Featured Speaker Bios

Accounting and Audit Track

Alan Anderson, CPA
President, ACCOUNT-ability Plus

Alan Anderson, CPA, has more than 25 years of experience in the accounting profession. After working as partner and national director of audit at McGladrey and Pullen, and with the AICPA as senior vice president of Member and Public Interest, Anderson founded ACCOUNT-ability Plus, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Anderson’s audit experience reaches far and wide. He helped standardize the global audit approach of McGladrey and Pullen and oversaw the AICPA’s technical audit and accounting standards. Anderson served as chair of the AICPA Assurance Services Executive Committee for six years and continues to lead task forces of the committee.

Ed Bashuk, CPA
Technical Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Ed Bashuk is a Technical A&A Consultant for CCH Tax and Accounting. His primary duties involve training and consulting on ProSystem fx® Engagement, ProSystem fx® Knowledge Coach, and ProSystem fx® Active Data. He began his career with CCH in 2001, and prior to joining CCH, he worked in public accounting for four years.  He has extensive tax and audit experience as well as experience in implementing paperless engagement solutions. Bashuk graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and marketing from the University of Georgia.  He is licensed to practice as a CPA in the state of Georgia.  He currently resides in Oakland, CA.

Bryce Gibbs, CPA
Shareholder, Matson and Isom

Bryce Gibbs is a Certified Public Accountant with extensive experience in providing attestation and consulting services to a broad range of clients in agriculture, food and beverage and manufacturing with an emphasis on closely held entities and multi-entity groups. Gibbs is also an Information technology consultant with vast experience in all aspects of technology for professional service organizations including: document management, practice management, and multi-office environments.

Gibbs was President and General Manager of a technology consulting company providing information technology services to a wide range of clients in northern California. His specialties include: financial reporting, business consulting, information technology, mergers and acquisitions and international financial reporting.

Jared D. Jones, CPA
Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Jared D. Jones is an A&A Consultant for CCH Tax and Accounting. He has been conducting training and consulting on ProSystem fx® Engagement since joining CCH in June 2008.  He has also performed training and consulting services on various other ProSystem fx® products including Knowledge Coach, Document and Portal. He is a CPA and has worked in the field of accounting more than 11 years.  Prior to joining CCH, he worked for a large regional public accounting firm.  He has a wide variety of experience in public accounting, including tax, audit, accounting and employee benefit plans.

Jones received his Master’s degree in Accountancy from the University of West Florida.  He is a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor.  He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

Stephanie Lanke, CPA
Lead Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Stephanie Lanke is a Lead A&A Consultant for CCH Tax and Accounting.  She has been conducting consulting and training on ProSystem fx® Engagement since joining CCH in August 2005.  She also consults/trains on other audit products including ProSystem fx® Knowledge Coach, ProSystem fx® Knowledge Tools, and ProSystem fx® ActiveData.  She is the lead instructor and author for CCH's Learning and Development Academy – School of Audit.

Lanke is a CPA and worked for several national, regional, and local public accounting firms for over nine years prior to joining CCH.  Her industry experience includes retail, service, construction, nonprofit, utilities, employee benefit plans and transportation. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting with a minor in Management Information Systems from Indiana State University.  She is also a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist. 

Rachel Mavrak
Product Line Manager, Accounting and Audit Solutions, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Rachel Mavrak is the Product Line Manager for CCH’s Accounting and Audit solutions.  Her role consists of taking A&A market problems and creating solutions using software and content to improve the working life of professionals. She has worked on the CCH accounting products for over 12 years and was previously a member of the Professional Standards Group at Andersen where she was involved in the publishing of content in Accounting Research Manager®.  Mavrak received her BA degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Charles Manganiello, CPA
Owner, AuditSense, LLC

Charles Manganiello, CPA is the Founder of AuditSense, LLC which was formed in 2008. He started his public accounting career at Parente Randolph (now Parente Beard) where he was a manager in the audit department. In 1996, Manganiello joined AuditWatch International as its first franchise owner. During this time he provided training and consulting services to CPA firms across the United States with a concentration in Pennsylvania, Florida and Delaware. Over that time, Manganiello has provided training and consulting to over 15,000 professionals at CPA firms in the areas of audit effectiveness and efficiency, audit department strategy, staff training, soft skills, personal development and data analysis software.

Manganiello is a member of the National Speaker Association and combines a practical approach, real-life examples and the correct dose of humor, so participants are actively engaged and learning throughout the training experience. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Chuck is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Florida.

Cecil K. Nazareth, CPA, M.B.A., Chartered Accountant
Managing Partner, IFRS Partners, Inc.

Cecil Nazareth is a partner with IFRS Partners in New York City, which specializes in IFRS education, training, consulting and conversion. Clients include CPA firms and small to medium-size businesses, including subsidiaries of foreign parents. He is currently training and advising the largest Japanese CPA firm in the US on conversion to IFRS. In 2011, IFRS partners launched a 20 part IFRS interactive Web series (a deep-dive into IFRS technical learning). www.myifrspartners.com.  

Nazareth is recognized as a thought leader in the IFRS space and has conducted several sessions all over the world. Previously, Nazareth was the Director of AICPA’s Internal Audit and Strategy. In that key role he worked on the AICPA overall strategic goals and organizational development. Nazareth worked closely with the CEO and developed and implemented an Executive Performance Measurement System and Balanced Score Card. He pioneered the ISO 9001:2000 Quality program at the AICPA and led it to become the first professional organization certified in the United States.

Nazareth has an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, and an M.B.A. in Information Technology from Columbia University in New York City.

Ruth O'Toole
Senior Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Ruth O'Toole is a Senior Research Consultant for CCH.  She received her Bachelor’s degree from Carson-Newman College in English with a minor in Corporate Communications. O’Toole initially joined CCH in 1992, where she worked for several years helping customers make the transition from print research to electronic platforms. During this time she pilot tested Customer Training programs that were then implemented by CCH around the country.

Robin Penney
Technical Product Manager, Accounting and Audit Solutions, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Robin Penney is the Technical Product Manager for CCH’s Accounting and Audit solutions.  Her main role consists of taking A&A market problems and creating solutions using software and content to improve the working life of professionals. She works closely with the Engagement Development Team, and meets with several user groups throughout the year.

