ARIZONA
Sandra A. Abalos, managing partner of Abalos & Associates PC, Phoenix, was recently honored by the National Federation of Independent Business for her activism on behalf of small business.
CALIFORNIA
The Sacramento office of Altara has hired Aaron Thomas as a senior consultant. He brings more than six years of experience to the firm, and previously worked as a project manager at Century Business Services Technologies. ... Mohler Nixon & Williams, Campbell, has added three new partners. Leinani Nakamura, formerly a partner at KPMG, has joined the firm as an audit partner; and John Murphy, formerly a partner at Deloitte & Touche, and Dennis Ondyak, formerly a partner at Ernst & Young, have joined as tax partners.
COLORADO
The Seff Group PC, Denver, has admitted Michael W. Sidon as a stockholder in the firm. ... Intuit Inc.’s Public Sector Solutions Division, Denver, has selected Eric Corwin as its senior manager of product and development. He brings more than 25 years of experience to the position, and previously worked as vice president of product development and delivery for ChannelPoint Inc.
CONNECTICUT
Jay M. Sattler has been named a tax partner at Blum Shapiro, West Hartford, where he will head the Cost Segregation Services Group. He has experience in tax planning, research and consulting for privately held businesses, specifically in construction.
FLORIDA
Kane, Hoffman & Danner PA, Miami, has named Bryan P. Stern a staff accountant. He had previously worked as an assurance and business advisory services associate in the Technology, Information, Communication and Entertainment Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
GEORGIA
Charles S. Zimmerman has joined F&D Advisors, Atlanta, as a principal. He brings over 27 years of financial services experience to the firm, and will provide strategic wealth management advisory services to individuals. He previously worked at Wachovia. ... Frazier & Deeter LLC, Atlanta, has named Andrew C. Burnett a partner. He joined the firm in 1998 from Price Waterhouse, and played a key role in developing Frazier & Deeter’s Individual Practice Group. ... Porter Keadle Moore LLP, Atlanta, has appointed Patrick Tuley principal of tax services. Previously, Tuley spent 17 years with KPMG, most recently as a partner.
ILLINOIS
KGN Financial Group, Chicago, has promoted Margaret M. "Peggy" Hunn to member. She joined the firm in 1996.
MARYLAND
Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell PC, Bethesda, has promoted three associates to partner: Jay S. Cunningham, John R. Comunale and Richard Morris.
MINNESOTA
The Bloomington office of Altara has hired Dana Sosa as an application consultant and Jennifer Kolb as its support desk manager. Sosa previously worked for ePartners Inc. as a senior applications consultant; Kolb previously worked as an implementation consultant for Larson Allen eSource LLC.
NEW JERSEY
Bennie L. Hadnott, president of Watson Rice Consulting Group, has been appointed a member of the New Jersey State Board of Accountancy. ... The Cedar Knolls office of Altara has hired Stephen Belof as its CRM practice manager. He was previously owner and president of the Moorea Consulting Group, and brings over 14 years of experience to the firm.
NEW YORK
Nussbaum Yates & Wolpow PC CPAs, Melville, announced that Ralph Liberatoscioli Jr. has become a partner in the firm. ... Deloitte & Touche, New York, has named Margaret M. "Peggy" Smyth head of its tri-state technology, media and telecommunications practice. Smyth will assume the role previously held by Noel Spiegel, who has been appointed deputy managing partner in the tri-state region. ... Stuart A. Rosenblatt, senior tax partner at Wiss & Co. LLP, Livingston, N.J., has been elected vice chair of the Income of Estates & Trusts Committee of the New York State Society of CPAs. ... Vanacore DeBenedictus DiGovanni & Weddell LLP, Newburgh and Poughkeepsie, has admitted Karen L. Staples as a partner. Staples has been with the firm since 1987.
OHIO
Battelle & Battelle LLP, Dayton, has named Elizabeth B. Grubb a principal in the firm. She joined the firm in 1995, and specializes in financial and tax planning, tax compliance and business valuations for closely held middle-market businesses. ... Baumgarten & Co. LLP CPAs, Cleveland, has hired David K. Lerner as director of special business services. He will help the audit department with his knowledge of business valuation methods and procedures.
PENNSYLVANIA
Susan M. Saidens, director of the Solutions Consulting Group of Asher & Co. Ltd., Philadelphia, was elected to the Valuation Education and Certification Board of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, which is responsible for NACVA’s business valuation certification criteria.
TEXAS
U. Grant Keener III and John E. Allis have joined Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas PC, Houston, as the newest directors of tax service. Keener’s practice concentrates on the U.S. tax and business needs of multinational corporations; he was previously vice president of tax at TotalFinaELF Group. Allis brings extensive knowledge of the taxation of foreign nationals in the U.S. and of U.S. citizens living abroad; he previously served on the staff of Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
FIRMS
WEINSTEIN SPIRA hits 40: Hairstyles and dress codes may change, but the partnership that Stanley Weinstein and Joel Spira formed in Houston in 1962 is still going strong. Their firm, Weinstein Spira & Co., held a dinner to celebrate their 40th anniversary in December
CALIFORNIA
Good Swartz Brown & Berns LLP has relocated its Studio City office to Sherman Oaks. The new address is 15303 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1650. Its new phone number is (818) 205-2600, and its new fax number is (818) 205-2696.
CONNECTICUT
Simione Macca & Larrow LLP has relocated its Hartford County office to Rocky Hill, having outgrown its office space in Newington. The new address is 175 Capital Boulevard.
COLORADO
Seff Group PC, Denver, has merged with Pomeranz, Zepelin & Co. PC.
NEW YORK
Advent Valuation Advisors has opened an office in Newburgh, which will be managed by William Quackenbush. The new address is 11 Racquet Road.
