Hirings

Socket, a Missouri-based telephone and Internet service provider, has hired Denise Coots, a nutrition and fitness expert, to lead Socket’s new Healthy Life program. She will meet one-on-one with employees to discuss diet and exercise techniques; serve employees as a personal weight-loss coach; conduct Socket brown-bag educational seminars; and oversee Socket’s Healthy Snack program, an effort to stock Socket’s kitchen with affordable, tasty and healthy snacks.

Socket also has hired Anthony Heman as a programmer at Socket’s headquarters in Columbia. He will program internal online interfaces for the company and will handle the database administration, including designing applications, Web pages and utilities for Socket’s internal activities.

True Media has hired D.W. Cole as vice-president of client development. Cole will build client relations in major media markets from Los Angeles to New York. Before joining True Media, he served as an associate with Sandler Training/ Awareness Management. He has nearly 25 years of experience in media sales and communications. In 2002 Cole was named Rookie Salesperson of the Year at Premier Marketing/Cumulus Broadcasting in Columbia.

True Media has hired Cary Randolph Fuller as a director of communications and public relations for its non-paid media division. Fuller will engage traditional elements of public relations—such as media relations, event marketing and strategic planning—fused with new forms of advertising, from social networks and blogs to street teams. Fuller previously interned at Polo Ralph Lauren in New York.

Sarah Dubbert has joined Commerce Bank as vice president and manager, Treasury Services Division, Central Missouri Region. She is responsible for business development and relationship management related to Commerce’s electronic banking and cash management services to business customers. Dubbert previously was a retail district sales manager for a local financial institution. She serves as external board vice president for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mid-Missouri; board treasurer for RAIN of Central Missouri; and dean of counselors for Missouri Girls State, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary.

Stephens College has hired new staff. Kelly McCarville is the new director of conferencing and events. Tiffany Spradling is the executive assistant to the president, Office of the President. Heather Brauer is assistant director of admissions. Amanda Burfield is the external event coordinator. Maria Saylor, Rene Atchison and Trevyon Howard were hired in facilities.

Promotions

Angie Gentry has been promoted to downtown branch manager for Boone County National Bank. She is responsible for supervising the tellers, customer services representatives, safe deposit area, sales and business development for the bank at 8th Street and Broadway. Gentry has been with Boone County National Bank for seven years—most recently as branch manager of the Motor Bank.

First National Bank has promoted Billie Connally to banking officer. Connally, a manager of one of First National’s banking centers, is responsible for overseeing new account development, lending, customer relations, and daily operational activities of the banking center. She joined First National Bank in 2006 with six years of banking experience.

Socket has promoted Zeke Long to director of customer care. His key responsibilities include identifying ways Socket can increase customer retention and providing a customer perspective when considering network upgrades. Long has been with Socket for eight years.

Janet Moss has been named Socket’s new manager of employee satisfaction. Moss, who has worked with Socket for four years, is responsible for all the functions dealing with the needs, activities and retention of Socket’s employees. She will oversee recruiting, training, organizational development, performance management, policy recommendations, team building and employee relations.

Shelia Lynch has been named Socket’s new accounting supervisor. Lynch will supervise the accounting department employees while continuing her work with accounts payable and receivable. In addition she will be the accounting liaison for any interdepartmental issues. Lynch brings 22 years of prior accounting experience to her new role.

Departures
After three years as director of communications for the University of Missouri System, Scott Charton is stepping down from his position to launch Charton Communications & Consulting, his own communications and consulting firm serving Columbia and Jefferson City, beginning May 1. Charton, 46, began working as a communications consultant for the university after a two-decade career with the Associated Press. In 2005 he was appointed to oversee formation of the new Department of University Communications, with responsibilities including external communications on behalf of the Board of Curators and the UM System administration. He has worked with UM System presidents and interim presidents Elson Floyd, Gordon Lamb and Gary Forsee.

Honors

The U. S. Small Business Administration has selected The Bank of Missouri’s W. Keith McLaughlin as its 2008 National Small Business Financial Services Champion. Independent judges scored McLaughlin highest at the SBA St. Louis District Office level and the Kansas City Regional Office level, which led him to competition against nine other regional financial services champions to win the 2008 national title. McLaughlin manages The Bank of Missouri’s SBA-dedicated lending program as its senior vice president of the SBA Lending Division. His responsibilities include training and managing SBA loan originators, portfolio management, loan servicing, collection, liquidation, and secondary market sales. Last year, The Bank of Missouri and McLaughlin funded the first SBA PatriotExpress loan in the nation to help a Columbia businessman expand.

Gibbs Company, Inc., a foundation and concrete repair and restoration contractor owned by Randy and Kathie Gibbs, was named Ram Jack Dealer of the Year for 2007. Ram Jack Foundation Solutions, for which Gibbs Company is an authorized dealer, is an internationally recognized structural repair company using the latest foundation repair and peering technology. This marks the second time Gibbs Company has received the award as the top dealer in the nation.

Terry Taylor, marketing director for Lutheran Senior Services at Lenoir Woods, recently became a certified marketing professional through the Life Services Network’s marketing certification program. To earn the certification, Taylor, a graduate of Columbia College and the University of Missouri, took part in a two-day workshop focused on staying adaptive in a competitive marketplace and helping aging adults gather information.

Several Columbia writers (including contributors to Business Times Company publications) won awards at the recent Missouri Writers Guild annual conference at the Stoney Creek Inn. Barri Bumgarner won second place in Walter Williams Major Work Award for her novel Dregs and an honorable mention for her poem “Open Window.” Jim Muench won third place in Best Book About Missouri for Five Stars: Missouri’s Most Famous Generals. Dianna Borsi O’Brien won first honorable mention in Best Health Article for “Barbara Rippel: A Last Request,” published in Columbia Home & Lifestyle. Von Pittman won first place in Best Short Story for “Covering the Spread” and honorable mention in Flash Fiction for “No Greater Crime.” Bridget Bufford won third place in Best Form Poem for “November.”