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About Us

Firm History

LeRoy Vogel founded the firm in July, 1974 when he moved his young family back to his and his wife's home town of Bowling Green, Missouri. At that time LeRoy identified a need for professional accounting and tax services in the rural agricultural community, so he acquired a small accounting and tax practice, and hung out his shingle. Since that time the firm has and continues to steadily grow one client at a time. LeRoy's daughter, Lisa Scherder, joined the firm in the summer of 1990 when she and her husband likewise moved their young family back home. Most recently, Craig Bowen, joined the firm in the fall of 2004 when he and his wife also moved their young family back home. On January 1, 2010 Craig purchased the firm from LeRoy, LeRoy continues to work at the firm to service his clients tax and accounting needs.

Craig E. Bowen, LLC, CPA's is a home town firm staffed with home town people who have all worked in cities for some of the largest CPA firms in the world, but chose to live and rear their children in a smaller family oriented community. Although most of the firm's clients are located in northeast Missouri, the firm has grown over the years to serve tax clients located throughout Missouri and from coast to coast. The firm uses the most current technology to communicate with and provide competent, timely services to its widely geographic client base.

Craig E. Bowen, LLC, CPA's is committed to your success. We make it our business to know your business well enough to improve your tax position, capital position, business structure and benefits packages, acquisition potential, and much more. We earn our fees by adding value to your company and to your asset base. We have learned a great deal since we began in this business, and we are ready to apply this knowledge to enhance your company's growth and success. Together we can conquer all of the intricacies of doing business in today's fast-paced economy. We are looking forward to working with you.

Our Staff

Our history is built on a tradition of service, technical expertise, and innovative thinking to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world. The experience and academic credentials of our partners and staff provide you with the expertise of larger firms, while our commitment to superior customer service offers a personal, one-on-one approach.

Our Team

Craig E. Bowen, CPA

craig@cbowencpas.com

After graduating from the University of Missouri, Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy in 1996, Craig joined Ernst & Young, LLP in St. Louis where he also interned during college. In 1999 Craig accepted a position with Williams Keepers, LLC, a large regional CPA firm, in Columbia, Missouri. His experience with the business needs of small to medium sized company clients of Williams Keepers led him to a corporate controller position at Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. in 2001. In September 2004 he moved his family back to his hometown of Bowling Green, Missouri.

Craig is excited to be back in a small town environment and believes his accounting knowledge coupled with his "real life" business experiences will be beneficial to both him and the firm. Craig and his wife, Amy, have two elementary school aged children.

LeRoy Vogel, CPA

leroy@cbowencpas.com

After graduating cum laude from the University of Missouri, Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accountancy in 1966, LeRoy joined the St. Louis office of Price Waterhouse & Co. Six years later he was promoted to audit manager, and transferred to their Washington, D.C. office. In 1973 he and his family moved back to St. Louis where he formed and managed the corporate internal audit department for Pet, Incorporated. In July, 1974 he moved back to his home town of Bowling Green, Missouri and founded the firm of which he is sole member.

LeRoy's areas of expertise include income, estate and gift tax consulting, planning and preparation for individuals, fiduciaries, partnerships and corporations. His clientele includes farmers, agribusinesses, and numerous other local businesses ranging from automobile dealerships to wire rope inspectors and splicers. For over 20 years he has participated in the annual Computers on the Farm Conference sponsored by the University of Missouri, Columbia. LeRoy and his wife of 40+ years, Margie, have three grown children, all of whom are CPA's, and nine wonderful grandchildren.

Lisa A. Scherder, CPA

lisa@cbowencpas.com

Lisa is a 1983 graduate of Bowling Green High School and a 1987 graduate of the University of Missouri, Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. Upon graduation from college, Lisa joined the St. Louis office of Price Waterhouse and worked in the small business department. Three years later she moved back home to Bowling Green to live, work for her father, LeRoy, and raise her family.

Lisa's professional areas of concentration include general ledger services, payroll services and income taxation of individuals, partnerships and corporations. Her clientele is diverse and includes the local livestock auction barn, feed store and grain elevator, used automobile dealerships, and many other local businesses and individuals. Lisa and her husband, Kevin, own and operate a small family farm on which they raise cattle, hogs, and sheep. They have been married for over 15 years and have three children.