Penney has worked on the Engagement product for over 11 years and was the main designer for the Knowledge Coach and Knowledge Tools applications before coming to her current role in product management. Prior to joining CCH, Penney worked in public accounting as an Audit Manager for Deloitte in the U.S. and Bermuda, and then for a small, local firm in Northern California. In 2011, she was included in CPA Practice Advisor’s annual “Top 40 Under 40” list, which recognizes young professionals making a positive impact on the accounting industry. Penney received her B.S. / B.A. degree with a double major in Accounting and English from Saint Mary’s College of California, and is a former CPA in the State of California. 

Devona Squire-Coleman, CPA
Senior Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Devona Squire-Coleman is a Senior A&A Consultant for CCH Tax and Accounting.  She has been employed with CCH since 2005, primarily conducting training and consulting on ProSystem fx® Engagement. She also trains on ProSystem fx® ActiveData and ProSystem fx® Knowledge Coach.

Prior to joining the Tax and Accounting team, Squire-Coleman spent three years in public accounting as an auditor, tax specialist, and internal Engagement and Visual Practice Management trainer. Her industry experience includes real estate, construction, retail, professional services, not for profit, and employee benefit plans. She received her BA from the University of Virginia and her Master of Accountancy from Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, VA. She is also certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) and Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS). 

Robert Pearson, CPA
Senior Writer, Accounting & Audit Solutions, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Robert Pearson is a senior writer at CCH where he is currently an author and technical reviewer focusing his attention on enhancing the Knowledge-Based Audit Methodology developed by CCH. Pearson is the author and co-author of several CCH guides and toolsets. Prior to joining CCH, he was an auditor and consultant in public accounting and industry. He also had his own consulting firm, worked as the corporate controller for a consortium of companies, and was as an audit manager in a top 25 public accounting firm serving clients in attestation and audit engagements in the manufacturing, retail, not-for-profit, and local government sectors. He is a licensed CPA in Idaho and holds a M.S. in Accountancy from Boise State University. He is a member of the AICPA and the Idaho State Society of CPAs.

Dana Yates
Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Dana Yates is an A&A Consultant for CCH Tax and Accounting.  Yates has been conducting consulting and training on ProSystem fx® Engagement since joining CCH in July 2008.  She also consults/trains on other audit products including ProSystem fx® Knowledge Coach, ProSystem fx® Knowledge Tools, and ProSystem fx® Active Data.  Yates leads the ProSystem fx® Knowledge Coach and ProSystem fx® Knowledge Tools Training and Consulting Teams. She worked four years in public accounting prior to joining CCH.  Her industry experience includes non-profit, credit unions, employee benefit plans and small business. She is a graduate of High Point University in High Point, NC.  She received a bachelor’s degree in Accounting with minors in mathematics and English.  She is also certified as a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist. 

General Track

Kara Baker, CPA
Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Kara Baker is a Software Consultant within the Training & Consulting department.  Her primary focus is conducting training and consulting services for customers of CCH KnowledgeConnect, ProSystem fx® Practice Management, Portal, Workstream, and Practice (SaaS).  She received her degree in Accounting from the Georgia State University and later earned a Master of Accounting from Kennesaw State University. Baker joined CCH in 2011 after attending many User Conferences as an attendee.  Prior to joining CCH, she worked for Windham Brannon, PC in Atlanta, GA for eight years specializing in tax compliance and planning for businesses and individuals.  Baker is a practicing CPA.

Nate Brown, CPA
Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Nate Brown is a Software Consultant within the Training & Consulting department at CCH.  He received his BS degree in Business Management with an emphasis in Accounting and Marketing at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, MO.  Brown is responsible for providing training and consulting services for ProSystem fx® Document, ProSystem fx® Portal, ProSystem fx® Practice Management and ProSystem fx® Scan programs.  He began his career in accounting with a large regional firm in downtown St. Louis.  When Brown started, the firm was transitioning from a paper environment to a paperless environment.  He worked in the tax department for three years and eventually took an audit position with a Fortune 500 business in St. Louis.

After 3 years in industry, Brown returned to his roots in public accounting and spent 3 years at a smaller firm in St. Louis where he supervised both tax and audit engagements. The smaller firm that Brown worked for utilized a completely paper-based file structure.  Having experienced both sides of the paper/paperless workflow spectrum, Brown has drawn upon his previous work experiences to assist firms in their conversion to ProSystem fx® Document, Portal & Practice Management. 

Scott Helgesen
Software Consultant, Training and consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Scott Helgesen is a software consultant for CCH Tax and Accounting. He conducts trainings on ProSystem fx® Scan and ProSystem fx® Tax. He also consults on related products including AutoFlow and Adobe Acrobat. He is a licensed CPA in the commonwealth of Virginia and received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Prior to joining CCH in 2009, Helgesen spent 3 years in public accounting as an auditor and tax specialist.  His industry experience includes: non-profit, government, real estate, construction, and health care. Helgesen resides in Henrico, Virginia.

David Kallman
Lead Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

David Kallman is a Lead Software Consultant within the Training and Consulting department. He received his BS degree in Accounting from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA.  Kallman is primarily responsible for providing training and consulting services for ProSystem fx® Document, ProSystem fx® Portal, ProSystem fx® Practice Management and ProSystem fx® Workstream.  He began his career in accounting with a paperless firm located in Atlanta.  He worked in the tax department for two years while still attending college full time.  After graduation, he accepted a position as a staff auditor with a firm located in Honolulu, HI, that utilized a completely paper-based file structure.  Having experienced both sides of the paper/paperless workflow spectrum, Kallman moved back to Atlanta in 2004 to work in the paperless audit department of his previous firm. Since July 2006 David has drawn upon his experiences working with ProSystem fx® products in a paperless environment to assist firms in successfully implementing these applications and developing paperless workflow processes.

