The St. Louis Business 500 highlights some of the metro area’s most impactful, innovative, and inspirational leaders, from C-suite executives to under-the-radar entrepreneurs across an array of industries.
Beyond the brief bios below, we created a questionnaire to shed light on some of these leaders’ achievements, aspirations, and interests beyond the office. Click the names highlighted in blue for more interesting insights from some of St. Louis’ top business leaders.
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ACCOUNTING
Office Managing Partner, KPMG LLP
A well-known St. Louis business leader who serves on multiple boards and charitable initiatives—in addition to his leadership role at KPMG’s St. Louis office—Davidson says the accounting profession is poised for new opportunities, thanks to evolving technological advances. And after almost 30 years at the firm, serving clients and leading the company’s Community Impact and Great Places to Work programs, he offers this advice: “Dominate the level where you are. If you do well where you are in your career, the next step will naturally happen.”
Scott Weber
Managing Principal, Scheffel Boyle CPAs
Weber joined Scheffel Boyle in 1992. Today, he is a principal in the firm’s Edwardsville office. His services include preparation and review of audited, reviewed, and compiled financial statements, and preparation of individual, corporate, partnership, nonprofit, and fiduciary tax returns. Weber has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Illinois State University and is a certified construction industry financial professional.
Jerry Townsend
Midwest Regional Managing Partner, UHY LLP
In describing his work, Townsend doesn’t start with a boring list of tasks or management catchphrases. Instead, he says, “It is my job to create a culture of growth while continuing the entrepreneurial spirit throughout the office.” The international CPA firm develops leaders through mentorship, and Townsend directs its St. Louis office, while heeding the company slogan: “The next level of service.” He specializes in manufacturing and distribution, financial and professional services, and real estate.
Steven Harris
Managing Partner, RubinBrown
Before stepping into his role as managing partner, Harris was partner-in-charge of RubinBrown’s Entrepreneurial Services Group. Now, he oversees operations firmwide for the company’s six offices and nearly 950 team members. He’s also served on a range of boards, including Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Delta Dental of Missouri, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.’s St. Louis Alumni Chapter.
Managing Partner, Forvis Mazars
A St. Louis native and graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, Mather’s personal credo is: “Always treat others with respect, and live with integrity.” He’s worked to do just that during his 30-plus years in accounting, auditing, tax, and consulting, with a particular emphasis on the commercial products and construction industries. Mather manages the St. Louis and Decatur, Illinois, practice units for Forvis Mazars, a global company that operates in more than 100 countries and territories.
Adam Herman
Partner and Managing Director, Wipfli LLP
Herman has a personal mission statement: “Through hard work, resourcefulness, and creativity, I will strive to make a positive and impactful difference in the lives of others.” He has a professional one too, which guides him each day as a partner at Wipfli: “My mission is to help clients achieve their true strategic, financial, and operational goals.” With these missions in mind, Herman works with clients, from small businesses to large corporations, and has recovered millions of dollars in tax credits and incentives.
Laura Ray
Partner, Deloitte
A Mizzou grad, Ray manages Deloitte’s St. Louis office and works as a partner within the Global Investment and Innovation Incentives Tax Services group, which includes more than 300 professionals who are dedicated to U.S. federal tax credits and incentives. “I lead Deloitte’s efforts around the 48C Advanced Energy Project credit and co-lead our efforts around Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship and the 45X Advanced Manufacturing credit,” she notes.
Matt Harvey
Partner, RSM US LLP
Harvey is the office managing partner for the St. Louis office of RSM US, formerly known as McGladrey, which helps small to mid-size privately held companies and large global public companies alike. Harvey also applies his expertise to serving SEC, private equity/VC, and owner-operated companies. Outside of the office, Harvey has been a board member for FamilyForward since 2006. The organization assists more than 10,000 children and family members each year, helping treat and prevent child abuse and neglect.
Managing Partner, Anders CPAs + Advisors
When Minkler started at Anders in 1996, the firm had $4 million in revenue, 50 people on staff, and was focused on traditional accounting, tax, and audit services. By 2023, its revenue had grown to $79 million, and today more than 400 staff members provide a range of advisory and consulting services. “One of Anders’ core values is to be welcoming, and even as we’ve grown, we have remained committed to living that value,” Minkler says. “It’s an opportunity to find new ways to connect and welcome each person into our firm’s culture.”
