August 30, 2007
Midmarket Panel: Defining the Future of Professional Service Firms - BDO Seidman; Cherry, Bekaert & Holland; Crowe Chizek; Harper Van Scoik; RSM McGladrey
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Anthony Reh BDO Seidman
Topic: The firms are growing with client service demands far exceeding the firm's ability to attract the personnel needed to meet the service demands, so career advancement prospects are limited only by the ability of the candidate to learn the job.
Experience
Anthony has over nine years of accounting and auditing experience in public accounting in Atlanta. He has worked with international public companies and U.S. subsidiaries of foreign corporations and has managed engagements in dynamic and complex environments. Anthony has also led and coordinated an integrated 404 and financial statement audit of a multinational accelerated filer.
Areas of Specialization
- Manufacturing & Distribution
- SEC Reporting
- Software and High Technology
- International Engagements
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Integrated 404 Financial Statement Audits
Education
- BBA, University of Florida, Accounting
- Masters Degree in Taxation, Georgia State University
Professional Affiliations
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants
Janet Hilder Cherry, Bekaert, & Holland
Topic: The firms are very large so they provide many geographical choices as well as access to very specialized professional expertise when it is needed.
Janet is a senior accountant in the audit practice of the Tampa Bay office of Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, L.L.P. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1996 from the University of Florida, from which she later received Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Accounting degrees.
Janet started with Cherry, Bekaert & Holland in January 2005 and has since worked on audits of several not-for-profit organizations, government entities, and common-interest realty associations (CIRAs.) Janet's community involvement includes past service as treasurer of the Florida Track Club. Her hobbies include running, hiking, reading, and crafts.
Bill Knibloe Crowe Chizek
Topic: The nature of the work assignments lend themselves to the audit staff getting really broad exposure to the whole engagement early in their careers and also makes on the job training very effective.
Education
BS in Business Administration and Accounting
Western Michigan University
Experience
Consults with financial institutions on:
- Audit and tax services; has provided relevant services to over 100 financial institutions over his 33 year professional career.
- Securities and Exchange filing assistance; registration statements, significant events filings, annual and quarterly financial filings, etc.
- Strategic and general business planning; including director retreat facilitation.
- Corporate structure alternatives; capital planning, business expansion and diversification.
- Regulatory issues; Cease and Desist order assistance, Formal agreement compliance, Securities Rules violations, etc.
- Business combinations; Acquisitions and sales of branches, banks and/or savings and loans.
- DeNovo Bank formations; regulatory filings, capital and financial projections, formation assistance, etc.
Professional Memberships and Licenses
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Florida, Arizona (inactive), Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota (inactive), Ohio, Puerto Rico, West Virginia CPA licenses
Professional and Community Service
Bill was a member of the AICPA Banking and Savings Institution Committee, Michigan CPA society Banking Committee (past chairperson), MACPA Banking Subcommittee on relationships with regulators (past chairman), Michigan Associations of Community Bankers Associates Advisory Board (elected position), Grand Rapids Economic Club, United Way Community Wide Care Committee, Trinity United Methodist Church Finance Committee, Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Trustee, Leadership Broward Senior Executive Orientation, member of the Board of Directors os John Knox Village of Florida, Inc. Finance and Audit Committee and various other charitable boards and committees.
Speeches
Bill has been a lecturer on accounting and auditing for the Bank Administration Institute at the School for Bank Administration in Madison, Wisconsin; AICPA National Banking Conference; AICPA Savings and Loan National Conference; Michigan Association of Community Banker Annual Meeting; and the Robert M. Perry Schools for Banking. He is a frequent speaker at banking seminars and board meetings on topics such as strategic planning, organization structures, the responsibilities of auditors, merger/acquisition proposal issues, Securities and Exchange issue developments and various other issues.
Debra AlberdiHarper, Van Scoik & Company
Topic: There is a high likelihood that staff will be involved in both audit and tax services early in their career and that provides them actual work experience before they have to make a specialization decision.
Experience:
- Entered the public accounting profession in 1984, serving clients in Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay area since 1987
- Primary responsibilities include income tax planning, research and review for individuals and corporations, including small businesses and their owners
- Representation of clients for Internal Revenue Service and Florida State Department of Revenue audits
- Experience in Florida State sales tax issues
Professional:
- Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida
- Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Continuing professional education instructor
Civic and Community:
- Past President, Current Board Member - Tampa Bay Chapter American Woman's Society of CPAs (AWSCPA)
- Advisory Board and Finance Committee - Clearwater Central Catholic Church
Education:
- University of Florida, B.S. in Accounting
Chuck Riggs Harper, Van Scoik & Company
Topic: There is a high likelihood that staff will be involved in both audit and tax services early in their career and that provides them actual work experience before they have to make a specialization decision.
Experience:
- Entered the public accounting profession in 1980, serving clients in Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania
- Entered private consulting in 1975, serving clients in large computer engagements
- Audit partner serving clients in a variety of industries including manufacturing, distribution and agricultural products
- Coordinate and install systems for public works utility, local planning council, large local insurance company, large dental practice, law practice, wholesale distributor, banking institutions in Florida and Pennsylvania
- Coordinate computer installations for large local banks, insurance, and other medium-sized companies
- Review data processing systems for small, medium, and large corporations, including hospitals and metal distributor systems
- Develop detail systems for hospitals and not-for-profit service organizations
- Experience in audit and taxes and areas of financial planning, systems installation, and management organization for not-for-profit organizations, small to medium-sized public and privately held companies in Pinellas County
- Experience in consulting and operational accounting, tax planning, both automated and manual systems for not-for-profit organizations
Professional:
- Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida
- Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Civic and Community:
- Past Chair, Outback Bowl
- Member of Heritage United Methodist Church
- Past Chairman of Clearwater Chamber of Commerce
- Board Member of St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Sports Foundation
- Past Member, Board of Directors, Tampa Bay Sports Committee
- Past President, Kiwanis Club of Springtime City
- Past Chairman of Advisory Council, University of South Florida School of Accountancy
Education:
- AICPA MAS Training at University of Texas
- University of South Florida, B.A., Major in Accounting
- University of Florida, B.A., Major in Education/Political Science
Jack Cadden RMS McGladrey, Inc.
Topic: The clients are entrepreneurial and owner managed rather than run by hired professional managers.
Summary of Experience
Jack has been with the firm since 2000. Prior to his career at RSM McGladrey/McGladrey & Pullen , (formerly Tedder, James, Worden & Associates). Jack spent one year with General Electric in New York. Jack also worked for Concord Management, Limited, a CED Company, as a controller before beginning his public accounting career with KPMG in July of 1992.
Jack's experience includes serving public and private companies spanning diverse industries such as real estate developers, manufacturing and wholesale companies, cooperatives, not-for-profits, and construction companies. He has also assisted various clients with SEC filings, performance measurement, benchmarking, budgeting and activity based costing.
Professional Affiliations
Jack's professional and business affiliations include Licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida, member of the Florida and American Institutes of Certified Public Accountants, Chairman of the UCF School of Accounting Advisory Board and Co-Chair of the 2003 UCF Accounting Conference.
Community Involvement
Hospice of the Comforter Board of Directors, Past Chairman of Leadership Seminole and Treasurer for Envision Seminole. Jack has also served in an advisory capacity for Girls and Boys Town and America's Charities.
Accolades
Orlando Business Journal's:
- Top Ten Business Men to Watch (2005)
- 40 Under Forty Recipient (2007)
Education
- State University of New York at Albany (SUNYA)-graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a minor in Business Administration.
- Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC)-graduated with Honors in May 1990 with an Associate of Arts in Business Administration.
- Attended the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Florida Southern University to obtain the necessary fifth year requirements to sit for the Florida CPA exam.
September 6, 2007
Siemens: Opportunities in a Global Network of Innovation
Siemens
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Brian Blacher- 12 years of experience including public accounting in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Orlando and CFO of emerging technology company
- Tax Director for Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
- CPA and J.D.
