KROST Internal Newsletter Oct 2022-Jan 2023

Deparment

QUARTERLY REPORT

Message from Jason

I like to start off by saying thank you for your dedication and hard work during this past busy season. You’ve all done a tremendous job!

As we bring back the newsletter for the season, this issue covers the latest updates from each corporate department, committee, and more. In addition, you’ll find some great pictures from this year’s events, volunteer activities, and etc. As we close out the last couple months, and despite many challenges, we’ve grown immensely all thanks to each one of you. In case you didn’t hear, we were recently recognized as Best of the Best Firm and Top 100 Firm by Inside Public Accounting. This would not be possible without all of you.

Lastly, I want to remind you of our upcoming State-of-the-Firm event on Thursday, December 8th. Our committee dedicated countless hours of work to make this another memorable event. We want to celebrate the accomplishments of our team and the firm. I am looking forward to seeing you all.

Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA)

For

Upcoming Holidays

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Get involved and join the DEI Committee

KROST is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee needs additional members to help us support this important initiative. If interested, email Lisa Arangua at lisa.arangua@krostcpas.com.

HR UPDATES

Your mental health matters to your whole health.

I cannot stress enough how important your mental health is. Wellness is about more than just your physical health. It’s about you as a whole person – mental, physical, social, and emotional. Your mental health affects your relationships, your job, the choices you make, and your quality of life. It also plays a big part in your physical health. Taking time for yourself and practicing good self-care matters so much.

Do not go through this alone, take advantage of the EAP (Employee Assistance Program) that is available to all employees and their family members. Click the link below for more information.

Welcome to your EAP

For those covered by Anthem medical, you have a lot of resources available to you.

• Take advantage of the Emotional Well-being Resources program

• Self-guided digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) expands access to support & eliminate social stigma barriers. Offers comprehensive self-assessments that will provide recommendations for programs associated with social anxiety, depression, insomnia, substance abuse, COVID-19 concerns.

• Sydney Health mobile app – have 24/7 access to a Digital Well-being Coach

• Anthem Health Rewards offers you and your covered spouse up to $200 in rewards for taking part in employer-sponsored health & wellness programs.

• Flu shot and wellness visit reward – up to $50

• Sign up for myStrength – an online & mobile program that supports emotional health and well-beinganthem.com/ca/mystrength

And finally, September was Suicide Awareness Month, but this is something that should be discussed every month. Suicide is the twelfth leading cause of death in the U.S., and 4 in 10 adults say they have symptoms of anxiety or depression.

RECRUITING

WE’RE HIRING

ACCOUNTING MANAGER

For current openings, check the opportunities on our website: https://www.krostcpas.com/job-opportunities

If you would like to request an open position, please fill out the requisition/recruiting form: https://www.tfaforms.com/4865092

Recruiting Bonus - We pay bonuses to anyone who refers talent that we hire and we provide $25 per quarter for Linkedin Job postings!

COLLEGE RECRUITING

We have internships available!

Tax (Pasadena, WLA, WH)

• Winter-Spring and Summer (2-3 interns/ofc) Accounting (Pasadena and WLA)

• Winter-Spring (1/ofc); Summer (1/ofc) Assurance & Advisory (Pasadena)

• Winter-Spring (2) and Summer (1) Mergers & Acqusitions

• Summer (2)

If you know anyone, please send referrals to Cristy – cristy.jauregui@krostcpas.com

“Creating hope through action” is a reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and aims to inspire confidence and light in all of us.

– Theme for the World Suicide Prevention Day 2021-2023

By creating hope through action, we can signal to people experiencing suicidal thoughts that there is hope and that we care and want to support them. It also suggests that our actions, no matter how big or small, may provide hope to those who are struggling.

– World Health Organization, 2022

- Lisa Arangua, Human Resources

ZOOM MIGRATION

We have made the decision to migrate to Zoom as our new phone and meetings platform. We were looking for a way to make it easier for our clients, and potential clients, to connect with us without the difficulties we experienced using Ring Central. Zoom, being the de facto standard for video conferencing, will help us bridge that gap. Our scheduled date to cut over to Zoom from Ring Central is Tuesday, November 1st.

The Zoom Learning Center is a place for you to explore zoom training videos, learning plans and even live training sessions. Please take some time to get familiar with some of the training as your time permits. We will be providing Zoom training prior to the cutover. https://learning.zoom.us/learn

OCTOBER IS CYBER SECURITY MONTH

We all know the importance of following proper cyber security procedures, and the possible impact when we don’t. One of the most effective ways for a malicious entity to infiltrate an organization is to use social engineering methods such as Phishing. We have been doing a great job of recognizing phishing emails and reporting them to the IT department, without clicking on damaging links. But it’s easy to forget and make a mistake, that is why you see occasional reminder emails about social engineering or Phishing sent your ways as a reminder. Please take a moment to read the information below as a reminder of Cyber Security.

If you have any questions, please submit a ticket to techsupport@kbkg.zendesk.com.

Cybercrime Happens Way More Than You Think!

Large-scale cyberattacks make the news, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Cybercrime is on the rise, and the majority of attacks go unreported.

Consider the following facts:

The University of Maryland found that there is an average of 2,244 cyberattacks per day, which is one every 36 seconds.

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) reported that small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB) are being targeted at an increased rate.

The US Federal Trade Commission, in a recent 6-month period, had seen over 128,000 phone-based fraud scams that cost victims a whopping $108 Million – that’s only half a year!

Staying Safe Starts with YOU!

We often assume cybercrime only happens to someone else but hackers know the easiest way to get to your organization’s information is through YOU!

Here are some actions to stay safe.

• Be careful what you post and share online.

• Don’t reuse passwords for multiple sites.

• Follow your organization’s security policies and procedures.

• If something seems suspicious, always verify that it’s legitimate.

In the time it took you to read this document, there were multiple cyberattacks across the globe. Make sure you stop, look, and think before you take any sort of action.

©

$108 Million lost in only 6-months

43% of SMB lack a cybersecurity defense plan

A cyberattack every 36 seconds

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

CLIENT AND PROJECT SET UP WITH TASKS

We have enhanced the RPA (Robotic Process Automation), which has drastically reduced the time required to set up a new client and project in PCS. It standardizes the information needed to create the client and project(s). The project creation time is reduced from the staff by adding the ability to the bot to add the Task Budget Hours to Project Template’s without predefined budgets.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

FIRM KPI DASHBOARD

We have worked with Jason Melillo to develop metrics that are important to him and the performance of the firm. The dashboard summarizes key points such as Realization, Revenue, and Billables. This also standardizes the look and feel of the information for each department to follow suit as they update their dashboards.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

TAX PROJECT COMPLETE, NOTIFY ACCOUNTING ASSIGNED STAFF NOTIFICATIONS

We have created a notification trigger to send a notification to the Assigned Staff of the Client’s related (1065) open Accounting project when the Tax project has been changed to “Completed” Tracking Status.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

RPA CLIENT AND PROJECT CREATION APPROVAL WORKFLOW

We are developing an update to the Client and Project Creation Bot (RPA) where each request will be sent to the requested Client Partner before the bot begins its work, if the request’s annual fee is to exceed $25,000. The workflow will add a second approval requirement after the Client Partner, it will request approval from CEO, Jason Melillo.

CENTRALIZED KNOWLEDGE BASE SOFTWARE

We rolled out a centralized knowledge base management software, GetGuru. Everyone can access GetGuru through Okta. Knowledge is shared among departments, meaning an R&D staff can read research performed by a Tax staff based on a keyword search.

MARKETING HIGHLIGHTS

HANDWRYTTEN

Send a digital thank you card to your clients and prospects. Access available to all managers via Okta. Training guide on the intranet.

QR CODES

QR codes can be found here for KROST managers and above:S:\10QR Codes\KROST. If you are a manager and would like a QR code, please submit a MRF.

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

KROSTCPAS&CONSULTANTS

KROSTCPAS

@KROSTCPAS

DON’T CLICK ON OUR ADS

Please do not click KROST ads because they cost us money.

KROST MARKETING TEAM

BRANDING GUIDELINES

Branding guidelines and logos can be referenced on the marketing intranet or if you’re off-site, it can be accessed on our webpages: » KROST

MARKETING HIGHLIGHTS

HEADSHOTS

Schedule your glamshot with marketing.

Headshots are taken in the Mission Room (in front of Lisa A’s office)

Please wear business attire and avoid wearing white shirts since they blend into the background.

Remember, Outlook photos are mandatory.

KROST MARKETING TOOLBOX

Marketing created a informative guide filled with contents such as where to find marketing resources like powerpoints, virtual backgrounds, and one pagers.

PROPOSIFY

We rolled out a new proposal software! Say goodbye to Lucidpress and hello to Proposify!

INTRANET

You can visit our Intranet page to access letterheads, powerpoints, virtual backgrounds, one pagers, brochures, and staff bios by clicking on Corporate Resources and then marketing.

The best way to have your marketing request in the que is to submit a Marketing Request Form (MRF), accessible through Okta. Please give us a minimum of 5 business days to complete standard requests.

INTERNAL ACCOUNTING

DID YOU KNOW?

Donna Bateman and Laura Diallo are notaries. A notarial service is free to our employees. Employees can reach out to one of them to schedule a time if they need a notary.

Important dates relating to payroll and expense reimbursements for year-end tax planning

• Wednesday, December 14 – ALL APPROVED expense reimbursements are required to be submitted with ALL expenses incurred through 12/14/22. Any expenses incurred 12/15/22 – 12/31/22 should be submitted the first week of January. These expenses should be minimal because the firm will be on a company holiday for most of that period.

• Wednesday, December 21 – Non-exempt employees must submit timecards, which are estimated through the end of the year, by the end of the business day. If an employee will be on PTO, please make sure that you submit your timecard PRIOR to your leave.

• Pay period ending 12/31/22 will have a check date of 12/31/22, instead of 01/06/23. Please plan ahead because employees will NOT be receiving a payroll check on 01/06/23.

As a final reminder, ALL approved expense reimbursements must be submitted no later than Wednesday, December 14th. This will include corporate credit card receipts as well.

VOLUNTEER

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS

OCTOBER:

Pink Day/Launch Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign (October 18th, 2022)

The firm will donate $2,500 to each breast cancer campaign

• October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer.

• Donation link for Susan G. Komen

• Donation link for American Cancer Society

STATE-OF-THE-FIRM

EVENT OF THE YEAR

Are you ready for Thursday, December 8th? We know we are! The State-of-the-Firm event will be hosted at the Westin in Pasadena this year. There will be food, games, and special announcements. We had an amazing year and it is thanks to everyone’s hard work. You all deserve this!

Schedule:

12:30pm to 1:15pm – Buffet lunch in the Fountain Ballroom

1:30pm to 2:15: pm – Separate Firm Meetings for KBKG/KROST

2:30pm to 5:15pm – Everyone regroups – Fountain Ballroom

CPR/6Stones Fall Blitz – Dallas Office (October 21st – 22nd)

• Community Powered Revitalization (CPR) is a joint effort between 6 Stones, the cities of Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Grapevine, various businesses, nonprofit organizations, and churches to help homeowners who are struggling to make necessary home repairs. By mobilizing community volunteers, the aim is to strengthen, grow, and revitalize the community one home and one family at a time.

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER:

Walk to End Alzheimer’s

(October 29th: LA Zoo; November 5th: Long Beach)

Invite was emailed on August 8th by Elvira Frencillo with link to register and/or donate. The firm will match up to $5,000 of donations.

• Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. This inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to join the fight against the disease.

VOLUNTEER

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS

MOvember: Annual Men’s Health Awareness Campaign

• Please donate to support mens health

• Link: https://us.movember.com/donate/details?teamId=2319059

Scan here to donate

Contact:

• Jesus Alfaro: jesus.alfaro@kbkg.com

• Ceasar Arellano: ceasar.arellano@kbkg.com

Events:

• November 1st – 2nd: MO-growing Moustache Growing Begins

• November 29th: Planned Event to Announce Winner of “Mr. MOvember” 2022-23

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health on a global scale, focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. “Movember” is the annual event involv ing the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues and to campaign for support to fund research and services to support men’s health more broadly.

VOLUNTEER

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS

NOVEMBER: Thanksgiving

Firm-Wide November Thanksgiving Gatherings (Individual Offices will plan their events): Week of November 14th – 18th

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER:

All national offices will begin to identify the community organizations that they wish to partner with for Christmas/ Holiday activities and donations. Below of some of the annual partnerships with the Dallas office, HQ, West LA, Atlanta, and Woodland Hills office.

Fulton County Schools - Annual Donations by Alanta Office

For the past five years, the Atlanta Office has reached out to the Fulton County School social work program and provided gift cards, shoes and fulfilled other gift list items for students.

Door of Hope – Annual Secret Santa/Angel Tree Toys and Gifts (HQ and Southern California Offices)

Door of Hope is a Christian non-profit, based in Pasadena, serving Los Angeles County. Door of Hope is one of the only homeless providers that can shelter any kind of family together in their own private unit, including single moms, single dads, and two-parent families together with their children. The most efficient way to address homelessness is to stop it before it happens. Door of Hope services foster financial stability and emotional health, helping at-risk families maintain their housing and regain self-sufficiency. They provide emergency rental assistance, case management, landlord remediation, and financial counseling making this intervention not just a band-aid, but a long-term solution.

West LA Office will select a charitable organization or community event to support for Holidays

Family Rescue Center – Annual Holiday Gift Collections by Woodland Hills Office

Family Rescue Center serves individuals and families in need in the West Valley by providing food, clothing, medical and vocational training assistance, as well as referrals as needed. Their ultimate goal is to sustain people in desperate circumstances, empowering them to achieve personal and financial independence.

