New staff members

Kim Hursh has joined Dr. Karen Cycotte, O.D., as an optician/ophthalmic assistant.

Ronald Gabriel has joined Hickory Point Bank & Trust as branch manager of the Mount Zion Road facility.

Thomas L. Criswell has been named president of Soy Capital Bank.

Drew Weatherford has joined the law firm of Johnson & Chiligiris as an associate.

T.J. Vance has joined MetLife firm as a financial services representative in Decatur.

Stephen M. Wills has been named Champaign County Community Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending for Soy Capital Bank & Trust.

Promotions

Millikin University announced the following faculty promotions and tenure decisions: David Horn has been awarded tenure and promoted to the position of associate professor of biology. Joe Stickles, associate professor of mathematics, has been awarded tenure. Fine arts faculty member Tina Nicholson has been promoted to professor of music.

Brad Doran has been promoted to vice president of operations and information systems for Hickory Point Bank & Trust.

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust has announced the promotion of Danielle Thomas to vice president/regional deposit manager and Kayla Henderson to assistant vice president/ branch manager in Decatur.

Jenai Thompson has been promoted to leasing agent by Bristol Gardens Apartments.

Achievements

Millikin University recognized the following faculty members during the annual Distinguished Faculty Lecture and Honors Convocation: Judith Crowe, assistant professor of English and director of the Millikin Writing Center, received the Alpha Lambda Delta Outstanding Teaching Award; Marianne Robertson, professor of biology, received the Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award; Mary Jane Linton, associate professor of nursing, received the Teaching Excellence Award. Receiving the Faculty Research and Artistic Achievement Award were Edwin Walker, associate professor of art; Lori Bales, associate professor of theater and dance; and Eduardo Cabrera, associate professor of modern languages.

Shirley Aldridge, a producer with Dansig Inc., was named health agent of the month for February by Pekin Life Insurance Co.

Heritage Behavioral Health Center received the Chairman's Award in the 2009 Negley Awards for Excellence in Risk Management.

Stephen Frantz, chief operating officer of Huston Patterson, has been inducted into the Label Printing Industries of America Hall of Fame.

J.L. Hubbard Insurance and Bonds is a recipient of the Accident Fund Insurance Company of America's 2008 President's Club Award.

JTnet Inc. was awarded the Best of Show honor at the Decatur Ad Club Decagon Awards for its work on the Decatur Earthmover Credit Union Web site.

Announcements

Stephanie Ashe has become an independent consultant with Tastefully Simple Inc.

Linda Clary and Courtney Pritchett represented Homeward Bound Pet Shelter and Teresa Waybright represented Macon County Animal Control at Adoption Options, a one-day workshop in Wheaton presented by Petfinder.com.

Beth Stringer has been elected chairwoman of the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Other new officers and board members for 2009-10 are Keith Casteel, vice-chairman; Pete Paulin, second vice-chairman; Randy Earl, treasurer; Kevin Kast, assistant secretary/treasurer and Mirinda Rothrock, at-large.

The new directors are Mark Avery, Erik Brechnitz, Cathy Coulter, Jim Gresham, Ron Pulera, Darren Reynolds and Dave Weber.

Business Clips are abbreviated versions of paid announcements that have appeared in the new Business Achievements section, which appears Mondays in the Herald & Review. View the complete announcement or submit information about the achievements of your business or employees at www.herald-review.com/business_achievement.