Amanda Kelley
Lead Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer Business

Amanda Kelley joined CCH in 2008.  She is a Lead Software Consultant on the Workflow Consulting Team.  In addition to leading the consulting team, she provides training and consulting services for customers of ProSystem fx® Practice Management, Practice (SaaS), Workstream and Portal.  She received her Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in Sociology with an emphasis in Public Administration.  Prior to joining CCH, she worked for CPASoftware as a member of the technical support team supporting Visual Practice Management (currently ProSystem fx® Practice Management), and she worked in the Accounting Department with the Escambia Sheriff’s Office in Pensacola, FL.

John Kingsley
Senior Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

John Kingsley is a Senior Software Consultant within the Training & Consulting department.  He received his BS degree in Accounting from Auburn University.  He is primarily responsible for consulting and training services for the ProSystem fx® Document, Practice Management and Portal applications, as well as Record Retention Consulting.  He is also involved in various special projects and content development. Kingsley is a Certified Document Imaging Architect (CDIA+).

Prior to joining CCH Training & Consulting, Kingsley spent five years in public accounting as a tax specialist and registered NASD investment advisor. His industry experience includes; not for profit audits, low-income tax credit fund taxation, high net-worth tax and investment planning, succession and retirement planning, portfolio management as well as preparation of all income tax returns. Since May 2007, Kingsley has drawn upon his experiences to assist firms in successfully implementing workflow software applications and developing paperless workflow policies and procedures.

Samantha Lee
Technical Product Manager – Workflow Solutions, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Samantha Lee, Technical Product Manager, joined CCH in 2006.  Her primary focus is day to day management of the roadmap, enhancement requests, market research and customer validation for ProSystem fx® Practice Management, Practice Intelligence, Practice (SaaS) and Workstream. She also conducted training and consulting services for Practice Management, Practice (SaaS), Workstream, Portal, and Engagement.

Prior to joining CCH, Lee worked for a large regional firm in the A&A, Tax, and Small Business services areas while also participating in the firm’s implementation of ProSystem fx® Document and day to day training for Engagement.  She was a member of the firm’s Technology Committee and led the firm’s recruiting efforts at Georgia Southern University. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgia Southern University with degrees in Accounting and Information Systems. 

Jessica Levin, CMP, MBA
President, Seven Degrees Communications

Jessica Levin, CMP, MBA is the President and Chief Connector for Seven Degrees Communications. Levin’s professional background includes experience in the professional services arena, association management and industrial marketing. Her strategic approach to marketing includes a mix of both traditional marketing channels and web 2.0 tactics. She focuses on creating, strengthening and maintaining relationships for business and for the people that drive them.

Levin is the President of the New Jersey Professional Marketers Association (NJPSMG) and serves as the Interactive Education Chair for Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM). In addition, she serves on the social media advisory group for the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). She was named “Planner of the Year” by the New Jersey chapter of MPI and is a JASPER Award winner in the special event planning category. She was named New Jersey’s 2009 Top Forty Under 40, a 2010 Planner to Watch by Convention South Magazine and was inducted into the New Jersey Social Media Hall of Fame in 2010. Levin earned a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, New Jersey and a Bachelor of Science from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida with majors in Marketing, Management and Entrepreneurship.

Kathy Parker
Partner, Rodman & Rodman PC

Kathy Parker has been with Rodman & Rodman PC since 1999. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Accounting. She is also a Certified Advanced Pro Advisor for QuickBooks. Parker is thoroughly involved with the clientele of Rodman & Rodman. She works closely with our clients assisting them with their tax and financial needs. Many of them find her commitment to giving them competent and practical advice a comfort.

Parker specifically enjoys fostering a relationship of trust, and the resulting enjoyment of watching her clients grow and prosper. A second, increasingly important part of her responsibilities are those associated with her deep involvement on Rodman & Rodman’s Software Coordinator Team. She is highly qualified to assist clients on Peachtree along with other small business accounting software. In that regard, she assists Rodman & Rodman’s clients with software selection, implementation and support. Parker is also a member of the Rodman & Rodman Green Team, and is continually excited to be working with clients on projects promoting renewable and sustainable energy

Mark Ryburn
Product Line Manager – Workflow Solutions, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Mark Ryburn, CPA.CITP, CDIA+ is Product Line Manager – Workflow Solutions for CCH Tax & Accounting.  His responsibilities with CCH have included the day-to-day business management and development of strategic roadmaps for the following ProSystem fx® solutions: Document, Portal, Scan with AutoFlow Technology, Practice, and Workstream.
Ryburn brings 30 plus years of relevant experience in public accounting, software development, education and management to CCH. Most recently, he was co-creator of the BOCDIP program and joined CCH as part of the product acquisition that has since been renamed ProSystem fx® Scan. He holds two bachelors degrees in Accounting and Computer Information Systems as well as professional accreditations as a CPA, Certified Information Technology Professional and Certified Digital Imaging Architect.

Michael Smith
Product Manager, CCH Small Firm Services

Michael Smith is a Product Manager for CCH Small Firm Services (SFS), focusing on the needs of small firm professionals.  His primary goal is to understand the needs of tax and accounting practitioners, and to identify and provide innovative solutions specifically designed to meet those needs.   Among his various other duties, Smith serves as Product Manager for Client Accounting Suite Premier, a write-up solution designed to integrate with ProSystem fx® Tax and Practice Management. He came to CCH SFS in 2008 with a background in education, giving him a unique perspective on the challenges firms face in an ever-changing industry.  He received his BA in Music Education from Berry College in Rome, GA.

Geoffrey Wayong
Senior Manager, Armanino Consulting

Geoffrey Wayong is a Senior Manager with Armanino Consulting, a division of Armanino McKenna LLP, the largest California-based CPA and Consulting firm. Wayong manages the Business Intelligence and custom application development team for the firm as well as all facets of client engagements. He architected the ProSystem fx® Practice Intelligence system that Armanino McKenna LLP has been using internally for four years. His team is in charge of the successful delivery and customization of ProSystem fx® Practice Intelligence for accounting firms throughout North America.

Prior to joining Armanino McKenna LLP, Wayong worked for Fortune 500 companies managing business process reengineering/optimization, enterprise system development as well as accounting system (ERP) implementation. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of California, Davis with degrees in Computer Science and Engineering. 

Management Track

Mark DiVito
Senior Manager, Market Strategy & Intelligence, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Mark DiVito, Senior Manager, Market Strategy & Intelligence at CCH, has worked in market research and intelligence for over 20 years, primarily in business to business environments.  In his current role he is responsible for developing and maintaining the holistic market intelligence needs of the organization to develop a rich understanding of the organization, the market, product portfolios, and customers. DiVito has extensive experience in customer satisfaction and loyalty research and is a Net Promoter Certified Associate, obtaining certification in February of 2012.

Chris Frederiksen
CEO of 2020 Group

Chris Frederiksen is one of the best-known and most highly-rated seminar leaders in the world as well as a consultant to accountancy firms worldwide. He is also a practicing accountant in San Francisco, CA. His experience includes partnership positions with two international CPA firms and building several independent practices in the San Francisco Bay Area.

As a consultant for the past 20 years, he has been helping small and medium sized accountancy firms achieve their goals of greater profitability and greater personal satisfaction for the owners. He is now committed to helping CPAs and tax professionals excel in financial services, strategic planning and other new service areas.

Tom Hood, CPA, CITP
CEO & Executive Director Maryland Association of CPAs and Business Learning Institute

Tom Hood, CPA.CITP is CEO of both the Maryland Association of CPAs and the Business Learning Institute, a center for the development of leadership, strategic thinking, and competencies necessary to thrive in the new participatory economy. He has worked with many of the top 100 CPA firms and teaches at the AICPA Leadership Academy. Most recently he ran the future forums for the AICPA Horizons 2025 Project.

Ron Loberfeld, CPA
Managing Partner, Abrams Little-Gill Loberfeld, PC

Ron Loberfeld is a Principal and the Managing Partner of Abrams Little-Gill Loberfeld PC (ALL), a full service Certified Public Accounting and Business Advisory firm based in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The firm has worked with privately held businesses and family based concerns locally and across New England for over 50 years, and has established a reputation for combining quality, personal service and value. ALL has won national and local level industry awards for client service and innovation, and appears annually in the Boston Business Journal’s top 50 largest accounting firms in Massachusetts.

In addition to being ALL’s Managing Partner, Loberfeld created the firm’s Marketing Division and leads the firm’s marketing and business development activities. He has played an integral part in driving the firm’s growth, expansion and succession planning through M&A, instigating and orchestrating two downstream mergers with local CPA firms and acquiring a CPA practice in the past two years (three downstream mergers and two acquisitions in the past six years).

Barry MacQuarrie
Director of Technology, KAF Financial Group

Barry MacQuarrie is a Social Media Consultant and the Director of Technology at KAF Financial Group. He combines his knowledge of social media, technology and business to provide consulting services to accounting firms and other businesses. He helps businesses benefit from their social media efforts and investments in technology. His areas of expertise include LinkedIn, social media, process improvement, workflow and paperless office technologies. MacQuarrie is the author of the SocialCPAs.com blog and is a monthly contributor to the AICPA’s CPA Insider.

MacQuarrie has been published in the MSCPA SumNews, the AICPA’s InfoTech Update and Corporate Finance Insider, the Boomer Bulletin and The Progressive Accountant. He also serves on the CCH Connections: User Conference Customer Advisory Committee and as a Vice President of his local Toastmasters Club. He has presented for the AICPA, the MSCPA, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business, JHI Association, XCM Solutions, Boomer Consulting, and various CPA firm associations. MacQuarrie is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and served as the chair of the MSCPA’s Information Technology Committee. MacQuarrie earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Babson College.

James C. Metzler, CPA, CGMA, CITP
VP, Small Firm Interests, Public Practice and Global Alliances, AICPA

James C. Metzler, CPA, is Vice President Small Firm Interests for the AICPA. In that role, he leads AICPA initiatives aimed at serving the needs of practitioners, including the activities of the Private Companies Practice Section. He serves as an advocate for small firms on standard-setting, legislative matters, practice issues and as liaison between the AICPA and its member firms. Metzler has spent more than 40 years working with small firms.

Prior to joining the AICPA, he was a co-founder of ConvergenceCoaching, LLC, a national consulting firm dedicated to helping CPAs prosper by assisting them to develop and implement success plans. Metzler spent 32 years in public accounting, as a partner with Gaines Metzler Kriner & Company, LLP, a local firm in Buffalo, NY. He is a frequent lecturer for the AICPA, State Societies and global CPA professional associations. Metzler was named in the Top Ten Most Influential CPAs in the US by Accounting Today in 2012 and the eight years preceding.

Edi Osborne
CEO, Mentor Plus

Edi Osborne, CEO of Mentor Plus, has been a leader in training and consulting to the accounting profession for nearly 20 years. Recently named by CPA Practice Advisor’s Top 25 Thought Leaders in Public Accounting, Osborne is dedicated to helping firms make the transition from a "service centric" traditional accounting focus to a "client centric" advisory services culture. For more info, you can visit www.mentorplus.com.

M. Darren Root
CEO, RootWorks LLC and Executive Editor, CPA Practice Advisor

Darren Root is CEO of RootWorks LLC, a national consulting firm helping small CPA Firms. He acts as Executive Editor of CPA Practice Advisor, print and online publication serving the accounting and tax profession and is a nationally recognized thought leader and speaker.  Root is a recipient of the Top 25 Most Influential Thought Leaders in Accounting Technology and co-author of The E-Myth Accountant, Why Most Accounting Practices Don’t Work and What to Do About It.

Gary Shamis
Managing Director, SS&G

Gary Shamis is the managing director of SS&G (Salz, Shamis & Goldfarb, Inc.). With 30 years of accounting and consulting experience, he specializes in serving the needs of professional service firms and numerous other industries. He also serves as an adviser to national firms in the industry, including providing SEC testimony on topics ranging from Sarbanes-Oxley to practice management issues. Shamis currently serves on the board of the Anti-Defamation League and the editorial board of CPA Practice Management Forum, and has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Accountancy, Managing Partner Report, Practicing CPA, and the Ohio CPA Journal.

He is the founder and chairman emeritus of The Leading Edge Alliance, which has grown in its first decade, to become the third largest international association of accounting firms. He has been named to Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting 11 times. He recently co-authored his first book, How to Manage Your Accounting Practice: Taking Your Firm from Chaos to Consensus. He earned his Master of Accountancy from The Ohio State University and his BS from Tulane University.

Rick Solomon, CPA
CEO, RAN ONE Americas, LLC

Rick Solomon, CPA, is the owner and CEO of RAN ONE Americas, the North American division of an international network of accounting firms. Their Thriving Firm program provides tools, resources and training that has been helping firms grow for over 15 years. As a trainer and consultant, Solomon has helped thousands of accountants in seven countries adding millions of dollars in profitable new business to their practices. His years of study at the Sedona Institute in Arizona gave him a deep understanding of human behavior and motivation, allowing him to help people free themselves of self-limiting beliefs. This understanding is the “secret ingredient” in all his training programs. His approach to business improvement has appeared in many accounting publications, as well as a feature story in the Sunday edition of the New York Times.

Rick Telberg
Editor, CPA Trendlines / Bay Street Group LLC

Rick Telberg is a veteran analyst, advisor, commentator, editor and publisher. He brings a unique background and perspective to research and advisory services for the professional services community. As an expert in management, marketing, media and e-commerce, he has served as Senior Editorial Director of Pro2Net Corp., now www.smartpros.com, and as Director of Online Content at CPA2Biz, www.cpa2biz.com.

Previously, Telberg served as the longtime Editor-in-Chief of Accounting Today, and as Vice President/Group Publisher at Thomson Financial (now SourceMedia), overseeing Practical Accountant, Accounting Technology, and what is now www.WebCPA.com. He was presented with a special citation by the National Society of Accountants for service to the profession and has served on a variety of boards and steering committees, including BKR International and the IBM Small Business Advisory Council. He is a graduate of New York University.

Sue Torgerson
Director, Market Strategy & Intelligence, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Sue Torgerson is the Director of Market Strategy & Intelligence for CCH.  Torgerson and her team are responsible for supporting the business in market strategy, market research, and business intelligence.  Currently, the MSI team is actively evaluating key trends, including firms’ need to drive organic growth, the impact of mobile and social media on the profession, and the dynamic growth of Big Data.  The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is one area of research that the team has implemented, helping CCH understand how likely its customers are to recommend CCH, identify how to improve upon those results, and ultimately drive stronger organic growth. 
Prior to joining CCH, Torgerson was a CPA and Manager of Information Technology for a suburban Detroit firm, before joining Thomson Tax & Accounting as an account manager in Chicago.  She joined ePace! Software at the onset of the migration to paperless, coming to CCH with the acquisition of ProSystem fx Engagement, later becoming the product manager and then Segment Manager for Large CPA Firms.  Torgerson holds a Bachelor degree from Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration in Troy, MI.

Sandra Wiley
Shareholder & COO, Boomer Consulting, Inc.

Sandra Wiley is a Partner and the Chief Operating Officer of Boomer Consulting, Inc. She has been named by Accounting Today as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Accounting. In her 14 years with Boomer, she has worked with clients to strengthen their firm’s human capital using Strategic Planning and Team Building Tools.

Wiley is the co-developer of The Performance3™ Management Program where she facilitates the knowledge development of mid-level managers from professional services firms. She is also a certified Kolbe™ Master Consultant and assists clients with building teams, managing employee conflict and hiring within their management and technology staff. Wiley helps facilitate The Boomer Technology Circles™, The Annual Human Capital Symposium™ and the Annual Training Symposium™.

Tax Track

Deborah Blackwell
Senior Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Deborah Blackwell is a Senior Research Consultant for CCH in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey.  She joined CCH in 1989 and has been involved with development of customer training programs for ProSystem fx tax software and IntelliConnect.

As a member of the Training & Consulting department, Blackwell brings her knowledge and experience to her responsibilities that include customer training in person and via the Web, and developing and updating customer training guides. Prior to joining CCH, she worked at IFS Inc., for 15 years, training and presenting tax software. She has an Associate’s Degree from Henry Ford Community College.

John Becht
Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

John Becht is a Software Consultant for CCH. He joined CCH in 1989 and has been involved with several different aspects of the business.  Primarily, Becht works as a consultant and trainer of ProSystem fx ® Suite applications, specifically ProSystem fx® Tax and ProSystem fx® Scan.  Other duties include the development and implementation of software enhancements, training of CCH employees, and strategic account assistance. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing / Management from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. 

Bryan Clark
Partner, BC Consulting, LLP

Bryan Clark, a partner at BC Consulting, LLP, has more than two decades of experience providing tax compliance services to a wide variety of clients. His clients have ranged from newlyweds just beginning to build their wealth to Fortune 500 companies, from owner operated entities to high-wealth individuals and their family offices.  Clark formed BC Consulting in 2002 after working more than 11 years for a then Big 5 accounting firm. In his former job, he was the Tax Process Improvement Leader for the Gulf Coast region and was responsible for developing firm-wide methodologies and work programs for preparing various types of tax returns. Clark was also a member of the team responsible for transitioning that firm from its own internally developed tax software to CCH's ProSystem fx® Tax.

In his current role at a much smaller firm and with many more clients than he previously served, he realized the importance of process efficiency and standardization.  He has devoted a significant amount of time to implementing new technologies in his firm’s tax compliance process, while maintaining a focus on accuracy and staff development. He is a member of the AICPA and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Steven J. Eller
Tax Partner, Rosen Seymour Shapss Martin & Co. LLP

Steven J. Eller, CPA, JD, is a Tax Partner and chairs Rosen Seymour Shapss Martin & Co. LLP’s  State and Local Taxation Service Group.   He has 25 years of professional experience assisting individuals, businesses, as well as estates and trusts plan for and comply with Federal, State and Local regulations.  He advises clients with respect to sales and use taxes, payroll taxes, residency and nexus issues, with a focus on strategy planning and compliance. Eller has also been influential in having both New York State and New York City change various provisions of their tax laws and regulations in favor of individuals and businesses.

