This event will offer 16.0 CPE: 11.0 A&A, 3.0 Business Management, 2.0 Taxes. See agenda below!
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Karen joined the Culverhouse School of Accountancy faculty at the University of Alabama in August 2019 and teaches undergraduate and graduate level tax courses. Karen’s areas of specialization include state and local taxation and the taxation of individuals, corporations, and consolidated groups. Prior to joining the Culverhouse School of Accountancy faculty, Karen worked for an international public accounting firm for twenty-two years, serving as a tax partner based in the firm’s Birmingham office. During her career in public accounting, Karen served clients throughout the Southeast region and specialized in tax provision, consulting, and compliance services for the financial services industry.
Karen received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Alabama and a Master of Science in Accounting, with a tax concentration, from the University of Virginia.
Karen currently serves as a member of State Taxation and Legislation Committee for the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants. She is a frequent speaker at continuing education events and seminars sponsored by the society, and she has published several articles on taxation topics for the society’s quarterly publication for its members. Karen also serves on the Undergraduate Council for the University of Alabama, and she is a member of the Capital Campaign Committee and the Board of Visitors for the Culverhouse College of Business.
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Scott Reeser is a senior project manager with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). He currently is working on a GASB project related to infrastructure assets. Previously, he has worked on projects related to the financial reporting model, postemployment benefits, public-private partnerships, fiduciary activities, and transactions reported as deferred outflows of resources and deferred inflows of resources.
Before joining the staff of the GASB in 2010, Mr. Reeser spent ten years working for the Office of the Comptroller in the State of Illinois. During that time, Mr. Reeser was responsible for the coordination and preparation of the state’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and the development of statewide accounting policies. He also previously worked over five years with a public accounting firm.
A & A and QC
BMSS, LLC (Huntsville)
Michael L. Brand, CPA, CGMA is currently an A & A partner in the firm of BMSS, LLC CPAs and Advisors. He received his B.S. in accounting from the University of North Alabama and has been in the practice of public accounting for over 30 years.
Known as a nationally acclaimed, accounting industry expert and speaker, Michael (Mike) has been involved in all aspects of public accounting, with an emphasis in providing accounting, auditing and review services to clients in the for-profit, nonprofits and governmental sectors.
He is also involved in various committees at both the state and national levels. He is a former member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) Professional Ethics Executive Committee, is the past chair of the AICPA’s Accounting and Review Services Committee and the Alabama Society of CPA’s Peer Review Committee and is the current Chair for the ASCPA. Furthermore, Mike teaches continuing education classes across the country for state societies and individual firms and has received the AICPA’s Outstanding Discussion Leader Award multiple times along with the ASCPA’s Thomas A. Ratcliffe Outstanding Discussion Leader Award.
In addition to teaching, Mike regularly speaks at conferences nationwide and in various other countries. He conducts peer reviews across the United States and was formerly on the Peer Review Board, Joint Trial Board, and Quality Control Standards Task Force of the AICPA. He is the current co-chair of the Engage Conference (the AICPA’s largest conference held over multiple days with thousands of attendees).
Carr Riggs and Ingram
Dean Michael Mead, CGFM, is a Partner at Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors (CRI), in the government and public sector industry line. Prior to joining CRI, Dean was a member of the staff of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board for 24 years, most recently as Assistant Director of Research and Technical Activities. During that time, he also was Coordinator for the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council. Between 2008 and 2020, Dean was an adjunct member of the Accounting and Information Systems faculty at Rutgers Business School, where he taught governmental accounting, auditing, and financial analysis. He is a member of the AICPA and Florida Institute of CPAs, GFOA, Florida GFOA, and AGA, among other professional organizations. Dean is a Certified Government Financial Manager and a reviewer in the GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement program
Chris Williams has more than 26 years of experience in public finance and related banking practices, serving clients as financial advisor or senior manager on over 300 closed transactions. He is a skilled financial analyst with deep knowledge of industry rules, regulations and best practices. He is experienced with issues such as state and municipal general obligation, revenue and lease-backed transactions involving various projects such as municipal infrastructure, utility systems, solid waste/environmental, higher education, health care, housing and industrial finance.
He manages the firm’s engagement with the State of Alabama Department of Education, wherein each financing transaction issued by a public school system in Alabama is evaluated for state-level approval. To date, he has completed work on 248 Alabama K-12 financings totaling over $4.5 billion in paramount. He earned professional designations including the Series 7, 24, 53 and 63 (inactive) and holds the Series 50 license - SEC/MSRB registered Municipal Financial Advisor and the Series 54 registered Municipal Advisor Principal. He holds a BS in Commerce and Business Administration (cum laude) and MA in Finance, both from the University of Alabama.