- BS in Accounting and JD from the University of Florida; M.S. Accounting from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Andrew Schrader - 14 years experience; 9 with Power Generation Industry
- Financial Manager in Environmental Systems and Services
- CPA & CMA
- Fortune 50 experience includes IBM, AlliedSignal, and Siemens
Lou Zaltsberg - 32 years of experience in Corporate Finance/Business Administration; 29 years in Management positions
- 13 years of experience in the Power Generation Industry
- Two expatriate assignments--Singapore and Australia; Domestic Assignments in Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Chicago, and Orlando
- BS in Accounting from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
September 27, 2007
Shaun Kelly
KPMG
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Shaun Kelly Topic: Keys to a Succesful Career in Public Accounting
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Shaun T. Kelly has been the Vice Chairman of Tax Services for KPMG LLP since 2005. Prior to that, he was the Chairman of the Global Transaction Services practice. He also has served as Regional Coordinating Partner for KPMG's Transaction Services Practice in the Americas. A native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, he joined the KPMG firm in Dublin in 1980 and transferred to the U.S. firm's San Francisco office in 1984. He was admitted to the U.S. partnership in 1999. Mr. Kelly has been providing companies with divestiture, merger-and-acquisition, transaction structuring and due-diligence support since 1986.
Mr. Kelly earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree, First Class Honors, from University College, Dublin, Ireland.
Mr. Kelly is a Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
October 11, 2007
Midmarket Panel: - Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC; RSM McGladrey
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Gregory DeVino RMS McGladrey, Inc.
Topic: TBA
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- RSM McGladrey, Inc. - 2006 to Present
- Ennis, Pellum & Associates - 2005 to 2006
- KPMG LLP - 1995 to 2005
- Ernst & Young, LLP - 1994 to 1995
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION
- Bachelor (Accounting) - University of North Florida
- Master of Accountancy (Tax Emphasis) - Universitiy of North Florida
- Certified Public Accountant - Florida
- Certified Public Accountant - Georgia
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- University of North Florida, Professional Development Chair, Coggin College of Business Alumni Chapter Board
- University of North Florida, Business Advisory Council
- FICPA, Vice Chair, Florida Committee on Federal Taxation
- Jacksonville Women's Business Center, Financial Mentor to Woman Business Owners, Athena Network Panelist
Greg DeVino joined RSM McGladrey, Inc. as a Director in December, 2006. Greg was hired to be the tax leader in the Jacksonville, Florida location, responsible for building the new location's book of business and to utilize his expertise to provide high level tax compliance and consulting services to McGladrey's North and Central Florida's clients. For the 20 months prior to joining McGladrey, Greg served as a Senior Tax Manager with a large local CPA firm, Ennis, Pellum & Associates. However, Greg spent most of his career, more than 10 years, with the "Big Four" accounting firm KPMG LLP in the Jacksonville tax practice.
Greg has extensive experience supervising the preparation and review of tax returns for individuals and entities with revenues ranging from $1 million to $13 billion, primarily in the real estate, automotive, consumer markets, wholesale, distribution, and manufacturing industries. Moreover, Greg provides both his SEC and privately held clients with tax effective structuring and tax advantaged solutions. He has successfully represented several individuals and corporations before the Internal Revenue Service related to various tax controversies. His experience ranges from individual income tax to large consolidated corporate tax consulting and compliance. Greg also has extensive experience with S corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies (LLCs). Such experience includes addressing the tax and accounting issues associated with multi-tiered investment and real estate partnerships. He has worked with many multi-state businesses, and his state tax experience includes both stand-alone and consolidated state income and franchise tax returns, partnership information filings and individual state income tax returns.
Becky Hoover
Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC
Topic: TBA
Becky Hoover, a Senior Director with Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC, provides tax-related services to U.S. multinational and foreign-owned companies, primarily in the manufacturing and financial services industries.
With more than 13 years of experience, Ms. Hoover has assisted companies with reorganizations, including the post-merger integration of global operations; implementing tax planning strategies to manage the impact of U.S. federal and state tax liabilities; analyzing repatriation and cash flow strategies for multinational companies; and performing due diligence related to acquisitions. Ms. Hoover has also prepared and reviewed complex financial statement tax provisions, related tax balances and footnote disclosures for multinational companies. In addition, she has experience with restatements involving U.S. and UK GAAP.
Prior to joining A&M, Ms. Hoover was with the International Tax Services and Lead Tax Services practices of Deloitte Tax LLP. Previously, she was a member of the International Tax and Federal Tax Services groups of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC.
Ms. Hoover holds a bachelor's degree in accounting, with honors, and a master's degree in accounting from the University of Florida. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in Georgia and North Carolina. Ms. Hoover is a member of the AICPA and the International Fiscal Association.
