People & firms on the move: Grassi appoints CMO

January 22, 2021 3:33 PM

Prager Metis names co-MP; Mauldin & Jenkins adds HR advisory services practice; and more CPA news.

CALIFORNIA

Scott Jablow

Scott Jablow was appointed managing partner at Lavine, Lofgren, Morris & Engelberg, San Diego, where he has worked since 2008. He takes over from Larry Campbell, who served as managing partner of the firm for the past seven years and will continue his work as a tax partner.

Trent McLaren was hired as VP of client success at TOA Global, San Diego.

COLORADO

Tammy Rivera was appointed Colorado-Salt Lake managing partner at BKD CPAs & Advisors, succeeding Jeff Ronsse who was promoted to BKD north region MP.

CONNECTICUT

The Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation, Norwalk announced today the appointment of Kristine Brock, Chris Brown, Davis Collins, Samuel Owl, Beth Pearce, Daron Tarlton, Elizabeth Thomas, Stephen Stuart and Phil Vidal to the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council.

Additionally, FAF extended the term of chair Robert Scott by an additional year, and reappointed eight GASAC members: Duncan Baird, Robert Balducci, Kristen Fontana, Matt Harvey, Joe Morrissette, Lise Valentine, Lisa Washburn and Michael Weinstein.

DENMARK

Kovsted & Skovgard, Ebeltoft, joined Allinial Global as a member firm of the international association.

FLORIDA

CBIZ MHM, Tampa Bay, promoted in the tax department: Molly Boykins and Anthony Fernandez to manager and Steven Janseen to director; in the audit department: Rob Gilbride and Tyler Jenney to senior manager, and David Brett to manager.

GEORGIA

Lara Joseph was promoted to executive vice president of member services and Stephen Varley to chief operating officer and executive vice president of technical services at Allinial Global, Atlanta.

Mauldin & Jenkins, Atlanta, expanded their advisory practice with the addition of human resource advisory services, led by Timothy Evans, senior manager in the advisory practice. The new service offering will include recruitment and selection of employees and management, managerial relations, unemployment consulting, employee and labor relations, performance management, and job analysis and job design.

PrimeGlobal, Duluth, held the 2021 PrimeGlobal Tax and Business Assurance Virtual Conferences Jan. 5-8, welcoming over 800 delegates to hear from 26 experts discussing the most pressing issues in accounting.

ILLINOIS

Michael Green

Michael Green, partner at Baker Tilly, Chicago, was appointed to lead the firm’s life sciences practice.

Eve Fugiel and Lisa Hahm were promoted to partners at Weiss & Co., Glenview.

The Illinois CPA Society, Chicago, and the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois announced the latest class of 30 scholars to complete the Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program. (Read the full story.)

Megan Angle, Mark Gallegos, Gabe Grzeskiewicz and John Lancaster were admitted as partners at Porte Brown, Elk Grove Village.

Brunswick Benjamin, Chicago, promoted Dylan Creger to supervisor, and Daniel Fredrickson and David Thompson to senior accountants.

INDIANA

Shelly Shi

Somerset CPAs, Indianapolis, promoted six to senior manager: Shelly Shi, Jeffrey Hoots and Patrick Primmer on the tax team; Hayley DeMasie on the training and development team; Cole House on the private business advisory team; and Jordan Shady on the assurance services team.

KENTUCKY

The Association for Accounting Marketing, Lexington, announced nominations are open for its Marketing Achievement Awards. (Read the full story.)

LIBYA

Kashadah & Co., Tripoli, joined Andersen Global as a member firm of the international association.

LOUISIANA

Kay Miller

04

Kay Miller was promoted to partner-in-charge, Kenny Eldridge to senior manager and Keron Campbell to senior accountant, in the tax services section. Justin Hanson was promoted to senior accountant in consulting services, at Ericksen Krentel, New Orleans.

