Sara Sarno

After nearly a decade of experience in luxury retail sales as the top sales associate at Buchroeders Jewelers, Sara Sarno has joined The Walters Team as a licensed Realtor.

Her passion lies in connecting with people and helping them make one of life’s biggest decisions. Guiding clients through the real estate process is not just a job for her—it’s a satisfying and rewarding experience.

Growing together with her clients and being a part of their lives brings her immense joy. With her wealth of experience in luxury sales, Sarno’s transition to real estate is a natural fit.

Jay Sparks

Jay Sparks has been named the new director of Columbia College’s Steven and Barbara Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship.

Sparks most recently worked as the entrepreneurship coordinator for the Columbia-based Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI). He received his Bachelor of Arts in Independent Studies with an emphasis in Philosophy from Columbia College.

At REDI in the past three years, Sparks oversaw significant growth in the agency’s client roster, especially with minority- and women-owned businesses.

Scott Pummill

Central Bank of Boone County (CBBC) promoted Scott Pummill to assistant managing officer. He will be responsible for overseeing the global operations of the Boonville and South County markets.

Pummill has twelve years of banking experience with CBBC. He started his career with the bank in the call center, then transferred to Hallsville as a financial associate before later becoming the Hallsville branch manager. He ran the Village Branch before transferring to Boonville as a lender.

Pummill graduated from the Missouri Bank School of Management in 2019 and was the loaned executive for Heart of Missouri United Way that same year. In 2020 he was the bank’s campaign co-chair for United Way. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Boonville Kiwanis Club, Boonslick Heartland YMCA, and the Missouri Symphony.

Shannon Hemenway

The Missouri Public Transit Association has named Shannon Hemenway of Go COMO among the newest members of its board of directors. Hemenway is the administrative supervisor for Go COMO.

She is a twenty-five-year veteran of the transit industry and has worked in everything from school buses and paratransit to fixed routes. In her current role, she is helping to expand transit in Columbia and integrate multi-modal options into existing services. She was elected to a three-year term. 

Dr. Sandra Hamar

Columbia College President Dr. David Russell announced that the current dean of the School of Public Service, Dr. Sandra Hamar, has been named the institution’s new provost and vice president for academic affairs.

She succeeds Dr. Piyusha Singh. Hamar joined Columbia College in 2017 as an associate professor of education. She began serving as chair of the Education Department in 2020. In separate yearlong stints, she filled in as interim dean of the former School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and the Robert W. Plaster School of Business. Hamar currently serves as dean of the new School of Public Service.

She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Graceland University, a Master’s in Elementary Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a Doctorate in Educational Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University.