People In Business

The Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce is again spearheading the community’s award-winning restaurant week dining campaign, SAVOR 2021, to be held through Sunday, Oct. 10. Several locally owned restaurants including foodie favorites like 1818 Chophouse, Bella Milano, Cleveland Heath and Peel Wood Fired Pizza are busy crafting their restaurant week specials. This year’s initiative will…

Tasha Pettis-Bonds has joined Midwest BankCentre as vice president of community engagement and business development. She reports to Wes Burns, senior vice president of community and economic development. In her new role, Pettis-Bonds applies more than 20 years of business, retail and mortgage banking experience in St. Louis, central Illinois and Chicago. She supports the…

Although many strides have been made to increase diversity within science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Black and Hispanic workers, specifically women, remain underrepresented in the technological workforce, according to the Pew Research Center. By participating in an Information Technology Senior Management Forum program uplifting women of color in STEM, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville…

After serving more than 20 years with the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois in various capacities, Dr. Ronda Sauget has announced she is resigning from her position as executive director. Sauget’s last day at the council  will be Oct 29. “Ronda’s contributions to economic growth and progress in our region are immeasurable,” said Richard J.…

The RiverBend Growth Association added three Alton-based businesses in August to its list of new members joining in 2021. Opening in 2018, The Brown Bag Bistro is owned and operated by the mother-daughter duo of Christine and Erin Velloff. It is an American-style bistro that specializes in unique sandwiches, soups, salads, appetizers and homemade desserts.…

DeAnna Massie is Lewis and Clark Community College’s 2021 Emerson Electric Excellence in Teaching Award nominee. Massie, 39, of Maryville, is an associate professor of reading and English at Lewis and Clark. She is a teaching artist, consultant and researcher specializing in applied improvisation and communication. Trained at Second City and PaperSlip Theater, Massie is…

Bank of Belleville has added Mark Davitz to its lending team as a senior vice president. Davitz, who has 30 years of banking experience, will be supporting clients with their commercial banking needs. “I’ve known Mark for more than 20 years and he has the character, values, and work ethic that fit very well within…

A career dedicated to uplifting the mental health of students, faculty and community members has earned Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Tracy Cooley a FY2022 Illinois Board of Higher Education Nurse Educator Fellowship Program award. Cooley, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, assistant professor in the School of Nursing’s Department of Primary Care and Health Systems Nursing, received this…

Keystone Place at Richland Creek in O’Fallon, Ill., announced that Greg Gelzinnis has joined the independent living, assisted living and memory care community as its senior living counselor. Gelzinnis will provide guidance to seniors and families seeking insight into the variety of available senior housing and care options and help them to determine the right…

Delta Dental of Illinois announced the hiring of Alyce K. Buchanan as director of client services. In this role, Buchanan will be responsible for the company’s customer service operations, developing the service business plan and related strategies to ensure a customer-centric focus. Buchanan has more than 20 years of dedicated contact center/service operations leadership expertise.…