People in the News

Melody Antista has joined Sinclair Bank & Trust in the mortgage lending department as the administrative assistant to the vice president. Antista will also be processing conforming mortgage loans. She has been in the mortgage lending industry for two years.

Allyson Baker has joined Sinclair Bank & Trust in the newly created position of vice president of mortgage lending. She will be overseeing the conforming loan division of the company. Baker, a native of Springfield, has been in the mortgage and real estate industry for more than 20 years.

Tiffany Gray, Mike Hayslip and Donielle Stephen-son were recently named mortgage specialists at Sinclair Bank & Trust. They will be responsible for the origination of conforming mortgage loans.

Mike McGoldrick has been named vice president of Metropolitan National Bank, where he will be involved in residential and commercial real estate lending. He graduated from Missouri Southern State College with a bachelor's degree. He also attended the National Commercial Lending School in Norman, Okla., and the National Commercial Real Estate School at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. McGoldrick has been in the Springfield area banking industry for the past 22 years.

Marrita M. Strong, CPA, has joined the professional staff of Samek Fritz & Company PC, CPAs. Strong is a graduate of SMSU and holds a bachelor's degree in business with an emphasis in accounting. She has extensive experience in public accounting, where she has focused on tax preparation services for individuals, businesses and estates, as well as on compilation services. Strong's duties with Samek Fritz will include accounting, auditing and tax-planning and tax-preparation services.

Brian C. Weimer has joined the accounting firm of Jack E. Weimer, CPA, PC. Weimer, a Springfield native, received a bachelor's degree from Southern Methodist University and a master of taxation degree from the University of Denver Law School. He was previously employed with Ernst & Young LLP in Denver, Colo. He provides tax and business consulting, estate planning, tax compliance and accounting services for individuals and businesses.