People & firms on the move: Herbein launches 'Helpers' program in response to coronavirus

May 1, 2020 3:11 PM

The NJCPA Scholarship Fund grants $380K in scholarships; Janover launches charitable Helping Hands Committee; and more CPA news.

COLORADO

Inovautus Consulting, in collaboration with the Association for Accounting Marketing, is conducting a survey to learn more about the marketing and growth outlook for the CPA firm profession amid COVID-19. The survey is available here.

CONNECTICUT

Steven Hobbs was appointed vice president and general counsel at the Financial Accounting Foundation, Norwalk.

MINNESOTA

The CPA Consultants’ Alliance, Prior Lake, released its Big Ideas! Podcast series with 16 episodes exploring issues facing the public accounting profession. The podcast can be found on the CPACA website.

MISSOURI

KPM CPAs & Advisors, Springfield, was ranked among the top three largest payroll companies in the area by the Springfield Business Journal, ranking payroll companies in southwest Missouri by annual payroll processed and number of monthly accounts served.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Matthew Landon was hired as a senior manager in the tax practice at Baker Newman Noyes, Portsmouth.

NEW JERSEY

Sax, Clifton, entered into a joint venture agreement with strategic technology partner Safari Solutions to enhance the managed IT services Sax provides clients.

The New Jersey Society of CPAs, Roseland, announced its Scholarship Fund granted more than $380,000 in scholarships to New Jersey high school and college students in April, marking its 60th year of distribution. (Read the full story.)

Lorri Kissell was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing at Strategic Audit Solutions, Iselin.

NEW YORK

Janover, New York, announced its charitable giving committee, the Helping Hands Committee, is fundraising to support the health care workers on the frontlines of COVID-19 at Northwell Health. The firm created a page on Northwell Health’s website for donations with a goal to raise in excess of $5,000.

PENNSYLVANIA

Courtesy of Herbein

Herbein + Co., Reading, launched the Herbein Helpers program, a new initiative to recognize immediate family members making a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each Herbein Helper will be asked to nominate an organization currently engaged in COVID-19 response efforts and the firm will donate a minimum of $1,500 to the nominated organization. Additionally, Spring House, Pennsylvania, partner Tom Masoero has pledged to donate up to $1,000 — one dollar for every mile a local team member walks/runs/bikes right now – and the funds will be directed to a local food bank. And Herbein subsidiary Financial Outsourcing Solutions’ Partners Debbi Fetter and Tom Strause supplied matching funds for a drive that will collectively donate $3,000 ($1,000 each to the Second Harvest Food Bank – Lehigh Valley; Central Pennsylvania Food Bank; and Helping Harvest Food Bank – Berks/Schuylkill.)

SOUTH CAROLINA

Poe Group Advisors, Charleston, launched a new Accounting Practice Academy, beginning May 4. Brannon Poe, founder of Poe Group Advisors, will be teaching and leading the specialized online course.

TEXAS

Whitley Penn building in Dallas

Courtesy of Whitley Penn

Whitley Penn, Dallas, ranked No. 5 in the recent list of Largest Accounting Firms in North Texas by the Dallas Business Journal.

Sean Daniel was named chief financial officer at Gotransverse, Austin.

UNITED KINGDOM

Russell Bedford, London, held its first virtual happy hour April 24, connecting more than 70 representatives of the global network’s member firms to discuss their experiences and challenges in lockdown, with some joining with their children and members of their family.

VIRGINIA

The Virginia Society of CPAs, Richmond, announced the winners of the 2020 VSCPA Distinguished CPA Awards in four categories. The Outstanding Member Award went to Mike Gracik Jr. from Keiter, Richmond; the Impact Award to Louise Reed at Afloat, Richmond; and the Ruth Coles Harris Advancing Diversity & Inclusion Award to Patricia Drolet, Councilor Buchanan Mitchell CPAs in Bethesda, Maryland. And the VSCPA Top 5 Under 35 Award, recognizing CPA leaders under the age of 35 that have notable professional achievements, went to: William Barber Jr., Foundation Companies, LLC, Fredericksburg; Brian Benson, Ernst & Young, Richmond; John Reynolds, Block.one LLC, Blacksburg; Lauren Sipple, KPMG, Washington, D.C.; and John Waters, Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C., Norfolk.

WISCONSIN

Justin Teague

Justin Teague was hired as a consultant at Vrakas/Blum Computer Consulting, an affiliate of Vrakas CPA, Brookfield.