For Immediate Release

Issue Date: January 18, 2013Contact: Edward D. Warren – Marketing Director

(301) 733-5020 – ewarren@sek.com

SMITH ELLIOTT KEARNS & COMPANY, LLCELECTS FOUR NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

The Members of Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC are pleased to announce that Jodi M. Blair, CPA, Steven D. Lubart, CPA, Timothy E. Peters, CPA and Craig E. Witmer, CPA, CGFM have been elected as Associate Members of the Firm effective January 1, 2013.

Jodi M. Blair, CPA joined the firm in 1997 after graduating magna cum laude from Frostburg State University. Jodi’s primary focus is providing clients with accounting and tax services in estate, fiduciary tax compliance and probate administration.

She has successfully completed the necessary education and examination requirements of the National Institute for Excellence in Professional Education, LLC and is distinguished as a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning.

Jodi is a member in good standing with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA), National Institute for Excellence in Professional Education, Tri-State Estate Planning Council, and South Central PA Estate Planning Council.

An active member of the local community, Jodi serves in various capacities with Friends of Safe Place, Jaycees of Hagerstown, and Sunrise Rotary, as well as an alumna of Leadership Washington County (Class of 2009).

Steven D. Lubart, CPA joined the firm in 1996 after earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Shippensburg University. Steve works with individuals and small businesses assisting them with accounting, consulting and tax services as well as QuickBooks® consultation. His industry specialties include retail, healthcare, hospitality and construction.

Steve is a member in good standing of the AICPA and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA).

He serves on the board of the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce and is president of the board of the Franklin County American Heart Association. Steve is an alumnus of Leadership Franklin County (Class of 2000).

Timothy E. Peters, CPA joined the Hagerstown audit department in 2008 with over 12 years’ experience in public accounting with a focus on providing auditing and accounting services to entities in the nonprofit, governmental, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare industries. Tim also

assists the firm’s broker/dealer and registered investment advisor (RIA) clients in meeting examination and filing requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Tim is a graduate of the University of Maryland and a member in good standing of the AICPA as well as the MACPA. He serves on the MACPA Peer Review Committee. An active member of the local community, Tim serves in various capacities with the Hagerstown Lions Club, United Way of Washington County, Discovery Station at Hagerstown, and Leadership Washington County. He is an alumnus of Leadership Frederick County (Class of 2005) and Leadership Washington County (Class of 2010).

Craig E. Witmer, CPA, CGFM joined the firm in 1999 after graduating summa cum laude from Shippensburg University. He specializes in providing audit services to governmental clients including school districts, community colleges, boroughs, and other municipalities.

Craig earned the Certified Governmental Financial Manager (CGFM) designation is 2006, completing the requirements set by the Association of Government Accountants. This designation ensures an understanding of

techniques, standards, procedures, ethics, and practices unique to federal, state, and local government entities.

Craig is a member in good standing with the AICPA, PICPA, and Association of Governmental Accountants.

He serves as Treasurer and on the Board of Directors of Joy El Ministries.

Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC is a full-service certified public accounting and consulting firm with offices in Chambersburg, Carlisle, and Hanover, Pennsylvania; and Hagerstown, Maryland. The firm was founded in 1963 and was recently named a Top 200 Firm by Inside Public Accounting and one of 2011’s Best Accounting Firms to Work for by Accounting Today. With 22 partners and a total staff of 150, SEK&Co services individuals as well as business clients in a variety of industries including construction, financial institutions, healthcare, local government, manufacturing, and nonprofit. The Firm offers QuickBooks® and Sage 50® (formerly Peachtree®) training and consulting, financial statement preparation, auditing and assurance services, small business accounting, tax and payroll services, tax return preparation and planning, estate planning and administration, business valuations, and employee benefit plan design, administration and auditing.

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