Dannible & McKee, LLP recently announced the promotion of the following professional staff members.

ABBY K. SWEERS has been promoted to tax manager. She joined the firm in 2019 after interning in 2017 and 2018. Sweers graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Le Moyne College in 2018. She is responsible for the preparation and review of various individual and corporate tax engagements, including tax planning and compliance. Sweers, a CPA, specializes in the construction and manufacturing industries, along with multi-state entities and high-net-worth individuals.

ALEXIS M. LAYO has been promoted to tax supervisor. She joined the firm in 2013. Layo graduated from Niagara University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2011 and from Le Moyne College with an MBA in 2012. She is responsible for overseeing various individual and corporate-tax engagements, including tax closings, tax planning, and compliance. Layo specializes in the architectural/engineering and health care industries, along with high-net-worth individuals. She is also a QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

CHRISTINE N. PETRONE has been promoted to accounting services supervisor. She joined the firm in 2016 and is responsible for managing multiple client accounts. Her services include accounts receivable, accounts payable, bank and investment account reconciliations, tracking assets and recording accumulated depreciation, preparing budgets and accrual-basis financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and maintaining accounting controls by preparing and recommending policies and procedures. Petrone is also a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She graduated from Cazenovia College in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in professional studies in business management and holds a certificate in management and supervision.

NATHAN T. MERULLA has been promoted to audit senior. He joined the firm in 2020 as a full-time employee after working as an intern the year prior. Merulla, a CPA, is responsible for performing audits, reviews, compilations, and employee-benefit plan audits. He graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2019 and a master’s degree in accounting in 2020.

JAKE N. PIEKLIK has been promoted to audit senior. He joined the firm in 2020 as a full-time employee after working as an intern the year prior. Pieklik, a CPA, is responsible for performing audits, reviews, compilations, examinations and employee-benefit plan audits. He graduated from Onondaga Community College with an associate degree in 2017 and from SUNY Oswego with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2019 and MBA in 2020. 

Fust Charles Chambers LLP, a certified public accounting firm in Syracuse, has hired JOSHUA POSNICK as an audit associate to help service the firm’s manufacturing, health care, not-for-profit, and other professional service and family-owned businesses. He received his bachelor’s degree in public accountancy and finance from SUNY Fredonia. He is currently working to complete the examination requirements to earn his CPA license.

ABC Creative recently hired ATO ARKHURST as a web developer. He brings a strong background in coding to ABC Creative’s Web Department. Prior to joining ABC, Arkhurst grew his experience in web development with a mix of retail and app projects. The collaborative environment drew him to ABC, where he looks forward to growing his varied skillset. Arkhurst holds a degree in computer science from SUNY Oswego.

GEOFFREY RISPOLI, based in upstate New York, has recently joined City National Bank as senior VP of commercial banking in the upstate region. Rispoli brings a wealth of experience with more than 18 years of international commercial-banking experience, including serving in leadership positions at HSBC, KeyBank, and Citigroup.

Generations Bank, a bank based in Seneca Falls that has branches across the Finger Lakes region, has promoted SANDRA AHNER to assistant VP – market manager. In her position, Ahner manages three Generations Bank offices located in Ontario County: Geneva, Farmington, and Phelps. Ahner joined the bank in 2018 as a universal banker in Generations Bank office located in downtown Phelps. Over her 29-year-career in the banking industry, Ahner has held positions as a teller, customer-service representative, head teller, and service lead. In her position, Ahner manages a staff of universal bankers, services consumer deposit accounts and loans, and maintains the day-to-day operations of the three retail offices.

LAUREN KAHL has joined Salina–based CPS Recruitment as an account executive. In this role, she is responsible for business growth for the organization in the Buffalo region by developing strong customer relationships to assist clients with their talent needs. Kahl will also be actively engaged in the Buffalo region’s business trade associations, particularly in economic development to assist in the talent needs for area business growth. Prior to joining CPS Recruitment, Kahl spent several years as a Sales Specialist for a Buffalo–area technology company. She is a graduate of SUNY Oswego. CPS Recruitment provides businesses with professional direct-hire recruiting, temporary staffing solutions, contract to hire, and payroll-process services. 

Financial Quest, a financial investment and advisory firm, has added new LPL financial advisor, ETHAN DOLCE. His credentials include FINRA Series 7 and FINRA Series 66 licenses through LPL Financial. Dolce earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from SUNY Oswego. Before starting with Financial Quest, he worked at C&A Accounting in Cicero. Financial Quest, based on State Fair Boulevard in Geddes, offers financial services, including retirement planning, estate planning, investment planning, and insurance advisement.

Microscope, a health-care consultancy with headquarters in Syracuse, has hired MICHAEL CONLEY as a health-care consultant within its reimbursement and financial and operational performance service lines. He has experience as an advanced EMT/field training officer and manager. In addition Conley has several years of experience as a firefighter/AEMT. He attended the University of Maryland, majoring in computer science. Microscope focuses on the financial, operational, and clinical areas of health-care organizations by discovering, customizing, and implementing solutions to optimize margins and cash flow.

JONATHAN GILDERSLEEVE has recently joined CXtec as an infrastructure engineer. He has a bachelor’s degree in network administration from Morrisville State College. CXtec offers pre-owned networking, voice, server and storage equipment; third-party maintenance solutions; manufactured structured cabling solutions; and hardware end-of-life management/asset disposition.