News from Your Accounting Association

CPAmerica Advantage CPAmerica events in full swing: The Marketing

July 2017 Tech Corner with Randy Johnston P. 2

More than 20 CPAmerica members, staff and speakers attended the annual CPAmerica Marketing Roundtable in Las Vegas this June, conveniently co-located with AICPA ENGAGE.

There's no better view: The CPAmerica Marketing Roundtable attendees dined at AlizĂŠ, atop the 56 th floor of the Palms Casino & Resort in Las Vegas

They joined together from around the coun try for networking, member sharing, continuing professional education in the desert showplace at the MGM Grand Hotel. The roundtable started things off on Sunday with a dutch treat dinner at the highly-regarded Alize Restaurant (a Michelin star-rated establishment), located on the 56th floor of the Palms

Casino & Resort. Member News P. 3 A presentation from Jean Caragher from Capstone Marketing highlighted President's Corner - Alan Deichler P. 4 effective ways for firms to generate leads. The session focused on how accounting firms generate leads, particularly with digital and social media. Next Generation Track 2 speaker, Caren Rodriguez from member firm DMJ Lee Eisenstaedt, featured in & Co., PLLC and Nicole Gantz from member Accounting Today's Summer firm Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. helped Reading List finish up the roundtable with a pair of memNext Gen (August 6-8, 2017) ber sharing sessions. takes pride in offering rising stars with access to some of the Two CPAmerica member firms won industry's top speakers. One AAM-Marketing Achievement Awards in of our Next Gen speakers, Lee Las Vegas; Sol Schwartz & Associates, P.C. Eisenstaedt, was featured in Accounting Today's Summer won in the advertising category and Whaley Reading For Accountants list (see Hammonds Tomasello won a Members #4 for his book): https://tinyurl. Choice Award. com/yajkv6nz June was also the month where more Register for Next Gen: https:// than 100 members met in the elegant surtinyurl.com/ycynp7ah roundings of The Peabody Memphis in June for the CPAmerica A&A Conference in Memphis, Tenn. The meeting started with an optional pre-conference by Jim Woy of Anderson ZurMuehlen & Co., P.C., on non-

See CPAmerica events, continued on page 2

Spotlight on CPAmerica's new Preferred Provider: Kinetic Group LLC Their services include communications, branding & identity, proposal & presentation development and presentations on behalf of our professional services clients. Kinetic believes every company should connect with its target audience in a professional, distinguishing and compelling way. For more than a decade, Kinetic has assisted our clients to do just that, from developing memorable logos, websites and marketing material, to writing more than 1,000 proposals

Whether your firm has grown past its initial marketing and communications efforts or you do not have the appropriate level of in-house expertise, Kinetic can assist you in ensuring your public-facing identity and communications are modern, compelling and reflective of the firm you aspire to be. Our services also seek to ensure all of your communications are developed on a single thematic platform

and have a consistent voice and message. Because we have extensive experience working with professional services firms, our guidance and work product is tailored to your industry and needs. Kinetic is proud to offer CPAmerica firms a complimentary review/analysis of your brand identity and marketing material, as well as 15 percent off Kinetic’s rates for services, up to $2,500 in total credit. Please contact Brian Milder via e-mail

See Preferred Provider, continued on page 2

Tech Corner with Randy Johnston

CPAmerica events, continued from front

Social Media - An Engagement and Marketing Strategy

2017 Marketing Roundtable and A&A Conference profit and governmental accounting & auditing. The opening day of the A&A Conference saw David Chitt y (Crowe Horwath International) talk on the topic of false assurance, John Alfonsi of member firm Cendrowski Corporate Advisors, LLC, speak on fraud and forensics, various member sharing breakout sessions, and an Executive Committee review. The following day featured Jennifer Wilson of ConvergenceCoaching, LLC, speaking on the topic of retention and Wayne Kerr of Audit Watch with CPAmerica's Art Winstead giving an audit update/member sharing session. On the last day of the conference, Art Winstead led a 2016 chair recognition, Wayne Kerr ran an accounting update/member sharing session, and Randy Johnston of NMGI gave a new technologies demo before Art Winstead wrapped things up with his Monday Morning Action Plan. The 2018 A&A Conference is set for Bal Harbour, Fla., and the Marketing Roundtable will be in Portland, Ore.

Ernie Tyler of Tyler, Simms & St. Sauveur and CPAmerica President Alan Deichler

The Peabody Memphis was the setting for the A&A Conference in June.

Want your CPE? Better ask Vice President of Services, Grace Horvath.

Rich Hirschen of Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP and Ted Funk of VonLehman & Co., Inc. take in the A&A Conference

How does your firm measure up with content generation? Marketing attendees want to know.

Director of A&A Art Winstead leads the troops at the 2017 A&A Conference

Sharon Thompson and Catherine Palmisano (Hughes, Snell & Co., P.A.) with Tracee Buethner (Widmer Roel PC) at A&A

Alright, alright, alright - Marketing swag show-and-tell at the Marketing Roundtable!

Preferred Provider, continued from front at: bmilder@kineticgroupconsulting.com or phone (323) 8046058 to get started. For more information on our full portfolio of brand identity, business-to-business marketing support and external and internal communications services, visit us on the web at: www.kineticgroupconsulting.com

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Social media should be one of the many channels you use to engage current and potential clients. We suggest that you use your website, email campaigns, mailing, and other branding activities in conjunction with the primary social media tools. But before you invest time and effort, consider your vision or why you care about social media. In this article, we’ll spend time crafting a strategy, provide an overview of the major media including: blogs, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. We’ll also discuss metrics, tools needed, and some useful reference materials. Ultimately, clients don’t really want you, they want your services to solve business problems. Some of your new competitors know this. The problem is that Millennial clients are looking for solutions to accounting problems. Where are they going to find their accountant? Will it be in Yellow Pages, phone books or on the radio? I doubt it! The majority of younger clients use social media or referral from friends/other clients of the firm to find you. You must be where clients look for them to find you! Those places may include Social Media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) as well as traditional referral partners (banks, attorneys) or from your web/online presence. Keyword-optimized original content and linked social media is a great way to raise your rankings in the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) engines so your web site and message is found. If you have written original content, it can be repurposed into a monthly/quarterly newsletter inexpensively. Your website must be mobile-friendly and tablet-friendly. If you’re not mobile, you don’t exist. Creating a Strategy Be thoughtful about your goals and objectives. What is your message and timetable? Here are some example message types: • Our (products, people, service, pricing) is/are (better, smarter) (faster, better value) than the competition. • Testimonials: Share praise from clients with others. • We’re different. Come see why and join us. • We’re sorry. Tell us why we blew it and let us make it right. • We have new products and services that will make you want to give us more of your money. • We are smart and want you to know that we are here if you have a problem you can’t solve yourself. • Call, email, or message us if you need an accountant. What are your goals? Take some time and examine what you want to get out of this. Is this to: • Service existing clients? • Communicate with different users than traditional media? • Build expertise and reputation? • Create “buzz” among influencers? • Do you want to engage members of the media? • Would you like to create a perception that you are cool, smart, well-connected, powerful, fun, or hard-working? • Are you looking to open new geographical markets? • Expand into additional vertical markets? • Cross-sell existing clients? • Build brand-awareness? This is Part 1 of 2 of Randy Johnston's (from NMGI) Tech Corner article on Social Media, to be continued in the next issue of the Advantage newsletter

Member News Wheeler Wolfenden & Dwares, P.A.'s website presented with Gold Award

fourth year in a row,” said Chip Helme, managing principal.

Member firm THF announces new hires, certification

Above: The WW&D CPAs website

, with headquarters in Wilmington, Conn., has been recognized for the firm’s website by the Hermes Creative Awards and the Delaware Press Association. Hermes Creative Awards presented the firm with a Gold Award in the Professional Services Website category. With nearly 6,000 entries from across the U.S., Canada, and 35 countries, the Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. Delaware Press Association’s Communications Contest gave accolades to the firm’s website with a First Place Award for the writing of the site’s “About Us” page. The DPA Communications Contest encourages and rewards excellence in communication.

The Washington Post awards Thompson Greenspon a 2017 Top Workplaces honor

Fairfax, Va.-based member firm has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor

by The Washington Post . The firm was ranked ninth out of 65 in the Small Companies category; 150 organizations were selected in total. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including alignment, execution, and connection, to name a few. “It is with great pride that Thompson Greenspon announces it is a Washington Post Top Workplace for the

(THF), welcomed Alexander Frey, Lauren Sackreiter, and Tim Icardi to the firm. Frey attended Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. He received his bachelor’s in accounting and then ALEX FREY his MBA in accounting. He will work as a staff accountant in the Assurance Services Department in the firm's Tampa office. Sackreiter attended Florida State University and received her LAUREN SACKREITER bachelor’s in accounting and finance. Sackreiter has two years of experience in public accounting and is a CPA. She will work as a staff accountant in the Assurance Services TIM ICARDI Department in the firm's Tallahassee office. Icardi received his bachelor’s and master’s in accounting from Florida State University. He has two years of experience in the accounting industry and will be serving as a staff accountant in the Tax Department in THF's Tallahassee office. All three are members of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) and Sackreiter is also a member of the AICPA. THF also congratulated John Spence on becoming a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. He received his bachelor’s in accounting from Flagler College and serves on the Tax Services Team. Spence is also a member of the FICPA.

Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. to receive Good Neighbor Award from CPC Behavioral Healthcare

,a leading accounting and profitability consulting firm headquartered in Tinton Falls, N.J., announced its recognition as a Good Neighbor by CPC Behavioral Healthcare (CPC) during the Bermuda Nights Benefit this July. “As an organization that prides itself on giving back to the community where we live and work, Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. is honored to receive the Good Neighbor Award from CPC,”

said Stephen Reed, CPA, PSA, CGMA, managing director of the firm's Tinton Falls office. CPC is a community-based, nonprofit healthcare provider serving the Monmouth County community since 1960.

Gollob Morgan Peddy annouces Rising Star, Leadership Tyler graduates during their 35th year

Member firm , with headquarters in Tyler, Texas, expressed their appreciation to their clients and staff for their support as the firm celebrated their 35-year anniversary. When the company was founded in 1982, they had high hopes for a successful venture. Through the patronage of clients and the hard work of each member of the GMP family (past and present), that success has been realized. GMP also congratulated Stephanie Morgan, CPA, for being selected by the Texas Society of CPAs as a 2017 Rising Star. Only 24 accountants throughout the state were selected. She was chosen based on her contributions to the accounting profession and her community. Morgan is a Leadership Tyler graduate and serves as the chairperson for the TSCPA’s Young CPA Committee. GMP is proud to announce that Daniel Gamez and Ben Watson have completed the Leadership Tyler Core Program for 2017. The mission of Leadership Tyler is to equip leaders to enrich the community. Accordingly, its programs are designed to help graduates understand the critical issues affecting the regions and the leadership and stewardship capabilities necessary to resolve them.

GYL Decauwer welcomes Papotta to their team as principal

GYL Decauwer, with headquarters in Ontario, Calif., welcomed David Papotta, CPA, to their team as a principal of the firm. Papotta brings more than 20 years of experience within DAVID PAPOTTA multiple industries. Some of his expertise includes: nonprofit, construction, agriculture, real estate and more. Papotta also offers clients in forensic accounting with fraud investigations and due diligence. Papotta is a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and California society of CPAs.

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President's Corner: An update on your association's Strategic Plan In the fall of 2011, the CPAmerica board of directors determined the need for a new strategic plan for the associat ion. It was built on our vision of “Improv ing through Sharing,” but for the A LAN D EICHLER P RESI D ENT first time, it laid out simple, documented expectations of members - that is: to continuously improve, make more money, strengthen relationships among member firms, and bring prestige to firms both domestically and internationally. The final strategy was approved by the CPAmerica membership at the Council of Members Meeting in September of 2012 and reaffirmed at a similar meeting in 2014. The most notable outcome of the January 2012 planning session that created this strategy was the Visitation Improvement Program (VIP) acting as a major tactic of the new strategy. With more than 70 VIP meetings in the books, the program has exceeded all expectations in providing yet another venue for member sharing. Besides VIP, the current strategic plan is made up of four additional supporting tactical plans; The Good Members Guide, Heightened Awareness for Continuous Improvement, Expertise Connections, and a Top 10 Relationship plan. Each has been supported by specific programs resulting from the strategic planning effort. It’s been nearly six years since the board determined the need for an updated

strategic plan. Your current board of directors has decided to review the current strategy and consider staying the course, updating the plan, or replacing it with a new strategic plan. To that end, the board conducted its first preliminary session looking into potentially changing the strategic plan on June 12 of this year. Michael Platt (of The Platt Group and INSIDE Public Accounting) shared his views with the board regarding the future of both firms and associations in the coming months and years. The objective of this session was to prepare the board to better determine the direction of the association and whether to update the strategic plan. Another similar session will be held on September 25, 2017 in Washington, D.C., just prior to the CPAmerica Leading Partner Retreat. Executive Vice President – Firm Services for the AICPA, Mark Koziel, will provide his point of view to assist the board in its strategic planning preparation.

a sidebar on our homepage to allow all members to provide suggested direction and approaches for the association. We look forward to your thoughts and ideas. The determination or confirmation of an organization’s direction is a very important time for any entity. As CPAmerica is a member-driven association, it is even more important to get your thoughts and ideas. Please take the time to give us your opinions and feel free to reach out to any of us here at CPAmerica.

The current plan is to conduct a strategic planning session this coming January at CPAmerica headquarters in Gainesville. In addition to the new board members that will be elected in September, 2017, the board has invited this year’s retiring board members to join the group. Sam Allred will facilitate the planning session as well as add his perspective. In the coming months, the board will be reaching out to leading partners for the annual board member calls. They will be using this regular call to seek further input. In addition, we are planning to add

2017 Crowe Horwath International Annual Meeting Chicago, Illinois October 29 - November 1

104 N. Main St. Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 727-4070 www.cpamerica.org

This meeting presents the opportunity to spend time with other International members and further develop strong relationships in the Windy City, a.k.a. Chicago, Illinois Send feedback and member Cross-border meetings designed to strengthen your international business

advantage@cpamerica.org

OHM

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