Professionals on the Move – Sept. 9, 2021

In her new role, Smith will lead the development, communication, execution, and sustainment of FICPA strategic membership initiatives to strengthen the organization’s value proposition. She will also oversee corporate firm accounts, local chapters, and collaboration with external stakeholders that will enhance the organization’s engagement with accounting professionals throughout Florida.

A Pensacola native and lifelong Floridian, Smith arrives at FICPA with extensive experience in the association world. She most recently served as the Director of North American Membership Development & Engagement at the Institute of Internal Auditors, after previously managing its Marketing Strategy in Professional Development – Training, Academic Relations, and Enterprise Sales.

Washburn University Professor Wins National Accounting Award

One of Washburn University’s School of Business faculty members has been recognized for excelling in her field. The American Accounting Association (AAA) has awarded Dr. Pamela Schmidt, associate professor of accounting and William Lyman Dibble Professor in Accounting, with the 2021 “Accounting Horizons” Best Paper Award. Schmidt and her coauthors, Dr. Jennifer Riley with the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Dr. Kimberly Swanson Church with Missouri State University earned this award by publishing the best paper in the “Accounting Horizons” journal, as voted on by the journal editors and members of the American Accounting Association.

Schmidt’s paper, “Investigating Accountants’ Resistance to Move Beyond Excel and Adopt New Data Analytics Technology,” examines why accounting professionals and organizations may resist incorporating data analytics technology into their work, instead using Microsoft Excel. Schmidt and her coauthors found that, unlike large companies, small and medium-sized organizations don’t always have the resources to invest in new technology.

Schmidt realized several years ago that data analysis would be an important part of the accounting profession in the future and studied the topic herself in order to better prepare her students for their careers.

The New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants Announces the Winners of Its Emerging Leaders Awards

The New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA) is honoring 24 CPAs and accounting professionals, all under the age of 40, who are excelling in their careers.

These exceptional young financial professionals hold or have held important leadership roles in career-based or charitable organizations; have substantial involvement in their communities, beyond their day-to-day work life; reside in New York state; and are members of the NYSSCPA.

This year’s winners are:

1. Amanda L. Austin, CPA; City of Watervliet, Watervliet

2. Daniel Basch, CPA, CVA, MBA, Roberts Accounting, CPAs, P.C., Spencerport

3. Kelly A. Branco, CPA; Tremblant Capital, Chappaqua

4. Leslie A. Brown, CPA, PKF O’Connor Davies, LLC, Washingtonville

5. Jennifer Cripps, CPA, PMP; Net at Work Inc., New York

6. Magdalena M. Czerniawski, CPA, MBA; Marks Paneth LLP, Boonton Township, N.J.

7. Keith Donnelly; SUNY Brockport, Brockport

8. Gabriela J. Franco-Boland, MBA; Consonance Capital Management LP, Woodcliff Lake, N.J.

9. Katerina Gaebel, CPA, CFE; Citrin Cooperman, Morristown, N.J.

10. Rozleen Giwani, CPA; Grassi & Co., Edison, N.J.

11. Timothy J. Hammond, CPA, CHFP, The Bonadio Group, Syracuse

12. William C. Huether, CPA, CGMA, MBA; Sheehan & Company, CPA, P.C., Rocky Point

13. Rosslyn Khunovich, CPA, CGMA; BDO USA, LLP, Syosset

14. Alexis Kraft, CPA; The Strong Museum, Rochester

15. Kieron Ludde, CPA, MBA; Mazars USA LLP, Plainview

16. Kathleen A. Mills, CPA; PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP, Brooklyn

17. Isabelle K. Pimentel, CPA; News Leaders, Inc., Bronx

18. Aaron Rupper, CPA, CCIFP; Grassi & Co., Jericho 19. Allen Schaefer, CPA, MBA; Ernst & Young LLP, Brooklyn

20. Jessica Strom, CPA; Marks Paneth LLP, Oradell, N.J.

21. Bonnie Sussman, CPA; EisnerAmper LLP, New York

22. Ross A. Trapani, CPA; RBT CPAs, LLP, Lagrangeville

23. Anthony Vinci, CPA, MBA; FINRA, Staten Island

24. Anthony C. Zaccarelli, MS, CPA, CFE, CHFP; St. John’s University, Queens

Each winner was recognized during the NYSSCPA Leadership Conference, held on July 12, 2021.

Baker Newman Noyes Announces 18 Senior Promotions in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire

Baker Newman Noyes (BNN), a nationally recognized top 100 accounting and advisory firm, is excited to announce 18 senior-level promotions in its Manchester, NH, Portsmouth, NH, Woburn, MA, Boston, MA, and Portland, ME, offices. The promotions are as follows.

Boston, Mass.

• Nathalia Bergamini, CPA, has been promoted to senior manager in the assurance practice.
• Chelsea Cullerot, CPA, MSA, has been promoted to senior manager in the assurance practice.

Woburn, Mass.

• Sydney Callan, CPA, MST, has been promoted to manager in the tax practice.

Manchester, N.H.

• Douglas deLara Jr., CPA, MSA, has been promoted to senior manager in the assurance practice.
• Marrissa MacLeod, CPA, MSA, has been promoted to senior manager in the assurance practice.
• Kory Reynolds, CPA, MST, has been promoted to senior manager in the tax practice.

Portsmouth, N.H.

• Jordin Milano, CPA, has been promoted to senior manager in the assurance practice.

Portland, Maine

• Ally Brophy has been promoted to marketing manager. 
• Gilda Bryand has been promoted to tax operations senior manager.
• Megan Elliott, CPA, has been promoted to senior manager in the tax practice.
• Gibrian Foltz, has been promoted to senior manager in the tax practice.
• Courtney Francis, CPA, has been promoted to senior manager in the tax practice.
• Josie Hajdysz has been promoted to director of finance.
• Spencer Hathaway, CPA, has been promoted to senior manager in the assurance practice.
• Dustin Kaubris, CPA, has been promoted to manager in the assurance practice.
• Nate Marcet, CPA, MBA, has been promoted to manager in the tax practice.
• Kelly Pelletier, JD, CPA, has been promoted to senior manager in the tax practice.
• Michael Trahan, CPA, MBA, has been promoted to manager in the assurance practice.

Kristin Gustafson selected for ASHRAE Exam Committee

Kristin Gustafson, Director of 179D, Energy Incentives at Eide Bailly, has been named to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) exam committee for Building Energy Modeling Professionals (BEMP) Certification.

The purpose of this committee is to review the exam standards, create and revise questions, and promote the BEMP certification to ensure that the certification is still setting the standard for high quality energy modeling.

Gustafson received her BEMP certification in 2012 and is licensed as a professional engineer in 47 states.

The BEMP Certification validates competency to model new and existing building and systems with the full range of physics; and evaluate, select, use, calibrate and interpret the results of energy modeling software where applied to building and systems energy performance and economics.

This year, the ASHRAE received three times the nominations as number of open positions across the organization.