04 2017 CPAmerica Advantage newsletter

News from Your Accounting Association

CPAmerica Advantage member sharing: The foundation of CPAmerica Whether you’ve been a CPAmerica International member firm for a short period, or even a member for more than 25 years, you know by now that our foundation is dedicated to helping accounting firms improve through sharing.

We’v e all witnessed this at CPA mer ica event s, sha ring calls and surveys, and on more than 35 discussion lists.

It’s what sets us apart from other associations.

West Coast meets Northeast

In June of 2015, San Francisco-based member firm, DZH Phillips LLP (DZH), needed assistance with some due diligence for a manufacturing company that one of their clients wanted to acquire in New Jersey. CPAmerica President Alan Deichler recommended that Stella Leung, senior tax manager of DZH contact Stephen Reed, shareholder-in-

charge of the Manufacturing & Distribution Services Group at member firm Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A., (CG Team) located in the firm’s Tinton Falls New Jersey office.

After DZH and the CG Team discussed the client’s needs, the CG Team conducted an onsite visit of the manufacturing facilit y and an extensive interview with the owner that identified several areas of concern. One being the lack of inventory accounting, costing and controls. The bigger issue uncovered during this onsite visit was an unfunded pension liability in the amount of $300,000 that was not disclosed and not recorded as a liability.

April 2017 Accounting Today's Top 100 P. 2 Member News P. 3 President's Corner P. 4

Crowe Horwath International ranked eighth largest professional services network

Crowe Horwath International (CHI) is now ranked as the eighth largest global professional services network, as reported by the International Accounting Bulletin’s (IAB) 2016 World Survey results: https://tinyurl.com/mrcq3xl Also, 18 new member firms were added in 2016, bringing CHI's global reach to 129 countries across 764 offices.

See Member Sharing, continued on page 2

Northeast Regional Meeting - Gale Crosley of Crosley+Company will The Berkshire town of Lenox, Massachusetts will set the stage for this year’s CPAmerica Northeast Regional Meeting, taking place on June 2. Gale Crosley, CPA, founder and president of CPA consulting company Crosley+Company, will be the headlining speaker at this year’s meeting - her credentials include being selected as one of the most recommended consultants in the INSIDE Public Accounting Best of the Best for 13 consecutive years as well as being named to the Top 100 Most Influencial People in Accounting by Accounting Today.

Enhancing strategies for growth are fundamentally important for firms to continue to best serve their clients.

Building upon this idea at the Northeast meeting, Crosley will be covering the topics of new directions in strategic planning, modern growth approaches for your firm, and how to become a business developer. Crosley said, “There are many good ideas to drive revenue, but they are only opinions. Those that result from listening to the market have the best chance for success.”

The Northeast Regional meeting’s elegant accommodations will be at the Cranwell

Spa and Golf Resort; however, the group rate will only be available until May 10, so b o o k in g early will ensure you are able to receive the special rate (be sure to reference “ C PA m e r i c a ” when booking your room).

G ALE C ROSLEY

OF

U l t i m a t e l y , C ROSLEY +C OMPANY C PA m e r i c a ’s objective for this regional meeting is to See Northeast Regional, continued on page 2

Accounting Today, the premier publication of the certified public accounting industry, recently named 13 CPAmerica International firms as national and regional leaders in their March 2017 Top 100 listing.

Accounting Today presents its 2017 annual report as an editorial

Northeast Regional, continued from page 1 help your firm grow by providing a forum where members can share best practices and take in and bring back the concepts

supplement to the magazine's March issue. The 2017 rankings are based on 2016 net revenue.

CPAmerica congratulates the following firms on their recognition:

FRAZIER & D EETER , LLC , headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., ranked 56 in the Top 100. Frazier & Deeter, also a leader in the Southeast region, saw revenue growth of more than ten percent in the past year. In 2016, the firm was named an Accounting Today Best Firm to Work For. Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C., headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa, moved up four spots to rank 61 in the Top 100. Honkamp, also a leader in the Midwest region, saw revenue growth of more than 16 percent in the past year. In 2016, the firm merged and expanded their decision support services. Aldrich Group, headquartered in Salem, Ore., ranked 85 in the Top 100 and was recognized as a regional leader in the West region. In 2016, the firm rebranded from AKT and opened an office in Seattle. DZH Phillips LLP, headquartered in San Francisco, was recognized as a regional leader in the West region and saw a revenue growth of more than seventeen percent. Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., was recognized as a firm to watch and as a regional leader in the Capital region and saw a revenue growth of more than four percent. Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP, headquartered in Canton, Mass., was recognized as a regional leader in the New England region with a revenue growth of more than seven percent. Kushner LaGraize, L.L.C., headquartered in Metairie, La., was recognized as a regional leader in the Gulf Coast region and saw revenue growth of more than 25 percent. Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., headquartered in Holyoke, Mass., was recognized as a regional leader in the New England region and saw revenue growth of more than four percent. Maxwell Locke & Ritter LLP, headquartered in Austin, Texas, was recognized as a firm to watch and as a regional leader in the Southwest region and saw revenue growth of more than five percent. Teal, Becker & Chiaramonte, CPAs, P.C., headquartered in Albany, N.Y., was recognized as a regional leader in the Mid-Atlantic region and saw revenue growth of more than four percent. Thomas Howell Ferguson,P.A., headquartered in Tallahassee, Fla., was recognized as a regional leader in the Gulf Coast region and saw revenue growth of more than 13 percent. VonLehman & Company, Inc., headquartered in Fort Wright, Ky., was recognized as a regional leader in the Southeast region and saw revenue growth of more than six percent. Wegner CPAs, headquartered in Madison, Wis., was recognized as a regional leader in the Great Lakes region and saw revenue growth of more than 13 percent.

