Jefferson City — Gib Adkins, of Lebanon, was appointed to the Missouri Community Service Commission.

Mr. Adkins currently serves as Regional Outreach Administrator for Missouri State University Central Region. He and his wife, Angela, have owned and operated an independent insurance agency for the past 35 years in Lebanon. He has served as Assistant District Governor for Rotary International, past president of the Lebanon R-III Board of Education, and a member of the Lebanon City Council since 2015. Mr. Adkins holds a Bachelor of Science in political science and history from Missouri State University. 

Brad Belk, of Joplin, was appointed to the Missouri Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

For the past 36 years, Mr. Belk has served the southwest Missouri community as a museum director and public historian. He has written or co-written 11 books and been involved in the production of over 30 film documentaries. Mr. Belk currently serves as Community Historian for Missouri Southern State University and as Restoration Director for Joplin Historical Neighborhoods, Inc. He also serves on the City Advisory Board of the Joplin Historical and Mineral Museums and is co-chairman of Joplin’s 150th Celebration Commission. He previously served 30 years as Director of the Joplin History and Mineral Museum. Mr. Belk holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Missouri-Columbia.  

Marie Lasater, of Licking, was appointed to the Coroner Standards and Training Commission.

Ms. Lasater has served as the Texas County Coroner since 2017. She is a board certified Fellow with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, certified by the American Association of Suicidology, and is a member of the American Association of Forensic Scientists. Ms. Lasater holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from Medical University of South Carolina.

Thomas Whittaker, of Kansas City, was appointed to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners. 

Mr. Whittaker is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for JE Dunn Construction Company. He has been with JE Dunn for more than 29 years. Mr. Whittaker has served as Labor Management Council Co-Chair of the Greater Kansas City Board of Directors, is Past President of the Associated General Contractors Kansas City Chapter, and serves on the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission Board of Directors. Mr. Whittaker earned his Bachelor of Science in construction science from Kansas State University and Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri–Kansas City.