Governor Parson Makes Nine Appointments to Various Boards and Commissions, Fills Two County Office Vacancies

JANUARY 28, 2020

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Parson announced nine appointments to various boards and commissions and filled two county office vacancies.

Philip Christofferson, of Ballwin, was appointed to the Truman State University Board of Governors.

Mr. Christofferson has been an owner and partner of the law firm Cockriel & Christofferson of St. Louis for over 15 years, primarily practicing construction and business litigation. Mr. Christofferson is a member of the Missouri, Illinois, and American Bar Associations. Since 2014, he has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Kids In The Middle, a St. Louis based nonprofit agency that provides counseling and support to children and families through the difficulties of separation and divorce. Mr. Christofferson holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Truman State University in Kirksville, graduating Summa Cum Laude, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School in Illinois, graduating with high honors.

Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, of St. Louis, was appointed to the State Board of Education.

Ms. Westbrooks-Hodge currently heads the IS Audit Division at Edward Jones Investments in the St. Louis area. She holds certifications in financial, operational, and information systems auditing and has expertise in strategy formulation and execution as well as talent development. Previously, Ms. Westbrooks-Hodge worked in senior governance, risk, and compliance roles for Express Scripts, Anheuser-Busch, and Bank of America. She is the immediate past Vice President of the Normandy Schools Collaborative Joint Executive Governing Board and currently serves on the Beyond Housing Board of Directors. Ms. Westbrooks-Hodge holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Jamie Homeyer, of Salem, was appointed as the Dent County Assessor.

Ms. Homeyer has been a realtor with VIP Properties in Salem for 15 years and a co-owner of AW Huber, Inc, since 1995. Ms. Homeyer is a member of Missouri Realtors, the National Association of Realtors, and the South Central Board of Realtors. She also serves as Secretary of the Dent County Community Foundation of the Ozarks and previously served as President of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Homeyer holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar.

Thane Kifer, of Bolivar, was appointed to the State Banking Board and Savings and Loan Board.

Mr. Kifer is the President, CEO, and Director of Farmers State Bank in Bolivar. Previously, he served as Vice President and General Counsel for Mid-Missouri Bancshares in Springfield. Mr. Kifer is a member of the Missouri Bar and the Missouri Bankers Association’s Regulatory Affairs Committee. He is also a real estate developer and an Alderman for the City of Bolivar. Mr. Kifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.

Jay Knudtson, of Cape Girardeau, was appointed to the State Banking Board and Savings and Loan Board.

Mr. Knudtson is the Executive Vice President of First Missouri State Bank in Cape Girardeau. He is part of the original executive team that launched the bank in 2002, currently serving as the Chief Lending Officer and Bank Board Director. Prior to this position, Mr. Knudtson worked 13 years as Senior Vice President for Bank of America. He also previously served as Mayor of Cape Girardeau from 2002 - 2010. Mr. Knudtson is concluding his tenure as a member of the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents. He has received various awards and recognitions, including the Rush H. Limbaugh Award from the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce in 2015. Mr. Knudtson holds a general studies degree with a minor in sociology and criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. Mr. Knudtson also attended the Graduate School of Real Estate Finance in Dallas, Texas, and the Graduate School of Banking in Boulder, Colorado.

Stephen Korte, of Bowling Green, was appointed to the Amber Alert System Oversight Committee.

Mr. Korte has served as the Sheriff of Pike County since 2008. Previously, he worked full time at a local agriculture service cooperative and part-time as a police officer with the Bowling Green Police Department. Mr. Korte also previously served as a 911 dispatcher and as a Deputy Sheriff for the Pike County Sheriff’s Office. He is retired from the United States Navy Reserve, having served two deployments in Iraq with the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 in 2004 and NMCB 15 from 2007 - 2008. Mr. Korte is a graduate of Bowling Green High School.

Will Kraus, of Lee's Summit, was reappointed to the State Tax Commission.

Mr. Kraus was originally appointed to the State Tax Commission in July 2017. Previously, he represented Missouri’s 8^th State Senate District from 2011 to 2017, serving as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Kraus also served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from January 2005 to 2010. From 2003 to 2004, Mr. Kraus served in Iraq as Platoon Leader and his Company’s Ground Convoy Commander. He continues to serve in the Missouri National Guard as a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot. Mr. Kraus holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a minor in Military Science from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.

Vivek Malik, of Wildwood, was appointed to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents.

Mr. Malik is a practicing attorney with the Law Offices of Malik Vivek. Prior to establishing his practice, he worked for Lashly & Baer, P.C. Mr. Malik has extensive experience in immigration litigation and business immigration consulting and has received several awards and recognitions. He was recognized by the Missouri Senate in 2015 for his achievements and community contributions, awarded the Minority Business Leader Award by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2010, named Up and Coming Lawyer by the Missouri Lawyers Media in 2010, and awarded Top 30 Under 30 by Business Today Magazine in 2007. Mr. Malik holds a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate from Mahrishi Dayanand University in Rohtak, Haryana, India. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and a Master of Laws from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.

Harold M. Miles, of Advance, was appointed to the State Banking Board and Savings and Loan Board.

Mr. Miles has been the President and CEO of the Bank of Advance and the President and Director of Miles Bancshares, Inc. since 1992. He has served in several capacities with the Missouri Bankers Association, including board member, treasurer, and chairman. He also previously served on the American Bankers Association Government Relations Council, the Advance R-IV School Board, and as Vice-President of the Stoddard County Industrial Authority. Mr. Miles holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and a Master of Banking from the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, Wisconsin.

Lisa Bowlby Sheckell, of Caruthersville, was appointed as the Pemiscot County Assessor.

Ms. Sheckell is the Pemiscot County Mapper and Real Estate Manager. Previously, she worked as a receptionist and secretary for Bob Churchill Motors and Landrum Tax Service. Ms. Sheckell is a board member of the Missouri Bootheel Community Theatre, volunteering as as vocal instructor, drama teacher, and public speaking coach to young people who cannot afford lessons. Ms. Sheckell attended Mid-South Christian College in Memphis, Tennessee.

Lloyd Smith, of Sikeston, was appointed to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents.

Mr. Smith served as the Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party until his retirement in 2013. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff to both Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson and the late Congressman Bill Emerson, totaling 28 years of service to Missouri’s 8^th Congressional District. Mr. Smith also previously represented the U.S. Congress as Senior Staff Assistant for agriculture and hunger issues in Brussels, Berlin, Moscow, London, and Rome. He was the Missouri Political Director for George W. Bush’s presidential campaign in 2004 and has advised over two dozen statewide legislative candidates. Mr. Smith is a graduate Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.