News from Your Accounting Association
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N&K - Forty years in the Aloha State
he year was 1973. Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii was the first program to ever be beamed around the world by satellite, The Miami Dolphins won Super Bowl VII, and Richard Milhous Nixon was president. It was also the year that was founded by Sadao Nishihama and Glenn T. Kishida. With a staff of nine, the N&K firm started in a small office on Bishop Street in Honolulu, Hawaii, where they are still located today – albeit in a more updated and spacious form. The firm currently has six principals and more than 60 personnel, making it one of the largest CPA firms in the state.
The focus of the firm’s services has changed since 1973. In the beginning, N&K concentrated basically on audit and tax services, said Vicki K.H. Shinsato, office manager at N&K. Now the firm has five separate divisions and offers much more than just the traditional services; they now offer, management consulting, IT services, strategic planning, leadership training, succession planning, and estates and trusts, to name a few. Shinsato went on to say that the expansion and success of N&K through the years could be attributed to the vision for the future that the founders had for their firm. Nishihama and Kishida knew that they wanted the firm to grow into one of the largest firms in Hawaii and they provided the leadership to enable this growth to happen. The firm has had some watershed events along the way. From their start in 1973 as a basic-service accounting firm, N&K entered a new phase in the early 1980s when they separated and created distinct business, tax and audit service divisions, hiring people to
fulfill roles for each specific division. Later, in the 1990s, the firm hired consultants to train the staff in other valueadded services that they now offer to their clients. The 2000s saw the addition of Dennis Higashiguchi to the firm who brought the management consulting practice to N&K. They also formed their IT division during this time; this contrasts from the early days of the firm when things were still done on an electric typewriter. After 40 years, some things remain the same. The founders always considered N&K employees and their clients as the firm’s biggest asset. Looking to the future, it appears the firm’s current leadership agrees with the founders. As leading partner, Alton K. Miyashiro, said, “As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we also look forward to continuous N&K founders improvement in Glenn Kishida building an even better (standing) and firm in the future to Sadao Nishihama perpetuate our success and prosperity for another four decades and beyond.” One of the firm’s greatest accomplishments is that in their 40 years, they have withstood many sorts of economic storms and some very tough times with their clients without ever having to downsize. N&K is a long-time CPAmerica member firm and has had success by integrating the idea of continually improving through effective planning and action.
july 2013 2013 n.e. partners meeting P. 2
member news P. 3 president's corner P. 4
News from your expert services team Kathy McDonald, director of concierge services: Program planning has commenced for the second annual meeting of ‘new’ leading partners the day prior to the annual Leading Partners’ Retreat. This year’s meeting will be on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia. Any leading partner with 3 or fewer years’ experience in the role, or any partner about to take on the role of leading partner within the next 12 months, is encouraged to participate in the huddle. The meeting will focus on tactics for transitioning firm leadership and facing the challenges of firm management leadership, and will also focus on strengthening relationships among this group of new leading partners. For more information or to arrange participation in the meeting, contact kmcdonald@cpamerica.org or jarthur@cpamerica.org Linda Harding, director of tax: Harding has been working with the Repair Regs Committee and an outside provider to develop tools for members to utilize in the implementation of the Repair Regs. Art Winstead, director of A&A: During the last month, Winstead referred two member firms to other member firms for the development of response proposals to submitted RFPs. The member firms receiving the RFPs needed assistance and were able to work with another member firm and successfully submitted well-received response proposals.
2013 CPAmerica Northeast Partners Meeting More than 25 CPAmerica members met in June for the CPAmerica Northeast Partners Meeting held this year in Providence, R.I. Joe Tarasco of Accountants Advisory Group, LLC, and Paul Gerry of Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP, went over the topics of staff development, family practice management, and firm growth retention. David Graling of Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs, and David Wolfenden of Wheeler, Wolfenden & Dwares, P.A., covered succession planning - getting the right fit for your culture and also CRM. Tom Condrasky of McLean, Koehler, Sparks & Hammond, and Bill Finnecy of Malin, Bergquist & Company, LLP, spoke on business development - LinkedIn and networking groups.