Eller received his J.D. from Widener University School of Law (formerly Delaware Law School of Widener University), and his BS in Accounting from the University of Delaware. He is a CPA in New York and New Jersey and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. Eller is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. He is the current co-chair of its legislative subcommittee and a member of the New York State Taxpayer Advisory Council.

Eric Green
Convicer Percy & Green LLP

Attorney Eric Green is a partner at the Law Offices of Convicer Percy & Green.  The focus of Green’s practice is taxpayer representation before the IRS, Department of Justice Tax Division, Connecticut Department of Revenue Services and Massachusetts Department of Revenue as well as handling probate matters, estate planning for individuals and business owners and tax planning for closely held businesses. He is also a Certified Internal Auditor, and prior to practicing law, served as a senior tax consultant for national and international accounting firms, including KPMG and Deloitte & Touche.

Green is Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Tax Section and is a Member of its Estate & Probate Section. He is admitted to practice in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and is a member of the United States Tax Court Bar. Green is also a member of the Connecticut and Massachusetts Bar Associations, as well as the American Bar Association. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting with a minor in International Business from Hofstra University, and is an honors graduate from New England School of Law. He earned a Masters of Laws in Taxation from Boston University School of Law.

Frank Giudice
Senior Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Frank Giudice is a Consultant for CCH. He is primarily responsible for providing training and consulting on ProSystem fx® Tax, including speaking at training and sales seminars. As a member of the Training & Consulting department, Giudice brings over 26 years of experience with his vast knowledge of the tax law and the ProSystem fx® Suite of products. Prior to his current role at CCH, Giudice was an Assistant Tax Director for CCH Computax in Niles, IL from 1991 ‐1993 and was responsible for managing the Tax Technical Support Group and assisting customers and employees with support issues. From 1987 – 1991, Giudice was part of the National Tax Support Group that provided various support functions to Strategic Accounts and other CCH Computax Service Centers.  Before his CCH career, Giudice spent 5 years with a public accounting firm in Oak Brook, IL.  He received a BS in Accounting from Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL.

Claudia Hill
Tax Mam, Inc.

Named one of Tax Analysts’ Top 10 Persons of the Year for 2011, Claudia Hill, EA, MBA, is a nationally recognized tax professional and sought-after lecturer on individual taxation and IRS representation. Hill has testified before Congress and White House special committees on the alternative minimum tax (AMT), tax law simplification, IRS administration and tax practice.

She is often called upon by the news media for commentary on tax issues, and coordinates the IRS Watch blog for Forbes.com. Hill is Editor in Chief of the CCH, Inc. Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure, co-author of CCH’s Expert Treatise Tax Practice & Procedure and a frequent presenter for CCH Audio Seminars.

Paul Hunkins, CPA
Senior Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Paul Hunkins is a Software Consultant for CCH.  His primary duties involve performing training and consulting engagements on the ProSystem fx® Suite of products focusing on ProSystem fx® Tax and ProSystem fx® Engagement.  Hunkins also assists with training program development, including the development team for the new School of Tax, Level II course. Prior to joining CCH in 1990, he worked in Public Accounting for four years. Hunkins has a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN.

Mark Luscombe
Principal Tax Analyst, CCH Corporate Services

Mark Luscombe, a CPA and attorney, is the principal federal tax analyst for CCH and is a key member of the CCH Tax Legislation team tracking and analyzing legislation before Congress. Luscombe is the current chair of the Important Developments Subcommittee of the Partnership Committee of the American Bar Association Tax Section and regularly speaks on a wide range of tax topics. In addition, Luscombe co-authors a monthly tax strategies column for Accounting Today and authors a monthly tax trends column for TAXES magazine. Prior to joining CCH, he was in private practice for almost 20 years with several Chicago-area law firms where he specialized in taxation.

Jackie Meyer, CPA, MSA
Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Jackie Meyer is a Software Consultant for Training & Consulting at CCH. Her primary focus is with the Tax related products in the ProSystem fx® Suite. Meyer has also been involved in creating and facilitating training and consulting programs such as the School of Tax. Prior to joining CCH, Meyer was in private practice specializing in taxation of high net wealth clientele, private companies, and Oil & Gas Accounting. She started her career at Deloitte Tax, LLP, and then transitioned as a senior tax consultant to a mid-sized CPA Firm in the Dallas area. She is a CPA with a Master’s degree in Accounting from Southern Methodist University, and a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Robert J. Misey
Chair, International Department, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.

Robert J. Misey is a shareholder in the firm’s Tax and Business Law Practices and Chair of the International Practice. He concentrates his practice in the areas of international taxation and tax controversies, and he works with a wide range of clients from a variety of industries, including manufacturing, service, energy, retail and entertainment. His previous legal experience includes nine years as an attorney for the IRS. He regularly shares his expertise on international taxation with professional audiences at continuing education programs.

Misey teaches International Taxation at the Master of Tax program in the University of Wisconsin system. He has published numerous articles and has authored the treatises U.S. Taxation of International Transactions and Federal Taxation: Practice and Procedure, published by CCH. He received his JD and MBA degrees from Vanderbilt University and his Master of Laws in Taxation, with high distinction, from Georgetown University, where he was the graduate student editor of The Tax Lawyer. 

Julie Nicolai, CPA
Senior Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Julie Nicolai is a Software Consultant within the Training & Consulting department.  Her primary focus is conducting training and consulting services for customers using the ProSystem fx® Suite.  She received her degree in economics from the University of California, Davis and later earned a Master of Science in Accounting from California State University Fullerton. Nicolai has been with CCH since 2006 and has also consulted on the ProSystem fx® Tax, Engagement, and Scan products.  Prior to joining CCH, she worked for such firms as Arthur Andersen, Deloitte & Touche LLP and McGladrey & Pullen.  She also spent a semester teaching Introduction to Managerial Accounting at her alma mater, California State University Fullerton.  Nicolai is a practicing CPA.

Tony Nitti
Partner, Withum Smith & Brown, PC

Tony Nitti is a tax partner of Withum Smith & Brown. He is a CPA in the states of New Jersey and Colorado and has over ten years of accounting and tax experience, including working in the tax departments of Arthur Andersen LLP and Price Waterhouse LLP.

