News from your accounting association
Shaping Future Leaders: Insights from the Next Gen Experience
For more than a decade, CPAmerica’s Next Generation (Next Gen) Conference has been helping to shape and guide the future leaders of our member firms. Although the meeting has continued to grow and innovate throughout the years, the mission has remained the same since its inception: to help successful seniors and managers think more about the big picture of their firm and the next steps in their career. CPAmerica’s board of directors has also found so much value in the program that they voted to extend one complimentary registration to each member firm indefinitely.
November 2025 IN THIS ISSUE:
► Shaping Future Leaders: Insights from the Next Gen Experience
► Preferred Provider Spotlight - Blue J
► International Group Meeting
► Member News
► CPAmerica Insights –Sophy Mott
the firm and the role she can play in its future.
“Before I attended, it seemed like the partnership track was one lane, like this is what you do and this is how you do it, but through Next Gen, both intermediate and advanced, they start making you think about several other tracks,” shared Stenberg. “For example, you don’t have to be super technical in everything to advance, and you don’t have to do all the client outreach for your firm. You could focus on internal things, like taking the lead on recruiting, training and staff retention. So, it helped teach us that there’s more than one door to go through, if that partnership track is something you’re interested in.”
the opportunity to connect more with peers during her second year. These connections have proved to be valuable to get feedback, provide support and celebrate successes.
She touted the various networking and social events throughout Next Gen as great places to continue these crucial conversations with fellow attendees.
We spoke with one of many outstanding program participants, Julia Stenberg, audit manager at Widmer Roel, headquartered in Fargo, N.D., about her experience. Stenberg has been with Widmer Roel for five years and has participated in Next Gen for the last two years, taking part in one year each of our intermediate and advanced tracks.
“For me, it really helped flip the switch of moving into that ‘firm first’ mentality,” said Stenberg. “Next Gen really gives you that background understanding of ‘ok, this is why we do what we do, or this is what the partners are communicating to us.’”
Throughout her two years in the program, Stenberg said that attending Next Gen helped her to think more strategically about
Speaking with the presenters and other attendees also helped to provide another perspective and opportunity to learn.
Stenberg credits industry-leading Next Gen speakers, such as Jeremy Clopton from Upstream Academy and Julie McPherson from The Rainmaker Companies, as leaving an impression long after the meeting came to a close.
“Just hearing Jeremy go through the process of moving from preparer to a trusted advisor, with clients but also within the firm, clicked with me,” said Stenberg. “If the firm is investing in me and I’m already doing much of this stuff, how do I keep progressing in my career? I also loved that so many of the presenters had a background in public accounting.”
Stenberg shared that after being a bit more introverted in her first year, she took
“I’ll bounce some things off of my new connections every once in a while, and it’s even better when you meet people who work in the same industries as you, because then you really can get that outside perspective on any shared issues,” said Stenberg.
At Widmer Roel, they make the investment to send about five team members to the Next Gen Conference each year. When the team returns, they each have the opportunity to share their experiences and report back on what they learned during their teamwide staff meeting in July.
“During the meeting, we can take up to 30 minutes to present on what we learned or what we’re bringing back from the conference, and answer questions from others. This helps others at the firm have an idea of what to expect at the conference,” said Stenberg. “We had five attendees last year, so we had quite a bit to share that we went over our time. I think the partners also really appreciate seeing the impact that attending this meeting has
See Next Gen, continued on page 2
Interview with Julia Stenberg, Audit Manager, Widmer Roel CPAs & Business Advisors
Julia Stenberg
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Amplifying Client Success: The Strategic Role of CPAs in Tax Year 2025
By: Jerry Hammel, CPA, Shareholder, McGuire Sponsel
As we celebrate the October 15 deadline and look ahead to planning season, the ability for CPAs to build stronger client relationships hinges on proactive, strategic tax planning. By engaging clients early, ongoing conversations about planning and strategy allow you to offer greater value and insight into opportunistic tax-saving measures.