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explored at the event. Crosley has been instrumental in helping accounting firms create high-growth cultures and thus make an environment that encourages increased earnings – so come to this event and help your firm “Improve through Sharing.”

Member Sharing, from page 1 The CG Team connected the DZH client with a local law firm that assisted with the acquisition. The law firm helped the client find protection by suggesting an alternative approach, satisfying the issue of the unfunded pension liability. This allowed the client to purchase the manufac turing company without the threat of the uncertain withdrawal liability.

This interaction from the very beginning with CPAmerica’s president, to member sharing, to the recommendation of the law firm, to the client acquiring the manufacturing company took less than three months.

The CG Team did not bill for the time spent with this cli ent, as well as the referral made to the local law firm, “We look at it as an investment in helping out a fellow CPAmerica firm and hopefully, it not only helped their client, but also helped strengthen their relationship with their client by demonstrating the resources that they have at your disposal through CPAmerica membership,” said Reed.

Leung said she only recently learned that The CG Team did not bill the client, and in turn she has given them a new client referral, continuing their member sharing relationship.

Leung said, “Carol and Stephen took great care of our client and their efforts are much appreciated.”

Reed added, “It’s not about the money – it’s about relationship building. And doing the right thing makes a solid long-term relationship.”

For more member sharing opportunities, go to CPAmerica’s Upcoming Events, Activities and Member Sharing Opportunities website page at: http://www.cpamerica.org/News-Events/Conferences-Webinars-Calls

Member News

Wegner CPAs announces two new partners to the firm

Member firm , headquartered in Madison, Wis., announced the appointment of Mike Hablewitz, CPA, and Yigit Uctum, CPA, CFE, MBA, as the newest partners of their firm.

As an integral part of the firm's growth and development since MIKE HABLEWITZ 1999, Mike Hablewitz specializes in working with a variety of nonprofit organizations, including health and human services, religious organizations, trade organizations, and labor unions.

As a key team member with more than 12 years of auditing experience, Yigit Uctum focuses on working exclusively with taxexempt organizations and leads the firm's YIGIT UCTUM nationwide Form 990 preparation practice. He also manages their New York office.

Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A.’s Reed joins Rowan University Accounting Advisory Board

Stephen Reed, CPA, PSA, CGMA, and managing director of Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A.’s Monmouth County office, has joined Rowan University’s Accounting Advisory Board which provides an external perspective on curricular development, and advises on emerging trends in the practice and development of accounting. Board members are nominated by the faculty and selected by existing board members.

A cum laude graduate of Rowan University, Reed’s experience has allowed him to help his clients achieve goals and create wealth for almost 30 years.

Reed is a member of the N.J. Business & Industry Association, the Association for Operations Management, the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, the Northeast Spa & Pool Association, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, the Eatontown Industrial Park Association, Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey and the Oilheat Association of South Jersey. He is also a member of the AICPA and NJSCPA and is licensed to practice in both New Jersey and Florida.

Frazier & Deeter announces new partners

announced that three members of the firm, Jennifer Gruner, CPA; Jodi Prevost, CPA; and Brandon Sherman, CISA, were all elected to partner.

Gruner is a partner in the Tax Practice in Atlanta and has more than 15 years of public accounting experience and is one of the leaders of the firm’s Real Estate Practice. She specializes in tax compliance for real estate developers, builders, investors in commercial real estate and the individual partners of those firms. She received her bachelor's in commerce and business administration from the University of Alabama.

Prevost was named a partner in the Audit Practice in Atlanta. Prevost has 10 years of experience in public accounting and is one of the leaders of the firm’s Forestry Practice. She is an expert in timber and timberland audits. She received her bachelor's in management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Sherman leads the firm’s Process, Risk & Governance Practice. Sherman specializes in designing and assessing risk assurance and consulting solutions to a variety of organizations. He assists U.S. companies in managing their technology, business, regulatory compliance, and cyber risks. He received his MBA and bachelor's from the University of Mississippi.

