ECUADOR
UHY LLP has added a new member firm, Assurance & Services Auditores y Consultores CIA., LTDA., based in Ecuador to the global accountancy network UHY, of which our firm has been a member since 2001. Established in 2004 and based in Quito, the capital of the Republic of Ecuador, the firm is led by Freddy Cevallos Bustamante, senior partner, and Edgar Ortega Haro, audit partner, supported by a team of 40 professionals. Principal services provided to both national and multinational clients include external audit, tax advice and consulting, transfer pricing, outsourced accounting and audit reviews to ensure compliance with norms on anti-money laundering and combatting financing of terrorism. Team members speak Spanish and English.
NEW JERSEY
The Mercadien Group wrapped up its 14th successful, annual holiday toy drive in support of the Toys for Tots program, sponsored each year by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Over the past month, associates of the firm donated dozens of newly-bought, unwrapped toys and over $1,000 in cash, all of which was used to purchase additional toys and gifts for the drive. Serving as an official Toys for Tots drop-off site since 2004, the firm’s toy collection efforts also have been augmented over the years by its clients and friends.
NEW YORK
According to KPMG LLP, business executives will need to keep a close eye on a number of important international, federal and state tax issues that could affect company operations and, potentially, corporate reputations in the coming year. Among the issues worth watching in 2015:
- Federal business tax reform developments;
- The changing state tax landscape;
- Continued implications of the on-going drive for tax transparency, including the organization for Economic Co-operation and Development initiative on base erosion and profit shifting and compliance obligations of the U.S. provisions commonly known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA); and
- Tax considerations that can result from corporate divestitures of non-core businesses.
Anchin, Block & Anchin is celebrating the holiday season by continuing its tradition of generosity and community outreach through its CARE Committee. Anchin’s philosophy of community outreach consists, not only of donations, but hands-on volunteer work as well. 2014 marked the fourth consecutive year of the Firm’s participation in the Adopt-A-School Program, in which Anchin partners with P.S. 8 Isaac Varian in the Bronx and supports the 5th grade teachers and students, both with financial and educational contributions. The Firm visits several times per year and engages the students in fun and informative sessions, leaving behind gifts for each classroom, including supplies, educational games and awards for the Student of the Month, an honor that Anchin gives to one student each month who has shown exemplary work and efforts. The Firm also invites the students to visit Anchin’s offices in midtown for a day of fun and thought-provoking activities designed to inform the students about office life.
According to new research released by CohnReznick LLP, despite year over year gains and historic returns, middle market initial public offering activity in 2014 remained behind the level necessary to stimulate large scale economic growth. In terms of the broader market, the 2014 calendar year was the best year for IPOs since 2000, with 278 IPOs generating more than $90 billion in proceeds. However, IPO activity among the middle market was much more modest, with just 237 IPOs raising nearly $28 billion in 2014, compared with 190 IPOs raising more than $31 billion in 2013. This represents a 24 percent increase in the number of IPOs but an 11.4 percent decrease in proceeds year over year. CohnReznick defines the middle market as companies with market cap between $10 million and $2 billion, excluding funds and SPACs. The
TENNESSEE
LBMC Healthcare Services was named the Leadership Healthcare Council Supporting Organization of the Year. Leadership Health Care is an initiative of the Nashville Health Care Council to nurture the talent and potential of Nashville’s health care industry professionals.