Recent changes in tax legislation due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) have placed CPAs at the forefront of helping clients understand and capitalize on specialty tax opportunities in tax year 2025. These opportunities, such as international compliance and transfer pricing, cost segregation, property tax, and R&D tax credits, not only provide substantial financial benefits but also serve to deepen advisory relationships. By guiding clients through the complexities of these areas, CPAs will position themselves as strategic partners in their clients’ ongoing business growth and development.
The introduction of OBBBA signifies a landmark shift in tax legislation, bringing both challenges and opportunities. Advisors must stay informed and adaptable, guiding their clients through changes such as the
reinstated 100% bonus depreciation, 174 expensing opportunities, and the evolving parameters of the R&D tax credit. This proactive stance is crucial for ensuring businesses remain compliant, competitive, and taking advantage of maximizing all available tax deductions.
Specialty tax strategies are more than compliance tools—they’re drivers of growth. Teams that proactively identify opportunities and offer actionable insights strengthen client revenue and retention while boosting firm success.
Partnering with a firm like McGuire Sponsel can amplify your advisory impact. Acting as an extension of your team, we provide specialized expertise to support complex tax planning, enhance client relationships, and elevate financial outcomes. Request a copy of our Planning Guide for Tax Year 2025 for a comprehensive roadmap, or register for the upcoming eight-part Specialty Tax CPE Insight Webinar Series for the 2025 tax year.
article.
For more information, email lara.bean@bluejlegal.com or visit www.bluej.com/partnership/cpamerica.
on their up-and-coming staff.”
Stenberg is looking forward to attending Next Gen for another year. While reflecting on her experiences so far, she shared that in the future, she’ll plan to get down to breakfast a little earlier for some one-on-one conversations with the presenters. Furthermore, she looks forward to building deeper relationships with peers and keeping those connections for years to come.
“Looking back, I wish I would’ve stepped out of my own comfort zone earlier on, especially during the intermediate track. So, I would definitely stress the importance of making sure to not only talk with fellow attendees from your firm, but to also speak to others, because that’s where the value is really going to come from,” said Stenberg.
Next year’s Next Gen Conference will be held June 10-12, 2026, in Seattle, Wash. For additional questions about her experience, please contact Julia Stenberg at jstenberg@wr.cpa.
Upcoming Event Dates Scan this QR code for complete event information, a full list of events and to complete your registration.
DMJPS PLLC welcomes three new partners
DMJPS CPAs + Advisors, a U.S. Top 200 North Carolina CPA and advisory firm, is proud to announce the promotion of Robin Bennett, CPA, Eric Smith, and Samantha Suozzi, CPA, to partner. By lending their talents and demonstrating their commitment as partners at DMJPS, they reinforce the firm’s continued growth with leadership presence in Sanford, Wilmington, and Concord, while further strengthening DMJPS’ leadership in tax, education, and advisory services. Bennett specializes in tax planning and compliance for closely held businesses, highnet-worth individuals, estates, and trusts, and is based in the firm’s Sanford, N.C., office. Based in the DMJPS Concord, N.C., office, Smith leads the firm’s education services, charter schools niche, bringing more than 20 years of experience serving nonprofit, government, construction, and familyowned business clients. Leading the DMJPS Wilmington, N.C., office, Suozzi focuses on tax services for industries including retail, professional services, and real estate. With the addition of these three new partners, DMJPS continues to advance its presence across North Carolina while expanding its service line expertise to support people, clients, and communities across the state.
