Expansion approved

First Community Bank, based in Batesville, Ark., received final regulatory approval last week from the Arkansas State Banking Department and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to expand its banking network to Goodman, Neosho and Jane, Mo.

Those three new locations came from First Community Bank’s merger with Goodman State Bank.

Caterpillar donates $10,000 to PSU

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Caterpillar Inc. recently presented a $10,000 check to Pittsburg State University. The university will match that amount for a total of $20,000. The money will go toward scholarships for students in the Caterpillar Think Bigger program at PSU.

The Think Big program is a two-year course of study that prepares students to become heavy-equipment technicians for the company.

People in business

Several new physicians have joined Freeman Health System.

n Dr. Clint Loy has joined the staff of the Freeman Hospital West emergency department. He completed his medical education at the University of Health Sciences, Kansas City, with a residency in emergency medicine at Freeman Health System.

Dr. Yasser Etman has joined Freeman as a hospitalist. Etman completed his medical education at Suez Canal University, in Egypt, with a residency in internal medicine at Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, W.Va.

Dr. Himad Khattak has joined Freeman as a hospitalist. He completed his medical education at Khyber Medical College, in Pakistan, with a residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y.

Dr. Khurram Mirza has joined Freeman as a hospitalist. He completed his medical education at King Edward Medical College, in Pakistan, with an internal medicine residency at St. Luke’s Hospital, Chesterfield.

Dr. William Pierce has joined Freeman Urgent Care’s staff as a family practice physician. He completed his medical education at the University of Missouri, Columbia, with residencies in internal medicine and pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospital and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.