People & firms on the move: AICPA appoints new chief auditor

RSM and Eide Bailly each forge cybersecurity partnerships; Ralph Thomas receives university alumni award; and more personnel and CPA news from across the country.

Jeremy Dillard, audit partner at SingerLewak, was named to the Financial Accounting Foundation Private Company Council, Norwalk, for a three-year term.

Kim Hartsock, member of Warren Averett, Atlanta, was appointed to serve on the Gwinnett County Planning Commission.

RSM, Chicago, has partnered with global innovation platform Plug and Play, becoming a strategic founding anchor partner for Plug and Play’s newest vertical in cybersecurity and an anchor partner in fintech. Under this partnership, RSM will connect with startups that are bringing innovation to the cybersecurity and financial technology spaces.

Jennifer Ivanelli was promoted to principal in the property tax practice at Ryan, Chicago.

BDO Alliance USA, has welcomed 10 new CPA firms as members since Jan. 1, 2018: ATA CPA Group, LLC, Edison, N.J.; Bates, Carter & Co., LLP, Gainesville, Ga.; Cobb Ezekiel Loy & Company, P.A., Graham, N.C.; Guilmartin, DiPiro & Sokolowski, LLC, Middletown, Conn.; Lerro & Chandross, PLLC, Boca Raton, Fla.; Munninghoff Lange & Co., Covington, Ky.; PBC Advisors, LLC, Oak Brook, Ill.; Scott F. Guber, CPA, P.C., Hauppauge, N.Y.; Tate & Tryon CPAs and Consultants, Washington, D.C.; and Trout, Ebersole & Groff, LLP, Lancaster, Pa.

Andrea Turner was hired as a tax partner at RubinBrown, St. Louis, where she will continue to specialize in state and local taxation, specifically multi-state sales and use taxation, state tax credits and incentives, and state and local tax audit defense.

Ralph Thomas, CEO and executive director of the New Jersey Society of CPAs, Roseland, was awarded the Dr. Costel Denson ’56 Award, named in honor of Lehigh University’s first African-American graduate. The award is presented to alumni who have shown leadership in “identifying and implementing pathways to increase diversity in the American workplace and in our educational institutions.”

The New Jersey Society of CPAs, Roseland, is accepting nominations for its new Volunteer Award, recognizing members of the NJCPA who have shown outstanding volunteer work for the NJCPA, a New Jersey-based community or charity, or some combination. The NCPA is accepting nominations through May 18. (Read the full story.)

Mike Pattengale, manager of valuation and forensic services in the business valuation, forensic and litigation services department at REDW, Albuquerque, earned the Accredited in Business Valuation credential.

Robert Dohrer, global leader of quality and risk at RSM International, was hired as chief auditor at American Institute of CPAs, New York, succeeding Charles Landes, AICPA’s vice president of professional standards for public accounting, who plans to retire early next year. (Read the full story.)

Michelle Sullivan, Buffalo director at Freed Maxick, was chosen as a finalist for the Buffalo Niagara Partnership 2018 ATHENA Leadership Award, given to individuals who have achieved professional and personal success, given back to their communities, and supported women professionals in the region.

Eide Bailly, Fargo, partnered with cybersecurity solutions provider Secuvant to further expand its cybersecurity offerings for clients. (Read the full story.)

Pattie Wagner was hired as a director in the human resources consulting practice at Sikich, Akron.

Martin McCarthy, managing partner of McCarthy & Co., Lafayette Hill, was nominated to sit on the council of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs

Smith Elliott Kearns & Co., Camp Hill, was notified by the Peer Review Committee of the American Institute of CPAs that it has successfully completed an independent quality review of its accounting and auditing practice.

Eric Lister was hired as a risk advisory services senior manager in the Houston office of Whitley Penn.

Dixon Hughes Goodman, Richmond, celebrated Women's History Month this March with a series of podcast episodes focused on notable female leaders in the profession. (Read the full story.)

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, Tysons, helped the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation raise $275,000 at the recent D.C. Brewer’s Ball, where Baker Tilly was a presenting sponsor, hosting more than 35 attendees.

Stephen Pazan was hired to the EB-5 services practice of Baker Tilly Capital, a boutique investment bank and subsidiary of Baker Tilly Virchow Krause. Pazan will primarily work with clients to get necessary documentation approved by United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, to include I-526 petitions.