CPAmerica would like to thank our Northeast Partners Meeting facilitators. Pictured above, l-r: Joe Tarasco, Tom Condrasky, Bill Finnecy, Paul Gerry, David Graling, and Dave Wolfenden
Providence, Rhode Island, site of the 2013 Northeast Partners Meeting
Are you LinkedIn or are you out of the loop?
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ow that summer is here and tax season a distant memory, many of our CPAmerica members can focus on the expansion and marketing
recommendations can also be added in this manner. It is worth noting that your
ways to do this is to create a LinkedIn is a professional platform that you can use to research and engage prospective clients. By contacting, interacting and supporting people in groups, you build a relationship and exposure organically. Because LinkedIn is its own search engine, the exposure. CPAmerica has formed its own group by typing in “CPAmerica� in
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our group, you can connect with
LinkedIn is important when it comes to whether or not a potential client or prospect you. like-minded association members. by posting articles and sharing your opinions, the more you can position yourself as a thought leader.
successful marketing. You want to way where you convey who you are, what your services are, and how your
Using LinkedIn can also raise your SEO ranking. You can link back to you are sharing on your LinkedIn company page. You can also easily syndicate any blog
LinkedIn and our CPAmerica group on the site are free and easy ways exposure you want.
Member News NYSSCPA elects Milisits to board of directors
The New York State Society of CPAs has elected Michael Milisits of New Jersey member firm, , to serve a three-year term on their board of directors. Milisits joined the A&A department at Hunter Group in December 2004. He was promoted to supervisor in 2012. An experienced professional with expertise in MICHAEL MILISITS audits, reviews and compilations, Milisits works with businesses in the food manufacturing, commercial real estate, chemical manufacturing and management company industries. Milisits holds a bachelor's in accounting from St. Thomas Aquinas College and is treasurer for the Rockland Chapter of the NYSSCPA.
Baum, Smith & Clemens, LLP awards scholarship the Lansdale, Pa.-based accounting and business advisory firm, announced this year’s winner of the Travis Bechtel Scholarship. The scholarship is named in honor of a former employee who died at JAMES CLEMENTS a very young age while working for the firm. The scholarship was awarded to James Clements, a 2013 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, who excelled in academics, sports and business. Clements will be continuing his education at Lehigh University where he plans to major in the CSB Dual Degree Program (Computer Science and Business).
HPG sponsors HUB Raleigh Raleigh, N.C. member firm, , a Triangle-based CPA firm serving the financial management needs of local, multi-state and international businesses, as well as their owners, announces its sponsorship of HUB Raleigh. The organization provides access to flexible, affordable office space, as well as helps entrepreneurs to build a support network. As part of the sponsorship, HPG will provide quarterly lunch and learn sessions to help HUB Raleigh members understand and improve their accounting and financial management procedures. The first event took place in late May. HUB Raleigh is designed to provide an environment that empowers, fosters, and cultivates companies that produce long-term job growth and positive social impact.
Come join your fellow CPAmerica members from across the country at one of these events.
For more info, log in at: www.cpamerica.org > news-events > events
You can network and earn CPE credit at any of our great venues.
David Di Matteo Receives District Award of Merit Buffalo, NY firm, , announced that David Di Matteo, partner, recently received the District Award of Merit from the Boy Scouts of America - Greater Niagara Frontier Council. The award is given to a volunteer for service to youth in excess DAVID DI MATTEO of five years and who has rendered noteworthy service to youth in scouting, outside of scouting, or both. David has been involved with scouting for almost 25 years, serving in a leadership role for Troop and Pack 400 in Hamburg, NY.
