Newsmakers: Nov. 21-27, 2022

Accounting
Abacus CPAs LLC promoted four local employees: Sandy Dake and Sabrena Shipley to consultants, Xilin Ye to a senior tax analyst and Brock Gipson to a senior analyst. Working in the Transportation Department, Dake holds a diploma from Metro Business College in data processing, and Ye holds a master’s in accountancy from Missouri State University. Shipley and Gipson are in the Traditional Tax, Audit & Accounting Department – Shipley with a master’s in accountancy from MSU and Gipson having earned a bachelor’s in accounting from MSU; both are certified public accountants.

FORVIS LLP promoted Kelly Hamly, Zach Herbert and Holly Johnson to the senior associate II level and Macie Latham to senior consultant II. Hamly, Herbert and Johnson are members of the Springfield audit team, each with a master’s in accountancy from MSU. Hamly also holds a forensic accounting certificate from MSU. Latham, with a bachelor’s in business from MSU, is in the forensics and valuation services division.

Banking & Finance
Celestine Copeland joined New York Life Insurance Co. as a financial services agent. She previously worked in financial services for Northwestern Mutual.

Old Missouri Bank hired Blake Miller as its accounting team as vice president and controller. He has nearly a decade of banking and accounting experience, beginning as a financial analyst for Emerson Climate Technologies in Ava, and most recently working as a lender and branch manager for Stockmens Bank. Miller holds a bachelor’s in administrative management and an MBA from MSU.

Nonprofit
Care to Learn added five board members: Jann Holland, vice president of marketing and corporate communication with CoxHealth; Sarah Hough, senior manager of community affairs and diversity outreach for Bass Pro Shops; Jason W. Johnson, a private practice attorney and municipal judge; Pam McCoy, a retired registered nurse and community volunteer; and Jeff Tynes, president/CEO of SGC Foodservice.

I Pour Life was recognized by the Aging Out Institute with the 2022 Youth Impact Award and Midsize to Large Program Award for supporting youth who are aging out of foster care. I Pour Life was one of eight organizations awarded nationwide and received $140,000 with the honors.

Skaggs Foundation awarded 29 Legacy Endowment grants exceeding $1.1 million to organizations working to improve health and wellness in Stone and Taney counties. The projects are estimated to impact nearly 45,000 people over the next 12 months.

Springfield Art Museum received a $14,913 Visual Arts Annual Grant from the Missouri Arts Council in support of three upcoming exhibitions: Rodney Frew, Frieda Logan’s Swap Meet and Lyrical Abstraction. It’s the museum’s largest grant from MAC in nearly a decade.