AT Think

Houston accounting firm McConnell & Jones recently received the Energy Future Holdings’ Gold Star Supplier of the Year Award for its exceptional performance, customer satisfaction, community involvement and workforce diversity.

KPMG International chairman Michael Andrew believes the U.S. runs the risk of being passed by in the global financial markets unless it commits to International Financial Reporting Standards.

Bill G. Elms, former managing partner at Elms, Fairs & Company, which merged with Texas accounting firm Weaver in 2010, was recently honored by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for maintaining his Texas CPA license for 50 years.

Who says publishing is dead? KPMG has launched a new e-magazine, Tax Dispute Resolution Quarterly, to help corporate taxpayers keep up with news and developments in the tax dispute arena.

Robbie Narcisse, vice president of global ethics and business practices for Pitney Bowes, was recently honored with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy Center for the Public Trust’s Being a Difference Award for her high standard of social responsibility and ethical leadership in business.

General Electric paid an effective tax rate of only 2.3 percent on average over the past 10 years, according to the company’s annual 10-K report.

IC (Innovation and Collaboration) Opportunities is the first-of-its-kind “un-conference” event that brings together influential and inventive thought leaders to exchange ideas and collaborate on newer and better ways to do business in today’s tech-driven, forward-thinking accounting world.

SEC chair Mary Schapiro said that she will not be rushed to make a decision on International Financial Reporting Standards.

Cindy Harper, tax partner in Tennessee accounting firm Black Morgan & Cain’s Nashville office and wealth management practice leader, was honored with the Bill King Award by the United Way of Williamson County.

Despite the extension of emergency unemployment benefits along with payroll tax cuts through the rest of the year, the long-term unemployed are confronting a challenging economy.