Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments

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 daughters Lucy and Ellie.
 
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 22 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 has called Oregon, Missouri home for most of his life. Arnie received his Electronics Technician Certificate from United Electronics Institute in North Kansas City, MO and his Associate of Arts Degree from Longwood 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 and environmental assessments. He is currently serving his fifth year as Secretary/Treasurer of the Northwest Roundtable, Inc., an association of economic developers representing twenty-five counties in northwest Missouri and recently began his second term on the board of directors of the Missouri Economic Development Council (MEDC).
Dana Ternus , Regional Planner

Dana joined the Regional Council in January 2009 as the Regional Planner. Born and raised in Nebraska, Dana came to northwest Missouri in 1995 to attend Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.  In 1999, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  She continued her education and earned a Master of Arts in History in 2004. Prior to joining the Regional Council, she worked for various educational and non-profit institutions in Nebraska, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri. Dana's responsibilities at the Regional Council include transportation planning, hazard mitigation, and grant writing. She currently serves as president of the MACOG RPC transportation planners’ group and as Missouri’s representative on RPO America’s National RPO Council of Peers.  Dana and her 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.
kelley

Kelley VanGundy, Career Counselor
kelley@nwmorcog.org

Kelley works primarily with the MWA and youth programs. Kelley went to school in Phoenix, Arizona before transferring to Northwest Missouri State University in 1991. Kelley graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Jounalism and has spent the majority of her career working in human resources and sales. Kelley resides in Maryville.

 

 
Denise Workman, Fiscal Officer

Denise Workman joined the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments in May of 2006. Her experience with the agency has included fiscal assistance and solid waste planning. In August 2010 she was promoted to Fiscal Officer, responsible for all fiscal and fund management, as well as human resource management. Denise graduated with honors from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting (2008) and a Masters in Business Administration (2009). Denise resides in Maryville with her husband.

nick

Nickolas Freeman, Technology Coordinator
nick@nwmorcog.org

 Nick Freeman joined the Regional Council as a part time staff member in May 2011. His responsibilities include maintaining the computer network systems, computer/network troubleshooting, and updating the website. Nick graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Office Information Systems. Nick is still attending Northwest Missouri State University where he is working on receiving a Masters degree in Teaching Instructional Technology.

 
joe

Joe Riemer, GIS Intern
joseph@nwmorcog.org

Joseph Riemer joined the Regional Council as a part time staff member in February 2011. Joseph is responsible for editing and creating area maps. Joseph graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Geographic information Systems. Joe is still attending Northwest Missouri State University where he is working on receiving a Masters degree in Geographic Information Systems.