Members in the News Michael F. Berry has become a partner of O’Donnell FicenecWills &Ferdig LLP in Omaha. Berry graduated with a degree in accounting from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His accounting background is in financial and performance auditing for clients in both the corporate and government arenas in addition to tax compliance and planning. In addition, Berry ran his own small business for 12 years, a landscaping company that he sold in 2011. He is a member of both the Nebraska Society of CPAs and the AICPA and volunteers as a board member and treasurer for ACLU Nebraska and on the finance committee for Nebraska Appleseed. He has also served on the Fontenelle Forest Board of Directors. Ronald K. “Ron” Jester is serving as treasurer of the board for the Food Bank of Lincoln. He has been a member of the board since 2015, volunteering as treasurer for most of those years. Jester’s public accounting career began in 1985; he’s currently a partner at Labenz & Associates LLC in Lincoln. He holds a Master of Professional Accountancy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has also received the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation. Jester has served as president of the Nebraska chapter and treasurer of the North Central Regional Council of the Institute of Management Accountants and on the Isco Inc. Board of Directors. He previously served on the board of the Groundwater Foundation and on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Accountancy Board of Trustees. In addition to the Food Bank of Lincoln, he presently serves on the board of the St. Paul United Methodist Church Foundation. Jester is a member of both the Nebraska Society of CPAs and the AICPA. Anthony J. “Tony” Keller has become a partner of O’Donnell Ficenec Wills & Ferdig LLP (OFWF) in Omaha. Keller attendedWayne State College for two years before transferring to theUniversity of Northern Iowa, where he graduated with honors. He started with OFWF in July 2000 and helps the firm’s clients plan and understand tax and financial transactions to assist them in running and growing their businesses. Keller also has expertise in auditing, specifically governmental accounting and auditing. He is a member of both the Nebraska Society of CPAs and the AICPA. Two Nebraskans Receive Elijah Watt Sells Award The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) has announced the winners of the 2021 Elijah Watt Sells Award. To qualify, CPA candidates must obtain a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination, pass all four sections on their first attempt, and have completed testing in 2021. More than 72,000 individuals sat for the CPA Exam in 2021, with only 57 candidates meeting the criteria to receive the Elijah Watt Sells Award! Two of the 57 award winners are Creighton University graduates: • Colin M. Fitzgerald (Nebraska), a graduate of Creighton University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Seim Johnson LLP in Elkhorn. • Scott Haveman (Colorado), a graduate of CreightonUniversitywith a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting and Finance and Master of Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in Dallas. Both Fitzgerald and Haveman are graduates of the first accelerated Master of Accounting program at Creighton University—and were roommates as well. “Passing the CPA Exam is a career milestone,” said AICPA Vice President, CPA Examination and Pipeline, Mike Decker. “Winning the ElijahWatt Sells Award is a very impressive accomplishment. We congratulate these candidates for their exceptional performance, with this honor that very few individuals achieve.” The Elijah Watt Sells Award program was established by the AICPA in 1923 to recognize outstanding performance on the CPA Exam. Sells, one of the first CPAs in the U.S., was active in the establishment of the AICPA and played a key role advancing professional education within the profession. Readmore at https:// bit.ly/ElijahWattSellsAward2021. I S S U E 3 , 2 0 2 2 22 nebraska cpas
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