8 August 2025 CPAmerica Advantage Newsletter by CPAmerica, Inc.

News from your accounting association

Building Hybrid Culture Through Connection

August 2025 IN THIS ISSUE:

► Building Hybrid Culture Through Connection

► Preferred Provider Spotlight - Accountests

► Leading Partners Retreat & Firm Management Roundtable

► Member News

► CPAmerica InsightsMichelle Powell

Wegner CPAs (Wegner), headquartered in Madison, Wis., celebrated their 75th anniversary in 2024 and has a fairly large, dedicated team of professionals. With about 200 employees in more than 15 states, working in multiple offices, from home, or in a hybrid of the two, it is imperative for their team members to stay connected.

Glenn Miller, Wegner’s managing partner for more than 15 years, shared that one way they engage remote and hybrid employees is through their annual all-staff meeting and family picnic. These events are a time for their full team to come together to share important updates and news, celebrate accomplishments and have some fun. These events are attended by the entire Wegner team, and their family members and significant others are also invited and encouraged to attend the picnic.

“Flying in our remote people and having them stay for several days is so valuable. These are people that we’ve hired who live in South Carolina or other states and have never been to Wisconsin, they get the opportunity to meet people in-person and build connections with colleagues. They are all looking forward to next year’s picnic.”

Through these events, employees are able to have crucial in-person connections with their staff located all over the country. While Miller set the agenda and leads the all-staff meeting, he works closely with the administrative team to plan the rest of the events, allowing for a lot of leeway and creativity.

“I set the agenda for the staff meeting, but the

admin team is really creative, and they do a fantastic job putting these events together,” said Miller.

The structure of their annual meeting continues to evolve, this year they will be celebrating milestone anniversaries with the firm, including employees who have been there for 10, 20, 30 and 35 years. Additionally, they will take some time to celebrate their people who have passed the CPA exam in the last year, and a retiring partner.

with office hours and other things for staff questions.”

Miller shared that he loves getting feedback from his staff and has implemented suggestions from team members into subsequent events, like celebrating these employee milestones.

“On of our people’s spouses attended the picnic last year who works with a Big Four firm outside of Wisconsin,” said Miller. “He shared how cool he thought the family picnic was, and also that his firm doesn’t do anything like that. It’s so nice to get everybody together and I think our people really appreciate the firm making the investment in everyone being there.”

In addition to their annual meeting and picnic, Miller leads quarterly “Ask Glenn” virtual sessions to give employees the space to bring up what’s on their mind and get their questions answered. Questions can be submitted by team members themselves or anonymously through their human resources team. It’s also an excellent opportunity to communicate updates with the whole staff.

“Really learning our trade can become a challenge when your team is remote and not working together,” said Miller. “I think we’ve learned this now and so we’ve committed a lot more training resources for our staff. Essentially taking auditors, tax people and accountants out of production and instead of serving clients, making them available

“I think that’s been really well received so far. The thing that we’re really trying to focus in on is how do we make better accountants and how do we advance them, because that is a challenge,” continued Miller.

When asked if he has any advice for fellow leading partners working with hybrid and remote teams, Miller shared, “We have so many great people that if they had to move to Wisconsin to work for Wegner, they wouldn’t do it. I think being open-minded to having remote employees is important because you get access to great people that you wouldn’t otherwise get. We’ve even had some people who have left because of a significant other’s job change, so if we weren’t a remote firm we wouldn’t be able to retain that person.”

Miller went on to explain that while he loves having people working in the office full-time, it might not be best for their work-life balance. Sharing that if an employee lives about 30 miles away, it may take 45 minutes each way to get to their office. That’s an hour and a half that a working mom or dad could be spending with their children. At Wegner, staff members have shared that they value the flexibility and ability to work remotely as a top benefit.

If you have any questions about Wegner’s hybrid culture, please contact for Glenn Miller at glenn.miller@wegnercpas.com.

Glenn Miller

Interview with Glenn Miller, Managing Partner, Wegner CPAs

Wegner employees at their 2024 all-staff meeting, celebrating their 75th anniversary

Preferred Provider Spotlight Accountests

Accountests helps you take the guesswork out of hiring by providing reliable and easy to use skills tests, ability assessments, and personality profiles designed specifically for accountants, enabling you to hire quickly with confidence.

Finding the right accountant is crucial to your firm’s success. While a candidate might talk the talk in interviews, how can you be sure they have the technical skills to perform or whether they will fit into your existing team?

Tests are tailored to a wide range

Why Use Accountests?

Every Accountests test delivers an objective and comprehensive report, measuring candidates’ real abilities and traits for success, helping you:

• Identify skilled candidates who match your job requirements

• Avoid costly hiring mistakes

• Make smarter, evidence-based recruitment decisions

Exclusive CPAmerica Member Offer

CPAmerica members receive 20% off all Accountests products.

For more information, please visit www.accountests.com/pages/ cpamerica, call 331-343-5542, or email ashley@accountests.com.

Leading Partners Retreat & Firm Management Roundtable

Napa, California | September 16-19

The Meritage Resort and Spa

Join us for the annual Leading Partners Retreat (LPR) and Firm Management Roundtable (FMR), and enjoy exceptional agendas filled with transformative presentations, designed to inspire and innovate. Attracting and retaining talent, strategies to connect a multi-generational workforce, unleashing AI, the state of the profession and more will be covered by our expert speakers. Engage in interactive member sharing and seize the opportunity to network with leaders from your fellow member firms. The Meritage Resort and Spa provides the perfect backdrop for collaboration and connection in the beautiful Napa hills. Get ready for an outstanding week after which you will feel excited and invigorated. We can’t wait to see you there!

Talk to Ashley about how you can stack your CPAmerica discount on a subscription for even greater Upcoming Event Dates

Featuring these influential speakers and more:

Scan the QR code below for complete event information, a full list of upcoming events and to complete your registration.

career within the firm, becoming a director in 2018 and principal in 2020. She brings deep technical expertise and a collaborative leadership style to her new role, along with a strong commitment to the firm’s clients, people, and culture. Throughout her tenure, she has provided accounting, attest, tax, and advisory services primarily to auto dealerships and credit unions across New England. “Laura brings a strategic vision, energy, and proven leadership that will serve ARB well as we continue to grow and evolve,” said Cheri Walker. “Her deep understanding of our clients, our people, and the accounting profession make her exceptionally well suited for this role.” “It’s an honor to step into this role and follow in the footsteps of a leader like Cheri Walker, whose guidance has shaped ARB into the respected firm it is today,” said Everett. “I’m excited to build on that foundation and continue our focus on client service, employee development, and sustainable growth.”

LMC integrates Stephen A. Kepniss & Associates, P.C.

lMC, a leading New York City professional services firm and an Ascend platform partner, announced that Stephen A. Kepniss & Associates, P.C. (Kepniss) of Springfield, N.J., has joined the firm. The combination of LMC and Kepniss enables both firms to enhance the value they deliver to clients by expanding the range and depth of their service offerings, particularly in tax advisory, real estate-related services, and specialized planning for high-net-worth individuals.

“Stephen Kepniss and Richard Di Palma and their outstanding team bring three decades of highly sophisticated tax experience that will further expand our capacity to meet our clients’ increasingly complex needs,” said Lee M. Cohen, CEO of LMC and a member of Accounting Today’s 2023 MP Elite and Forbes’ 2025 Best-In-State Top CPAs. “Together, our talented professionals offer deep technical expertise and a shared vision for delivering meaningful client outcomes. This collaboration

is another demonstration of our commitment to excellence and the continued expansion of our value-added service portfolio.” Both LMC and Kepniss are deeply committed to providing white-glove service, maintaining the highest standards of accountability

workplace culture that promotes professional development and exceptional client service.

Wheeler Accountants, LLP announces partner promotion

is proud to announce Nick Satterfield, CPA, to partner, bringing the total number of partners

marks a significant career achievement for Satterfield, who began his journey with the firm as an intern in 2014. After graduating from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Satterfield joined Wheeler full-time in 2015. He went on to earn his CPA license and later complete a Master of Science in Taxation at Golden Gate University in 2020. Over the past decade, Satterfield has become a true partner to his clients, skillfully advising across various tax planning specialties including equity compensation, real estate investments, and retirement planning. “Nick is our third ‘home-grown’ partner, and the very first to rise to this distinction starting out as an intern over a decade ago,” notes Matt Wheeler, managing partner. “Over the past year in particular, Nick has truly stepped into the role of trusted advisor. Clients and referral sources alike have increasingly gone to him first, and he has become one of our most effective business developers.”

