Professional Speaker Series
Offered Fall and Spring semesters, the Professional Speaker Series (ACG3802) is designed to expose students to technical topics and emerging issues in accounting, business, and in related professions such as law. Guest speakers will provide a practicing professional’s insights regarding technical issues and concerns affecting the accounting profession. Some sessions will relate to professional career planning, and the speakers will discuss various specialty areas, unusual occupations, unique firm practice structures, or non-traditional career opportunities. Presentations are followed by a reception during which time students can interact one-on-one with the speaker and his or her associates.
Attendance is limited to those students who have registered for the course or have advanced approval from the course coordinator. The course may not be repeated.
Spring 2019
Orson Lucas
KPMG
6:15-8:15pm, Gerson 126
Topic: Information Security & Privacy
About the Speaker: Orson Lucas is a Managing Director with KPMG’s Cyber Services based in Tampa, focused on helping complex, global organizations to enhance the maturity of their security programs to protect their most sensitive information assets. He has spoken at over two dozen conferences on various technical topics, and has authored several papers and articles in leading publications such as Compliance Week and Bloomberg.
Deloitte
6:15-8:15pm, Gerson 126
Topic: A Career in Tax
Michael Safra, Tax Partner
Michael is a tax partner in our Florida tax practice, Michael has over 15 years of public accounting experience and serves as the lead tax partner for many US corporations, REITs and partnerships specifically focused on serving private equity firms and portfolio companies in the Real Estate Sector.
His experience in partnerships, and REITs have enabled him to add value to his clients in many ways, including LP/LLC agreement review, entity and transaction structuring, investor relations guidance, technology driven solutions to his clients and assistance with tax due diligence on transactions.
Education:
BS in Accounting – University of Florida
Masters of Taxation – University of Florida
Ashley Graham, Tax Senior Manager
Ashley is a senior manager in Deloitte’s Florida tax practice. She has more than 8 years of experience consulting with both public and privately held companies in numerous industries, including real estate and manufacturing.
Her experience includes domestic, state and local, and international tax compliance and consulting services for corporate and flow-through entities, including accounting for income taxes (ASC 740), REIT and corporate transactions and restructuring, and audit controversy services.
Education:
BS in Accounting– University of Florida
Masters of Taxation – University of Central Florida
Alex Olcese
AllChem Industries
6:15-8:15pm, Gerson 126
Speaker TBD
Disney
6:15-8:15pm, Gerson 126
Speaker TBD
Siemens
6:15-8:15pm, Gerson 126
Speaker TBD
PwC
6:15-8:15pm, Gerson 126
James Moore
6:15-8:15pm, Gerson 126
Topic: Team Behind the Team
Brendan McKitrick, CPA, CISA
A manager with James Moore & Co.’s Audit & Assurance Team, Brendan has over 10 years of accounting experience, with a primary focus is on the higher education and government industries. As Certified Information Systems Auditor, he also puts his technical expertise to use on IT assessments and other aspects of client technology. Brendan received his Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations Management, and his Bachelor of Science in Accounting, from the University of Florida.
Shane Metzler
Shane is a senior accountant who serves nonprofit, higher education and government clients. At James Moore, he assists in audit planning, the performance of fieldwork, and the preparation of financial statements and reports. Shane earned a Master of Accountancy and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Florida.