03 2018 advantage final

News from Your Accounting Association

CPAmerica Advantage One hundred years of service in Alabama:

March 2018 New member: Hertz Herson P. 1

anniversary in 2018 The year was 1918. World War I was at an end, Woodrow Wilson was president, and CPAmerica member firm , was founded by Mayer W.

[what we have done as a firm]. Our clients and our community have allowed us to serve as long as we have and they have contributed to our success.

BOD Meeting, Member News P. 2, 3 Member Services - Grace Horvath P. 4

Celebrating 40 years of Improving

Aldridge Borden's founder, Mayer Aldridge, and his certificate No. 2 from the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy

Aldridge in Montgomery, Alabama. Throughout 2018, the firm will be celebrating their platinum anniversary. We spoke to Rhonda Sibley and Dane Floyd, both partners at Aldridge Borden, about the firm’s history.

Sibley and Floyd said, "We recognize that we haven’t stayed around for a hundred years just because of

"Every month, in order to show our appre- Through Sharing at CPAmerica ciation, we have at least one event planned that is focused on the community or on our clients. In February, our staff will go out in the community and perform what we call ‘random acts of kindness.’ In May, we are sponsoring a [document] shredding and device disposal event for our clients to dispose of their old cell phones, computers and documents. In July, we are going to visit First Responders in our community and provide a Above: 2007 saw Frazier & Deeter, meal or other items that they normally have LLC, founding partners Jim Frazier to purchase out of pocket. In September, we (l) and David Deeter (plus a beluga whale) celebrating the firm's will host lunch & learn events for our clients 25th anniversary at the Georgia and the community to come and learn about Aquarium in Atlanta. current topics. As an example, we’ve talked about presenting information regarding cybersecurity, See 100th anniversary , continued on page 2

New Member Snapshot: Hertz Herson CPA LLP Hertz Herson CPA LLP

477 Madison Avenue New York, New York Tel: (212) 686-7160 | Fax: (212) 532-6487 www.hertzherson.com

Hertz Herson CPA LLP was founded in New York City during 1931.

Their services industries include: apparel/textile; broker-dealer; distribution and import; professional services; real estate; technology; manufacturing (non-apparel); food & beverage; cosmetics/packaging; and service organizations/family trusts.

Warren Kissin | Managing Partner| warren.kissin@hertzherson.com James Pellen | Partner, Firm Administrator, IT Network Administrator | james.pellen@hertzherson.com Brian Gloznek | Partner | brian.gloznek@hertzherson.com David Meyers | Partner | david.meyers@hertzherson.com Eli Perl | Partner | eli.perl@hertzherson.com Vincent Oliva | Partner | vincent.oliva@hertzherson.com

Headquarters:

Mark Cuccia | Partner | mark.cuccia@hertzherson.com

New York, New York

Trish Eldred | HR Director, Marketing Director | tricia.eldred@hertzherson.com

CELEBRATING:

This is part 2 of the Military Spouses article with Erin Kidd of Thompson Greenspon from the Feb. 2018 Advantage issue. To read part 1, go to: https://tinyurl.com/y7mktl7d

2018 CPAmerica Board of Directors Meeting In attendance at the 2018 Board of Directors Meeting were (above, l to r): Brad Steward (Pulakos CPAs, PC); John Lauer (HBL CPAs, P.C.); Tim Arter (Brickley DeLong, PC); Joe Ciccarello (Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP); Frank Monaco (415 Group); Greg Hammonds (Whaley Hammonds Tomasello Accountants & Advisors); Bob McGowen (McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith, P.C.); Don Cowan (Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A.); Sharon Thompson (Hughes, Snell & Co., P.A.); Brian Malthouse (VonLehman & Company, Inc.); James Barrett (Meyers Brothers Kalicka); Kevin McGrath (CEO of Crowe Horwath International); David Mellor (CEO-elect of Crowe Horwath International); Ernie Gelpi (Kushner LaGraize, L.L.C.); CPAmerica President Alan Deichler; and CPAmerica Vice President of Services Grace Horvath.