GYL CPAs and Advisors welcomes two new partners

GYl CPAs And AdvisoRs (GYL) is pleased to celebrate Joseph Chico and Sandra Steward on their well-deserved promotions to partner. Joseph Chico has served as a dedicated senior manager at GYL and is a passionate champion for exceptional client service. He embodies their firm’s commitment to delivering tailored accounting and business solutions that meet the unique needs of each client. Chico and his team expertly provide efficient and well-managed audit and attestation services to a diverse clientele across various industries, including for-profit,

nonpublic companies, nonprofit organizations, manufacturing/ distribution, and employee benefit plans. Chico excels at cultivating strong client relationships, which facilitates seamless audits and allows him to provide valuable year-round insights on accounting and regulatory matters. As a primary point of contact for our clients, he effectively communicates their service needs and specific requests to the appropriate team members. Sandra Steward brings over three decades of public accounting experience and a deep commitment to excellence to the GYL partnership, along with exceptional expertise, leadership, and client service. Steward founded her own firm in 1999 to provide highquality, timely accounting and tax services while upholding the highest ethical standards. She built a strong reputation across industries such as oil service, professional service, real estate, agriculture, construction, and entertainment. She began her career in 1994 in Bakersfield, California, gaining extensive tax litigation audit experience before launching her own practice. After relocating to Texas, she evolved into Steward CPA PC, serving clients throughout the region with a personalized approach.

TSS Advisors welcomes Patricia Morse

tss AdvisoRs (TSS), the largest professional advisory firm in the Upper Connecticut River Valley and a partner on the Ascend platform, announced that the accounting practice of Patricia H. Morse has been integrated into the firm. The combination links two firms with deep local roots, multi-generational clients, and strong people-focused cultures that have driven their success in serving individual and business clients in New Hampshire and Vermont. James Godfrey, CEO of TSS, said, “TSS is on a growth journey, and joining forces with Pat Morse and her excellent team is an opportunity for us to serve a larger portion of our region together. We strive to always bring new value to our existing clients, and we believe we can support Pat and her legacy clients with our growing portfolio of specialized services and technology capabilities at TSS. We are well-positioned to help our shared clients achieve their goals.” Morse said, “After 44 wonderful years of serving my clients and building relationships in this community, I’m proud to be joining TSS Advisors. Their values, commitment to personalized service, and forward-thinking approach align perfectly with the way I’ve always done business.” She and her team of eight professionals have joined TSS.

Nick Satterfield

Sandra Steward

Joseph Chico

Laura Everett

Highlights from CPAmerica’s Inaugural HR Roundtable:

strategies to help them do their jobs better and more efficiently. Most importantly, members finally had the opportunity to gather in-person and meet with other HR colleagues, building relationships that will last and grow into the future.

The April Roundtable placed a strong emphasis on HR-related challenges facing today’s accounting firms, with a focus on talent retention, handling difficult conversations, and fostering a resilient workplace culture.

A standout presentation came from Jim Link from SHRM, who shared where the accounting market was heading and how firms can prepare leaders to ensure success in the future.

Jim identified the top three HR strategic priorities that every HR professional faces at their firm:

• Recruiting

• Leadership & Manager Development

• Employee Experience

He also spent time on creating the “culture” you want your firm to be known for and how you can achieve that. His session was excellent, and one member commented, “the SHRM speaker was my favorite.”

Vicki Flier Hudson was exciting and inspiring. She taught members how to handle conflict and difficult conversations within the firm. Nobody likes to have these types of conversations, but she provided some real-world tips to help. Members loved Vicki’s practical approaches and techniques for managing these challenging situations. One great takeaway from Vicki: “Acceptance that those not aligned with our culture will never be aligned with our culture.”

interactive setting. We had two firms share their Leadership Development programs, and each firm had a unique perspective based on how long they’ve implemented these programs. Members listened closely because this is an area that every firm is focusing on and committed to developing. Another member-led discussion focused on one of the biggest concerns in the accounting industry: Recruiting and Retention. Everyone had an opportunity to share and discuss ways to help find the best people and retain those people, so every firm is set for success. Member sharing and collaboration is one of the foundations of CPAmerica, and this was on full display at the HR Roundtable.

April’s meeting laid a strong foundation for continued focus on the HR role and its importance within today’s successful CPA firm. Building on the momentum, members can look forward to next year’s Roundtable, which will delve deeper into more sessions tailored to small and midsized firms, as well as dual perspectives (large firm vs. small firm) on key HR and operational topics. Members also requested more practical HR content such as policies on workplace bullying, employee handbooks, and compliance issues. CPAmerica is excited about the future of the HR group and upcoming HR Roundtables. With strong support from our member firm’s leadership and CPAmerica’s CEO, Grace Horvath, we are confident this group will thrive.

One member commented, “Great conference--I will be back next year.”

Yes, we look forward to seeing everyone next year!

7555 W. University Ave. Gainesville, FL 32607 (352) 727-4070

www.cpamerica.org

The attendees at the inagural HR Roundtable at CPAmerica member firm, Frazier & Deeter’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia