Published: June 29, 2009 09:36 pm         

On the Move: June 30, 2009

• Dr. Brian Ross and Dr. Donald Conner, Jr. are pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Stacy Lowdermilk to their optometric practice. Lowdermilk, a recent graduate of Indiana University School of Optometry, is the former Stacy Stiegelbauer. A Terre Haute native, she graduated from Terre Haute North Vigo High School in 2001 and received her bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University. Her external optometric experience includes Bennett & Bloom Eye Centers, Bloomington’s Community Clinics, Indianapolis Eye Clinic and Community Eye Care of Indianapolis. Lowdermilk has experience in ocular disease, cataract and LASIK surgical co-management, contact lens fittings, pediatrics and primary care optometry. She is a member of the Indiana Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association.

Lowdermilk is married to Dr. Troy Lowdermilk, a practicing veterinarian at Clear Lake Veterinary Hospital in Brazil. The couple reside outside of Bowling Green and are members of Maryland Community Church, Farm Bureau and Clay County 4-H. When not practicing optometry Lowdermilk enjoys digital photography, fishing, water skiing, snow skiing, camping and many other outdoor activities.



• Larsson, Woodyard & Henson, LLP, Certified Public Accountants, is pleased to announce the admission of Marla D. Coffman, CPA, as a partner in the firm effective June 1.

A valedictorian of Paris High School, Coffman earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Illinois in 1990. She successfully completed the CPA exam that same year.

She accepted a position with Philip Rootberg & Company, a Chicago CPA firm, where she worked with a variety of clients over a five-year period. She was a financial analyst for BRK Brands, Inc./First Alert prior to returning to Paris with her family in 1995.

Coffman accepted a position as a staff accountant with Larsson Woodyard & Henson, LLP in 1995, and was serving as a manager prior to being admitted as partner. During her tenure, she has provided diverse services to both individual and business clients. In addition, she has developed expertise in estates and trusts, exempt organizations, and the audits of employee benefit plans.

Coffman is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Illinois CPA Society.

She is a member of St. Mary’s Church in Paris and is an active volunteer in the community, including Paris Newcomers Club, various children’s sports programs and the Meals on Wheels program. Most of her leisure time revolves around her children’s school and sports activities.

Coffman and her husband, Shawn, reside in Paris with their two children, Ryan and Jessica. She is the daughter of Dave and Sue Cornwell, also of the Paris area.



• Tim Jones was recently promoted by Fifth Third Bank, Central Indiana to the position of market president in Terre Haute.

Jones serves as the retail regional manager, overseeing 15 financial centers from the west side of Indianapolis, also including Terre Haute, Brazil, Clinton, Sullivan and Rockville.

He joined Fifth Third in 1999, after beginning his banking career in Terre Haute, first with ONB and later First Financial Bank. During his career at Fifth Third, Jones has been part of the President Circle five times for achieving top 10 percent performance levels.

Jones graduated from West Vigo High School and attended Indiana State University, majoring in business administration. He and his wife Marsha are lifelong Vigo County residents.



• St. Mary-of-the-Woods College President David G. Behrs has announced the appointment of Dottie King as vice president for academic affairs. King has been a mathematics faculty member at the college since 2002, and since September 2008, she has served as the college’s assistant dean for undergraduate and international programs. King began her service as vice president for academic affairs on May 25.

“Dr. King has been a remarkable leader in academic affairs, contributing daily to the academic mission of the College and to the well-being of our students,” Behrs said. “I am confident that her knowledge and love of The Woods will continue to serve us well as she takes on this new role.”

In her new position, King is responsible for promoting excellence in teaching and scholarship as well as close student-faculty interactions in all of the college’s academic programs. In addition, she provides leadership for academic departments and interdisciplinary programs in curricular, personnel, and budgetary matters. As a member of the president’s cabinet, King is also responsible for assisting the College’s senior leadership team in advancing the mission of the College and implementing its institutional plan.

King has more than 20 years of experience in higher education. From 1985 to 2002, she served as an instructor of mathematics at Indiana State University, and from 1997 to 2002, she was also an adjunct instructor of mathematics for Indiana Wesleyan University. In 2002, she joined the faculty at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, serving as an assistant professor of mathematics from 2002-2006, an associate professor of mathematics from 2006-2008 and chair of the Sciences and Mathematics Department from 2007-2008. From June to September 2008, she served as interim vice president for academic affairs, and from 2008-2009, she served as the assistant dean for undergraduate and international programs.

King holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Indiana State University and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction/mathematics education, also from Indiana State University. She has given numerous professional presentations and is a member of several professional organizations, including American Educational Research Association, Association for Women in Mathematics, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Mathematics Association of America. She also published “Pedagogical needs of female mathematics students: Listening to their voice” for the Journal for the Liberal Arts and Sciences.

She has served on several college boards and committees, including the Assessment Committee, Transfer Policy Committee, College Council, Learning Resource Center Advisory Board, Teacher Education Leadership Team and the Honors Task Force Member. She also served as chair of the Curriculum Committee, co-chair of the Program Analysis Committee and Coordinator of Institutional Assessment.

She has also made significant contributions to her community. She served on the Clay Community School Corporation board of trustees from 2004-2009, serving as board president from 2006-2007, board secretary from 2005-2006 and 2007-2008 and board vice president from 2008-2009. She also served on the Mathematics Textbook Adoption Board at North Clay Middle School and the School Improvement and Academic Advancement teams at North Clay High School.

“The faculty and staff of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College are my colleagues and my friends,” King said. “I am excited and humbled by this opportunity. I look forward to working alongside the faculty and the cabinet to help increase the visibility and enhance the academic reputation of the College in the Wabash Valley and beyond.”