Hirings

Internet and phone provider Socket added Thanik Bhongbhibhat to its accounting team. With the announcement of Socket’s US Department of Agriculture funding to expand fiber-to-the-home technology to rural Callaway County, the company sought to hire additional accounting staff. Originally from Thailand, Bhongbhibhat graduated from MU with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in business administration.

Columbia Police Officer Mark Brotemarkle has been appointed as the new director of safety for the Columbia Housing Authority. Brotemarkle will replace Administrative Safety Officer Dearl Logan, a former police officer who is leaving the position on Jan. 2. Brotemarkle will direct the CHA Safety Department on a part-time basis while continuing his work as a police officer.

Promotions

Boone County National Bank promoted Nick Haller to teller level two. Andrea Thames and Alison Jenkins were named customer service representatives, and Marina Vilcu customer service representative level two.

John Blattel, the city’s internal auditor, will serve as interim director of the finance department, effective Dec. 3. The appointment comes as current Finance Director Lori Fleming leaves the city for a position with the US Treasury Department. Her last day was Dec. 3. Blattel spent the past two years as internal auditor. He worked in the Missouri State auditor’s office for more than 30 years.

Jeff Barrow was promoted to full-time director of Missouri River Relief, a not-for-profit organization based in Columbia. River Relief conducts community-based cleanups of trash on an 800-mile stretch of the Missouri River from Yankton, S.D., to St. Louis.

Abigail Manwell was promoted to assistant director of career services/internship coordinator in Westminster College’s Office of Career Services.

The Coordinating Board for Higher Education named David Russell commissioner of higher education and removed the “interim” from the title he assumed in July after the retirement of former Commissioner Robert B. Stein. Russell has worked for the University of Missouri System for 19 years, most recently as senior associate vice president and chief of staff.

Providence Bank announced the following promotions: Jennifer G. Megee to senior vice president, retail banking manager and director of product development;

Wesley Parks to senior vice president, senior commercial lender;

and Richard W. Poston Jr. to vice president and assistant treasurer. Megee, who has 16 years of banking experience, will oversee the retail operations of four banking centers as well as research and implement new products for the bank. Parks, who joined Providence Bank in 2007 and has nine years of lending experience, will be responsible for managing current lending relationships as well as developing new business in Columbia. Poston will be responsible for managing the investment portfolio and liquidity management for Providence Bank. Poston joined Providence Bank in July 2009 as the cashier.

Departures

Deputy Chief Tom Dresner announced he will retire Dec. 17 from the Columbia Police Department after more than 26 years of service. Dresner started as a patrol officer  in September 1984. In 1993, he was promoted to sergeant and supervised a unit that was created to address growing crime concerns in the central city. Dresner became a captain in 1998 and interim police chief in July 2008 when Randy Boehm retired. He served in that capacity until April 2009 when Chief Ken Burton arrived. Dresner was also the Special Weapons and Tactics Team commander from 2000 to 2009.

Columbia Police Lieutenant Ken Hammond was treated with a retirement party Dec. 10 after more than 20 years of service in the department. Hammond joined the Columbia Police Department in October 1988. In 1991, he joined the investigative division as a juvenile crimes detective.

Appointments

Elizabeth Metroff has started her duties as corporate social responsibility coordinator for N.H. Schepper’s Distributing Company. Metroff will oversee the implementation of national Anheuser-Busch initiatives in a number of areas, including underage drinking prevention, drunk-driving prevention and promoting responsible drinking. She joined the company in 2009 and is responsible for product forecasting for Columbia operations, among other duties. She will continue to operate in this capacity as well.

Columbia College’s Ramona McAfee, assistant dean of military and federal programs and adult higher education, was named president of the National Association of Institutions for Military Education Services, an organization that consists of 22 higher education institutions that serve military members.

Dr. Paul W. Tracy has been elected to the position of vice chair on the International Certified Crop Adviser Board. He will begin his term in January 2011, and he will become chair in January 2012. Tracy is a certified crop adviser and director of agronomy services at MFA Incorporated.

Awards

Chris Heston, owner of Timberworks Toys and Traditions in Woodworking Inc., recently won the Parent’s Choice Gold Award for his wooden construction building sets.

Columbia Police officers Brian Graff and Matt Gremore were awarded the Meritorious Service Ribbon at the City Council meeting Dec. 6 for their actions preventing a distraught teenager from jumping from a Providence Road Bridge in late July. The Meritorious Service Ribbon is an award issued by the chief of police to an officer for either performing an act involving a substantial risk of serious injury or to an officer saving a human life.

Jennifer Martin, manager of product operations with CenturyLink, was selected from 20,000 employees nationwide as one of the company’s 49 Outstanding Service Providers. Martin was among more than 800 nominations submitted by employees across the country. She has been employed with CenturyLink for 11 years.

Vaughn Prost, chief executive officer and a partner in Missouri Solar Applications LLC, recently passed the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners test in Chicago to become nationally certified as a solar photovoltaic system installer. Prost’s firm recently completed the design and construction of the city of Columbia and Dow Chemical Company solar PV shingle project located on city land behind the West Ash Pumping Station off Bernadette Drive.

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry recognized Greg Gaffke, market development manager at CenturyLink in Jefferson City, with the 2010 Leadership Missouri Alumni Award. The Leadership Missouri Alumni Award is presented each year to a graduate of Leadership Missouri, a leadership enhancement program sponsored by the Chamber.