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C. WOODSON WINFREE

C. Woodson “Woody” Winfree moved to the Columbus area in 1980 from New York City when American Electric Power (AEP) moved its corporate headquarters to Columbus.

Woody graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in business in 1979 from West Virginia University where he majored in accounting. Woody entered the accounting field when he was hired as an accountant for AEP. He worked in AEP’s tax departments in Canton, Ohio, New York City and Columbus.

Woody has continued his educational pursuits and has completed numerous advanced tax courses from the Master in Tax program offered by Cincinnati University, MBA courses from Dayton University as well as the continued education classes required for his CPA, insurance and securities status.

Woody has been a licensed insurance agent and a registered representative since 1997. He is a qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table since 2002 and a member of NAIFA.

Woody has also been very active in the Pickerington community. He has served as President and Treasurer of the area Chamber of Commerce. Other community involvement has included serving as Treasurer numerous times for the Pickerington Local School District funding campaigns. He also plays an active role as Treasurer and Head of the Grounds Committee for the local annual Violet Festival held in Pickerington each July for the past tem years. Woody is a member of his Church Admin & Finance committee and the Christian School Board. He has participated in foreign ministry outreach programs in Haiti and Honduras.

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RONALD E. RUFF

Ronald E. Ruff was born and raised in Lancaster, OH, graduating from Fairfield Union High School. He attended Ohio University part-time and in 1986, graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, while working full time in the accounting department at American Electric Power. Ron worked at AEP for seventeen years, fourteen of which were in the Corporate Tax department handling federal, state and local taxes. He received his Certified Public Accountant certificate in 1991.

Ron had operated a part-time, home-based tax preparation business since 1983. In 1995, he formed a partnership with Woodson Winfree and in 1996, opened the Lancaster office of Winfree, Ruff, and Associates, Ltd. The Lancaster office has experienced rapid growth in accounting and financial planning.

Within the Lancaster office, Ron began a financial planning business in 1997, where he is a Registered Investment Advisor and is licensed in several states for insurance and securities, holding Series 6 and Series 7 licenses.

Ron has also continued his educational pursuits by completing numerous advanced tax courses, as well as continuing education classes required for his CPA, insurance, investment and securities licenses.

Ron is a Member of Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, National Society of Tax Professionals, Million Dollar Round Table, and Professional Insurance Agents.

Like Woody, Ron is also very involved in his local community. He is a member of Lancaster area Chamber of Commerce, having served as Chairperson of the Coachmen Division of Chamber of Commerce. He has also been treasurer for various state and local political affiliations.

Ron is a member of his Church Board and currently serves as the church treasurer.

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Gary L. Bowen

Gary is a graduate of Miami University (Oxford, OH '85) BS in Business, Majors: Accounting & Finance

Gary has 19 years of public accounting experience. He has been with Winfree, Ruff & Associates 8 years (since 1997). His career began with Price Waterhouse Cincinnati/Columbus. Since then he has worked for regional accounting firm Hausser+Taylor, Columbus and various local firms.

Gary successfully completed all parts of the CPA exam in 1987.
Gary currently holds an Ohio Series 6 License-Mutual Funds and Variable Products.

Gary and his family live in Pickerington. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Shelley, and has three terrific children, Ryan, Chelsea & Jacob. Gary has been very active in the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce (PACC) where he has served as President, Board Chairman, Treasurer and Board Member. Gary currently serves as CFO of the Pickerington Athletic Boosters Club (PABC) where he oversees $800,000 budget of the organization.

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Jeffery R. Burrow

Jeffery R. Burrow was born in Columbus, OH, raised in Groveport and graduated from Groveport-Madison High School. He attended Ohio University, receiving an Associate Degree in Applied Business and graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. He received his CPA certification in 1995.

Jeff has worked in the accounting field for 25 years and has been employed with Winfree, Ruff, and Associates since 1996. He is an excellent accountant with a strong work ethic.

Jeff is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and continues his educational pursuits by completing continuing education classes required to maintain certifications.

Jeff continues to serve his community by being actively involved in the Lancaster Community Band where he plays trumpet in the band at numerous local events. He also performs volunteer work for Forgotten 4-Paws. Jeff lives in the Lancaster area with his wife Siqing Zheng (pronounced Soo Ching Jeng). An internet romance turned marriage.

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Rebecca S. Baughman

Rebecca Baughman was born and raised in Lancaster, OH, graduating from Lancaster High School. She attended Ohio University, graduated Cum Laude in 1982 with a Bachelor of Business degree. She received her CPA certification in 1985.

Becky brings with her, 20 years of public accounting experience and has been with Winfree, Ruff, and Associates since 1997, working in the Pickerington and Lancaster offices. She is an excellent accountant with strong work ethics. She shows a high level of integrity and enthusiasm in her work and with her co-workers. Becky is a member of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and continues her educational pursuits by completing continuing education classes required to maintain her certification.

Locally, Becky continues to serve her community. She is currently the Vice-President of the Board of Trustees for the Fairfield County District Library as well as for the Library foundation. She is a member of the Maple Street United Methodist Church and is on the Missions Committee, being part of an outreach program to Haiti. Becky is very involved in parental activities with her two children at Lancaster High School. She is past treasurer of the Lancaster Athletic Boosters Bingo and past manager of the weekly Booster's Bingo. Becky is also the owner of Baughman Promotions, Inc., dba Fairfield Promotions. Becky lives in the Lancaster area with Bill, her husband of 26 years and their two children.

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Bernard (Bernie) S. Eichner

Bernie is located in our Baltimore Office.

Bernie was raised in Columbus, Ohio where he attended Ohio State University.
His majors were Mathematics and Science. He and his wife of 42 years, Jan, are Pickerington residents of 32 years. He has three children and five grandchildren.

Bernie brings 23 years of personal tax and payroll experience to the firm. His has fifteen years background of management with H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt Tax Services as well as eight years with Automatic Data Processing (ADP). During his career he has taught various tax classes and written procedure manuals for employee training

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TracyLynn M. Mullins

Tracy was born and raised in Niagara Falls, New York and graduated in 1992 from The State University of New York College at Fredonia, with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. She began working for Winfree, Ruff & Associates in 1993 and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1995.

During her time at working at the firm, Tracy also began teaching accounting as a part-time adjunct instructor at Columbus State College. She was also a member of the Pickerington Chamber of Commerce.

In 1997 Tracy moved to Pennsylvania due to her husband Timothy's employment. Although she worked full-time as the Financial Accounting Manager and then the Fuels Accounting Manager for Sheetz, Inc. in Altoona, PA, Tracy also worked from home on some of the clients she had in Pickerington. This allowed her to maintain her relationship both with her clients and with the firm.

When Tracy and Tim began their family in 2000, Tracy left Sheetz, Inc. and came back to Winfree, Ruff & Associates full time. Although she was unable to transfer physically back to Ohio, Tracy has successfully maintained her home office with our clients for over six years. Because her office is in her home, she is able to provide her clients with service even when our office in Pickerington is closed. This has been a valuable asset to both Tracy, her clients, and our firm.

Tracy is currently a member of the American Institute of CPA's, the Ohio Society of CPA's and the Pennsylvania Society of CPA's. She is also a member of her Church Board. Tracy, Tim, and their daughter Brooke, currently reside in Cresson, PA.

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