The CPAmerica Board of Directors convened and were welcomed by Alan Deichler and staff during their opening meeting of 2018. The meeting was held mid-January in Gainesville, Florida, and the event wrapped up with a strategic planning session.

The next scheduled meeting of the board takes place on April 23 and will be conducted via teleconference.

100th anniversary, continued from front page which is an area that’s very important to us. In November, we will have a food drive and a Christmas store drive for local charities that have above normal needs during the holiday season."

Aldridge Borden has been a part of Alabama’s accounting history since its beginnings and has adapted with the times. Sibley and Floyd commented, “Our firm’s founding father, Mayer Aldridge, was the recipient of CPA certificate number two for the

state of Alabama and was instrumental in starting the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy.”

"In the 1950s, Aldridge admitted a couple of partners, Charles Jones and John Borden. Another milestone occurred in 1962, when the firm admitted its first female partner and first in the state of Alabama, Julia Hasson. She was very special and influential to the firm. She retired in 1980 after 18 years with the firm as a partner.

"When you think about our firm being around for a hundred years, [technology and computers] have been major events for See Aldridge Borden, continued on page 4

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... “Also, the USO has a program called Pathfinder (www.uso. org/programs/uso-pathfinder) that helps military spouses and active-duty service members in transition between duty stations (or to civilian life), find employment. All these programs are excellent resources to help firms deal with compression.”

One of the assets of hiring a military spouse is their flexibility, and with the technology available today, there is no reason to avoid hiring a military spouse simply because of geography.

Seasonal and remote workers are excellent solutions to help ease tax season compression.

We asked Kidd to elaborate on the ability of military spouses to work remotely. She said, “Finding employment as a military spouse is such a pervasive problem. In the Army (My A screenshot of the husband is active-duty military), the services of many of the programs on post are staffed primarily by military spouse volunteers. We (military spouses) use the job skills we have to support these programs because we can’t find available employment.

“Working remotely often fits with the lifestyle of a military spouse. Service members are on call 24/7, and it can be difficult to count on them to be available for daily life due to their service obligations. Coupled with moves every few years, it can be a challenge for a military spouse to keep career momentum going.”

Internet connectivity helps to keep the career train moving for military spouses. Kidd said, “Given where technology is and where it is going, the time has never been better to start remote worker programs. They allow firms to maintain consistency with employees, relieve compression during filing season, and support our military families.

The people using these services are motivated, adaptable and willing to work hard – they want to show you that they are careerminded … employers are getting value for this.”

Kidd is program manager for an individual tax program at Thompson Greenspon and part of the job involves oversee ing remote preparers that are also military spouses called the Military Spouse Remote Preparer Program (MSRPP). We asked her how the firm supports her efforts with the MSRPP and she said, “They have been very open to the opportunity. They have supported the time I have spent training, coordinating and creating an inclusive environment for the participants. Thompson Greenspon has not balked at all; they have asked what they can do to help make [the MSRPP] happen. I couldn’t ask for a better team behind us. They encourage me to go out to networking events to talk to people and let them know more about the program. It’s almost a beacon of hope. This is our firm’s take on how to deal with compression in our 1040 clients in particular and capitalize on an under-utilized resource.”

As our firms head into tax season, keep in mind that there is a military spouse with the credentials for every position out there; one just may be a perfect match for you.

CELEBRATING:

Member News Frazier & Deeter names five new partners to the firm

New board members elected to Gray, Gray & Gray charitable foundation

The Gray, Gray & Gray Charitable Foundation, a non-profit organization affiliated with member firm , an accounting and business advisory firm headquartered in Canton, MA, has elected five new members to its board of directors. Joining the board (photoed above, l. to r.) are: Laura Pollis (Marketing Department); Carly Minsker (Tax Department); Abigail Rosen (Client Services Department); Meagan Hall (Tax Department); and Colby Dondero (Tax Department).

The mission of the foundation is to make a difference by actively supporting causes impacting the health and wellness of the community. The foundation has raised funds for many worthy causes over the years, and Gray, Gray & Gray team members are actively involved in local charities, community organizations, Chambers of Commerce, and outreach groups such as Italian Home for Children, Department of Children & Families, Greater Boston Food Bank, and Ronald McDonald House Charities, among others.

