Professionals on the Move – June 20, 2014

Avalara Enters Strategic Alliance with Tech Industry Tax Specialist
Avalara, Inc., provider of cloud-based sales tax software, recently announced it has entered a multidimensional partnership with Carolynn Iafrate Kranz, a nationally-recognized expert in sales and use tax matters focused on the high tech industry.

Kranz founded Industry Sales Tax Solutions, LLC, a subscription database containing fully researched sales and use taxability data for software-related transactions, digital content, and cloud services; and Kranz & Associates, PLLC, a specialty law firm focused on state and local tax consulting.

Through the partnership, Avalara will receive access to Kranz’s sales tax content for technology and digital products, and Kranz will serve on Avalara’s Board of Advisors and represent the company at industry events.

The Ohio Society of CPAs Names New Executive Board
The Ohio Society of CPAs recently named a new Executive Board and recognized several members at its Leadership Summit and Annual Meeting. Mark Van Benschoten, CPA, principal with Rea & Associates, Inc. was named the 2014-2015 chair of the OSCPA Executive Board.

Other new Executive Board members include Thomas Zaino, CPA, J.D., managing member, Zaino Hall & Farrin LLC: chair-elect; Robert Zunich, CPA/ABV, director, Barnes Wendling CPAs: immediate past chair; Robert Bosak, CPA, chief financial officer, Kaplan Trucking Company: vice chair, finance; Summer Cogar, CPA, corporate controller, RG Barry Corporation; Paul Etzler, CPA, principal, Skoda Minotti CPAs; Timothy Michaels, CPA, owner, TimeLess Consulting LLC; Sandra Richtermeyer, CPA, CMA, Ph.D., professor of accountancy and associate dean, Xavier University; Eileen Sass, CPA, owner, Sass Accounting Services LLC; Owen Wyss, CPA, business controller, Sandvik Hyperion; Kathleen Hoover, CPA, owner, Corbets & Associates.

J. Matthew Yuskewich, CPA, PFS, partner at Winterset CPA Group was awarded the Gold Medal for Meritorious Service to the Accounting Profession for his demonstration of superior leadership and contributions to the accounting profession. Ted Johnson, CPA, CFF, CFE received the Outstanding Member Volunteer award for his dedication to the Society’s initiatives. Connie Esmond-Kiger, Ph.D., CPA received the Outstanding Ohio Accounting Educator award in recognition of her continued efforts to advance student learning. Tracey Hawkins, CPA became the third educator honored with OSCPA’s Outstanding Ohio Two-Year Accounting Educator award.

LBMC Names New Partner
Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC and the LBMC Family of Companies recently announced that Lisa Nix, CPA joined the firm as a Partner leading the Transaction Advisory Services Practice Division with a focus on healthcare services. Prior to joining LBMC, Nix was a Director with Deloitte’s National Health Care and Life Sciences Transaction Services practice.

Nix has more than 20 years of public accounting experience and more 10 years of experience in health care transaction services, including leading and managing assurance and advisory services for health care companies. She has worked with not-for-profit, for-profit private and public entities, and her transaction experience includes leading multi-functional health care merger and acquisition teams serving on transactions ranging in size from several million to over $7 billion dollars for both strategic and financial buyers.

Nix has been named as a Power Leader in Accounting and has received the Leadership Health Care Volunteer of the Year Award by the Nashville Health Care Council. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She received her Bachelors in Business Administration from Middle Tennessee State University. Lisa resides in Murfreesboro with her husband, Steve, and spends her free time fly fishing, golfing and paddle boarding as well as serving in the community on a number of non-profit boards and board committees.

Chester County Estate Planning Council Honors Director of Accounting Firm
Jordon N. Rosen, CPA, AEP, Director at Belfint, Lyons & Shuman, P.A., was honored by the Chester County Estate Planning Council for his dedication to national and local service to the estate planning profession.

Rosen specializes in tax planning for businesses and individuals with an emphasis on multi-generational estates and income tax planning. He has been a board member of the CCEPC from 2006-2014 and was the president of the board from 2009-2010. He is also a member of the Estate Planning Council of Delaware and was president from 1992-1993. Rosen serves on the executive committee of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.