unterreiner & White LLC in Cape Girardeau. She has several years of public accounting experience in tax return preparation and accounting services. She also has a business owner background and business management and marketing skills.

__LANSFORD LEADS C21__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Craig Lansford was top lister and top producer for January at Century 21 American Realty.

__RICKMAN TEAM, TAYLOR TOP MOSSY OAK__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The Rickman Team was top producer for January at Mossy Oak Properties Mozark Realty. The team consists of Sandy Rickman and her son, Chris Rickman. Sandy Taylor was top lister for the month at Mossy Oak.

__DECLUE JOINS ROBINSON CONSTRUCTION__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Andrew Declue joined Robinson Construction Co. as an IT assistant. He is responsible for assisting the IT department in keeping computer equipment running smoothly, ensuring users are able to interact with the equipment successfully, data management and computer system maintenance, according to a news release. Declue is from Barnhart, Missouri, and attends ITT Technical Institute in Arnold, Missouri, where he earned an associate degree in network administration and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in information and cyber security. He previously worked for a contractor at AmerenUE, where he was a quality control foreman over Ameren’s pole inspection/replacement programs.

__TAYLOR EARNS PMP DESIGNATION__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Mark Taylor, project manager at Robinson Construction Co., earned the designation of Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute. The designation demonstrates experience, education and competency in project management and is a globally recognized standard for project management, according to a news release. To be eligible, Taylor had to meet the PMI’s education and experience requirements, agree to adhere to a code of professional conduct and pass an examination designed to assess one’s expertise in applying the knowledge, skills, tools and methods used in project management. He must now follow the PMI’s Continuing Certification Requirements Program to maintain his status.

__WALTEMATE IS NEW CHEF AT 15 WEST BAR AND GRILL__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Ryan Waltemate is the new chef at 15 West Bar and Grill in Perryville, the Republic Monitor reported. He previously owned Wally’s restaurant in Chester, Illinois, which was consumed by a fire late last summer. Waltemate has more than 20 years of experience cooking in top restaurants and hotels in St. Louis, along with owning his own restaurant.