Skip to main content

Accounting

Accounting Thought Leaders Tackle Firm Challenges at Symposium

During the symposium, these professionals will meet with core development and executive staff of key accounting technology providers to determine and shape the future of the profession, including both short- and long-term evolutions in technology, ...

Feb. 14, 2016

cpapa 2016 tls group 56c48f50a024c

Several of the most influential and respected leaders in the accounting profession are meeting this week, Feb. 15-17, at the Westin Galleria Hotel and Resort in Dallas, for the sixth annual Accounting Thought Leader Symposium. These individuals come from across the accounting spectrum, including small tax-focused firms, general practices, national firms, accounting educators and technology consultants to firms, and all are well-known speakers at tradeshows and CPE events.

[Follow the Symposium on Twitter: #CPAPA_TLS]

During the symposium, these professionals will meet with core development and executive staff of key accounting technology providers to determine and shape the future of the profession, including both short- and long-term evolutions in technology, workflow methods and firm management.

The companies participating in this year’s event include Avalara, Intuit, Sage, TSheets, and Xero. The invitation-only event is hosted by CPA Practice Advisor, a provider of practice management advice, best-practice insight, news, digital resources and technology reviews for professional accounting firms.

Participants come from across the world, with the most distant attendees this year being Donny Shimamoto, a CPA and technology consultant from Hawaii, and Clayton Oates, a former Big 4 accountant who is now principal of an Australia-based technology consultancy.

“As we conduct these meetings, we believe all accounting professionals should think about challenges they have faced in the past year,” said Gail Perry, Editor-in-Chief of CPA Practice Advisor. “How did their firms meet these challenges? What was less than successful and why? And what new challenges have surfaced that will have continuing impact on their firm and the profession?”

These thought leaders will be discussing the same issues, Perry said. “They will be focused on what they can do, considering their visibility and their roles as mentors, teachers, advisors, and solution providers, to help the accounting profession get to the other side of modern obstacles.”

The symposium also hosts the annual Accounting Hall of Fame Awards award and reception. Hall of Fame members include Greg LaFollette, CPA.CITP, Randy Johnston, Rick Richardson, CPA.CITP, L. Gary Boomer, CPA.CITP, Chris Frederiksen, CPA, and Tom Hood, CPA.CITP. A new Hall of Fame honoree will be inducted on Tuesday evening.

The 2016 Accounting Thought Leader Symposium attendees are: