Ashley S. Bell, CPA, has been promoted to partner at HBE LLP in Lincoln, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Bell graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in accounting and a minor in finance. Upon completing her degree, Bell worked for a national firm as a senior audit associate and for a local bank as chief operations officer and comptroller. She joined HBE in 2018 as a senior accountant and most recently held the title of assurance director. Bell has been instrumental in growing the firm’s practice within commercial industries, including Employee Benefit Plan specialized services. In the community, Bell serves as treasurer for St. Mark’s Preschool KIDZONE and as a TeamMates mentor. She is also an active member and volunteer at St. Mark’s Methodist Church. Jennifer R. Claus, CPA, of Ashland was one of only 36 CPAs in the nation honored by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) as a member of the Leadership Academy’s 14th graduating class. The four-day program was held in October 2022. Claus manages controllers, tax, internal audit, management reporting, and international accounting in six countries as the accounting manager at Gallup. She also serves as an international controller, leads all accounting learning initiatives, and manages the division expenses internationally. Prior to joining Gallup, she was an auditor at PwC, working on financial statement audits for Fortune 500 financial services companies and various funds in addition to reviews of the some of the largest banks in the U.S. Claus received her bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentrations in accounting and management from Midland Lutheran College and her master’s degree in professional accounting from Midland University. She volunteers for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), where she serves as the Nebraska state adviser and a member of the national board of directors. The AICPA Leadership Academy was designed to strengthen and expand the leadership skills of promising young professionals while they network with a peer group of talented and motivated CPAs. The Academy features career-development workshops and sessions with some of the accounting profession’s most prominent influencers. Participants were selected from public accounting firms of all sizes, business and industry, government, and consulting firms. To date, more than 445 CPAs have participated in the AICPA Leadership Academy. Learn more at AICPA.org/Leadership. Debra M. “Deb” Cosgrove, CPA, became the first in University of Nebraska College of Business history to be promoted to full professor of practice, effective Aug. 1, 2022. She was promoted from associate professor of practice in the School of Accountancy. Bradley R. “Brad” Crain, CPA, of Union Bank & Trust Co. in Lincoln, serves on the Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach Board of Directors. Zach J. Crom, CPA, has been promoted to manager with Labenz & Associates LLC. Crom began his career in public accounting in 2018 following graduation from the University of NebraskaLincoln, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting and Master of Professional Accountancy. He joined Labenz & Associates in November 2020. Crom focuses on pass-through entities and individual tax compliance, and assists with business valuations, compilation and review of financial statements, and tax consulting. He also teaches Junior Achievement classes for Lincoln Public Schools. Joseph T. “Joe” Donovan, CPA, of Lutz in Omaha, has received the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) designation. The Omaha Community Foundation facilitates the yearlong, graduate-level training necessary to achieve this designation. The curriculum comes from The American College of Financial Services in King of Prussia, Pa. Members in the News 30 Nebraska CPAs
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