Jack Thurman, president of BKD Wealth Advisors, a subsidiary of Springfield, Mo.-based BKD (FY17 net revenue of $564.4 million) announced the expansion of Wealth Advisors into Colorado. Justin Wheeler, a senior managing advisor, will relocate to serve clients from BKD’s new Denver location.

Justin Wheeler

“We are excited for Justin to transition and expand our presence to Denver,” says Thurman. “He has been an important asset to our team and we believe he will continue to be one as we expand.”

Wheeler provides wealth management services to affluent families, foundations and small businesses and helps clients develop their goals into solutions. He is a Certified Financial Planner and a member of the Financial Planning Association^®.

“We’re happy to have BKD Wealth Advisors expanding to our Denver office to better serve our clients and grow the firm,” says BKD Denver MP Jeff Ronsse. “This is certainly a win-win situation for all involved.”

Melessa Behymer

Dayton, Ohio-based Brady Ware & Company (FY16 net revenue of $17.4 million) announced that Melessa Behymer has been promoted to director within the firm.

Behymer works on a variety of accounting, auditing and consulting engagements. She works closely with nonprofit organizations, health care providers, franchisees, startup companies and a variety of other types of businesses. She has an extensive background in governmental auditing and oversees several audits of nonprofit organizations that are recipients of federal funding. In addition to auditing, Behymer specializes in nonprofit taxes and is an active member of Brady Ware’s learning culture committee.

“It is my great pleasure to announce that Missy Behymer has transitioned into the role as Director,” says Brian Carr, co-CEO and director of Brady Ware. “She joined our team as a Staff Accountant, and, through hard work and perseverance, now embraces a leadership role in our firm’s health care niche. Her passion and industry knowledge in both the health care and nonprofit sectors make her essential in providing excellent client service and increasing market presence in these important segments.”

“I look forward to my new role as Director for Brady Ware. The firm has empowered me from day one as a Staff Accountant and continues to support me as I advance into this role. I will be providing growth focus for the firm in the Healthcare niche and I am eager to expand the practice,” says Behymer.

Behymer joined the firm in 2005. Prior to embarking on her career in accounting, she spent 12 years in consumer finance.

Jeremy Falendysz

Chicago-based UHY Advisors (FY16 net revenue of $126.8 million) welcomes Jeremy Falendysz as director in Detroit. Falendysz is an experienced investment banker with more than 15 years in the industry representing a total deal value of over $60 billion. He worked on Wall Street for 10 years, including as vice president in Morgan Stanley’s investment banking division, in addition to positions with UBS and Deutsche Bank. Prior to joining UHY, he spent five years with a Birmingham-based boutique investment banking firm serving middle-market clients.

“Adding Jeremy is a critical resource for our practice on a national level,” says Steve McCarty, managing director at UHY Advisors. “His years of experience in investment banking, particularly in the energy space will allow us to expand our portfolio and will present new opportunities for our team.”

Falendysz has advised middle-market and large cap private and public clients on sell-side and buy-side M&A transactions, as well as corporate separations, equity/equity related capital raises and debt capital raises. Falendysz has completed transactions in multiple industries, including automotive/transportation, consumer products, distribution, energy, health care and industrial products. While working across various industries, he developed a particular expertise within the energy sector, including assignments in sub-sectors spanning pipelines and terminals, exploration and production, refining, renewables and oilfield services.

Sareena Malik Sawhney

New York-based Grassi & Co. (FY17 net revenue of $59.6 million) welcomed Sareena Malik Sawhney as a principal in Grassi’s fraud, forensic and litigation support group based in their Manhattan offices. Sawhney will focus on providing services in the areas of complex fraud investigations, forensic accounting examinations, and services related to commercial litigation and damage analyses.

Prior to joining Grassi & Co., Sawhney worked at Marks Paneth and a Big 4 consulting firm with a focus on fraud and forensic investigations, breach of contract damage issues and various bankruptcy fraud matters. Examples of cases she has worked on include assisting attorneys representing a Fortune 500 company in a case involving allegations of fraud, misrepresentation of financial statements and criminal activity of certain individual employees. She has also assisted attorneys in reviewing certain alleged fraudulent transactions in which she had to report her findings to the Audit Committee. Sawhney has also been involved in a number of arbitration proceedings involving shareholder disputes and breach of contract matters.

“Sareena’s areas of expertise make her a true asset to Grassi & Co.,” says MP and CEO Louis Grassi. “We have an extremely strong New York City presence and I am more confident than ever that by expanding our talent pool with great additions like Sareena, we will be better able to serve our clients and be more impactful in this space.”