Albrecht, Allison, McEntire Selected as 2013 Five Star Wealth Managers San Antonio, Texas member firm announced that Jeff Albrecht, CPA, managing shareholder, Bennett Allison, CPA, shareholder, and Bill McEntire CPA, JEFF ALBRECHT shareholder, have each been selected as a 2013 Five Star Wealth Manager. Texas Monthly joined with Five Star Professional and identified the wealth managers in Austin, San Antonio, and Central Texas region who provide exceptional BENNETT ALLISON service and overall satisfaction as indicated by clients, peers, and industry experts. The 2013 Five Star award winners are a select group of fewer than 7 percent of wealth managers in the Austin, San Antonio, and Central Texas region. BILL MCENTIRE
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President’s Corner: A pipeline to new growth The act of conducting a regular and new business development pipeline meeting might be all that it takes to spur your firm into growing in 2013. ALAN DEICHLER, PRESIDENT
Pipeline meetings are usually simple meetings with an objective of reviewing a firm’s new business development activity. There are a few basic components that will provide the highest return of the participants’ time investment. The first and foremost component is that the pipeline meeting must occur on a regular basis. Participants must know, for example, that every Monday morning at 9 a.m. or every second Tuesday at 8 a.m., they will meet and be asked for an update concerning their prospective clients. The regularity of these meetings will ensure activity prior
to the report in the meeting - no one wants to admit that they haven’t made any effort at advancing their prospect since the last meeting. The second component is that each pipeline meeting must have a plan. The plan can be as simple as saying: “I will call the prospect by the next meeting and invite them to lunch.” The plan needs to be something that is measurable and that can be identified as having been completed or not completed. It would be obvious if the plan is in the same state meeting after meeting. If this becomes the case, either the relevancy of the plan or effort of the owner could be an item for coaching. In the third component, the meeting and resulting documentation or pipeline report is made public to the firm. The meeting is open and everyone gets to present their prospects and updates. This fosters a sense of pride when plans are met and exceeded. It is very rewarding to tell the group of a commitment obtained from a prospect. Of course, the opposite is
true for disappointments. Results (both positive and negative) and records of the meeting need to be made public. The records could be sent via e-mail, put on a wall in the office or displayed in some other form. Whatever way you choose, it needs to be available to everyone at the firm, or at a minimum, to all participants in the pipeline meeting. Finally, while I am not a big believer in “public flogging,” the pipeline meeting needs to have rewards and penalties. Neither has to be great or severe. No one should be publicly humiliated for not completing a plan nor praised to an excessive level for expected advances; however, accomplishments and failures need to be recognized. Participants will grow to have expectations of the process. A pipeline meeting should be short and simple. It is an opportunity for the firm to see where it stands as a group in the achievement of their organic growth goals for the year.
Here are some upcoming CPAmerica events Webinar Series: It’s not too late to participate in the A&A or International Tax webinar series! Join us for one or all of the upcoming webinars at 2 p.m. EDT. For more details, go to: www.cpamerica.org – Dashboard – More Webinars or contact: ksaunders@cpamerica.org International Tax Webinar Series with instructor Sean King 7/16/2013 Transfer Pricing in the International Context 7/18/2013 Effective Planning Techniques for Inbound and Outbound Structuring 7/23/2013 Taxation of Cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions 7/24/2013 Attest Reports: Addressing Some Practice Issues 7/25/2013 Hot Issues in International Taxation
104 N. Main St.
A&A Webinar Series with instructors Tom Ratcliffe & Russ Madray 7/24/2013 Attest Reports: Addressing Some Practice Issues 8/28/2013 Implementing the Financial Reporting Framework for Small and Medium-sized Entities 9/4/2013 A Review of the Current Hot Topics in Accounting Sharing Calls: For more details, go to: www.cpamerica.org – Dashboard – More Calls (under Sharing Calls) or contact: jarthur@cpamerica.org 7/10/2013 7/23/2013 7/24/2013
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Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 727-4070 www.cpamerica.org Send feedback and member news to: advantage@cpamerica.org
Firm Administration: Tax Season – what worked, what didn’t facilitated by Tina Moore of Pease and Assoc. and Lori Zahm of Frankel Zacharia Nonprofit Sharing call facilitated by Kristen Wicke and Dena Jansen of Maxwell Locke & Ritter Leading Partner: Improving Growth Results with Accountability The Whetstone Group
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