Newsmakers in Law & Accounting

Jeffrey R. Roberts of BKD received the certified fraud examiner designation from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Roberts has more than 10 years of public accounting experience and works in BKD’s forensics and dispute consulting division. To earn the CFE designation, Roberts met professional experience requirements and passed a four-part exam on criminology, financial transactions, investigations and legal elements of fraud. He is a cum laude graduate of Missouri State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting.

Mary Ann Baker and Kimberly L. Linder were promoted to supervising consultants with BKD LLP. David S. Taylor was promoted to senior accountant with the firm.

Baker, a 1986 cum laude graduate of Central Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in accounting, provides Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement consulting and cost reporting services for home health agencies, clinics, hospitals and long-term facilities.

Linder is a member of BKD’s employee benefits team, providing third-party administration services for 401(k), profit-sharing and pension plans. She is a graduate of MSU.

Taylor joined BKD after graduating in 2002 from Drury University with an accounting degree. He provides audit and advisory services for clients primarily in the health care industry.

Attorney Clifford S. Brown, a shareholder of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown PC, was selected as one of the leading trust and estate attorneys in the 2006 edition of “The Best Lawyers in America.” It is Brown’s 11th consecutive appearance in the publication. Brown also has been recognized in “Who’s Who in American Law” and was appointed by the Supreme Court to the Board of Law Examiners earlier this year. He joined Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown in 1988 and concentrates his practice in estate planning, probate and trust litigation.

Brown, along with Thomas D. Peebles Jr., and Jennifer K. Huckfeldt, also shareholders with the law firm, were featured presenters at the Missouri Bar Annual Estate & Trust Institute held in Springfield in September. Brown was moderator for the event and participated in panel presentations about recent developments in estate and trust law practice, regarding selected issues and legislative fine-tuning with the Missouri Uniform Trust Code. Peebles participated in presentations about drafting concerns under the Missouri Uniform Trust Code, and Huckfeldt participated in a panel presentation about ethics issues for trust and estate practitioners.

Kirkpatrick, Phillips & Miller CPAs PC announced several staff promotions.

Rebecca Harmon, CPA, was promoted to supervisor. She joined KPM in 1999 and specializes in taxation and auto dealerships. Harmon earned her degree in accounting and business management from William Woods University.

Angie Rebmann, CPA, was promoted to supervisor. She also joined KPM in 1999, and she specializes in accounting and assurance. Rebmann graduated from Drury University with degrees in accounting and business administration.

Shelley Todd, CPA, also was promoted to supervisor. She joined KPM in 2001, and she works specifically with financial institutions and tax issues for other industries. Todd holds a Bachelor of Science from MSU.

Jill Perryman, CPA, was promoted to senior accountant. She graduated from Southwest Baptist University in 2003, with a Bachelor of Science in accounting, and joined KPM that same year. Perryman works in tax and auditing.

Virginia Fry, managing partner of the Springfield office of Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin, is among 39 of the firm’s lawyers to be listed in “The Best Lawyers in America 2006.” Fry was recognized for her experience in business litigation and in commercial litigation. Best Lawyers honorees are selected based on peer-review surveys.

Dunton & Associates LLC announced three staff promotions and a staff addition. Shelley Greening, CPA, was promoted to manager of technology. She is a graduate of MSU with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. Greening has more than 11 years of public accounting experience and more than eight years of experience in private accounting.

Brooke Dennis was promoted from staff accountant to senior accountant with Dunton & Associates. She is a graduate of MSU, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting. Dennis has more than seven years of public accounting experience.

Jennifer York, CPA, also was promoted from staff accountant to senior accountant. York holds a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Columbia, and she has more than 10 years of public and private accounting experience.

Elaine Ung joined Dunton & Associates as a staff accountant. She is a graduate of MSU with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. Ung has about three years of public accounting experience.

Landy Dixon, certified credit counselor with Consumer Credit Counseling Service, was awarded the Army Appreciation of Excellence Award by the base commander of Ft. Leonard Wood in recognition of her financial counseling and education services to soldiers.

Eric K. Peterson, CFP, attended The Financial Planning Association’s annual conference and exposition in San Diego. The event provided opportunities for networking and continuing education.

Matthew Johnson joined Liberty Mortgage as a mortgage loan originator. He is a graduate of MSU, where he earned a business management degree specializing in finance and insurance.