People In Business

First Mid Bancshares Inc. has appointed Alex J. Melvin to its board of directors, effective Nov. 18, 2025. He will also serve on the board of directors of First Mid Bank & Trust, which is a subsidiary of the company. Melvin currently serves as the owner and chairman of Rural King Farm & Home Store…

First Bankers Trust Company N.A. (First Bankers Trust), a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Bankers Trustshares Inc., recently announced the addition of J. Nelson Carter as vice president, Consumer Banker, effective Nov. 17, 2025. Carter will report directly to Sherry Schaffnit, senior vice president. In his new role, Carter will be responsible for originating consumer and…

The O’Fallon City Council has formally confirmed Mayor Eric Van Hook’s appointment of Grant Litteken, M.P.A., ICMA-CM, as the new city administrator during its regular meeting on Nov. 17, 2025. He assumed the duties of city administrator immediately. Litteken brings more than 14 years of progressive leadership and service to the City of O’Fallon as…

First Mid Bank & Trust (First Mid) recently announced the appointment of Regina Nelson as its new chief marketing officer (CMO). With more than 30 years of strategic marketing and leadership experience in the financial services industry, she brings a proven track record of driving growth, innovation, and customer engagement. Nelson joins First Mid from…

Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation’s leading mass-torts and complex litigation firms, recently announced that 13 firm attorneys have been recognized in the 2026 edition of the Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists for Illinois. These designations reflect the firm’s ongoing commitment to legal excellence and leadership in the representation of mesothelioma patients and…

Experienced litigator Lee Hurwitz has joined Baker Sterchi as a Member in the firm’s Belleville office. Although associated with Belleville, he is based in the Chicago area and regularly practices in courts throughout the region, further strengthening the firm’s presence alongside fellow Chicago-based attorney Justin Borawski. Hurwitz concentrates his practice on toxic tort, product liability,…

HSHS Medical Group recently welcomed Dr. Michael Ansstas to HSHS Medical Group Multispecialty Care at 3 St. Elizabeth Blvd., Suite 5000 in O’Fallon, Ill. Dr. Ansstas is a board-certified gastroenterologist with advanced training in interventional gastroenterology. He specializes in diagnosing and treating a wide range of digestive conditions, including disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver…

  Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s cluster hire of four tenure-track faculty in the School of Biological Sciences is advancing research into global environmental change and sustainability. School Director and Professor Frank Anderson said hiring faculty as a group is a rare move in higher education, and it is an example of what makes SIU Carbondale a Research 1…

  On Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Emergency Services had the honor of presenting Elena LaFleur with the Dr. Jeffrey Shafer Memorial Scholarship for $3,000. This $1,500 scholarship, in partnership with Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC), is awarded to SWIC students pursuing a career in emergency medical services (EMS) in memory of Dr.…

First Bankers Trust Company N.A. (First Bankers Trust), a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Bankers Trustshares Inc., has announced that Lance Robertson joined the organization as vice president of Commercial and Ag Lending, effective Oct. 27, 2025. Robertson brings over 25 years of experience in ag-related sales and lending, along with a deep understanding of the…