Sean Normile
Assurance Partner, BDO USA LLP
Normile is an audit partner in BDO’s assurance practice, working in the global firm’s St. Louis office. One of the largest accounting firms in the region, BDO’s local presence includes cross-functional teams that draw upon the company’s vast array of resources to offer assurance, tax, and business advisory services. BDO serves key industries, including real estate and construction, manufacturing and distribution, health care, technology, life sciences, and nonprofit organizations. Normile is a graduate of DeSmet High School and Saint Louis University.
Partner and Chief Growth Officer, Armanino LLP
When you’re a company’s chief growth officer, it’s a feather in your cap to be able to say, “Our geographic footprint is now national.” With Armanino’s expansion to New York in 2024, Caleca wears that feather proudly. Yet Caleca doesn’t take all the credit for the expansion of this independent accounting and business consulting firm. “I am blessed to be surrounded by a wicked smart team that can help me solve for every challenge and opportunity,” he says.
Tim O’Shaughnessy
Managing Principal, CLA LLP
A graduate of Fontbonne University and board member of the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants, O’Shaughnessy is the managing principal of CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) St. Louis. Under his management, the office was named one of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s “Top Workplaces 2023,” an award based on feedback from employees regarding their work experience. “We’re very intentional about guiding our professionals as they build a meaningful career path, what we call their inspired career with CLA,” O’Shaughnessy said at the time.
BUSINESS CONSULTANTS + SOLUTIONS
Tom Hogan
Former CEO, Perficient
Under Hogan’s tenure, Perficient added nearly $910 million in revenue and myriad employees, both globally and locally. He also helped the company acquire SMEDIX Inc., a health care software engineering firm. In February 2025, Perficient announced that Hogan would be stepping down and Xiao Guo would serve as interim CEO. “Tom Hogan’s leadership has been invaluable to Perficient’s evolution,” board chair Annette Rippert said in a press release. “Under Tom’s guidance, Perficient expanded its digital transformation capabilities, strengthened client relationships, and positioned itself as a leader in delivering best-in-class consulting and technology solutions. On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Tom for his dedication, vision, and partnership.”
Dave Peacock
CEO, Advantage Solutions
Peacock has worked with some of St. Louis’ best-known brands, particularly in the consumer packaged goods and retail industries. He previously served as president and chief operating officer at Schnuck Markets, as well as president of Anheuser-Busch. As CEO of Advantage Solutions, he’s excited about the company’s growth and employee base in St. Louis. “Any time a brand or retailer client sells a product, we have success,” he says. “We have hundreds of thousands of successes every day, given the scale of the company and our thousands of relationships.”
Jeff Fox
Chairman and CEO, Harbour Group
Fox’s father, the late Sam Fox, founded the St. Louis–based private holding company, which has grown exponentially over time, largely through acquiring and developing companies. When Sam Fox became the U.S. ambassador to Belgium in 2007, Jeff stepped into the role of chairman and CEO, after already serving as president and chief operating officer for years. Like his father, Jeff also actively supports various organizations, including the United Way of Greater St. Louis.
President and CEO, Maritz
Peckinpaugh’s first job was working in the hospitality industry at age 15. “It taught me the importance of customer service, working as a team, and a continuous desire to learn,” he says. It’s a lesson that has stuck with him over time. He joined Maritz in 2011, after holding leadership positions at top hotel brands and serving as the president and CEO of the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau and the vice president of business development at HelmsBriscoe. Over time, he’s won numerous awards and become a leader in the events industry. Last summer, Maritz acquired Convention Data Services, an event registration, onsite, and lead services provider.
President, Collaborative Strategies
Hayden’s first job as a front desk clerk helped him develop the rapport to excel in his career. “I learned the importance of empathy and thinking quickly on my feet,” he says. He holds more than a decade’s experience leading strategic planning initiatives for private, nonprofit, and public entities, with a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. “I am excited for 2025 to be a year of expansion for Collaborative Strategies,” Hayden says. “We are looking to grow our team and add new capabilities for our clients.”
Steve Elias
Managing Partner, DHR Global
Before coming to St. Louis, Elias spent time in Chicago and London. After starting out as an associate in executive recruiting at DHR Global, he’s now a managing partner who specializes in family offices, middle market private equity firms, and recruitment. Elias, who holds a business administration degree from Indiana University, also played on Saint Louis University’s varsity soccer team.
BUSINESS INSURANCE
Andy Thome
CEO, Marsh McLennan Agency–St. Louis
In 1988, Thome joined J.W. Terrill, now a Marsh McLennan Agency company, and took on the challenge of building a surety department. Since then, Thome has steered the company to its position as the largest surety provider in the St. Louis area. With more than 200 locations, Marsh McLennan Agency is a full-service brokerage that provides clients with business insurance, employee benefits, private client insurance, and retirement services.
Area President, Gallagher
Flodberg started out as a college intern at Gallagher, one of the world’s largest insurance brokerage, risk management, and consulting firms. He credits that experience with igniting his desire to work at the company, and he hopes today’s college students realize how rewarding the insurance industry can be. Among the company’s most significant recent successes, Flodberg notes that the company boasts 98 percent client retention, double-digit revenue growth, and a strong office culture. As he says, “You are only as good as the team of people you surround yourself with. I am a firm believer in teamwork and camaraderie.”
President, Lockton Companies–St. Louis
When his clients recently faced a tough commercial insurance market, “Our teams were pushed to creatively navigate the cycle to manage operating costs to a palatable level,” Todorovich says. “Our teams delivered value above and beyond what the market was offering.” Outside the office, Todorovich is dedicated to growing Gateway Children’s Charity, a nonprofit that he co-founded in 2009 to support early childhood programs in underserved St. Louis communities. Ryan Brown was recently named president of the St. Louis office, though Todorovich will remain a partner and executive committee member.
Patty Horn
Managing Director, WTW
Horn joined WTW as managing director in summer 2024. In her role, she directs everything from insurance needs to helping organizations attract and retain talent. While there’s never been more uncertainty before in the economic, geopolitical, and climate risks that companies have to navigate, Horn doesn’t see these changes as a problem. “Whenever there is uncertainty or change, we help businesses evolve to stay on the cutting edge and be the most competitive they can be,” she says. “Times like this bring out the best in us and require us to stretch ourselves creatively to innovate new ideas and solutions.”
Tabbatha Sipes
AREA President, AssuredPartners of Missouri LLC
Sipes’ insurance career began when she took an insurance brokerage job as part of her high school co-op program. She quickly realized the industry offered significant opportunities and eventually became director of commercial lines before being named agency president of AssuredPartners’ St. Louis operations in December 2020. Sipes leads a team that specializes in commercial lines, employee benefits, and personal insurance.
Tom Berra Jr.
President and Managing Partner, Crane Agency
When Berra first joined the Crane Agency, after graduating from Saint Louis University in 1988, he worked alongside his father, who was a broker and shareholder. Berra became a company principal in 1993 and a board member a few years later. While growing his client roster, Berra earned a master’s degree in business from Washington University in 1999. He became the agency’s president in 2016, and today, he continues to focus on growing the business—one of the oldest independent insurance agencies west of the Mississippi River.
LAW: MANAGING PARTNERS + EXECUTIVES
Managing Partner, Carmody MacDonald P.C.
One of Behrens’ first jobs was working on an aerosol can factory line, where he learned how to keep a sustained focus on repetitive tasks. “It created instant accountability as the line didn’t stop,” Behrens says. Now a managing partner at Carmody MacDonald P.C., he uses the same tenacity to provide invaluable corporate counsel for companies by integrating technology in the law practice, which helps serve clients better and streamlines management processes.
Managing Shareholder, Capes Sokol
Dove holds an unwavering stance on a hotly contested issue: whether the city and county should merge. “A unified government between St. Louis City and St. Louis County is important to all businesses in the St. Louis region,” he says. Dove, who holds a law degree from Washington University, is also adamant about the importance of a close-knit, collaborative culture at Capes Sokol to provide the best assistance possible for clients and the best personal and professional development for its employees.