Nitti’s practice focuses primarily on corporate and partnership tax planning, with a special focus on the consolidated return regulations and the reorganization provisions, including the structuring of acquisitions, mergers, reorganizations, spin-offs and other restructuring transactions. Nitti is the co-author of CCH Expert Tax Treatise: Corporations Filing Consolidated Returns, where he penned chapters titled Reverse Acquisitions, Allocation of Consolidated Tax Liability, Earnings and Profits, Election to Discontinue Filing Consolidated Returns, and Estimated Payments.

Nitti earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from The College of New Jersey and a Masters in Taxation from the University of Denver Graduate Tax Program. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA), and the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants (COCPA).

Steven G. Siegel
President, The Siegel Group

Steven G. Siegel is president of The Siegel Group, a national consulting firm specializing in tax consulting, estate planning and advising family business owners and entrepreneurs. Siegel holds a BS from Georgetown University, a JD from Harvard Law School and an LLM in Taxation from New York University. He is the author of several books. Siegel has lectured extensively throughout the United States on tax, business and estate planning topics on behalf of numerous organizations, including National Law Foundation, AICPA, CCH, National Tax Institute, PESI, National Society of Accountants, state CPA societies, and many others. He has also served as an adjunct professor of law at Seton Hall and Rutgers University law schools.

Eric Wallace
Partner, Carbis Walker, LLP

Eric P. Wallace is a Partner and member of the Construction & Real Estate Services Team for Carbis Walker LLP.  He provides specialized, professional services to many contractors and construction and real estate related industries in both tax and accounting and auditing. Wallace has represented numerous contractor clients before the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Labor, and state revenue departments of income, employment, and sales tax. He is the author and co-author of several tax and accounting articles and is a presenter on the AICPA Construction Contractors: Accounting, Auditing and Tax Video CPE course.  He is also the author of CCH’s two construction books, titled Construction Guide: Accounting and Knowledge-Based Audits and Construction Guide: Tax and Advisory Services.

Wallace obtained his Bachelor of Science in Public Accounting from Mesa State College of Colorado.  He is a member of the AICPA and their Governing Council, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), where he served for several years as Chairman of the Accounting and Auditing Committee, and was an elected member of the Governing Council. 

Ben Westbrook
Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Ben Westbrook is a Software Consultant with CCH.  As a member of the Training & Consulting department, Westbrook’s duties include training and consulting on ProSystem fx® Tax and ProSystem fx® Scan with AutoFlow.  He was instrumental in developing and delivering the CCH Learning and Development Academy’s new School of Tax program, which combines tax law, software and workflow skills in one course for new tax staff. Prior to joining CCH in 2008, Westbrook spent five years in public accounting in Texas, specializing in Tax preparation and planning for high net worth individuals and their privately held entities. Westbrook received his Bachelor’s degree from Rice University as well as a Master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. 

John Gemmellaro
Lead Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

John Gemmellaro is a Lead Research Consultant for CCH in the Southeast. He joined CCH in 1987 and worked with the ProSystem fx Tax Compliance division before moving to the Publishing division in 1997.  He serviced the NYC market for 20 years and is now supporting the Southeast. He has been involved with creating and facilitating customer training and consulting programs for CCH’s research and tax compliance products. He has been involved with education in the business profession and has written and presented seminars focusing on increased productivity and profitability through the use of new technology.

Ann Ramos
Lead Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Ann Ramos is a Lead Research Consultant with Training & Consulting for CCH in the metropolitan Chicago area. She joined CCH in 1995 and brings 16 years of experience to the Tax & Accounting industry in the areas of training and consultation and technical writing.  She conducts consulting engagements on integration and implementation of IntelliConnect, Accounting Research Manager and ClientRelate. Ramos has a BS in Business/Information Systems and a Master degree in Business/Information Systems in Management.

Timothy Noonan
Partner, Hodgson Russ LLP

Tim Noonan is partner at the law offices of Hodgon Russ LLP.  He practices in the areas of state and local tax law, with a focus on handling New York State and City tax litigation and controversy work.  He also lectures on New York State and multistate tax matters and is a frequent speaker on CCH webinars.  He is a co-author of New York Sales and Use Tax Answer Book and New York Residency and Allocation Audit Handbook, both published by CCH. Over the past 12 years, he has authored approximately 75 articles on state and local tax topics, including "Where Do You Live?," an article on states' increased audit enforcement of residency issues, published in Trusts & Estates magazine (October 2011). In February 2011, Noonan was featured in a front-page New York Times story on residency issues. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Buffalo and graduated magna cum laude from the University at Buffalo Law School.  He is admitted to practice in New York. 

Technology Track

Jeremy Brown, CDIA+
Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Jeremy Brown is a Software Consultant with the Training and Consulting team for CCH. He joined CCH in 2005 as part of the ProSystem fx® Document team. He is currently responsible for IT consulting and technical pre-sales support for the ProSystem fx® Suite, as well as assisting with the development of new products and training.  Prior to joining CCH, Brown was the Systems Administrator for the Document Imaging and Document Management solution at a large global shipping company. In addition to his background in Document Management Systems implementation and support, he also holds various certifications including CDIA+ (Certified Document Imaging Architect).

Charles Gunnels
Software Consultant, Training and Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Charles Gunnels is an IT Marketing Support Representative with CCH.  He received a Bachelor of Business Administration in the field of Information Systems from Georgia Southern University. Prior to joining CCH, he served as an IT Administrator and IT Auditor for a regional accounting firm. As a member of the Training & Consulting department, Gunnels brings his knowledge and experience to his responsibilities that include software deployment and customer training in person and via the Web, as well as developing and updating customer training guides.

Randy Johnston, MCS
Executive VP, K2 Enterprises & NMGI

Randolph P. (Randy) Johnston, MCS has been a top rated speaker in the technology industry for over 30 years. Johnston writes a monthly column for CPA Practice Advisor, articles for the Journal of Accountancy and creates articles for both accounting and technology publications, as well as being the author of numerous books. His influence throughout the accounting industry is highlighted by being a recipient of the Accounting Today Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting award for eight consecutive years.

