Business in brief: Salvation Army hires development director, Mercy introduces AI chatbot

Ellis hired as development director for Salvation Army

The Salvation Army announced the addition of Hollee Ellis to its Springfield team in a press release. Ellis will serve as the new development director for The Salvation Army of Springfield.

Ellis is a native of southwest Missouri and has a "servant's heart," according to the release. She comes to the Salvation Army with various nonprofit experience, ranging from fundraising to event planning.

As the development director, Ellis will spearhead fundraising initiatives, build strategic partnerships, and ensure sustainable growth of the Salvation Army of Springfield. Her role will be instrumental in elevating community awareness of the Salvation Army's mission to serve area residents.

Visits to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield up 11% in 2023

The National Park Service has announced that 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million visits in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4% over 2022. Reflecting that growth, numbers at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield increased 11% in 2023, reaching 316,770 visitors.

According to a press release, the increase reflects improved access to the battlefield after becoming a fee-free site in 2023. In addition to regular visitor use, Wilson's Creek gave 80 educational programs to more than 25,000 students and chaperones. Nearly 2,000 youth earned their junior ranger badges, and more than 2,000 visitors participated in special demonstrations or events.

Managed by the National Park Service, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield preserves the site of the first major battle of the Civil War west of the Mississippi River. The Confederate victory on August 10, 1861, focused national attention on the war in Missouri, leading to greater federal military action.

Mercy collaborates with Microsoft on new generative AI chatbot

Mercy is introducing "Joy," a new generative AI chatbot, in collaboration with Microsoft, according to a press release. Joy acts as a "super-smart" assistant that transforms how Mercy co-workers access information about their benefits. It is hoped that Joy will address the long-standing challenge of navigating tens or even hundreds of documents for benefits information. Joy is powered by Microsoft Azure Open AI Service and other data solutions.

"With Joy, it's as simple as having a conversation with someone who has all the answers and can respond to your questions and offer an explanation 24/7," said Kerry Bommarito, Mercy vice president of enterprise and data science.

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Ayanna Pierce, Mercy's vice president of benefits and talent relations center, said the chatbot reduces the volume of calls to her team. This frees the team to take on more complex issues and deliver quicker results.

"Joy delivers answers instantly in a way that might even be more comprehensive than what a live agent would deliver," Pierce said.

Missouri military personnel, families can get free tax help

Missouri military personnel who want to file free dederal tax returns have several options, including the Department of Defense's MilTax and the IRS Free File program. These programs offer online tax preparation, electronic filing, and direct deposit of refunds at no cost.

MilTax is a suite of tax services available for members of the military, qualifying veterans, and family members. There are no income limits. The software was specifically designed to address the unique circumstances of military life such as combat pay and multiple moves. Eligible taxpayers can use MilTax to complete and electronically file a federal tax return and up to three state returns for free.

Taxpayers, including active-duty military, with an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less in 2023 can find an offer from an IRS Free File provider who matches their needs. Those with an AGI over the limit can still file their return for free with Free File Fillable Forms.

Cox Medical Centers nursing fellowship program receives first-in-nation accreditation

Cox Medical Centers' International Nurse Fellowship Program has been accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the first such accreditation awarded in the United States. This elevates the program to the highest possible standard through ANCC.

"The distinction signifies to nurses around the world that CoxHealth's approach meets the highest national and international standard for programs that help nurses successfully transition into new practice settings," a CoxHealth press release says.

To receive accreditation, Cox Medical Centers was required to meet standards in program leadership, goals and outcomes measures, organizational enculturation, development and design, and practice-based learning. In addition to a survey completed by fellowship participants, appraisers from ANCC met with nurse fellows, preceptors, peer mentors, educators, nurse leaders and human resource representatives to learn about the program.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Salvation Army hires development director, Mercy introduces AI chatbot