Iowa member firm acquires Gabelmann & Associates

Dubuque, Iowa-based member firm, (HK), a Top 100 CPA and business consulting firm in the U.S., acquired Gabelmann & Associates, located in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Jon Thoms , HK’s partnerin-charge of the Quad Cities market, said, “Our firms have a good cultural fit, passion for client service, and are excited JON THOMS to continue to grow our presence in the Quad Cities together.”

William (Bill) Gabelmann, former partner of Gabelmann & Associates, and now partner with HK, adds, “This new partnership allows us to greatly expand our services through the HK family of companies BILL GABELMANN with a continuation of the personalized and professional service from all existing Gabelmann & Associates team members.”

, announced that Ashley Babinchak, Patrick Crouch, Gina Gondron, Robert Soares and Sasan Zamani were each elected to partner.

Babinchak, Crouch and Soares have become partners in the firm’s Audit Practice. Gondron is a partner in the Process, Risk & Governance Practice and Zamani is the newest partner in the Tax Practice.

Ashley Babinchak, CPA, is the leader of the firm’s Audit Practice in Nashville, Tenn. She is primarily responsible for providing assurance services to clients.

Babinchak specializes in the industries of manufacturing and distribution, healthcare, technology and professional services. She received her bachelor's in accounting from Oglethorpe University and MBA (specializing in accounting) from Mercer University.

Patrick Crouch, CPA, plays a leadership role within the firm’s technology practice in the Tampa office. He specializes in complex revenue recognition, equity transactions, and stock–based compensation. Crouch received his master's of accountancy from the University of Georgia and bachelor's in economics & business administration from the Rhodes College in Tennessee.

Gina Gondron, CIA, CISA, is a member of the firm’s Atlanta office and leads the delivery of IT audit and advisory services to clients across a variety of industries with emphasis in healthcare and technology. Her specialties include leading audits of IT general controls, SOC examinations, and assessments across a variety of compliance and control frameworks (HIPAA, HITRUST, ISO 27000, GDPR, NIST, and cybersecurity).

Gondron received her MBA from The University of Georgia and bachelor's in information systems and decisions sciences from Louisiana State University.

Robert Soares, CPA, specializes in performing attest engagements for privately held businesses and has significant experience in servicing publicly traded companies. His industry clients include construction, contracting, franchisors, manufacturing, professional services and hospitality. Soares received his bachelor's in accounting from California State University and is member of the firm’s Tampa office.

Sasan Zamani, CPA, specializes in corporate tax planning and compliance, income tax, partnership tax and transaction advisory services. He serves clients in a variety of industries, such as healthcare, technology, private equity, manufacturing & distribution and professional services. He received his master's from

Georgia State University and bachelor's from Auburn University. Zamani serves a leadership role in the firm’s Nashville office.

Hawaii firm, N&K, announce new managing principal, principal, and manager

Honolulu, Hawaii-based member firm, , has named Blake S. lsobe, CPA, as managing principal of the firm. He joined the firm in 1999 shortly after receiving a bachelor's from BLAKE ISOBE the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Isobe became a principal of the firm in 2013 and is also a Chartered Global Management Accountant. His areas of expertise are in assurance, accounting, tax, and management consulting services.

N&K also announced that Ying Yan Chen has become a principal of the firm. Chen received a bachelor's in accounting, finance and international business, and a master's in accounting from the YING YAN CHEN University of Hawaii at Manoa. She was awarded her Hawaii CPA certificate in 2008. Ying has more than 12 years of experience in public accounting and is well versed in corporate, partnership, trust, and international taxation, as well as individual tax planning.

N&K also has promoted Lawrence Wang to manager in its Assurance Services Division. Wang LAWRENCE WANG graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a bachelor's in accounting in 2011 and joined N&K in 2013.

New director for Florida member firm , a professional accounting, assurance, and tax services firm, headquartered in Tallahassee, Fla., welcomed Ben A. (Steve) Stevens to their Assurance Services Department.

