About Us » Staff

Policy on Regional Affairs

Tye Parsons, Executive Director


A lifelong resident of the Show-Me State, Mr. Parsons was born and raised in Harrisonville, Missouri. After graduating from Harrisonville High School, Mr. Parsons attended Northwest Missouri State where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography. Also during his undergraduate days, Mr. Parsons began his career with Missouri Regional Planning Commissions by completing an internship with the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments (RCOG). After serving more than four years as planning intern and, later, Technology Coordinator for the RCOG, Mr. Parsons left northwest Missouri to further his education in the public sphere. In 2004, Mr. Parsons earned his Master in Public Administration degree from the Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri - Columbia, and was honored by the school with the Stanly L. Botner Award for demonstrated excellence in public affairs. Continuing his career in public service, Mr. Parsons then returned to northwest Missouri to accept the position of Assistant Director of Mo-Kan Regional Council; serving Andrew, Buchanan, Clinton, and DeKalb counties in that position for more than two years. Coming full circle, Mr. Parsons assumed the duties of Executive Director of the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments in July 2006. Mr. Parsons resides in Maryville with his wife Vanessa and daughter Lucy.
 
Alice Schieffer, Fiscal Officer


Alice joined the Regional Council in May 2003 as Personnel Assistant, before becoming Fiscal Officer in July 2005. As Fiscal Officer, she is responsible for agency fiscal and fund management, as well as human resource management. In October 2005, after successfully completing a notary training class and exam, she was commissioned as a notary public. Mrs. Schieffer was raised on a farm in Ravenwood, Missouri and has lived in Northwest Missouri her entire life. After graduating from Northeast Nodaway R-V School, she attended Northwest Missouri State University. Graduating with honors, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Alice and her husband, Mark, reside in Maryville with their son and grandson.
Jerri Dearmont, Administrative Secretary/Grant Administrator


 Mrs. Dearmont joined the NWMORCOG in December 1988. Her experience with the agency has included general secretarial duties and the administration of various grants funded through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the past 19 years.
Kim Mildward, Director of Workforce Development


 Mrs. Mildward is the program director for Workforce Investment Act Adult and Dislocated Work Programs, Career Assistance Program and WorkKeys Assessment Center. She joined the Regional Council in August 1998 with two years prior experience in workforce development. Mrs. Mildward has a bachelor's degree in government with a minor in criminal justice and a master's degree in education from Northwest Missouri State University. She is a Certified Workforce Professional as recognized by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals with an emphasis in program management and the Missouri Association for Workforce Development.
Arnold Kreek, Economic Development Planner

Arnold D. (Arnie) Kreek joined the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments in November of 2005. He was born and raised in Oregon, MO and has lived in northwest Missouri most of his life. He and his wife, Kathy, live in Oregon. Their son, Patrick, attends Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.

Arnie received his Electronics Technician Certificate from United Electronics Institute in North Kansas City, MO and his Associate of Arts Degree from Longview Community College in Lee's Summit, MO. He worked for thirty-two years in various levels of field service, supervision and management in the telecommunications industry with Stromberg-Carlson and Siemens.

Arnie's duties at the Regional Council in Maryville include economic development and economic facilitation for the five-county area. He also assists with grant writing. He is a member of the Missouri Economic Development Council (MEDC) and currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Northwest Roundtable, Inc., an association of economic developers representing twenty-five counties in northwest Missouri.

Dana Ternus , Regional Planner

Dana joined the Regional Council in January 2009 as the Regional Planner. She graduated with honors from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History (1999) and a Master of Arts in History (2004). Prior to joining the Regional Council, she worked for various educational institutions in Nebraska, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri. Dana’s responsibilities at the Regional Council include transportation planning, hazard mitigation, and grant writing. Dana, her husband Jason, and their three children reside in Maryville.

Tim Howard, Career Counselor


Tim came to the Regional Council from Community Services in February 2006. He is a Workforce Investment Act Counselor and works primarily with the Career Assistance Program and the Adult and Dislocated Worker Programs. His responsibilities include assisting customers in developing Individual Education/Employment Plans, work experience opportunities, continued education/training, and work activity requirements. Tim also provides customers with skills and work readiness assessments that are beneficial for skill identification and development as well as resume creation and career counseling. Tim has earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Social Work from Kansas State University and hopes to begin working on a Master's degree in the near future. He has been a member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), the Missouri Association for Workforce Development (MAWD) since April 2006, and has been MAWD certified since September 2006. He also sits on the Board of Directors of Midland Empire Resources for Independent Living (MERIL). Tim currently works in Nodaway, Worth, and Gentry counties in northwest Missouri.
Denise Workman, Solid Waste Planner & Fiscal Assistant

Denise Workman joined the Regional Council in May 2006 as Fiscal Assistant to Alice Schieffer, the Fiscal Officer. Her duties include assisting with payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciling bank statements, maintaining inventory records, updating program spreadsheets, ordering office supplies, and typing the RCOG and Development Corp. board meeting minutes. She is an accounting major at Northwest Missouri State University planning to graduate in the spring of 2008.

Chance Rynearson, Technology Coordinator


Chance Rynearson joined the Regional Council as a part time staff member in March 2010. His responsibilities include maintaining the computer network systems, computer/network troubleshooting, and updating the website. Chance is attending Northwest Missouri State University where he is working on receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.

Scott Shavnore, GIS Intern