Partner, Stinson LLP
Kaplan’s work ethic stretches back to his first job, when he started a lawn service with his brother at age 14. “I learned the value of hard work and customer service, and how providing both allowed us to continually grow the business,” he says. Today, at Stinson LLP, Kaplan represents clients in corporate and business law, mergers and acquisitions, and taxation and estate and succession planning. He also serves on the boards of Jewish Family and Children’s Service and as a board adviser for Sherwood Forest Camp.
President, Lashly & Baer P.C.
Stump does vital work in governmental and public institutions law, including education. “In my current role, the best advice I have received is to have core values that serve to guide every decision that the organization makes,” she says. “I have found that having these values ground our decision-making process and lead to much better decisions.” Stump, who has a law degree from Washington University School of Law, is a member of the Order of the Coif and Phi Beta Kappa.
Elizabeth Shocklee
Managing Partner, Evans & Dixon LLC
Shocklee has worked at Evans & Dixon LLC for nearly 30 years—first as an attorney and then as a managing partner. She holds an accounting degree from Mizzou and a law degree from Saint Louis University. In her spare time, she volunteers with Our M.O.M. Inc. (Our Mark on Melanoma) and is a board member of the ALS Association.
Co-managing Partner, UB Greensfelder
McLaughlin oversees strategic, financial, and operational issues at UB Greensfelder—the result of a recent merger between St. Louis–based Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale P.C. with Ohio-based Ulmer & Berne LLP. The full-service, super-regional law firm now spans approximately 275 attorneys across nine primary offices, making it among the largest firms in the United States.
Ed Dowd Jr.
Partner, Dowd Bennett LLP
Dowd Jr. was U.S. attorney for the Eastern District during the Clinton administration—a job he left when former U.S. senator Jack Danforth asked him to serve as deputy on a special federal investigation of the FBI’s handling of the 1993 Waco siege of the Branch Davidian compound. Today, Dowd represents clients with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, Health and Human Services, and other state and federal agencies.
Bob Tomaso
Office Managing Partner, Husch Blackwell
Tomaso has more than 20 years of experience in senior law firm management positions and helps businesses resolve disputes with employees. A former president of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Tomaso has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Washington and Lee University and a law degree from the University of Virginia.
Amy Mistler
Partner, Spencer Fane LLP
Mistler, who’s worked as a partner at Spencer Fane LLP for nearly 13 years, primarily focuses on commercial transactions in real estate and lending transactions, representing borrowers in all types of real estate transactions, as well as developers, investors, and lenders. Mistler is also involved in Commercial Real Estate Women St. Louis (CREW–St. Louis) and holds an MBA from Saint Louis University and a law degree from the University of Illinois.
CEO, Sandberg Phoenix
Patel has helped foster Sandberg Phoenix’s growth—which now encompasses nearly 350 employees—and has doubled its revenue over the past three years. In addition to serving as CEO, Patel is chair of the executive committee, the firm’s wealth planning group, and its special needs planning group.
John Simmons
Chairman, Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC
Under the leadership of Simmons, who founded the firm in 1999, the company has expanded from seven employees to 275, including more than 100 attorneys. The firm now stretches across seven offices, including in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Illinois. A longtime supporter of athletics across the community, Simmons was recently inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
Managing Partner, Armstrong Teasdale LLP
Throughout his 30-plus-year tenure at Armstrong Teasdale, Engel has represented local, regional, national, and international corporations and financial institutions in corporate and financial counseling. He’s been the leader of the financial and real estate services practice group, as well as the restructuring, insolvency, and bankruptcy practice; was a member of the firm’s compensation committee; and served as the firm’s general counsel. Beyond his legal work, Engel also supports a number of charities, including the United Way, Independence Center, Mental Health America, and St. Louis Arc.
Firm Chairman, Lewis Rice LLC
Walsh, who’s worked at Lewis Rice for more than 40 years, is an active member of the American Bar Association, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. He emphasizes the importance of leading with empathy and integrity. “In the legal industry, where decisions are often driven by business demands, it’s easy to lose sight of the human side of leadership,” says Walsh. “The principles of maintaining trust, supporting our people, and treating every client interaction with respect have guided me through many difficult decisions and remind me that long-term success comes from building relationships and staying true to our firm’s values.”