Melody Summers
Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC
Topic: TBA
Melody J. Summers is the National Recruiting Managing Director of Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC. From her base in San Francisco, she assists clients in identifying and implementing federal tax strategies associated with business and individual challenges.
Ms. Summers has advised a broad client base, including clients in the real estate, financial services, agricultural, mining and manufacturing industries. She has also served as Interim Tax Director for a client of Alvarez & Marsal's Turnaround Advisory Group.
Prior to joining A&M, Ms. Summers had a 12 year career with two Big Five Accounting firms in San Francisco. Most recently, she served as Director of Finance with a private equity firm.
Ms. Summers graduated from the University of California at Davis with a bachelor's degree in managerial and agricultural economics and obtained her juris doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of California and the American Bar Association.
Frank Walker
Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC
Topic: TBA
Frank Walker is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC. With over 35 years of experience, Mr. Walker brings a wide range of experience across the real estate, hospitality and construction industries.
Mr. Walker has been deeply involved in structuring and implementing transactions involving public and private real estate investment trusts (REITs), mergers and acquisitions of public and private companies, portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, initial public offerings, and leveraged buyouts of public companies. He is experienced in serving all sectors of the real estate, hospitality and construction industries, specifically hotels, resorts, marinas, golf courses and clubs, retail properties, mixed use developments, residential (multi-family and homebuilders), industrial, office and general contracting. Mr. Walker has represented all types of owners/investors, including opportunity funds, pensions and other tax exempt investors, foreign investors, REITs, public and private taxable investors.
Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Walker spent over 30 years with Arthur Andersen, LLP. At Andersen, he was a member of the firmwide real estate industry executive team, and leader of the real estate, hospitality and construction industry team for the Southeast U.S. region. He subsequently spent over three years with the real estate industry group of Deloitte & Touche, LLP.
Mr. Walker co-authored Federal Taxes Affecting Real Estate, which was published by Mathew Bender. He has also been involved in the preparation of testimony before Congress on issues affecting the real estate industry.
A graduate of the University of Florida, Mr. Walker is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Florida Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has been active in a number of real estate industry groups, including the Urban Land Institute, the National Golf Foundation, the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT).
October 18, 2007
Panel: Entrepreneurial Opportunities with an Accounting Background - Financial and Performance Management COE; AllChem Industries
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Kim AutreyFinancial and Performance Management COE
Topic: TBA
Kim Autrey is a Director within the Financial and Performance Management COE and serves as a Business and Financial Consultant. He brings in excess of 30 years accounting, finance and IT experience and is a licensed CPA in two (2) states and has earned the CITP (Certified Information Technology Professional) designation from the AICPA.
Kim has a very deep level of experience at executive level accounting, financial and IT positions in both public and private companies. In addition he practiced public accounting for close to 10 years. While in public accounting, much of his experience was in the banking, financial services and healthcare.
Kim has first hand experience with the mission of the COE. Kim has a passion of enabling our clients to deliver information to decision makers within their companies. As a CPA, he brings a unique set of skills to the COE in both financial and IT area. He most recently was Senior Vice President - Business Systems of an NYSE listed real estate investment trust. He implemented the full suite of Oracle Financial Applications (2000), implemented Decision Experts solution in 2004 and has long advocated the benefits and use of integrated financial and operational data.
Kim is a board member of the Oracle Applications Users Group and chairs its Technology Committee and the University of Florida Accounting Conference Committee where he serves as Chairman. He has served on advisory development boards for Oracle and other software development companies. He has been asked repeatedly to speak at national IT conferences on topics such as Sarbanes-Oxley and the use of technology to deliver financial and operational information. In addition he has been published in national IT magazines.
Kim has a BSBA degree from the University of Florida with a concentration in accounting and finance.
Alex OlceseAllChem Industries
Topic: TBA
Alex Olcese is the President of AllChem Industries a $100 million privately held chemical distribution company headquartered in Gainesville, Florida. Mr. Olcese was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and grew up in South Florida. He holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Accounting from the University of Florida's Fisher School of Accounting. Prior to joining AllChem, Mr. Olcese was a senior consultant in Arthur Andersen's Atlanta international tax consulting practice.
During his time at Arthur Andersen, Mr. Olcese focused on structuring cross-border merger and acquisitions transaction with a focus on Asia and Latin America deals. His major clients included Southern Company, The Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Scientific Atlanta and Delta Airlines.
