Accounting BKD LLP promoted Springfield senior managers Kyle Hesemann and Jason Buschert to partner and director, respectively. Hesemann is a tax director, and Buschert leads the employee benefit plan audit practice, both in BKD’s Southern Missouri practice.
BKD made several other staff moves. The firm named Jim Ashley director of accounting outsourcing services in the Springfield office. Ashley, a tax manager at the firm, has 10 years of experience and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of Missouri. Jean Nyberg was promoted to senior manager and has nine years of experience. Rebekah Wallace and Julie Bilyeu were promoted to senior managing consultants. Wallace has 20 years of experience and Bilyeu oversees BKD’s long-term care and senior living billing services department. Amber Popek and Rachel Elsberry were promoted to managers. Popek is a member of the firm’s national health care group, and Elsberry primarily provides tax services to banking clients. Lisa McIntire and Aaron Rickard were promoted to managing consultants. McIntire co-manages long-term care billing outsourcing services, and Rickard has seven years of experience.
Architecture Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s The Network named Paragon Architecture President Brad Erwin its 2013 Young Professional of the Year. The award recognizes professional leadership and civic and philanthropic involvement.
Banking & Finance Hawthorn Bank hired Lisa Traulsen as residential loan officer at its Springfield branch. Traulsen has 20 years of experience in real estate lending.
Eric Peterson, president of Peterson Wealth Advisors, attended the Janus Capital Groups Advisor Summit in Denver. The topics discussed included fixed-income strategies, tax exempt investments and the practice of updating major planning strategies.
Education The Blackboard Catalyst Awards program honored the Speckman Tutoring and Learning Center at Ozarks Technical Community College with the Teaching and Learning Award. The award recognizes use of technology for instructor efficiency and learner engagement.
Jamie Lanois, a clinical assistant professor of audiology at Missouri State University, was one of four appointed to the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MSU and a doctorate in audiology from Salus University in Pennsylvania.
OTC Foundation named Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley chairwoman of its board of directors. Presley, Branson mayor since April 2007, succeeded Jeffrey Gower, president of Wil Fischer Cos.
The board also named Chip Sheppard, attorney at Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown PC, vice chairman; Mark Haseltine, partner with Springer & Haseltine law firm, treasurer; and John Gentry, president and chairman of Positronics Industries Inc., secretary. Four new board members are Donald Babb, CEO of Citizens Memorial Healthcare; Dolly Plaster Clement, executive director of the Robert W. Plaster Foundation; Dr. Robert Steele, president of Mercy Springfield Communities; and Randy Madsen, principal owner of Don Wessel Honda.
The Pott Foundation donated $25,000 to the Missouri Colleges Fund to underwrite need-based scholarships for students at its 17 member schools, including Drury, Evangel and Southwest Baptist universities.
Engineering Malone Finkle Eckhart & Collins Inc. added project engineers Trevor Karstens and Darin Seidel. Karstens has seven years of industry experience and earned his bachelor’s in architectural engineering from Kansas State University. Seidel has 10 years of experience and received his bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Kansas State.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