Troy Bozarth
Partner, HeplerBroom LLC
Bozarth has defended many state and federal appellate courts concerning a range of complex commercial litigation matters, including class actions, pharmaceutical, medical device, products and agriculture, banking, antitrust law, the Jones Act, and maritime law. He is on the executive committee of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, the DRI Law & Public Policy Class Action Task Force at the Defense Research Institute, and the board at the East St. Louis Bar Association, among other law associations.
Chris Hohn
Chair and Partner, Thompson Coburn LLP
The past year has been a busy one for Thompson Coburn LLP, which opened a new office in Birmingham, Alabama, and added a record number of new partners. “We are proud of our St. Louis roots but equally proud of our strategic growth across the U.S.,” says Hohn. With offices in several states, the St. Louis–based firm is known for its copyright, corporate, labor and employment, litigation, and environmental practices.
Ryan Davis
Office Managing Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
Davis works as the office managing partner and co-leader of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner’s Sports & Entertainment Group, where he focuses on mergers and acquisitions, entertainment and sponsorship, and corporate counseling and sports. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy and economics from Duke University, as well as a law degree from the University of Virginia. Davis is also a member of the board for the St. Louis Sports Commission, the development board of St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and the board of Boys Hope Girls Hope of St. Louis.
Ruben Chuquimia
Shareholder, Polsinelli Law Firm
With nearly 30 years of experience, Chuquimia focuses on corporate and securities law and represents publicly traded companies and emerging growth companies, as well as private funds and other institutional investors. A graduate of Washington University School of Law, he also serves on the leadership board of the Arthritis Foundation of Greater St. Louis.
T. Michael Ward
Managing Principal and Shareholder, Brown & James P.C.
Ward is chair of Brown & James’ appellate practice group and has an extensive background in complex civil litigation regarding insurance, employment law, environmental law, and professional liability defense. He graduated from SLU with bachelor’s degrees in history and Russian and a law degree.
MARKETING + PUBLIC RELATIONS
Dave Collett
Executive Vice President and St. Louis Market Leader, Weber Shandwick
Collett has worked at Weber Shandwick for two decades, specializing in media relations and crisis communications, and he leads one of Weber Shandwick’s largest global accounts. Collett is also an adjunct professor at Washington University and a former board member at Gateway Greening (which is now called Seed St. Louis).
Eric Karlovic
CEO and Partner, HLK
HLK’s headquarters remain firmly rooted in St. Louis, though the full-service creative agency has recently expanded to a second location in Chicago’s West Loop. “This is just one of many steps forward to come in our long-term growth strategy, allowing us to deliver even more creative solutions to our clients,” said Karlovic. Before joining HLK in 2002, Karlovic worked at such organizations as Karmak and ICLAST. Karlovic earned his bachelor’s degree in business and marketing from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
President, 1905 New Media
The company’s fourth-generation owner, Meilink oversees 1905 New Media’s range of marketing operations, from business development to budgeting to client relations. He’s worked in marketing for companies across a wide array of industries, including education, health care, hospitality, and nonprofit. Meilink holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Webster University, where he studied advertising and media communications.
Jay Williams
St. Louis Office Lead, Momentum Worldwide
Williams has worn a number of hats at the global marketing agency over the past two decades, and he’s worked with an array of well-known clients, such as Anheuser-Busch, Intel, Monsanto, and Nike. Today, as the company’s local office lead, he balances client work with office operations and culture. Williams graduated from UMSL with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and later earned a master’s degree in marketing from Webster University.
President, Vector Communications
Godwin worked as a broadcast journalist for nearly 20 years before joining Vector Communications. Her first job was as a waitress in an ice cream parlor, which she says taught her important lessons in customer service that she still calls upon today. Godwin uses her communications expertise to address public policy issues, including transportation, education, health care, and more. Godwin holds degrees from Princeton University and Columbia University.
Mindy Mazur + Peggy Lents
Owner/CEO + Strategic Partner, Mazur & Co.
The woman-founded strategic consulting and communications firm that Peggy Lents started as Lents & Associates in 1987 evolved into Lents Mazur & Associates in 2022, after Mazur came on board. Before that time, Mazur had held various roles, from small business owner to congressional staffer. Then, this year, the company rebranded as Mazur & Co., with Mazur stepping into the role of owner and CEO and Lents becoming a strategic partner. Yet a core principle remains at the heart of the firm. “We are communicators,” Lents says. “We have witnessed the pandemic, AI, remote work… We have new tools in our arsenal. But we fell in love with this industry because of the power of communication and the need for it, now more than ever. What we do is universal, and that won’t change.”
Jerry Gennaria
President and CEO, TOKY
Gennaria describes himself as a “passionate presenter and storyteller” who enjoys teaching and mentoring. He’s worked with both national and local clients, including Centene, MilliporeSigma, Mars Petcare, WashU, and Bayer. In addition to his work at TOKY, he’s a commissioner for the Regional Arts Commission and enjoys photography, having taken memorable photos around the globe, including in India, Japan, and Europe.
Melissa Lackey
Group President, Standing Partnership
Lackey has led Standing Partnership through years of change. After working at the company for 15 years, Lackey and her partners bought the firm from its founder and evolved it into a full-service strategic marketing consultancy. Then, in 2023, she and her partner sold Standing Partnership to Dix & Eaton, an ESOP in which she remains on the executive cabinet. In addition to her role at Standing Partnership, she’s been a part of several boards of directors, including the United Way of Greater St. Louis, the Gateway Region YMCA, FOCUS St. Louis, and SSM Health Foundation.
Stacey Goldman
Principal, Cannonball
Alongside principal Steve Hunt, Goldman leads the St. Louis–based ad agency, which boasts a portfolio of national and local clients, including Enterprise, St. Louis CITY SC, and Washington University. Before joining Cannonball in 2004, Goldman served as executive vice president of Momentum and graduated from the University of Missouri–Columbia, where she studied journalism and advertising.
President and CEO, Brighton Agency
After working as a business consultant for Accenture for a decade and a short stint on a business management project with Brighton, VonderHaar was so impressed by the firm that she joined the team in 2004—and bought the company in 2008. VonderHaar is excited about the next generation of talent and hopes to provide them with the tools and mentorship they need to succeed. VonderHaar’s own journey began by dreaming of becoming a meteorologist before switching to computer science and math at Florida State University.
Mike Spakowski
Partner and Creative Director, Atomicdust
Nearly a quarter century after Atomicdust was founded, Spakowski aims to continue enhancing the lives of colleagues and clients. “For St. Louis, I want to spark the creative and business scene and show how creative ideas can impact everything around us,” says Spakowski, who specializes in B2B branding strategy, health care marketing, brand positioning, visual brand identity, design-driven problem solving, and campaign development. “I want people’s lives to be better for working with Atomicdust—both our team and our clients.”
CEO, Paradowski Creative
Hattrich has led Paradowski Creative for more than a decade, and it has remained at the front of the pack in terms of technology and communications. His marketing specialties include mixed reality strategy and AI implementation. At the same time, Hattrich realizes the importance of storytelling—a lesson that the Webster University grad says his father taught him. “My father, Tom, ran an agency in St. Louis,” Hattrich says. “Growing up, I was lucky enough to idolize him as a wonderful father, and also hold him in the highest regard for how he treated people professionally.”
Scott Scully
CEO and Founder, Abstrakt Marketing Group
Launched in 2009, Abstrakt Marketing Group offers multi-channel B2B marketing solutions for small- and medium-size businesses. Scully emphasizes the importance of employee recognition to help fuel engagement, productivity, and retention. “As the CEO of a large workforce, I often only hear about employees at the extreme ends of performance—either excelling beyond expectations or facing HR challenges,” Scully says. “It can be easy to overlook the daily contributions that fuel our success. By requiring team members to recognize one another, we create a culture where appreciation is the norm, not the exception.”
Rhonda Ries
President, Osborn Barr Paramore
With offices in St. Louis and Kansas City, Osborn Barr acquired Nashville-based digital agency Paramore in 2016. “Our success together is proven. O+B and Paramore partnered together on a variety of projects for several months, and we saw that the Paramore team shares our philosophy in running their agency with a ‘client-first’ approach,” Ries said in a release at the time. With more than three decades of marketing communications experience, Ries has worked with clients from a range of sectors, including consumer, B2B, agriculture, rural, food, and tourism. She’s also served on the boards of Songs for Soldiers and MAGNET Global Network, as well as a governance adviser for the Gateway MS Society.