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER

DECEMBER:

Night of Hope – Dallas Office

Through December 5th-9th, we will be helping to provide gifts, Christmas dinner, and Hope at any one of the HEB ISD elementary campus Christmas parties to over 3,300 deserving children and their families. The 2022 elementary school parties will vary for each camply, but parties typically begin at 6pm and last until 8pm.

JANUARY 2023:

On January 24th, 2023, our Pasadena office, in collaboration with National Alliance on Mental Illness San Gabriel Valley (NAMI SGV) will host a three-hour event. It will commence with an informational/inspirational story presentation, followed by a break for food/social, and finalizing with a Magic Show.

• Link to donate will be announced and available for all offices. The firm will match up to $5,000 of donations.

• Announcement with more details will be provided in the following months.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. NAMI has over 1,100 affiliates across the country.

NAMI San Gabriel Valley (NAMI SGV) has an office in Pasadena, and serves the greater San Gabriel Valley area. This includes Altadena, Arcadia, Duarte, Bradbury, La Canada-Flintridge, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, South Pasa dena, Pasadena, San Marino, El Monte, South El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Temple City, and Alhambra.

NAMI provides support groups and classes for individuals living with a mental health diagnosis, and for family members and friends of those living with mental illness. They offer outreach programs for schools, communi ty groups, and more, and advocate for state laws and public policies to improve the lives of those living with mental illness.

Members of the Volunteer Committee –

Greg Kniss

Laura Diallo (HQ) - Chair

Jesus Alfaro (HQ) - Secretary

Alexi Feller (HQ) - Co-Secretary

Kyle Ernsberger (Chicago)

Paul McVoy (NY)

Ryan VanderVelden (Texas)

Chad Niehaus (ATL)

Cheyenne Gonzalez (HQ)

Khaleel Taylor (ATL)

Elvira Frencillo (West LA)

Briant Garcia (West LA)

Stephanie Obcamp (WH)

Maria Ortiz (NY)

Medik Grigorian (HQ)

Souhaila Chehibi (HQ)

Marisol Gallardo (HQ)

Ceasar Arellano (HQ)

Stephanie Hauchildt (WH)

Mary Chavez (West LA)

Michelle Truong (HQ)

Bryan Chaidez (HQ)

The volunteer committee is always open for team members to join. We are going to lose three Committee members at the Woodland Hills office, and we would love to have you join our team. If you are interested, please email Laura Diallo at laura.diallo@kbkg.com.

COMMITTEE UPDATES

EVENTS COMMITTEE

Halloween Contest –

Get creative with our firms Halloween Costume contest. Voting will be on November 3rd.

Halloween Poker Night CelebrationWe are going to be hosting a poker tournament!

Join the committee –

D E C E M B E R FESTIVITIES

Cookie decorating, white elephant and more. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements!

INDUSTRY GROUPS

If anyone is interested in joining, please reach out to Jeanette “JJ” Fox at jeanette.fox@krostcpas.com. It would be great to have a representative from each office so everyone can join in on the fun!

MANUFACTURING

REAL ESTATE FINANCIAL SERVICES

JOIN AN INDUSTRY GROUP

For those of you that may be unfamiliar, we have several industry groups comprised of cross-departmental members to add depth to our company’s expertise. We ask that you email the industry group leader to join.

KROST QUARTERLY MAGAZINE

Upcoming Release –

The Manufacturing Issue, Vol 5, Issue 1

The Manufacturing Issue highlights some of the hot topics in manufacturing including cybersecurity, tax benefits and incentives, technological advances in manufacturing, and trends.

The Hospitality Issue, Vol 4, Issue 4

The Hospitality Issue - Volume 4, Issue 4 highlights some of the hot topics in the hospitality industry including tax credit for new employees, double-dipping, lease provisions, and HR solutions.

» Read more

Members of the Events Committee –

Jason Miello (HQ) - Chair

Jeanette “JJ” Fox (WH) - Co-Chair

Taylor Madden (ATL) - Co-Chair

Kaitlin Shannon (HQ) - Co-Secretary

Britany Loveday (Texas)

Cicely Wen (HQ)

Stanley Lam (HQ)

Eileen Valles (HQ) Nicholas Vierling (NY)

Tristan Rulli (ATL)

Bibian Vosgian (West LA)

Alan Lo (WH)

Gabby Rivas-Vasquez (WH)

Ronique Davis (West LA)

Kimberly Hoang (HQ)

The Sports & Entertainment Issue, Vol 4, Issue 3

The Sports & Entertainment Issue highlights some of the hot topics in the sports & entertainment industry including tax issues for athletes, Payroll Protection Program loan, wealth management, and more. Read more » Read more