PROMOTIONS
Anita Bjur | Senior Internal Accountant
Anita Bjur was promoted to Senior Internal Accountant. Anita joined CDS in 1998. She graduated from Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN with an Accounting Diploma degree. Anita manages many internal functions within the firm.
Ashlee Fader | Senior Operations Coordinator
Ashlee Fader was promoted to Senior Operations Coordinator. Ashlee joined CDS in 2012. Prior to CDS, she worked in customer service for over eight years. Ashlee graduated from Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN with an Associate of Arts degree. She was promoted to Project Coordinator in 2014. Ashlee assists with many internal functions and initiatives within the firm.
Sammy Nelson | Senior Accountant
Sammy Nelson was promoted to Senior Accountant. Sammy joined CDS fulltime in 2020, prior to that, she was an intern for CDS. Sammy graduated from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. She specializes in tax preparation, bookkeeping, outsourced accounting services, QuickBooks®, reviews and compilations, and the auto dealership industry.
Jon Hinderks, EA | Manager
Jon Hinderks, EA was promoted to Manager and received his Enrolled Agent (EA) certification. An Enrolled Agent is a federally licensed tax practitioner who has proven technical expertise in the field of taxation. Only EAs, attorneys, and certified public accountants (CPAs) may represent taxpayers before the IRS for audits, collections, and appeals.
Jon returned to CDS in 2016 as a Senior Accountant. Prior to CDS, he worked in accounting for fourteen years. He graduated from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. He specializes in tax planning and preparation, bookkeeping, and the agribusiness industry.
DESIGNATION
Lexi Ostrue-Lanigan | Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Lexi Ostrue-Lanigan recently received her QuickBooks ProAdvisor Desktop certification. Lexi joined CDS in 2023 as a Bookkeeper. Lexi graduated from Rasmussen College in St. Cloud, MN with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She specializes in bookkeeping and QuickBooks®.
NEW HIRES
Valerie Messner | Staff Accountant and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Valerie Messner recently joined CDS as a Staff Accountant in our Morris office. Prior to CDS, she worked in accounting and auditing for one year. Valerie graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN with Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance. She specializes in tax preparation, bookkeeping, and preparation of compiled and reviewed financial statements.
Megan Gertgen | Administrative Assistant
Megan Gertgen recently joined CDS as an Administrative Assistant in our Willmar office. Prior to CDS, she worked in client service for over three years. Megan graduated from Ridgewater College in Hutchinson, MN with an Associates of Applied Science degree in Business Administration.
Amanda Buckingham, MBA | Senior Accountant and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Amanda Buckingham, MBA, recently joined CDS as a Senior Accountant in our Litchfield office and recently received her QuickBooks ProAdvisor Online certification. Prior to CDS, she worked in private accounting for over ten years. Amanda graduated from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Ridgewater College in Hutchinson, MN with a Liberal Arts degree, and Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota with a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She specializes in accounting, bookkeeping, outsourced accounting services, payroll, QuickBooks®, sales and use tax, and the construction and manufacturing industries.
Abby Anderson | Staff Accountant and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Abby Anderson recently joined CDS as a Staff Accountant in our Willmar office and recently received her QuickBooks ProAdvisor Online certification. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Abby specializes in bookkeeping, tax preparation, and QuickBooks®.
Abby Schaefer | Payroll Specialist
Abby Schaefer recently joined CDS as a Payroll Specialist in our Willmar office. Prior to CDS, she worked in payroll and bookkeeping for one year and customer service for over two years. Abby graduated from Minnesota State Technical and Community College in Moorhead, MN with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Accounting and a Payroll Specialist Diploma. She specializes in assisting clients with the preparation of their payrolls, tax deposits, quarterly and year-end payroll reports, and W-2 forms.