Rush Rice is a career public finance professional with 38 years of experience in debt markets. He has participated in more than 650 closed financings totaling over $15 billion. Since 2014 he has successfully managed bond issues for the State of Alabama totaling $3.2 billion. He has experience with virtually every type of municipal debt structure and security type. In addition to his experience in public finance, he co-founded businesses in the solid waste, telecommunications, and real estate sectors, serving as CFO in each instance. He previously held professional designations consisting of Series 7, 24, 53 and 63 (inactive) and currently holds the Series 50 license as an SEC/MSRB registered Municipal Financial Advisor and the Series 54 registered Municipal Advisor Principal. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama (BA 1984).
United States Department of Labor
Mr. Aron has over twenty-five years of experience in working with audits of ERISA-covered plans. He is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of EBSA’s CPA Firm Inspection Program, providing technical assistance to plan filers and plan professionals, and providing ERISA-related accounting and auditing expertise within EBSA.
Mr. Aron is a certified public accountant and holds a B.B.A. degree with a major in accounting from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.
Chris is a seasoned entrepreneur and CPA with over 25 years of experience in technology and consulting. He leads a world-class team of professionals at alliantDIGITAL. Recognized for his strategic insights, Chris has advised enterprise giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks on AI and intelligent automation strategy and implementation.
His career includes founding a consulting firm, later acquired by Grant Thornton, where he developed products and automations that significantly boosted growth and
customer success.
Supervisory Special Agent Parker Still serves as the white-collar crime (“WCC”) supervisor for the Mobile Division. As the WCC supervisor, SSA Still is responsible for managing investigations into financial crimes, health care fraud, civil rights, public corruption, money laundering and fraud against the government. Prior to serving as the WCC supervisor, SSA Still served as the Chief Division Counsel (“CDC”) for Mobile. As CDC, SSA Still provided legal guidance to the entire Mobile Division as well as provided training and advice to numerous state and local partners. Prior to coming to Mobile, SSA Still was assigned to the Money Laundering, Forfeiture and Bank Fraud Unit at FBI Headquarters. While at FBI HQ, SSA Still received the FBI Exceptional Performance Award as well as the Attorney General’s Civil Division award for efforts combating money laundering. SSA Still started his FBI career as a special agent assigned to a white-collar crime squad in the Knoxville Field Office of the FBI. Among his assignments on this squad, SSA Still was the lead case agent on an approximately $300 million corporate fraud investigation impacting approximately 39 states. SSA Still also had a large-scale investment fraud case featured by CBS on a prime-time television show.
SSA Still holds a bachelor’s degree from Harding University, law degree from Samford University and is a graduate from the United States Army Judge Advocate School. Prior to joining the FBI, he was engaged in the private practice of law for approximately eight years including time as municipal prosecutor. SSA Still also served as Chief Legal Assistance in Kandahar, Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and Brigade Judge Advocate in Kuwait as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.
Chadwick Smith is a seasoned cybersecurity expert and business strategist with over 25 years of experience in the tech and finance sectors. Currently the Chief Information Security Officer for the State of AL Office of Information Technology, Chadwick has dedicated his career to enhancing security frameworks and solving complex business challenges through innovative technology and process improvements. Before his tenure at the State, he served as a cybersecurity specialist for Cisco Systems covering eleven states and was also the Chief Information Security Officer at Colonial Bank, where he was instrumental in aligning the institution with international cybersecurity standards, significantly enhancing security of bank operations. His leadership extended to advising the board of directors, presenting technology risk management strategies, and working with numerous companies and state agencies developing security and privacy management programs. Chadwick's notable projects include pioneering work with the Alabama Department of Transportation to integrate smart technology in roadside assistance, and collaborating with the FBI on international cybercrime prevention. His deep understanding of digital forensics, ISO standards, and data communications has made him a frequent speaker on cybersecurity, process improvement, and technology governance. In addition to his professional life, Chadwick is passionate about education and mentoring, bringing his extensive knowledge to help others think differently and succeed. He holds studies in Computer Science from Troy State University and has pursued independent studies in cybersecurity, process design, and economics.
1041 Longfield Ct, Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama 36117-8056
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