MASSACHUSETTS

Kevin Bonnett

Kevin Bonnett was promoted to accounting and audit director at G.T. Reilly & Co. CPAs, Milton.

MICHIGAN

Cents Savvy, a Black-owned Belleville-based financial literacy company founded by CPA Tiffany Vaughn, was relaunched to offer articles, videos and daily expert tips for clients and readers focused on building personal wealth at all stages of life and income levels in the African-American community. The site also featured an online store with a suite of personal finance products and services.

MISSOURI

Kari Wolff

JimMathis

Kari Wolff and Margo Hoegler were promoted to partner at MarksNelson, Kansas City.

NEW MEXICO

REDW, Albuquerque, promoted six to principal: Rochelle Alcon, Christopher Bitakis and Cristin Heyns-Bousliman in Albuquerque; Cheryl Folkerth and Barbara Rohwedder in the firm’s Phoenix office, and Adam Smith, a remote team member in Las Vegas.

NEW YORK

Sarah Cirelli

Sarah Cirelli was named chief marketing officer at Grassi, New York, where she has worked since 2017 as marketing practice leader.

Lori Roth was named co-managing partner at Prager Metis, New York, working with Glenn Friedman, chief executive officer and co-managing partner.

Jennifer Arutunjan was hired as manager of learning and development on the human resources team at Freed Maxick, Buffalo.

Charles Anastasia was hired as a tax partner in the New York City office at Weaver.

T. Patrick Farrelly was promoted to partner in the audit and assurance group at UHY, Albany.

Laura Kielczewski was hired as a director in the exempt organizations tax services practice at CohnReznick, New York.

NORTH CAROLINA

Wesley McLeod

DHG

Dixon Hughes Goodman, Charlotte, hosted its ninth annual Count the Cans food drive to support hunger relief organizations, raising more than $154,000. In other firm news, Wesley McLeod, a partner in DHG’s insurance practice, was appointed the first chairperson of the IASA Diversity and Inclusion Committee. (Read the full story.)

OHIO

CBIZ, Cleveland, unveiled a new website and online presence with enhanced user interface and optimized search functionality.

PENNSYLVANIA

Jeff Bleacher

Jeff Bleacher, managing partner at Ross Buehler Falk & Co., Lancaster, was named chair of the board of directors of the EDC Finance Corporation.

McCarthy & Co., Lafayette Hill, hired David Greberman as director-tax services, Michael Harrington Jr. as senior tax associate, Michael Martosella as staff associate and Barbara Mainardi as administrative assistant; and promoted Kim Delaney to tax manager and Elizabeth Rose to manager.

Jennifer CruverKibi was promoted to partner, Robert Belicose Jr. to principal, and Sara Reed to manager at Maher Duessel, Lancaster.

TENNESSEE

Matt Smith was hired as a shareholder in the health care practice at LBMC, Nashville.

TEXAS

David Jackson

David Jackson was hired as a partner in the state and local tax practice at Weaver, Houston.

Celina Cereceres, audit partner and lead for the public sector industry group at Whitley Penn, Houston, was named to the Board of Directors for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Galveston County.

Calvetti Ferguson, Houston, launched CF Financial to provide wealth management services.

VERMONT

Rebecca James was named partner at Johnson Lambert, Burlington.

VIRGINIA

CST Group, Reston, announced three team members were named to Washingtonian’s 2021 list of "Top Tax Accountants": Kendall Coleman, John Persil and Joe Romagnoli.

WISCONSIN

Michael Hall, Mary Ellen Michaelson and Scott Syrjala were promoted to shareholders in the tax department at Vrakas, Brookfield, where they have worked for 16, 21 and 11 years, respectively.

Katie Cullen was appointed chief strategy and innovation officer at Wipfli Financial Advisors, an affiliate of Wipfli, Milwaukee.

Rhonda Collins was hired as director of tax content and government relations on the research team of the National Association of Tax Professionals, Appleton.

Jess Vento was hired as director of success at LeaseCrunch, Milwaukee.