Newsmakers: Aug. 22-28, 2022

Accounting
KPM CPAs & Advisors hired Crystal Correll as administrative assistant and front desk receptionist. She has 14 years of experience, including the past 10 years at a credit union.

FORVIS LLP ranked No. 8 on Inside Public Accounting’s 2022 list of the top U.S. accounting firms, while KPM CPAs & Advisors and Abacus CPAs LLC made the annual IPA 500. FORVIS moved up from its No. 14 spot last year following its merger with North Carolina-based DHG. With rankings based on revenue, KPM came in at No. 242 and Abacus was No. 344 on the listing.

Banking & Finance
Arvest Wealth Management hired Maria Stockton as a trust officer. Also serving as a senior vice president for Arvest Bank in Springfield, she has worked in the financial industry since 2004 and developed expertise in estate planning, trust and estate administration, and individual retirement and endowment accounts. Stockton holds bachelor’s degrees in organizational communication and development and marketing/public relations from Drury University, as well as certifications as a trust and fiduciary adviser and an individual retirement account services professional through the American Bankers Association.

The Institute of Business & Finance awarded Todd Gregory, founder and president of Gregory Financial, with the certified income specialist designation. He completed a one-year educational program on fixed-income instruments, retirement and financial planning, taxes, Social Security, withdrawal plans, stretch IRAs and reverse mortgages.

Stephanie Staggs joined AGFinancial as director of communications and marketing, a newly created role. She served the past five years as the local director for the Better Business Bureau. 

Government
The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve agency in the U.S. Department of Defense recognized multiple local employers for their support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserves and their families. Among the companies and organizations honored were Bass Pro Shops, Battlefield Fire Protection District, Branson Fire Rescue and Police Department, College of the Ozarks, CoxHealth, Evangel University, Missouri State University, Nature’s Image and the Neosho School District.

The Greene County Commission approved nearly $400,000 in funding to small businesses through the American Rescue Plan Act. Among the 29 recipients, the highest awards went to Civil Kitchen, Solera Energy LLC, Sunbelt Environmental, Esterly Schneider & Associates Inc., Ozark Refuse Inc., Hines Street Pharmacy and Mostly Serious LLC.

Insurance
The J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Auto Insurance Study rated Shelter Insurance with the highest in customer satisfaction among auto insurers in the central region. It’s the fifth time for Shelter to receive the recognition since 2016.

Nonprofit
Community Foundation of the Ozarks named Lynne Meyerkord and Doug
Nickell to its 21-member board of directors and elected the 2022–23 officers. Meyerkord, the executive director of AIDS Project of the Ozarks, and Nickell, who served as CFO’s outside counsel at Carnahan Evans PC before his retirement this year, will serve three-year terms and are eligible for a second three-year term. CFO’s executive committee includes Chair Laurie Edmondson, Vice Chair Dean Thompson, Treasurer Anne E. McGregor and Secretary Ron Kraettli.

Real Estate
Viviana Writer, a principal with Prosperiti Brokers LLC, was appointed president of the Missouri Chapter of the U.S. Minority Contractors Association. She previously was named second vice president for the association’s National Board of Real Estate Investment & Economic Development.