Newsmakers: Nov. 2-8, 2015

Accounting
Eighteen-year accountant Jennifer Agnew was named a shareholder at KPM CPAs PC. She provides accounting and auditing in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail industries.

KPM promoted CPAs Robyn Gall and Christy Wilson to supervisors and Matthew Wallace and Kauleen Volentine to managers. All four are MSU accounting graduates with seven to 11 years of experience. Wallace specializes in nonprofit, education and government audit services. Volentine provides accounting and audit services to manufacturers.

BKD Wealth Advisors LLC promoted Gretchen Cliburn to director and Zach Swartz to senior managing adviser. Cliburn, who has a bachelor’s in technical management with a finance emphasis from DeVry University, has worked 19 years in wealth management and seven years for BKD. With a bachelor’s in finance and a minor in economics from Missouri State University, Swartz has seven of experience with the firm.

Sunni Odle was promoted to senior accountant at KPM. With six years of experience and a bachelor’s in accounting from MSU, she provides accounting, payroll, financial reporting and tax services.

KPM promoted certified public accountants Jefferson Barr, Sarah Burrows, Paige Guempel and Gretchen Russell to senior positions. Barr, who holds a bachelor’s in accounting and an MBA in finance from MSU, primarily serves the nonprofit industry. With a bachelor’s of business administration in accounting from Drury University, Burrows works with nonprofit and government entities. Guempel, who has an accounting bachelor’s from MSU, provides audit services to banks. Handling accounting and tax services, Russell holds a bachelor’s in accounting from MSU.

Accounting Today named KPM among the Top 20 CPA Firms in the Midwest and the sixth fastest-growing firm in the United States.

KPM was listed in the Top 300 CPA Firms in America by Inside Public Accounting.

Agriculture
Glen Cope received a Governor’s Award for Agricultural Achievement. Cope is chairman of the Missouri Beef Industry Council and serves on the MFA District 12 board of directors.

Architecture
Butler, Rosenbury & Partners Inc. added Brittany Layton as an intern architect. With a master’s of architecture from Drury University, she is currently an associate member of the American Institute of Architects.

Chambers
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry recognized Springfield companies Do Outdoors Inc. dba Lew’s Fishing and Phoenix Home Care Inc. with 2015 Fast Track awards. Determined through an application process, the awards recognize company growth during the last four years.

Entertainment
Kuvera Partners promoted Chuck O’Day to director of attractions from general manager of the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center in Branson. O’Day oversees the company’s attractions nationwide.

Health Care
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded CoxHealth’s MedicarePlus plan a five-star rating. MedicarePlus is the only Medicare Advantage plan in southwest Missouri and one of 12 nationwide to receive five stars.

CoxHealth nurses Terry Westrip and Glenda Miller were honored during March of Dimes’ fourth-annual Nurse of the Year Gala. Westrip was named Nurse of the Year in surgical services, and Miller tied as Nurse of the Year in advanced practice.