In his role as President of AllChem, Mr. Olcese coordinates the various aspects of the company's operations ensuring that the company's growth is managed and sustainable. During his tenure AllChem was twice named one of Florida's 100 fastest growing companies and its management was nominated for a Ernest & Young Entrepreneur award.
Mr. Olcese began working for AllChem while he was a student at the University of Florida and learned the business from the bottom up. He believes that accounting professionals create the most value for an enterprise when they fully understand the operational issues faced by companies. He often quips, "The most useless piece of information an accountant can provide is advice on what you should have done yesterday."
October 25, 2007
Shelley Stein
Grant Thornton
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Shelley Stein Topic: Take care of your people; take charge of your growth.
First and foremost, what makes any company successful is its people. Taking care of each great person in the firm -- listening carefully and meeting unique career needs - models the behavior and mindset the firm expects its people to bring to clients. Shelley will demonstrate that you can't grow any organization if you don't focus first on the people who make the magic happen. She'll share experiences to help you be successful. Then she'll tie it all together in terms of delivering superior client service.
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Shelley S. Stein is the chief operating officer (COO) of Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International (GTI) - one of the six global accounting, tax and business advisory organizations. In this role, Ms. Stein is responsible for operational and strategic priorities critical to the firm's success, including public policy and external affairs, human resources, the office of strategy management, strategic learning, and marketing and sales.
In this role, Ms. Stein leads two of the firm's core strategic initiatives that support delivery of excellent and personalized client service: "The Grant Thornton Experience" for our people and "The Grant Thornton Client Experience." Both are ongoing, firmwide and integrated cultural initiatives, which, taken together, create a distinct competitive advantage - professional excellence, passion for the work and old-world client service. As COO, Ms. Stein is the natural champion for these two cultural initiatives because they are inextricably related and ensure that the best people deliver the highest level of client service.
Ms. Stein also oversees Grant Thornton's Public Policy and External Affairs strategic initiative, which is designed to increase engagement in policy-making directly affecting the accounting profession and the economy. By deepening relationships with key stakeholders and clearly articulating firm policy positions, firm leaders gain an opportunity to participate in public discussions and shape critical policy decisions. These efforts combined establish Grant Thornton's role as a leader on economic, legislative and regulatory matters.
During her 30-year tenure with Grant Thornton, Ms. Stein has served in a variety of roles. Prior to becoming COO, she served as U.S. managing partner of client services, directing the activities of the firm's national managing partners engaged in assurance and advisory, tax and international services, as well as the firm's industry groups. In this position, she focused on enhancing and refining existing service offerings, implementing new service offerings, driving strategy, achieving revenue growth and maximizing profitability of firm services.
From 1999 to 2003, Ms. Stein served as divisional director for the Americas for Grant Thornton International, as well as on the boards of both the U.S. and international organizations. For a number of years, she has also been a member of Grant Thornton's U.S. Senior Leadership Team.
November 8, 2007
Allen Boston
Ernst & Young
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Allen Boston Topic: TBA
Time and Location: 6:15 - 8:15 PM, Gerson 126
Allen Boston is a partner and the director of campus and diversity recruiting for Ernst & Young LLP. His work supports the firm's People First culture, which reflects Ernst & Young's commitment to providing employees with the opportunities and tools they need to succeed within the firm and beyond. Allen is in charge of ensuring that the firm attracts and hires highly talented candidates from colleges and universities across the country. Ernst & Young seeks to hire people of diverse experiences and backgrounds, which results in an inclusive workforce that is better able to provide quality service to its clients.
He has served as a member of the Executive Council of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Allen's other professional affiliations include the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Association of Latino Professionals in Finance & Accounting and the AICPA. He has also served as a national officer and board member of NABA, a member of the board of trustees of the NJSCPA, and a board member of the Maryland State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Allen currently serves on dean advisory boards for North Carolina A&T State University and the University of Arkansas and other advisory boards for Michigan State University, Indiana University and ALPFA.
As a Governor's appointee to the Maryland Judicial Nominating Commission, Allen assisted in the selection process for state-appointed judgeships.
Allen received a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. He has more than 30 years of experience in the accounting profession and has served as the client service partner to corporations in various industries, including media and entertainment, energy and defense contracting.