CPAmerica Next Gen participant named a Forty Under 40

Sarah Robinson, a partner at

(TBC), has recently been named to the Albany Business Review’s list of 40 Under Forty. The award honors 40 professionals in the Capital Region who are SARAH ROBINSON under 40 years of age for their outstanding business achievements and community influences.

Robinson, 38, is the third TBC employee to receive this accolade and she recently was one of a few firm members to attend CPAmerica's Next Generation Conference. She was selected among a small group of future leaders around the country to be immersed with more than 80 up-and-comers in the principals of success in a public accounting firm.

Robinson joined the firm in 1999, after receiving her bachelor's in accounting from the College of Saint Rose and passed the CPA exam two years later.

WEC announces promotion of Groover to shareholder

Norfolk, Va.-based member firm

recently announced Richard Groover, CPA as the firm's newest shareholder.

Groover joined WEC in 2007. His primary areas of expertise include attestation engagements and merger and acquisition consulting. He leads WEC’s Manufacturing & Wholesale Distribution and Retail and Franchise Service Teams. His client RICHARD GROOVER base is heavily focused in auditing and consulting with U.S. subsidiaries of foreign-owned companies.

Groover graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor's in business administration with a concentration in accounting and a master's in accounting.

Member firm Baum, Smith & Clemens, LLP receives top rating

– Gary T. Schultz, CPA, managing partner of Lansdale, Pa.-based , announced the firm’s successful completion of its 13th independent peer review of the quality control system of its accounting and auditing practice.

A peer review, performed every three years by CPAs from other firms, is conducted in accordance with standards established by the Peer Review Board of the AICPA. Schultz noted, “We believe the completion of 13 successful peer reviews since our voluntary membership in the program in 1978 ... speaks to the firm’s commitment to the highest standards of quality."

MBK announces promotions, new hire Holyoke, Mass.-based

(MBK) announced the promotion of Kara Graves, CPA, to manager and Joe Vreedenburgh, CPA, to senior associate.

MBK also welcomed Nathan Nicholson as a tax senior associate.

Graves has spent the last six years developing a skillset with a focus in MBK's Commercial Audit Niche. She earned a bachelor's from Roger Williams and a master's from Western New England University.

Vreedenburgh has been with MBK since 2014 and earned his bachelor's at the University of Washington and holds a master's from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Nicholson has a range of experience and he holds a bachelor's in accounting from Siena College.

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President's Corner: Sometimes, a little thing can have a big impact.

You never know when you are going to make a n i m p ac t on s ome one .

Over the years, I have relearned this often.

Sometimes the lesson is a large one and sometimes it’s a small one.

A LAN D EICHLER P RESI D ENT

Recently, a friend who is a retired surgeon asked me if I would like to play a round of golf at his club in Jacksonville, Florida (a twohour drive from my home). I was invited to fill out a foursome. The other players were all important folks – my friend was on the board of a publicly traded company and one of the other players was that company’s CFO. The final player was the wealth management advisor for the CFO and was someone of significant influence. Then there was me.

anything. He had an awareness of highprofile people and had important clientele, too. I did enjoy learning about his world and I was doing a lot of listening. Inside, though, I was feeling a bit out of my element and didn’t want to say anything stupid.

All four of us were competitive and playing hard. The surgeon and CFO were playing against the wealth manager and me in a “friendly” match. My partner was having some trouble on one hole and getting a bit frustrated. For those of you that compete, this can be a sensitive moment, as you want to encourage, but also don’t want to compound the problem by irritating your playing partner who is dealing with issues.

mean a lot to the recipients.

You are probably in similar positions throughout your day (at work, with a client, or at home), and whether you are dealing with subordinates, superiors, family, or friends, there are opportunities where what you say can make a difference. It’s not like we can prepare for these moments other than to become more aware of them and be willing to share. You never know when you can make an impact – big or small – on someone’s day or life.

I said to him something like, “Don’t worry, there will be a lot more golf.” A small, harmless little phrase that was all I could think of. I meant that he shouldn’t worry too much about that hole.

I do my best in situations like this to ask my companions a good amount of questions about themselves. This does a couple of things. First, it helps me understand potential points of commonality. Often times, this can lead to an interesting conversation about their answers. Second, it beats staring at each other and I don’t have to try and start a conversation that might go in a lonely direction.

Later, after we finished the round and were seated at a table in the clubhouse, he leaned over to me and told me that what I said to him back on the course “was impactful.”

I was a bit taken back. It was one of those throwaway comments, yet it had been impactful to him. He told me my comment made him slow down and think about what he was doing and that if the hole or round didn’t work out as he had planned, there The pairings in this round of golf teamed would be other holes in this match or even the surgeon and CFO in a golf cart, while I more rounds of golf to be played. rode with the wealth management advisor.

I started asking him questions and it was Once again, this helped me to realize that quickly obvious I was not there to be sold little words and phrases that we share can

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