Mercy appoints chief medical officer, Joplin appoints marketing director

Sohrab appointed new Chief Medical Officer at Mercy

Dr. Sadaf Sohrab has been tapped to lead Mercy Springfield Communities as Chief Medical Officer, according to a news release.

Although a pulmonologist, Sohrab previously served as regional chairman of the cardiovascular service line for Springfield Mercy Communities. She had held several positions at Mercy during her 15-year career with the Springfield health care system. Sohrab started as Chief Medical Officer on April 12.

According to the publication, Dr. Sohrab a trusted leader in Mercy’s physician community. Her experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings has given her unique insight into the healthcare needs that Mercy physicians must meet.

“I am deeply honored to serve in this role and the community I love,” said Dr. Sohrab. “I look forward to working with healthcare providers, nurses and our hospital staff who inspire me every day. With healthcare evolving at a rapid pace, now is the time to drive the strategy toward impactful change.”

City of Joplin hires first director of communications and marketing

After serving seven years as public information officer and director of communications for the City of Nixa, Drew Douglas will begin his new role as director of communications and marketing for the City of Joplin. Douglas will begin his new role on April 22. He will be tasked with overseeing the planning, coordination and management of all of the city’s public information, community engagement, media relations and marketing efforts.

Douglas has served the City of Nixa since January 2017. There, his focus was on expanding proactive communications, government transparency and internal communications efforts. He also facilitated public engagement programs. won awards for video production and coordinated a major rebranding and redesign of the website.

Before joining Nixa, Douglas was a journalist at KY3 in Springfield, WOAI in San Antonio and KWTK in Waco, Texas. He currently serves as president of the Southwest Missouri chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Hart joins Springfield’s board at Arvest Bank

Arvest Bank announced in a press release Dr. Algerian Hart to its board in Springfield.

“His background in diversity and inclusion aligns well with Arvest’s mission, and we look forward to seeing how his ideas will impact communities across the region,” said Jason England, president of Arvest Bank.

Hart is vice president and assistant to the president for Inclusion Engagement at Missouri State University, where he has been a professor of kinesiology since 2019. Before MSU, he was an administrator and professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is also a professor emeritus at Western Illinois University.

Hart is also a board member of the Rise and Reach Foundation, a member of the advisory board of Springfield Advocates for Youth and a member of the Springfield Chapter of the NAACP Health Committee. He received his doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Washington State University and is actively involved in the Springfield community.

Webster County’s land specialist wins multiple real estate awards

A Webster County real estate agent takes home multiple industry and business awards for his 2023 sales of rural properties. Brian Utecht, a land specialist with Whitetail Properties Real Estate, serves 15 Missouri counties. Among his achievements, Utecht was recognized in Land Magazine as a Land Star Award Top Producer for ranking in the top 5% of all rural land sales in the Midwest last year.

Utecht was also honored with two awards by the Realtors Land Institue at the recent National Land Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. He was named regional agent of the year for ranch sales and won an APEX Producers Club award, which rewards real estate agents with at least $5 million in qualifying land sales last year. Utecht has also earned the Accredited Land Consultant designation from RLI, which requires successful completion of a rigorous educational program, a strong track record of transaction performance and a commitment to professional growth.

In recognition of his achievements, Utecht was named Whitetail Properties’ Companywide Agent of the Year for 2023. He is one of more than 350 land specialists for Whitetail Properties in the US. He has more than 20 years of experience representing buyers and sellers of farms, ranch, recreational, timber and lake properties.

“I am very honored by these awards, which show that our company is moving in the right direction with our values and beliefs, putting customers first,” said Utecht. “Awards like this build confidence in our ability to serve buyers and sellers of rural land in a highly professional manner.”

Holiday Inn Express & Suites wins the IHG Spirit of True Hospitality Excellence Award

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Springfield-Medical District, owned by JKD, Inc. and managed by Rolling Oaks Hospitality, has been awarded the InterContinental Hotels Group Spirit of True Hospitality Excellence Award for 2023. The honor is given to properties that exemplify exceptional hospitality, outstanding service and commitment to guest satisfaction within the IHG portfolio.

According to a press release, the award reflects the hotel’s performance in several areas, including guest satisfaction, service quality, cleanliness and overall guest experience. The hotel was the only award winner in Springfield and one of only two winners in southwest Missouri.

Learn more about government contracts with the efactory program

Small businesses often struggle to gain visibility and win large accounts. With this in mind, the Missouri Small Business Development Center at Missouri State University, part of the efactory, is planning a program during National Small Business Week to help these companies win government contracts.

Government Contracting: What You Need to Know will take place May 3 from 9 a.m. to noon at the efactory in the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center. The half-day seminar will feature an array of state and federal procurement experts to provide insight and resources to help small businesses understand the benefits of government contracts. Missouri APEX Accelerator will also discuss their complimentary services to help companies position themselves, evaluate readiness, and compete for government contracts, when ready.

“As companies look for ways to expand into new markets, the government market is often overlooked. While not every company is ready to sell to federal, state and local governments, billions of dollars are spent each year purchasing goods and services,” said Allen Waldo, CPP, Missouri APEX Accelerator advisor. “This is an excellent opportunity to hear directly from the State of Missouri and learn more about federal contracts.

Registration is free for participants, but advance registration is required. During Government Contracting: What You Need to Know, participants will learn about:

The State of Missouri Supplier Diversity Program, presented by Diana Hilliard, Office of Equal Opportunity;
Contract Opportunities with the Missouri Department of Transportation, presented by Kami Sanders, External Civil Rights Division; And
How to Get Started or Increase Federal Contracting Opportunities, presented by Waldo.

Heritage Bank of the Ozarks names Boyer president

Lance Boyer has been named president of Heritage Bank of the Ozarks in Lebanon, Camdenton and Plato. Boyer previously held the roles of Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer. Kim Light will remain CEO, but he will transfer the president’s responsibilities to Boyer. Boyer will also retain the title of CFO.

Boyer’s career in the financial industry began at the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City and later transitioned to a 14-year career at the Central Bank. He is a member of the National Association of Free Will Baptist Board of Retirement, Community Development Corporation and the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce.

As president, Boyer will oversee the day-to-day operations of Heritage Bank of the Ozarks and serve as a visible representative of the bank in the community. Light will continue to serve as CEO and work closely with Boyer to ensure a smooth transition.