Recent network memberships, awards, new Web sites and more

New hires, promotions and more

Paul Ryan has moved up the ladder at Hartman Leito & Bolt LLP as tax partner.

The former head of the Polaris accounting association has started a new association of independent accounting, legal and consulting firms known as Abacus Worldwide.

Skoda Minotti has completed the acquisition of the Akron, Ohio-based Lomax, Soful & Foster, Inc. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.

While the outcome of the 2012 presidential election is still up in the air, the nation’s accountants are putting their money behind the candidate they hope will change Washington.

Though Laura Wood leads a busy life as a designated Enrolled Agent and cofounder, with her husband, of Florida-based National Accounting and Management Services, or NAMS, the October Accountant of the Month doesn’t forget to stop and smell the roses. In fact, she makes a point of it, when flying above them in her powered parachute.

Top 100 Firm Carr, Riggs & Ingram added Roberts, Cherry & Co. to its Louisiana practice.

Top 20 Firms J.H. Cohn LLP and Reznick Group PC have officially combined to form CohnReznick LLP, which will have 2,000 employees, 25 offices and more than $450 million in revenue.

BDO USA LLP has merged Argy, Wiltse & Robinson, P.C. into the firm. The combination will go into effect on Nov. 1.

Nonprofit and faith-based cloud accounting product maker Aplos Software has released Aplos Oversight, a new administrative oversight product that enables an authorized user to establish and oversee the accounting for multiple nonprofits.

Accounting standards may play a significant role in shaping cross-border mergers and acquisitions, according to a recently released academic study.

The American Institute of CPAs’ Financial Reporting Executive Committee, or FinREC, sent a letter to the Financial Accounting Standards Board raising issues with a proposed Accounting Standards Update, Financial Instruments (Topic 825), Disclosures about Liquidity Risk and Interest Rate Risk.

William Vohsing was tapped to serve as state and local tax director at Top 100 Firm Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.

Sir David Tweedie led the International Accounting Standards Board for a decade until the end of his second term in June of last year, and now he is getting set to make a similar impact on the valuation profession.

Hill, Barth & King’s affiliate merges with Strategic Valuation Group of Warren, Ohio.

A new nonprofit organization plans to establish industry-specific accounting standards for corporate sustainability reporting.

Grant Thornton, Rödl Warren Averett and SS&G Healthcare Services LLC are all making moves in the accounting profession

ALABAMA

Teal, Becker & Chiaramonte PC added partner Christine Oliver as its newest shareholder.