The American Institute of CPAs honored 17 CPAs on Tuesday during its 2019 AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services Conference in Las Vegas.
Elizabeth Woodward and William Fellows were named Volunteers of the Year, while 15 young CPAs received the Forensic and Valuation Services Standing Ovation award for their contributions to their specialty areas and local communities.
The AICPA FVS Section annually honors two volunteers who have contributed to the profession. Woodward was recognized as the 2019 Forensic & Litigation Services Volunteer of the Year, with Fellows honored as the Business Valuation Volunteer of the Year.
Woodward, director of forensic accounting and litigation support at Dean Dorton Allen Ford, serves as a member of the FLS Committee and as chair of the FLS Fraud Task Force, as well as president of the Kentucky Society of CPAs. Fellows serves as partner with Deloitte risk and financial advisory, and is also a member of the FVS Executive Committee and the AICPA’s Certified in the Valuation of Financial Instruments Task Force, a group that contributed to the AICPA’s CVFI credential.
“Elizabeth and Bill have been instrumental in advancing the interests of the forensic and valuation services area,” said Eva Simpson, director of valuation services for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, in a statement. “From providing thought leadership and professional understanding, to helping create new standards and credentials, their commitment cannot be understated.”
The Standing Ovation Program highlights young CPAs holding the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) or Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) credentials who have demonstrated notable personal achievements. Business partners and managers can submit applications for their nominees, who may also self-nominate with a letter of recommendation from a partner or manager. Standing Ovation nominees must be 40 years old or younger.
“It’s an honor to recognize this outstanding class of ‘Standing Ovation’ recipients who are becoming leaders in the forensic and valuation services arena and contributing time and energy to their communities,” stated Barbara Andrews, director of forensics, technology and management consulting for the AICPA. “They have offered their time to benefit their communities and the profession in a variety of ways, including volunteering at a variety of nonprofit organizations, speaking to local CPA groups, serving as a volunteer expert to legal organizations and guest lecturing in college accounting classes.”
The 2019 FVS Standing Ovation recipients, in alphabetical order, are:
- Jennifer Allen — Anthem Forensics, Henderson, Nevada
- Brian Barnthouse — RSM US, Minneapolis
- Andrew Baum — Harper Hofer and Associates, Denver
- Asif Charania — Keiter Stephens Hurst Gary & Shreaves, Glen Allen, Virginia
- Kathryn Culver — PYA, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Nene Gianfala — Chaffe & Associates, New Orleans
- Natalie Lewis — Windham Brannon, Atlanta
- Tiffany Lewis — StoneTurn Group, Houston
- John Luna — White, Zuckerman, Warsavsky, Luna & Hunt, Sherman Oaks, California
- Nick Lynch — Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Lexington, Kentucky
- Greggory Peat — FTI Consulting, Lake Oswego, Oregon
- Joshua Sechter — MPI, Syosset, New York
- Zachary Snickles — Grant Thornton, Phoenix
- Quynh Tran — Berkeley Research Group, Houston
- Thomas Wagner, Jr. — Blue & Co., Carmel, Indiana
More information on the Standing Ovation Program can be found on the AICPA's
