Firms on the move: Mercadien hosts personal finance competition

MSCPA appoints 17 members to board; AAM presents 29 awards for marketing excellence; and more news from CPA offices across the country.

Kruze Consulting, San Francisco, conducted a study that found that Lyft increased its market share to over 30 percent by the end of 2017. The firm analyzed over 40,000 individual ride sharing transactions expensed by over 140 seed and venture backed startups. More data and information on the analysis is available here.

Armanino, San Ramon, announced a list of charitable organizations selected to be Q1 2018 beneficiaries of grants sponsored by its charitable giving arm, the Armanino Foundation. The grantees for Q1 2018 include: Advancement Project, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Brandeis School of San Francisco, Charis, Friends of Scouting, Boy Scouts of America, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, Hillel Silicon Valley, New Horizons, PAWS Animal Shelter, Refuge for Women, School of Arts & Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza and YMCA of the East Bay. More information on the Armanino Foundation is available here.

W.L. Dueck & Co., Vancouver, Calgary, Richmond and Edmonton, joined Andersen Global as a member firm of the international association.

BlumShapiro, West Hartford, is joining with the PBI Financial Group and Junior Achievement of Southwest New England to host the fifth annual JA Career Walk on May 21, which prepares students to choose their potential career with a better understanding of job opportunities in their community.

The Illinois CPA Society produced a new video aimed at encouraging high school and college students to consider careers in accounting, and posted to the society’s social media channels. The video can be viewed here.

The Indiana CPA Society honored CPAs at its annual CPA Celebration on May 11. The awards bestowed were: for Advocacy, Susi Willis; for Building Bridges to the Profession, Alex Anglin; for the Chair’s Award, Carl George; for Community Services, Christine Lauber and Carrie Minnich; for the CPA Center of Excellence, Kent Williams; for Distinguished Service, John Kane; for Emerging Leaders, Colby Chamberlin, Joseph Edwards, Samuel Muse, Joseph Paulson and Courtney Watts; and for Innovation, Crowe Horwath. In other INCPAS news, the society launched a new brand, logo design and website, with the “Transforming Business” tagline.

TrinSoft, Lexington, sponsored and attended the Alzheimer’s Association’s Reason to Hope Breakfast Event May 15 at The Signature Club.

The Massachusetts Society of CPAs appointed 17 members to its board of directors for the 2018-19 fiscal year: chairman: Mark W. Nichols, president, Mark Nichols, CPA, PC; chairman-elect: John Micalizzi, human resource leader, RSM US LLP; past-chairman: George Neble, senior advisor, AVALT; vice chairman, finance committee: John Colucci, managing director, McLane Middleton; vice chairman, audit committee: Doug Fiebelkorn, health care principal, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP; first-year directors: Elise Caputi, audit partner, KLR; Laura Felice, senior vice president, controller, BJ’s Wholesale Club; Laura O'Brien, director, ALL CPAs; Ronald R. Tull, partner/shareholder, Schofer Dillberg & Company, Inc.; second-year directors: Karen B. McElroy, audit partner, financial services, Deloitte & Touche LLP; Francisco Oliveira, associate controller, Akcea Therapeutics; James Powers, partner, Powers & Sullivan, LLC; Kathryn Seekell, principal, Kurzman, Dempsey & Kowalker, LLP; third-year directors: Laurie Austin, managing partner, DiCicco, Gulman & Company LLP; Shay Blanchette, senior lecturer, MSA Faculty Director, Babson College; Robert Miller, managing director, New England Accounting & Auditing Group, CBIZ & MHM; and Richard O'Connor, partner, Johnson O’Connor.

Andersen Tax & Legal, Monterrey, became a member firm of Andersen Global and the fifth location in Mexico for the international association.

MarksNelson was named a Champion of Business for two consecutive years by the Kansas City Business Journal, recognizing Greater Kansas City businesses that set the standard for financial performance, innovation and community involvement.

BKD, Springfield, announced it will be acquiring a portion of the Wichita audit and tax practices at Grant Thornton, effective June 1. (Read the full story.) In other firm news, BKD released its first audit quality report, “The Importance of Quality: Our Commitment to Integrity & Excellence.” The report, available on the firm’s website, focuses on BKD’s policies, practices and culture.

The Mercadien Foundation, in partnership with The Mercadien Group, New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company, Rider University, Fulton Bank, and the Roma Bank Foundation, will host the fourth annual Money$peak competition May 23 at Rider University, Lawrence Township, bringing together high school students from 13 districts across the state to compete for major prizes by presenting on one of 10 topics on personal finance.

SAX expanded its office in Clinton, renovating and building out the second floor at 855 Valley Road.

Lassus Wherley, Providence, was named one of the Best Places to Work in New Jersey for the eight consecutive year, in a program managed by the Best Companies Group.

Marcum announced that Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the Marcum Women’s Forum in New York City on Sept. 14. Additionally, Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the Clinton Foundation will keynote this year in Boston on Nov. 12 and San Francisco on Dec. 6. Activist Erin Brockovich will present the keynote address in Coral Gables, Florida, on May 31 and Chicago on October 19. Jeanne Rizzo, president of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, will be a featured speaker at the Florida forum.

HBK announced it will be applying lessons from “The Anticipatory Organization: Accounting and Finance Edition” to the firm to accelerate growth. More information on the future-readiness program is available here.

The Association for Accounting Marketing presented 29 awards to accounting firm marketers in categories such as advertising, branding, business development initiatives, events, and marketing and PR campaigns. (Read the full story.)

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, Clarks Summit, announced it will serve as a major corporate sponsor of Ryan’s Run 9, the annual campaign of Allied Services Integrated Health System to raise funds for children and adults with disabilities across Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Soter & Partners, Bucharest, is joining Morison KSi as a member firm of the global association.

Whitley Penn was named to the Dallas Business Journal’s Middle Market 50 list, highlighting the fastest-growing middle market companies in North Texas.