She went to work in Raleigh, N.C., for KPMG (formerly Peat Marwick Mitchell), then one of the “Big 8” CPA firms, where she started out as an auditor. After holding positions in public accounting and as a controller in the construction industry, Dr. Eldridge earned her master’s degree in accounting in 1992 at Appalachian State University, and her Ph.D. in 1997 at UNC-Chapel Hill. She also served as a lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, and in 2002 joined the faculty at UNO’s CBA. Since coming to Omaha, Neb., Dr. Eldridge has worked hard and earned the respect of her peers and her students, receiving numerous honors, including the Graduate Accounting Professor of the Year Award, Dean’s Citation for Outstanding Service, Dean’s Citation for Extraordinary Performance, Lady Vestey Woman of Achievement Award from the Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance, and the Woman Leader in Nebraska Education Award from the Platte Valley Institute of Management Accountants. She remains a licensed CPA and an active member of the American Accounting Association, the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), Financial Executives International, the Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance, and the Nebraska Society of CPAs. Dr. Eldridge and her husband Mark, who passed away in August 2022 and was also a CPA, have three adult children: daughter Jennifer, son James (Allee), and son Mitchell (Erin). Public Service Award STATE SENATOR JOHN P. STINNER In recognition of his remarkable dedication and exemplary contributions to his profession and the business world, as well as his steadfast leadership and commitment to the state of Nebraska, former State Senator John P. Stinner is being honored as the recipient of the Society’s 2023 Public Service Award. Sen. Stinner grew up on the outskirts of Pittsburgh and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a full athletic scholarship, where he played for Coach Bob Devaney on the Nebraska Cornhuskers National Championship football team in 1970 and 1971. At UNL, he earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a Master of Arts in economics with a minor in accounting. Following graduation, Sen. Stinner earned his CPA license while working in public accounting at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell, now KPMG, in Lincoln, Neb. He then served as a senior lender and head internal auditor for First Commerce Bancshares and ran multiple troubled banks during the agricultural crisis of the 1980s. In 1988, he assembled a group of investors and founded Gering State Bank in the Nebraska Panhandle. In 1997, the bank was renamed Valley Bank & Trust Co. In 2011, it expanded into the front range of Colorado, where it grew into Western States Bank with branches in three states until its merger with First National Bank of Omaha. From the bank’s inception until January 2016, when he retired from banking, Sen. Stinner served as CEO and president. Sen. Stinner has dedicated his time and leadership to dozens of civic organizations over the years, which has earned him a host of awards and honors. He served on the Gering School Board for 10 years, five of the those as president. He also has served in leadership positions and on the boards of the Hospital Authority No. 1 of Scotts Bluff County, Western Nebraska Community College Foundation, Oregon Trail Community Foundation, Terry Carpenter Center, WyoBraska Museum, Zoological Association (president), YMCA of Scottsbluff (president), Twin Cities Development (president), and the Gering Downtown Revitalization Committee, among others. In addition, Sen. Stinner has been involved with the Elks Club, Scottsbluff/Gering Rotary Club, Sons of the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, and Christ the King Parish. In 2013, Sen. Stinner was named chairman of the Nebraska Bankers Association. He then campaigned and was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2014, representing District 48 for two consecutive four-year terms. In 2017, he assumed leadership of the Appropriations Committee and served as chairman until the end of his tenure in 2022. Sen. Stinner served his constituents with distinction, successfully leading and advocating for passage of numerous initiatives to overcome challenges facing Nebraska, including solving the state’s budget deficit when he first took office. Earlier this year, Sen. Stinner and his wife Rita were honored with the 2023 Distinguished NEBRASKAlander Award, the highest award given by the state of Nebraska. He also received a 2023 State Arts Award for his enduring support of the arts and humanities throughout his career. In 2000, Sen. Stinner was honored with the Scottbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce Visionary Superstar award. He is an Eagle Scout and a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE), The International Honor Society for Economics. John and Rita Stinner have been married for more than 50 years and have two children, son John Jr. (Erin) and daughter Cecilia (Charles Ward), along with four grandchildren. 13 www.nescpa.org
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