Stevens, a Pensacola native, attended Florida STEVE STEVENS State University and earned a bachelor’s in both accounting and finance. He is a licensed CPA and will serve as a director in the Tallahassee office. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

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From Member Services: Leaders Achieving Change While 2018 is a milestone year for the association as we celebrate our 40th anniversar y, it is no different from any year at CPA merica where we are wrapping up the planning of the events Grace Horvath and opportunities that Vice President of Services await you upon conclusion of your season. When we worked with our planning committees on this year’s theme, “Leaders Achieving Change,” the idea of going beyond thinking about change and making it happen was the main thrust for driving content. We batted around many catchy and proactive slogans, but they lacked meaning beyond the intent to improve. Despite the development of powerful agendas and a dynamic campaign illustrating 40 years of impact, we strove to find a simple way to say what we really meant. The ingredients of this year’s events will help you go beyond embracing the change to achieving it.

2018 meetings provide a balance of alwaysneeded technical training such as revenue recognition at the A&A conference and untangling tax reform at the Tax Conference with ever more important “soft topics.” Each meeting will include high interest areas like people management and development, introspective workshops on emotional intelligence, being a highly effective person, and in-depth looks at what technology disruptions really mean to your firm and your opportunity to evolve from practitioner to advisor.

There have been significant changes to the popular Next Generation Conference this year. First, the meeting takes place in May at the request of the target audience who told us summer was a challenge for

many with young families. Then we added a pre-conference day focused on leadership appropriate for more advanced attendees.

Finally, a career progression path is more evidently laid out beginning with Intro to Next Gen for successful 4-8 year seniors and managers to gain insight to what makes firms successful and to their own potential in the profession. Next Gen Advanced delves further into leadership, management and business development skills designed to provide progressive skill building with an annually changing agenda. It is important to sign up early for these meetings with the hotel deadline falling so shortly after tax season.

The Leading Partners Retreat and the Firm Administrators Roundtable will enjoy something new, with the entire first day dedicated to joint sessions aimed at helping firm leaders become change agents. All attendees will complete a DISC profile to help reduce communication barriers that are hampering real change in the firm.

There will be a 360-degree review of trends in the profession to provide perspective to the future along with nationally recognized Best of the Best peers sharing how they have posit ioned t hemselves to be t he t rendset ters.

CPAmerica has two all-new offerings this year because of member demand and needs identified through VIP. Outsourced Accounting Group and New Partner Group will have their inaugural meetings contiguous with the Tax Conference in November. These initiatives formed as solutions to help firms enhance their business model and to provide customized entrepreneurial grooming for newer owners who need advanced skill sets to feed the success of the firm.

agendas each feature prominent consultants in pract ice management, business development, technolog y a nd c ybersecur it y.

Attendees will glean information that helps them to formulate actions for creating accountability, developing top performers, creating new service lines, and cultivating client selection and service intended to withstand changes to the profession.

We know you “embrace” change. We have heard you say that you know the writing is on the wall and you have every intention to change. Many of you are working on it, extremely hard and with some success, but we still hear your need for the tools to enact the change. Between close listening and the thoughtful input of your committee peers, this year will deliver tools for you and your team to “recognize the opportunities, identify the best approach and make change happen.”

Three regions will meet this year whose

Aldridge Borden, continued from page 2

us. The first major technology transition in our era happened in the early 1980s and as a result of that, it ended up causing our firm to split. Apparently, we had some partners that didn’t want to invest in that type of new technology. Hindsight is 20/20, but that was a pretty big issue in those days."

We asked the partners what Aldridge Borden’s biggest accomplishment has been.

Floyd said, “You mean other than being around for a hundred years? (laughing) To me, it’s the positive impact that we’ve had

on the lives of the people who have come through our firm’s doors, whether that be employees or clients. We still keep up with some of the folks who have [worked] here and seeing their success beyond Aldridge Borden and knowing we were a part of that foundation is something that we are proud of. Having an opportunity to be involved with and a part of good clients and good personnel that work with you – that is ...

Stay tuned for part 2 of this article in the April Advantage newsletter and find out about Aldridge Borden's core values and its secret to success.

Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 727-4070 www.cpamerica.org

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