Bonni Burns
President, BAM Marketing Agency
In recent years, BAM Marketing Agency has grown to become one of the region’s largest women-owned companies. It also received two regional Emmy Awards for its creative work. “We credit that success to the growth of our clients and the outcomes of participation in their growth,” Burns says. “BAM will continue to expand our team of experts, providing more value to our current clients and expanding our client footprint in the greater St. Louis region.”
John Senseney
Partner and Creative Director, Notion LLC
Senseney strives to create more than just good design. “From years of supporting larger multi-national organizations and corporate executives, I understand that striking the balance between client needs and the creative drive delivers the most effective results,” he says. “I’m focused on providing strategic ideation and compelling designs in a manner that is easy and delivers results that go beyond expectations.”
Keith Alper
Chairman and CEO, CPG Agency
Alper is a serial entrepreneur and innovator. He launched event and experience company CPG at age 18 while working part-time at Six Flags, where he quickly became one of the company’s youngest executives. He has maintained a passion for entertainment, as well as digital business and marketing, while leading Nitrous Effect and its specialty agencies, including Evntiv, Geniecast, UPBrand, and Vidzu Media. He believes in building connections, having written From Like to Love: Inspiring Emotional Commitment from Employees and Customers. He’s also an advocate for bringing people together, helping to organize TEDx St. Louis, Pedal the Cause, the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s Illumination Gala, and more.
Terri Owen
General Manager, St. Louis Office; FleishmanHillard
Last year was one of transition for FleishmanHillard. In October, former president and CEO John Saunders passed the reins to San Francisco–based J.J. Carter. That same month, the company announced its headquarters would be relocating from downtown St. Louis to Clayton. Then, in December, parent company Omnicom Group announced plans to acquire Interpublic Group. Through it all, Owen has remained a local fixture, having started with the company in 1994 and worked with a wide range of clients.
TALENT + EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRMS
James Cairns
Managing Partner, The CSP Group
Cairns founded the corporate finance and accounting recruitment firm a decade ago. Today, his focus remains on accounting and finance recruitment for employers seeking new hires, as well as professionals looking for the next steps in their career. A former corporate accountant, Cairns has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in accounting and federal taxation from Florida State University. In his spare time, Cairns enjoys being outdoors and playing guitar.
Patrick Queensen
Principal and Owner, Keystone Staffing & Talent Solutions
As a founding principal, Queensen has played a key role in growing Keystone since 1992. Today, the company provides executive recruiting and staffing services, with offices in St. Louis and Fairview Heights, Illinois. A past president of the Missouri Association of Personnel Services, Queensen has extensive experience in sales, management, executive recruiting, and event staffing.
Randy Sims
Owner and President, Sims Executive Search
Sims has worked at some of the nation’s largest staffing companies, where he consistently ranks in the top 10 percent of his peers and leads national corporate training sessions. He grew up on a farm, so he realizes the importance of finding reliable talent, particularly in the agricultural industry. In 2005, he launched his own company, which helps recruit a range of executive positions, in addition to IT contract staffing and consulting services. Sims, who had a double lung transplant after being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a child, has also served on the boards of the National Kidney Foundation and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Jennifer Benskin
Owner and CEO, Benskin & Hott Talent Partners
Benskin has more than two decades of experience in talent acquisition, after holding positions in accounting, executive research, and human resources. Benskin also served as president and CEO of Grant Alexander (previously SSP Solutions) and as a senior recruiter at RubinBrown LLP. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on accounting, as well as a certificate in human resource management from UMSL.
President, FullCircle Placements
Greiner is always exploring new ways to improve his team’s performance through unique business strategies and ideas—and given the firm’s 400 percent growth in the past year, it seems to be working. “This success is largely due to our dedicated team, who is committed to finding the highest quality candidates,” he says. “Their efforts have set us apart from our competitors and driven our expansion.”
President, Accounting Career Consultants; ACC Legal and HR Career Consultants
With more than 25 years of experience in recruiting and staffing, Weinberg has won numerous national awards—though an ongoing curiosity in his profession continues to fuel his work. “I am most excited about what we don’t know,” he says. “That may sound odd, but in a creative industry, the process of discovery is what is most fulfilling. There are so many questions to explore.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated from an earlier version.
