Alumni in the News | July 2015

New Fire Marshall for Scottsbluff
Anthony Murphy was recently hired as the newest fire marshal for the city of Scottsbluff, Nebraksa. One of nine for the entire state, Murphy is enthusiastic about his new role. Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree in fire science from Columbia Southern University and intends to use his education to continue raising awareness for fire prevention efforts in his community and surrounding area.

Brow Appointed Assistant Fire Chief for AAFD
Amy Brow was appointed assistant fire chief for the Ann Arbor Fire Department in Michigan last month. Having been with the Ann Arbor Fire Department for 23 years, Brow has held a variety of ranks within the department. Her extensive experience and knowledge made her a top candidate for this role. Brow earned her master’s degree in fire science with a concentration in public administration from Columbia Southern University.

New Director of Materials Management Announced at Helen Keller Hospital
Brad Pounders is the new director of the materials management department at Helen Keller Hospital, located in Sheffield, Alabama. Pounders, a certified materials and resource professional and a member of the Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management, comes with a wealth of experience. Pounders earned his MBA from Columbia Southern University.

Rowan County Fire Division Chief Appointed
Lt. Deborah Koontz Horne was promoted to Fire Division Chief of the Rowan County Fire Department in Salisbury, North Carolina. She served as the interim fire division chief for the county over the past year. Horne began her career with Rowan County in 2001 as a 911 operator before transitioning to emergency services and serving as a fire inspector/investigator. Horne earned her bachelor’s degree in fire science administration from Columbia Southern University.

Hartselle, AL Blogger Launches New Book
Lisa Worthey Smith shared the release of her new book, Oscar the Extraordinary Hummingbird and Other Tales from Life in My Father’s World. In her book, Smith reflects on lessons learned from God through the caring and rehabilitation of Oscar, an injured hummingbird. Smith’s book has already earned quite a bit of attention by a global audience and was recently ranked number 21 on the growing list of newly released inspirational books on Amazon. Smith earned her bachelor of business administration degree at Columbia Southern University.

Sergeant Major is Pinned with New Rank at Promotion Ceremony
Sgt. Maj. Jason D. York enjoyed the support of family, friends, and colleagues at his recent promotion ceremony at the 122^nd Regional Training Institute auditorium. York served 78^th Troop Command in the U.S. Army as the 122 RTI operations noncommissioned officer and first sergeant. He will continue to provide leadership in his new role with the 560^th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. A resident of Dallas, Georgia, York earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia Southern University.

Staff Sergeant and Career Soldier Re-Enlists with U.S. Army
Staff Sgt. Cynthia O’Connor had many reasons to celebrate recently with the U.S. Army’s 240^th birthday. On this day, she also celebrated her five-year re-enlistment/reaffirmation at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. She has been in the Army for 10 years. O’Connor, a proud mom of four children, graduated from Columbia Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in human resources.