Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
BUSINESS PEOPLE
Dr. Andrea Read has been named executive medical director for Circle of Life. Read joined Circle of Life in April 2021 and has served as a hospice physician. Read earned a medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in internal medicine and pediatrics. She went on to complete an additional board certification as a physician adviser in health care management, quality assurance and utilization review.
Keith Faught, a master of public administration and certified public accountant, has been named chief financial officer for Arisa Health. Faught most recently worked as the CFO of a behavioral health system in the River Valley and also served for eight years at UAMS Northwest as its executive director and CFO.
Richard Hinkle, MD, of Baptist Health Adult Medicine Specialists-Fort Smith, was recently honored with the American College of Physicians Arkansas Abernathy Laureate Award. The award honors fellows and masters of the college who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in medical care, education or research and in service to their community, their chapter and the American College of Physicians. Hinkle has been a physician in the River Valley for 44 years.
Cody Bean has been promoted to engagement coordinator for Arvest Wealth Management’s Advanced Planning Team. Bean has worked in the financial services industry for six years. Bean will be instrumental in the initial client engagement process and overall tracking of financial planning cases.
Darin Drennan has been promoted to wealth planner for Arvest Wealth Management’s Advanced Planning Team. Drennan specializes in working with affluent families and business owners to establish comprehensive financial plans.
David Boekeloo, a tax attorney who has served as an outside consultant to the Arvest Wealth Management’s Advanced Planning Team for three years, will join full time as a wealth strategist in January. Boekeloo’s expertise is in estate and income tax planning for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, business succession planning for owners of closely held businesses and executive benefit solutions for key employees of publicly and privately held companies.
Stephanie Blevins has been hired for the newly created position of director of Northwest Arkansas community engagement for the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. Blevins became Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s Northwest Arkansas district representative in 2018, working closely with business leaders, elected officials, nonprofits and health care executives throughout the region.
Briefs are for people in Northwest Arkansas who are new hires, were promoted, received an award from outside their organization or received a certification. Email: lthompson@nwaonline.com Information must be received by noon Wednesday prior to the Sunday the item is to be published.