THF is proud to recognize multiple recent promotions
Assurance Services Team: Brandon Mott has been promoted to shareholder & director of Quality Control; Catherine Stout has been promoted to shareholder & director of Assurance Services; Jennifer (Moore) Turner and Nathan Harmon have been promoted to manager; and Ruby Liu, Emma Miller, Emily Mayer, Anna Fraga-Boettger and Bryan Lassen have been promoted to senior professional. On the internal client services team, Skylar Bunch has been promoted to billing specialist. Finally, THF recogizes the following promotions on the Government Consulting Services Team: John Beall and Brittany Bechtel have been promoted to senior manager; Chris Smith, Ryan Hagen, Michael Horne and Jacob Allen have been promoted to manager; Rachel Halleen, Tim Robbins and Nathan Mutty have been promoted to senior consultant; Mark Caamano, Allison Muckerman, Amanda Seymour and Roan Swesey have been promoted to consultant II.
and giving back. Gray, Gray & Gray donated $1,000 in support of the race sponsor, the Canton Association of Business and Industry Charitable Foundation. “Our involvement in the Canton Road Race is about more than running – it’s about strengthening the bonds within our community,” said Jim DeLeo, leading partner at Gray, Gray & Gray. “It’s inspiring to see our team members, neighbors and friends come together for a cause that directly benefits so many local organizations. The impact we make together is truly rewarding.” Over the past 21 years, the Canton Road Race has become a cornerstone for local philanthropy, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Canton Association of Business and Industry Charitable Foundation. Every dollar raised goes directly to support vital local charities, including the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children (formerly the Massachusetts Hospital School), Canton Police and Fire Departments, and the Canton Food Pantry. Additionally, they are pleased to welcome the following new team members: Juliana Agnitti, Anastasios Aslanidis and Sairy GonzalezAmador join the firm as tax staff accountants; Ailish Barry joins the firm as Sage Intacct senior consultant; and Cameron Winters joins the firm as audit staff accountant.
Matthews, Cutrer & Lindsay CPAs welcomes new team member
Packer Thomas celebrates recent team promotions
Packer THomas, the Canfield, Ohio-based certfied public accountant and business consultant, has announced recent promotions across the firm. Jeff Davidson has been promoted to principal; Audrey Altiere, Olivia Hippely and Elizabeth Nutter have been promoted to senior accountant; Courtney Mausser has been promoted to CAS senior; and Angela Fink has been promoted to assistant marketing coordinator.
maTTHews, cuTrer and Lindsay cPas, headquartered in Ridgeland, Miss., welcomes to the team, Charla Thomas. Thomas joins MC&L as a staff accountant in the Audit Department, where her focus will be in auditing and attestation services for nonprofits, multifamily housing, and rural developments. She recently earned her Master of Professional Accountancy and is currently pursuing her CPA certification.
Haefele Flanagan welcomes new team member
THF, headquartered in Tallahassee, Fla., announced multiple promotions across departments. In the Tax Services Department, THF recognizes the following promotions: Stephen Andrews has been promoted to shareholder & director of Tax Services; Mitchell Topalian has been promoted to manager; and Jack Daffin has been promoted to senior professional. THF also recognizes the following promotions in the
Gray, Gray & Gray champions community spirit at 21st Annual
Canton Road Race and announces new hires
The energy was high and the community spirit even higher as a dedicated team from Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP, a consulting, accounting, and business advisory firm in Canton, Mass., laced up their running shoes for the 21st Annual Canton Road Race. The team joined nearly 500 participants in a day filled with friendly competition, camaraderie,
HaeFeLe FLanaGan, headquartered in Maple Shade, N.J., welcomes to the team, Jason Wallace Wallace joins Haefele Flanagan as a senior CAS advisor. With a strong background in accounting, Wallace empowers clients with the insights they need for confident, data-driven decisions.
Robin Bennett
Brandon Mott
Catherine Stout
Eric Smith
Samantha Suozzi
Jeff Davidson
Charla Thomas
Jason Wallace
Stephen Andrews
Coaching for Success: Elevating Next Generation Leaders
CPAmerica is based in Gainesville, Fla., aka an SEC Football HQ powerhouse (ok it’s been a bit, but still!); even if you’re not a “Gator” the recent drama swirling around head coach
Billy Napier’s $21M exit is hard to ignore, and illuminates the paramount importance coaching has in an organization and on its people.
Sophy Mott, Senior Member Services Manager
At its best, coaching inspires individuals to identify and realize their potential, helping them to be the best versions of themselves. CPAmerica member firms have notably demonstrated their commitment to their “career-coachable” team members, with 70% of firms participating in the Next Generation (Next Gen) Conference in 2025. The focus of this annual membership event is on those non-technical skills that are of utmost importance as firms position themselves to remain competitive in what is the constantly evolving playing field that is public accounting. The audience is (primarily) seniors through managers, with the common trait being the individuals have demonstrated their willingness to work hard and further not only their own success, but that of their firms.
While a successful coach needs to be adaptable, consistency is also key; by design, Next Gen has two distinct tracks. First-year participants are part of the intermediate track. With a consistent curriculum each year, Jeremy Clopton of the Upstream Academy facilitates this track. Clopton is well-known in the accounting landscape for both his depth of knowledge and dynamic presentation style. The intermediate cohort is steeped in sessions that prompt them to dig deeper and think more intentionally about their career and their place in the firm, like If You’re Looking for a Great Ride, Get in the Driver’s Seat and Creating Win/Win Client Relationships. For many attendees, this is the first time they have stepped away from their “day job” to focus on the non-technical side of the work, and the energy and conversations they bring to the table are kinetic.
The advanced track is designed for returning attendees; while there is always a more deliberate focus on leadership concepts and management skills for this track, because attendees may return multiple years, the content and presenters remain fresh. For instance, in 2026, Juan Carlos Lara, chief digital officer and regional executive, Américas of Crowe Global, will spend time with the advanced track to discuss how these senior and manager-level professionals can turn AI into a leadership
advantage. They’ll also “workshop” their reallife management challenges in a roundtable sharing session, How I Handled That
Another tenet of strong coaching is personal development, wherein the coach helps individuals identify not only their strengths, but also any behaviors that may unknowingly be obstacles to their success. Next year, the Next Gen Pre-Conference will focus on emotional intelligence, specifically how managers can improve understanding between team members and foster relationships to improve day-today communication across their business – skills that employers continually note as increasingly relevant. The Pre-Conference is open to both tracks, so participants have a chance to bolster their network at the outset of the conference before they move into their respective tracks.
Like most CPAmerica events, Next Gen alternates regions on an annual basis. We are excited to bring the conference to the Emerald City of Seattle in 2026, June 10-12. The vibrancy of this tech-forward, modern city will be an ideal backdrop for our next generation of firm leaders to come together and learn and develop relationships with like-minded peers in CPAmerica. And, since each member firm is eligible for one complimentary main conference registration, no matter WHAT happens in the SEC, firm leaders can be assured their investment in career-coaching will be a win! For more information about Next Gen, please reach out to Sophy Mott, senior member services manager at smott@cpamerica.org.
International Group Meeting
Fort Lauderdale, Florida | December 2-5
Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale Hotel
As global dynamics in tax policy, emerging technologies, and workforce strategies continue to evolve, the 2025 International Group Meeting offers a timely and strategic opportunity to stay ahead. Held December 2-5 at the luxurious Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, this premier event brings together professionals for an agenda packed with forward-thinking sessions on artificial intelligence, private equity, and transfer pricing. Beyond the technical sessions, attendees will engage in interactive member sharing roundtables, networking opportunities, and enjoy a meeting designed to foster meaningful relationships in a relaxed, coastal setting. Whether you’re looking to deepen your expertise, expand your global reach, or explore innovative solutions to today’s challenges, this event offers the perfect blend of professional development and personal connection.
Featuring these influential speakers and more:
Kamel Abouchacra, Crowe Global | John Garrett, John Garrett LLC
Juan Carlos Lara, Crowe Global | Anirban Basu, Sage Policy Group
Sean King, Align Global Consulting
Contact us at:
7555 W. University Ave. Gainesville, FL 32607 (352) 727-4070 www.cpamerica.org
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Send feedback and member firm news to: advantage@cpamerica.org