Among his many other awards, Johnston holds the honor of being one of nine technology stars in the U.S. by Accounting Technology Magazine. He was inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame in 2011. He has started and owns multiple businesses including K2 Enterprises in Hammond, LA and Network Management Group, Inc. in Hutchinson, KS.

Roman Kepczyk, CPA, CITP
Director of Consulting, Xcentric

Roman H. Kepczyk, CPA is Director of Consulting for Xcentric. His primary focus is helping firms throughout North America effectively use information technology by implementing digital best practices and directing them towards today’s “less paper” or Digital CPA firm. He has spent the past 15 years consulting exclusively with CPA firms and prior to that, 10 years with the CPA firm of Henry & Horne, (Arizona’s largest regional firm) where he was the partner in charge of the firm's Management Advisory Services and Microcomputer Consulting practices. Kepczyk is a past member of the AICPA PCPS Executive Committee and past Chairman of the AICPA's Information Technology Executive Committee. He was named one of Accounting Today’s Most Influential People in 2011 and 2000 through 2005.

He has authored technology chapters for various handbooks and sections of the AICPA MAP Handbook, as well as co-authored the 2003 AICPA Top Technologies Guide and 2004 AICPA Guide to Understanding and Controlling Spam. He also authored the AAA Guide to CPA Firm Intranets as well as coauthored their 2003 Guide to Paperless CPA Firm Administration.

James M. Piller, Principal
Margolin, Winer & Evens LLP

Jim Piller heads the firm’s System Consulting and Training Practice Group which maintains a specialty in enterprise project management and technology implementations. As a Project Management Consultant for a number of Fortune 500 companies, Piller specializes in working with organizations that understand the strategic nature of enterprise projects, current/future technologies and how they relate to their success. He assists clients with the full project life cycle, from concept to delivery, giving them a competitive edge in meeting their goals.

Piller is an active member of various systems groups and he is a frequent lecturer/panelist on Information Systems topics and a computer education trainer. His professional credentials include: Microsoft Certified Professional, Microsoft Silver Partner (Silver Desktop Competency), Technical Contributor to various publications and Microsoft Online Partner.

Ken Pyle, CISSP, VCP, Sec+
Bowman and Company LLP

Ken Pyle is a member of the IT department of Bowman and Company LLP, Southern New Jersey’s largest CPA firm. He has specialized in Information Security, Computer Forensics, Enterprise Virtualization and Network Engineering and has an extensive background in Network Penetration and Remediation, Compliance and Secure Design. Prior to joining Bowman and Company LLP, he served as a Security and Network Engineer for several information technology companies. Pyle has consulted with large financial institutions, banks and government defense contractors along with a number of other highly secure facilities on issues of Information Security, High Availability and Fault Tolerant Clustering, Computer Forensics and Network Design.

He has lectured on Information Security and has published several whitepapers on subjects including public information gathering via Social Networking and Social Engineering. He graduated from York College with a BS in Criminal Justice and holds the CISSP certification along with numerous other security and technology certifications from companies such as Cisco, VMware, CompTIA and AccessData.

Aaron Seeman, MCITP
Lead Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Aaron Seeman is a Lead Software Consultant at CCH.  He joined CCH in 2000 and worked with the Practice Management support team before moving to the Training and Consulting department in 2008 as a Lead Software Consultant. He is responsible for the supervision of the IT consulting team as well as performing IT consulting for the ProSystem fx® Suite of products.  He also works on a planning committee that defines the best practices for clients who are migrating to the ProSystem fx® Suite (SaaS). He received his BS in Business Administration with emphasis in Accounting from the University of West Florida in Pensacola FL.  Seeman is also a Microsoft Certified IT Professional.

Val Steed, CPA.CITP
CEO, K2 Enterprises

Val D. Steed, CPA.CITP, MA, is a shareholder of  K2 Enterprises, Centerville, UT.  Steed graduated from Utah State University where he received both his BS in Accounting and his Masters of Accounting. He worked for Deloitte Haskins and Sells of Salt Lake City, and then with Hansen, Steed, Bradshaw & Malmrose P.C. of Salt Lake City. He was with Hansen, Steed, Bradshaw & Malmrose P.C. for eleven years and was a shareholder for six years before leaving to start K2 Enterprises. Currently, he is the CEO of K2 Enterprises which is a national technology training and consulting organization. He has 12 years of experience in public practice and has been involved with information systems and the accounting technology industry since 1984.

Jim Tarala
Shareholder & CIO/CTO, Schenck SC

Jim Tarala has over 25 years of technology-related business and consulting experience in industries ranging from accounting, wholesale/distribution, retail, and systems-integration. Tarala combines his expertise with an operational approach to achieve business improvement through the use of technology. Whether working with IT personnel or executive management, he translates user needs and management requirements into solutions that are mapped to the organization's business objectives. He has worked with a variety of clients including manufacturing, distribution, education, governmental, and insurance.

Tarala serves as Schenck’s Chief Information/Technology Officer. He is chairman of Schenck’s Information Technology Committee, which is charged with technology planning, budgeting and adoption firm-wide. Recent projects include tax preparer workflow, client portals, a new virtualization & SAN infrastructure, as well as a firm-wide Windows 7 deployment. Prior to joining Schenck, Tarala was a co-founder of Business Data Systems, a hybrid management & technology consulting firm that offered its clients a sophisticated array of services in information systems, accounting, distribution and manufacturing. BDS merged with Schenck in 2000. Additionally, Tarala has been an instructor for the Executive Education department at the University of Wisconsin - Madison School of Business since 1991.

Wendy Whitney
Senior Software Consultant, Training & Consulting, CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business

Wendy Whitney is a Senior Software Consultant for CCH. She has been conducting consulting and training since 2002 for ProSystem fx® Document (On-Premise), Engagement, Practice Management, Scan and Tax.  In addition, she provides various consulting and training services for the Next Gen platform, including Data Analysis Tool Training, Installation and Configuration of the Next Gen Suite and Data Migration. She began her career with CCH in 1998.  Prior to joining the Training and Consulting Group in 2002, she worked with the Technical Support Team providing support for ProSystem fx® Tax, Practice Advantage and Engagement.