Hirings
Jonathan L. Van Ness was named vice president and general manager of KRCG-TV, a local CBS affiliate owned by Barrington Broadcasting Group. Van Ness recently was the vice president and general manager of WHOI-TV, in Peoria-Bloomington, Ill. Van Ness replaces former General Manager Betsy Farris, who left the station last month.
Robinson
Nita Robinson will serve as the new director of health administration service at the Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, a position recently created during an administrative reorganization. Robinson received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Hamlin University in St. Paul, Minn. in 1980 and a certificate in health information management from Stephens College in 1997. She has held a variety of medical administrative positions including recently serving as manager of health administration in the business operations service line. She has coordinated special programs for former prisoners of war, patients exposed to environmental agents and returning combat veterans.
Dawn Lowrey was named Boone County National Bank’s assistant manager of the Lake of the Woods branch bank. She will be responsible for customer service and sales, as well as the supervision of other bank tellers. Previously, Lowrey served as manager of consumer relations for Salton Inc. She graduated in 1996 from Columbia College with a bachelor’s degree in English.
Humble
First National Bank & Trust Company has hired Jessica Humble as director of the bank’s Regency Club. The Regency Club a program for customers 50 years and older includes financial products along with education, social activities and travel. Humble will organize and direct the activities of the club and build relationships with existing and prospective customers. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri and has worked as an operations coordinator and registered sales assistant for a local investment firm.
Appointments
Gov. Matt Blunt appointed former Cottey College President Helen Washburn of Columbia to the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. Washburn has served on the board of trustees for Stephens College for two years, but resigned from that seat to accept Blunt’s appointment. On the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, Washburn will work with other board members on the state level to settle higher education disputes such as funding and tuition caps.
Promotions
Bill Ashlock became Boone Electric Cooperative’s chief financial officer after a promotion from the finance department. Ashlock started in the billing department with Boone Electric nearly 19 years ago. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia College.
Boone County National Bank promoted Joe Ferling to consumer banking representative from his previous position as a bank teller trainer. Ferling, who joined the bank one year ago, will be working throughout the bank branch system opening new accounts, recommending products and services and assisting with the management of the branch. Ferling received his bachelor’s degree in nutrition and fitness from the University of Missouri.
Klepper
Commerce Bank announced that Jennifer Klepper has been promoted to branch manager of the Hy-Vee Banking Center. Klepper will be responsible for branch operations and developing consumer banking, lending and small business banking relationships. She has nine years of business and banking experience and is chairing the Columbia Region March of Dimes committee.
Honors
KOMU-TV received numerous awards for its newscast from the Kansas City Press Club and the Missouri Broadcasters Association. KOMU-TV, a subsidiary of the University of Missouri, serves as both a local news station and a teaching lab for broadcast journalism students. The station won gold in all categories for small market television including Television Station of the Year in the Press Club event. In the Best Newscast category, KOMU-TV won a Gold, Silver and Bronze award. In General Reporting, it won a Gold and Silver award. In the Regular Franchise Features category, KOMU-TV won Gold, Silver and Bronze and an Honorable Mention from the Press Club.
The Columbia ReMax office honored Keith Boles with its Rising Star Award of 2007. Boles works with his wife, Jane, who has been a Realtor in Columbia since 1989, on the Boles Realty Team.