September: Movers & Shakers
This September, celebrate with the business professionals in our community who are moving up, moving around, and gaining new experiences and opportunities.
Shellye Deeken
Shellye Deeken has joined Miller, Bales & Company as payroll processor to support clients for the Columbia-based wealth management, accounting, and tax solutions firm. In this role, Shellye handles payroll administration and reporting for Miller, Bales & Company’s small business clients.
Troy Greer
The Boone Hospital Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Troy Greer to serve as the chief executive officer for the Boone Health System. Troy will be responsible for leading Boone in meeting the health care needs in the system’s 26-county service area. Troy currently serves as chief executive officer of Lovelace Medical Center and Heart Hospital of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Columbia College
Dr. Piyusha Singh has been promoted to be Columbia College’s provost and senior vice president. Piyusha joined Columbia College in June 2015 as the vice president of online learning before being promoted to chief of staff and then to provost and vice president for academic affairs. In this role, Piyusha will lead the college’s academic initiatives including the in-seat, online, and virtual experiences. She also oversees several departments and programs throughout the college, including the department of athletics and the international programs.
The Columbia College Board of Trustees has elected Dr. David Russell to a four-year term as chair of the college’s governing board. David joined the board of trustees in 2016, and his term as chair officially began in July. He has been dedicated to public service for more than 50 years and is a decorated Army veteran.
Heather Stewart
Heather Stewart became the first Director of Development for VAC in February. She joins the team with a history in the nonprofit world and a background in marketing. Heather has served as a Past Chair for Women’s Network, a division of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, and is currently a Chamber Ambassador. She is also a board member for Junior Achievement in Central Missouri and sits on various planning committees for a variety of nonprofit organizations.
Penny Kuhns-Knarr
In July, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s director of operations, Penny Kuhns-Knarr, earned her SHRM Senior Certified Professional certification. Earning such credentials makes Penny a recognized expert and leader in the HR field.
José Caldera
Harper, Evans, Wade, and Netemeyer announced the addition of a new partner, José Caldera. José’s practice includes litigation and transactional matters in the areas of business law, land use, planning and real estate law, contracts, business development, estates and trusts, civil litigation, construction law, employment law, municipal law, open government compliance, veterans law, and other matters. He has successfully represented clients in federal and state courts as well as the Missouri Supreme Court.
Niki Pratt
N. H. Scheppers Distributing is pleased to announce that Niki Pratt has been recognized in the National Beer Wholesalers Association Employee Spotlight Program. Niki started with the company 11 years ago as an office administrator and has worked her way up to her current position as sales coordinator.
Goldie’s Bagels
Amanda Rainey and Sarah Medcalf opened Goldie’s Bagels in August. The pair first dreamed of a café designed for moms and their kids almost four years ago when they were new moms meeting up for coffee. Amanda grew up eating bagels at every occasion with her big Jewish family, and she long dreamed of bringing her vision of a great bagel to Columbia. Sarah has worked in and managed cafés for most of her professional life and was finally ready to start her own. The café is their long-term dream, so like true scrappy moms, they are starting one piece at a time with Goldie’s Bagels, a pop-up bagel shop that is run out of Pizza Tree.