On the move: KLR opens in Switzerland

May 21, 2021 11:45 AM

The Top 100 Firm now has an office in Lausanne, Eide Bailly names 22 partners, the Virginia Society of CPAs installs its new board, and other news from across the accounting profession.

FLORIDA

Pownall-Heather-Institute of Internal Auditors

Heather Pownall

Heather Pownall has joined the Institute of Internal Auditors, Lake Mary, as executive vice president and chief strategy officer. She will focus on member engagement and growth opportunities, as well as key initiatives around culture, diversity, equity and inclusion, and innovation.

ILLINOIS

Grant Thornton, Chicago, won five Stevie Awards in the 19th Annual American Business Awards: chief transformation officer Jamie Fowler won two Gold Stevies, one for Maverick of the Year in Business Services Industries, and one for Woman of the Year in Business Services Industries; its SOC.x Tool won a Silver Stevie; and its alyx Powered by Grant Thornton digital platform and its Pandemic Resiliency Asssessment Tool each won a Bronze Stevie.

Baker Tilly, Chicago, promoted six practice leaders to managing partner, effective June 1: Heather Acker, in risk advisory; Ann Blakely, in Baker Tilly Digital; William Bressette, in government contractor solutions; Cary Mailandt, in business advisory services; Matthew Morris, in global forensics and litigation services; and Lynette Stolarzyk, in specialty tax.

NEW JERSEY

Grassi and the New Jersey Food Processors Association announced the results of a joint benchmarking survey of New Jersey’s food manufacturers at the NJFPA’s 2021 Annual Spring Conference. A copy of the full survey report can be downloaded here.

NEW YORK

Lehman College, The Bronx, will honor Michael Yackira with its Alumni Achievement Award at a gala event on June 8. One of the first students in the school's accounting program, Yackira graduated in 1972, became a CPA, and eventually became CEO of Nevada's biggest electric utility before retiring in 2014. ... Roel Campos was appointed as an independent director to the U.S. board of directors at KPMG, New York.

Anthony La Malfa has joined CohnReznick, New York, as an assurance partner in its commercial real estate practice.

Andrew Kubrick, partner-in-charge of the Long Island office of Marks Paneth, and Kurt Kiess, partner and restaurant group leader at the firm, have been recognized as two of the 25 most powerful people in Long Island accounting by Long Island Business News.

NORTH DAKOTA

Eide Bailly LLP, Fargo, named 22 new partners: in Arizona, Lauren Murro; in California, Erin Villafana; in Colorado, Kathy Cantu; in Iowa, Andrew Wagner; in Minnesota, Brian Haley and Joe Sawatske; in Montana, Travis Lance; in Nevada, Brett Call and Kurt Schlicker; in North Dakota, Alexis Odden, Dustin Long, Elise Kainz and Brett Johnson; in Oklahoma, Aaron Jaqua, Jennifer Carpenter and Zach Parker; in South Dakota, Kelli Roberts, Luke Johnson, Mandy Sutton and Nick Crank; and in Utah, Shane Pickett and Jared Johnson.

SWITZERLAND

Lausanne, Switzerland

Rhode Island-based KLR has opened a European branch office in Lausanne, Switzerland, to serve the firm's current clients based in Europe as well as multinationals with European operations. The new office will be managed by firm partners Francheska Pimentel and Kenneth Freshman, who will be joined by international tax manager Kristen Howze.

TEXAS

Jim Penn

Jim Penn, co-founder, partner and CFO at Whitley Penn, Fort Worth, was named an Outstanding Chief Financial Officer: Finance Team for the 2021 DCEO Financial Executives Awards. In other firm news, forensic litigation valuation services partner Autumn Kraus was named the 2020 Sam Winstead Volunteer of the Year for the T. Boone Pickens YMCA.

VIRGINIA

The Virginia Society of CPAs announced its officers and board of directors for the 2021–2022 fiscal year: Anne Hagen, of The Masonic Home of Virginia, will serve as chair of the board; George Forsythe, of WellsColeman, as chair-elect; Nammy Lee, of the University of Virginia, Jennifer Lehman, of Hantzmon Wiebel, sole proprietor Aaron Peters, and Christine Williamson, of CohnReznick, as vice chairs; and VSCPA president and CEO Stephanie Peters as secretary-treasurer. At-large board members include Courtney Arrington, Michael Brunson, Daniel Hudgens, LaToya Jordan, Andrew Martin, Thomas Milburn, John Reynolds, Neena Shukla, Gregory Wallig and John Waters.

At the same time, the society's Educational Foundation announced its new board and directors: Nicholas Harrison, of KPMG in Richmond, will serve as chair; Scott Davis of Prager Metis, Elizabeth Marsteller of DHG, and Melanie Randall of McKinney & Co., as vice chairs; and society vice president of finance and administration Beth Bickford as secretary-treasurer. At-large board members include Michael Crichton, Jaime Lynn Dernar, Chris Enright, Cheryl Fields, Heather Flanagan, Dianne Guensberg, Marshall Handy, Kevin Matthews, Yoland Sinclair, Randy Spurrier, Natalya Yashina and Donna Yenney.