People In Business

Madison County Engineer Mark Gvillo will soon be driving into retirement. Gvillo is set to retire Nov. 25, after serving 39 years with the Highway Department. “Mark is going to be missed,” Chairman Kurt Prenzler said. “He’s done a lot of good work for the county and he takes with him a lot of knowledge.”…

Area law firm Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. firm has received a 2020 Cigna Well-Being Award in recognition of the firm’s significant efforts to enhance employee wellness. “The health and well-being of all our employees and their families are of utmost importance at Greensfelder,” said Greensfelder President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin T. McLaughlin (shown).…

Several other health professionals honored Dr. Juletta Avagyan, a hospitalist nocturnist, is the winner of the 2020 Alton Memorial Hospital Chairman’s Award. She won based on nominations submitted by employees and her fellow physicians. She received the honor recently from Gary Ayres, chairman of the AMH board of directors. “We feel Dr. Avagyan should be…

Heidi Miget has joined Midwest BankCentre as senior vice president of marketing, reporting to Danielle Bateman Girondo, executive vice president of marketing. Miget is responsible for planning, development, implementation and management of digital marketing efforts for three distinct brands within Midwest BankCentre, including the bank, its national online digital bank and its newly launched Rising…

John Kemper, president and chief executive officer of Commerce Bancshares, announced that David Orf, currently executive vice president and chief credit officer of Commerce’s west region, has been promoted to chief credit officer of Commerce Bancshares effective Jan. 1, 2021, assuming the role currently held by Dan Callahan who will retire from his day-to-day duties…

Armstrong Teasdale announced that the firm has created a dedicated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion department, and named Partner Meshach Rhoades the chief diversity officer. In her role, she will lead the execution of the firm’s strategy, as well as ongoing and new initiatives to build and sustain a culture of inclusion and belonging. Rhoades is…

LaTonia Bornnard, owner of Shear Madness, LLC, a beauty salon and barber shop, as well as event space in East St. Louis, began working with the Illinois Small Business Development Center for the Metro East at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville amid the COVID-19 pandemic to secure a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Bornnard was struggling…

West Star Aviation recently announced the promotion of Todd Rasch to quality/accountable manager at its facility at St. Louis Regional Airport in East Alton. Rasch started his career as a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force and currently has more than 35 years of aviation experience, including eight years as chief inspector at West…

Society for the Teaching of Psychology has given its highest national award to a McKendree University professor in 2020. The organization, which functions as Division 2 of the American Psychological Association, promotes excellence and learning in the teaching of psychology. Dr. Guy Boysen, a tenured professor of psychology at McKendree, accepted the 2020 Robert S.…

 Justine Petersen, a nonprofit that has helped scores of small businesses in Southwestern Illinois in obtaining funding, has been recognized as the leading SBA Microlender in the state of Illinois for the fifth consecutive fiscal year. Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA typically announces the award in the spring following the end of the…