Newsmakers in Finance

Mary Anne Horton was promoted to vice president and branch manager of Commerce Bank's Republic Road banking center. Horton has 43 years of banking experience with Com-merce. Prior to her promotion, she served Commerce as vice president and retail officer at the Kansas Expressway banking center.

Jan Tyrrell joined the staff of Profes-sional Tax Service. She will be responsible for the preparation of individual and small business owners' income tax returns, as well as quarterly reports. Prior to joining Professional Tax Service, Tyrrell was employed at a national tax firm for eight years. She received her bachelor's of science degree from Tru-man State University at Kirksville, and she has eight years of continuing education in bookkeeping and taxation.

BKD LLP announced several staff additions to the firm's Springfield office. Kelly N. Buescher joined the firm as a staff accountant. She will assist with general tax, audit and accounting en-gagements. Buescher is a 2000 graduate of Central Missouri State University, where she earned an undergraduate de-gree and a master of business administration degree in accounting. Julie A. Gragg joined BKD LLP as an intern. She will assist with general tax, audit and accounting engagements. Gragg is a 2000 cum laude graduate of Southwest Missouri State University, with a bachelor's of science degree in accounting.She will earn a master's degree in accounting from SMSU this year. Adam C. Horton joined the firm as an intern. He will as-sist with general tax, audit and accounting engagements. Horton will be a 2002 graduate of SMSU with a degree in accounting. Jean M. Pufahl joined BKD LLP, as an intern. She will assist with general tax, audit and accounting en-gagements. Pufahl will be a 2003 graduate of the University of Missouri, Col-umbia, with a master's degree in ac-counting.

Joseph D. Page, CPA, CFE, of Whit-lock, Selim & Keehn LLP, earned his certified valuation analyst designation.

Stifel, Nicholaus & Company, Inc., a brokerage firm that has its headquarters in St. Louis, announced that John Far-thing, of the firm's Springfield office, was appointed to the 2001 President's Council.