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On the move: A new board at NASBA

By Daniel Hood
About Daniel
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daniel.hood@arizent.com
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Published August 7, 2026 12:51 PM
1 Min Read

The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy announces a new board slate; Johnson Lambert launched a new Financial & Operations Advisory practice; Kaufman Rossin named a new CIO; the Bonadio Group holds its annual Purpose Day; and other firm and personnel news from across the profession.

These summaries were drafted using AI and subjected to editorial review.

ARKANSAS

Ken Rossi of Landmark
Ken Rossi
Ken Rossi has joined Landmark CPAs, Fort Smith, as an audit partner. He brings more than 30 years of public accounting experience and joins the firm from Forvis Mazars, where he specialized in serving community banks and financial institutions.

CHINA

shanghai-business-district.jpg
Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
Accounting firm association Abacus Worldwide welcomed a new member firm, WSP Biz Advisory. Based in Shanghai, the firm provides audit, tax and consulting services to domestic and international clients.

FLORIDA

Gautam Anne
Gautam Anne
Kaufman Rossin, Miami, named Gautam Anne as chief information officer. Anne brings more than 20 years of experience in enterprise transformation, post-merger integration, AI-enabled modernization, and cybersecurity. He previously served as CIO for a large, acquisition-driven organization where he led technology integration across more than 20 acquisitions and divestitures and managed global teams of more than 450 professionals across the U.S., Latin America, and India.

Stephanie Smart has joined the Pensacola office of HHM CPAs as a senior tax manager. She brings more than 15 years of experience, most recently in tax leadership roles at a top 10 CPA firm.

GEORGIA

Rob Bixler has joined Nichols Cauley, Atlanta, as chief financial officer. He most recently served as CFO of Victory Live, and in CFO positions at different investor-backed technology and services companies.

Matthew Halpern has joined Smith + Howard, Atlanta, as an international tax principal. He brings almost 15 years of experience, most recently as a managing director at a national accounting and advisory firm.

MINNESOTA

Jay Brown of Boulay Wealth
Jay Brown
Inertia Unlimited LLC
Boulay Wealth, Eden Prairie, announced a number of leadership appointments: Jay Brown will serve as president and chief executive officer, Joe Bloodgood as managing partner, and Meghan Hannon as a member of the investment policy committee. Cathy Hogan was elected board governor of BFA Holdings LLC, and Jon Melander was elected board chair.

NEW YORK

Brian Katz of Prosperity
Brian Katz
Brian Katz was named chief investment officer at Prosperity, an EisnerAmper company, New York. He brings more than 30 years of experience in investment management, including leading the investment committee at Focus Partners Wealth and serving on RIA advisory councils for BlackRock and Ares.

The Bonadio Group, Rochester, is holding its 9th Annual Purpose Day on August 7, with more than 1,100 employees volunteering with over 60 nonprofit organizations across the firm's footprint in New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The firm-wide day of service included activities such as landscaping, painting, meal preparation, and engaging with residents at assisted living facilities.

NORTH CAROLINA

Brandon Veler of Johnson Lambert
Brandon Veler
Johnson Lambert, Raleigh, launched a new Financial & Operations Advisory practice focused on insurance organizations, nonprofits, and employee benefit plans. The practice will be led by principal Brandon Veler, who has nearly 20 years of experience advising organizations on financial, operational, and regulatory matters. The practice provides advisory and execution support across six core areas: strategic and CFO advisory, financial operations and reporting, governance and regulatory compliance, systems and process transformation, transaction advisory services, and reinsurance accounting automation.

PENNSYLVANIA

Ken Wolfe of Brown Plus
Ken Wolfe
Ken Wolfe, president and managing principal at Brown Plus, Camp Hill, was recognized on the 2026 CPBJ 300 list by Central Penn Business Journal, which honors influential business leaders shaping Central Pennsylvania's economy.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Forvis Mazars relocated its Charleston office to 200 Meeting Street, Suite 206, in downtown Charleston, returning to the heart of the city and its original Charleston footprint. The newly renovated space accommodates more than 60 employees. The firm plans to hold a community open house for October 22.

TENNESSEE

J. Coalter Baker
J. Coalter Baker
The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy announced changes to its 2026–2027 board leadership slate following the resignation of vice chair Coalter Baker, who stepped down to focus on his health. (See our story.)

Separately, NASBA awarded its 2026 Accounting Education Research Grants to three research teams studying artificial intelligence in auditing and private equity investment in accounting firms. Virginia Commonwealth University doctoral student Aarati Nepal and associate professor Lindsay Andiola received $6,770 for their study on how generative AI influences communication between audit clients and auditors. University of Connecticut researchers Tuan Doan, Steven Utke, Ying Zhou and Youli Zou received $14,115 to explore how private equity investment is reshaping accounting firms. Joseph Reid and Kelley Duncanson of Alabama A&M University and Cynthia Lloyd of Grambling State University received $14,115 to investigate how organizations' use of AI influences audit risk and quality. The 2027 call for proposals is open through March 3, 2027, at nasba.org/education/researchgrants.

UNITED KINGDOM

Reuben Fevrier has joined the London office of KNAV as corporate tax partner. He brings more than 20 years of experience in U.K. corporate and international taxation.

VIRGINIA

Jennifer DuBois of Hantzmon Wiebel
Jennifer DuBois
Jennifer DuBois, chief executive officer and managing partner at Hantzmon Wiebel, Charlottesville, was recognized by Virginia Business as a 2026 Women in Leadership Award honoree, marking her second year receiving the honor.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Barbara Vanich of the PCAOB
Barbara Vanich
Gary D. Newlen
Barbara Vanich was named managing director in the financial institution advisory practice at BRG, Washington. Vanich recently left the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, where she served for more than 17 years, most recently as chief auditor.

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Daniel Hood
Editor-in-chief
Daniel Hood has been editor-in-chief of Accounting Today since 2011; he joined Accounting Today as managing editor in 1998. A graduate of Georgetown... Read full bio
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