Names and faces

Jennifer Steube and Jen Rust have joined Synovus Financial Management Services in Sarasota. Steube is senior portfolio manager, Synovus Trust, and Rust is private wealth adviser, Private Wealth Management. Synovus Trust and Private Wealth Management are part of Synovus FMS, which provides financial services to clients across Synovus Bank's five-state footprint. Steube is a specialist in asset allocation, risk management, investment planning, and portfolio management. Steube holds a bachelor's degree in women's studies with an emphasis in finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a certified investment management analyst from the Wharton School of Business, and is a member of the Investment Management Consultants Association. Rust focuses on private banking, customized lending, and cash and portfolio management. She holds a bachelor's degree in business marketing from Kennesaw State University and has earned Series 7 and Series 66 licenses for securities.

James O. Fergeson Jr., J. Ronald Skipper and Richard R. Gans, shareholders in the law firm of Fergeson, Skipper, Shaw, Keyser, Baron & Tirabassi, P.A., have been selected for inclusion in the 2016 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Fergeson was recognized in the field of tax law, and Skipper and Gans for trusts and estates law. Gans was also recently named the Best Lawyers 2016 "Lawyer of the Year" for trusts and estates law in the Sarasota metro area, which includes Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch.

Michael J. Targia, CPA, has joined Shinn & Co as its an audit manager. Bringing more than 13 years of experience to his new position, he will be responsible for managing the audit and advisory services. Targia specializes in external audits for clients in a variety of industries including manufacturing and distribution, construction, not-for-profits and retail. He

has performed special consulting projects including, litigation support, fraud investigation, cost segregation studies and agreed-upon procedures engagements. He is also certified in forensic accounting. Targia previously lived in South Carolina and worked for a regional public accounting firm. He received his bachelor's degree from Johnson and Wales University.

Willis A Smith Construction Co. recently appointed Peggy Kronus as its public relations coordinator. Kronus comes from a real estate background with more than 20 years of experience in marketing, event planning, professional standards, and executive leadership support. Kronus will be primarily handling the firm's public relations, branding and events within the Marketing division.

This story was originally published October 11, 2015 at 10:04 PM with the headline "Names and faces ."