Matthew Dearing’s support of the state capital’s burgeoning arts scene — including serving on boards of both the Springfield Ballet Company and the Springfield Theatre Center — was among his achievements cited by the Springfield Business Journal in naming Dearing to its 2012 “Forty under 40” list of top young community leaders in central Illinois.  In 2011  Matthew Dearing and his wife Michelle launched an independent theater company, Dynamic Patterns Theatre.

Matthew T. Dearing works for Denney Jewelers in Springfield, IL.  He focuses on business operations, sales, and designing and manufacturing custom jewelry using CAD/CAM technology. The store launched its own in-house fine jewelry collection, called “infinity by Denny,” which features pieces designed by Dearing and crafted on site in Springfield. To further perfect his skills, Dearing is studying to become a fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain. He chose the two-year gemology program for its heavy focus on science.

Miranda sent in a picture of herself along with Professors Pana and Hoyt in Paris.

Miranda Crispin is an actor, director, singer, teacher and language enthusiast. With a Masters degree in Music Theatre/Opera Performance from Arizona State University, and a B.F.A. from Illinois Wesleyan University, she also studied French language at the Sorbonne and has served as an American Ambassadorial Scholar to France from the Arizona State University Insitute for the Arts. Currently teaching at the American Conservatory L’Ecole Koenig, in Paris.   Miranda is the star of director Stephane Ly-Cuong’s staging of “The Last Five Years”.

Four employees are joining the Operational Excellence (OE) Black Belt program effective March 11: Tracie Caldwell, Karin McDowell, Brian Scottberg and Kate Warren.

Karin McDowell started at COUNTRY in 2001 in Corporate Communications. Most recently she served as a communications project manager in Corporate Communications and Learning. She graduated from the COUNTRY Leadership Development Program in 2010 and holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington.

Erich Fischer recently had a heart transplant in March. You can follow his journey on http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ericfischer.  We hope the best for Eric and his family.