People In Business

West Star Aviation has appointed Howard Allred as chief financial officer. Allred will be located at West Star’s facility at St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto and will be responsible for the financial welfare of the company. He has served in a senior financial leadership position for more than 31 years, including that of CFO…

    Ameren Illinois has announced three additions to its leadership team.         On June 1, Eric Kozak was promoted to vice president of Gas Operations.  Kozak is responsible for leading the company’s natural gas system modernization program and compliance requirements, overseeing operation of 18,200 miles of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines and 12…

    Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has named Robert “Bob” Thumith as its new director of Human Resources. Thumith assumed his responsibilities on Friday, July 6.    Thumith brings more than three decades of professional, managerial and leadership experience in the field of human resource management. His experience spans private and public, multistate and international sectors, as…

    Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD, has named Tim Schoenecker, PhD, as dean of the School of Business. Schoenecker has served as interim dean since May 2016. The appointment is subject to SIU board approval.    Under Schoenecker’s leadership, the school has progressed its strategic plan by…

    Poettker Construction Co., a second-generation family-owned and veteran-owned health-care construction management firm, has hired Curt Rommerskirchen as brand ambassador for Healthcare Facility Services.    He began his career in health-care construction in 1993 after serving in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and working as a plant supervisor for a roof material company. He…

    The board of Riverbend Head Start & Family Services has appointed Kristin Tanzyus, market manager in WorkPlace Banking at PNC Bank in Missouri and Downstate Illinois, as board chairwoman.     She replaces outgoing Chairman, James Wing of New American Funding of Glen Carbon, who has served as chairman of the board since 2016.    …

    Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., announced that Russell K. Scott, an officer and leader of the firm’s Belleville office, has received the 2018 Medal of Merit Award from the Illinois State Bar Association.    Scott was honored June 16 at the ISBA’s 142nd Annual Meeting.    The Medal of Merit Award recognizes attorneys for exemplary achievement…

    Leslie N. Collins and Andrew R. Mossman have joined Gori Julian & Associates, P.C. as attorneys.     Collins will be working at the Edwardsville office in the practice area of asbestos litigation. She was born and raised in Bethalto and attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting…

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will welcome alumnus Timothy Staples, EdD, back to campus as director of its new Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion. Staples will assume his new role on Monday, July 16. SIUE’s Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion will serve as a support and advocacy center for underrepresented students through programming, services,…

Jessica Mefford-Miller this week assumed the post of interim executive director of Metro Transit. The former assistant executive director of Transit Planning & System Development, transitioned to the position held by Executive Director Ray Friem, who retired on July 1. The executive director of Metro Transit oversees all three Metro Transit operations: MetroLink, MetroBus and…