Podcast appearances and mentions of grant thornton llp

In a recent interview with Howard Homonoff, Senior National Advisor for Media & Entertainment Industry at Grant Thornton LLP and a weekly columnist for Forbes Magazine, E&P delved into the current state of local journalism. The conversation was sparked by Homonoff's recent Forbes article titled “Presidential Debate In Focus But Local Journalism Battles For Its Life,” which highlights the severe challenges faced by local journalism, including a long-term decline in newsroom employment and the emergence of “news desert” communities. Learn more at: http://www.EditorandPublisher.com/Vodcasts   

Joe speaks with tax professional Kaz Nesbitt (CPA, CA, Partner at Grant Thornton LLP), and they delve into the proposed capital gains inclusion rate changes.   Joe and Kaz unpack the intricacies of capital gains taxation, clarifying how these changes could affect individuals and businesses.   Read the full show notes and find more information here: EP 91 Show Notes 

Welcome back to "Invest in Yourself, the Digital Entrepreneur" podcast with your host, Phil Better. In today's episode, we have a special guest, Naren Balakrishnan, an expert in information technology, consulting, and government funding programs. Naren brings over 18 years of experience and is currently working at Grant Thornton LLP, focusing on assisting startups and early-stage companies in tech. We'll dive into his role, the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, the available grants and tax credits for businesses in Canada, and much more. So, grab your notepads and get ready to learn from Naren's wealth of knowledge in navigating the funding landscape for your entrepreneurial ventures. Welcome to the show, Naren Balakrishnan!

You've heard the horror stories in the news: a family leaves for vacation and on their return someone has sold their house out from under them. Or, maybe they find that somebody has applied for a mortgage in their name. Who can fall victim to fraudulent property sales? In this eye-opening episode, we delve into a world where both lenders and homeowners can unknowingly become victims of deceit. In this episode, Jennifer Fiddian-Green, Partner, National Advisory Services, Forensics, Grant Thornton LLP, discusses the tactics used by scammers to initiate property fraud and the preventive actions that you can take to safeguard your assets. Key takeaways:  Understand the mechanics of fraudulent property sales. Learn common tactics used by fraudsters to initiate fraudulent property transfers. Learn precautionary actions property owners can take to minimize the risk of property fraud. Find out what legal protections and remedies are available to victims of fraudulent property transfers. Additional Resources: Watch Out for Mortgage Fraud – Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario Mortgage Fraud: What You Need to Know – CMHC Protecting You and Your Money: A Guide to Avoiding Identity Theft and Fraud Identity Theft and Fraud – Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre Place a Fraud Alert or Active Duty Alert – Equifax® Fraud Victims Resources – TransUnion Canada FCT – Property Owners – Title Fraud How Organized Crime has Mortgaged or Sold at Least 30 GTA Homes Without Owners' Knowledge – CBC News Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft – Government of Canada Download transcript The views expressed by our guests are theirs alone and not necessarily the views of CPA Canada. This is a recorded Podcast. The information presented is current as of the date of recording. New and changing government legislations and programs may have come into effect since the recording date. Please seek additional professional advice or information before acting on any podcast information.

The Office of Community Relations is excited to have graduate Charmone Adams this month on our podcast. Charmone is a partner within the Advisory Services for Grant Thornton LLP, one of the nation's largest tax, audit and advisory firms, and was named among New York Business Journal as People on The Move In New York. Charmone will take us through strategies on mentorships, the power of networking and personal branding.

In this podcast, seasoned asset recovery professionals Alan Williams and Amaechi Nsofor discuss how the illicit flow of funds and assets can be recovered and restored to Africa. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa estimated that last year a whopping $84 billion was lost through the illicit flow of funds from Africa. To put this figure into context, that's reportedly more than all of the money Africa receives each year in development aid. “If you could tackle this problem, Africa wouldn't need any development aid at all,” said Alan Williams, an experienced commercial litigator at RPC, specialising in banking and finance disputes, often with cross-border implications, and encompassing a wide array of commercial disputes across various sectors. Williams points out that at the centre of this challenging and complex problem are the unscrupulous politicians, officials and business people who pay bribes and involve the banks, along with lawyers and accountants who facilitate the transactions, sometimes unwittingly, but also sometimes knowingly. “It's not just a problem in Africa. You've got a sophisticated and opaque financial system that is enabling these funds to move out of Africa and then remain hidden,” he noted. Amaechi Nsofor, an expert restructuring and insolvency practitioner at Grant Thornton UK, says their key area of focus, and where they've seen the most activity around grand corruption and the illicit flow of funds, was with governments. Nsofor calls it sovereign-level stealing from the public purse and hiding those assets outside the countries from which they have been stolen. He notes that while previously, illicit funds would be moved to well known tax haven destinations or countries which had secrecy laws, they are now being channelled to countries within Africa. But it's not all doom and gloom, say the experts; key strategies can help recover stolen funds. “You follow the money and you deploy insolvency tools to secure those assets cross-border and take control of the assets and deal with creditor claims, which will end up with you returning the funds to the ultimate creditors who have lost out,” Nsofor explains. Williams adds that English courts have some of the strongest legal powers globally to take action to preserve assets, such as worldwide freezing orders that prevent parties from diminishing or disposing of their assets. He says collaborating and working with local legal practitioners and professionals in Africa as well as education and awareness around the processes is crucial in the recovery process. The insightful conversation wraps up with Nsofor and Williams sharing their views on what needs to be done to overcome corruption. Nsofor, citing the Credit Suisse scandal and the impact on ordinary Mozambicans, said governments should use their crime fighting agencies to run parallel investigations to those initiated by the UK, and fine local financial institutions found guilty of wrongdoing. “Fundamental to solving this problem is not just taking action in Africa, but it's also raising the bar in London and in other financial centres, and I think that is beginning to happen,” added Williams.

In our third episode for season 2, Simon Campbell, Managing partner at Quantuma Advisory gives us insights into the UK insolvency Market Simon is a restructuring specialist with over 25 years experience in technology, property, professional services, and business services, who works with directors, lenders, and other professionals to provide a considered opinion on the best path towards corporate recovery. Over his career he's worked at Kroll, Grant Thornton LLP, Booker Phillips and Begbies Traynor Group. In this comprehensive conversation Simon Cathro and Simon Campbell touch on: Simon Campbell's history The differences between Australian and UK insolvency practices How Australia's unique government safety net, (Fair Entitlements Guarantee) FEG helps businesses,  creditors and the government A few case studies of what happening in both countries The history of the UK's insolvency practices and how we've ended up where we are A future predictions for insolvency And much more Links Simon Campbell Linkedin Quantuma FEG Legislation UK's proposed single insolvency regulator    

Debbie Reynolds “The Data Diva” talks to Johnny Lee, Principal & National Practice Leader, Forensic Technology, Grant Thornton LLP. We delve into Johnny's extensive background, which includes software development, legal experience, and network and database administration. They discuss the evolution of digital assets, decentralized computing architectures, and the upcoming Web 3.0. Johnny sheds light on the distinction between digital assets, blockchain, and cryptocurrency, addressing widespread misconceptions and incorrect information in the public sphere. He emphasizes that technological fraud is still fraud and discusses the importance of privacy and security when it comes to digital assets. The conversation touches on the use of AI, the dichotomies it presents, and the current focus of legal technology on documents. Johnny provides insight into the misunderstandings surrounding digital assets and highlights that blockchain technology is inevitable. Finally, Johnny shares his hope for increased data privacy in the future and emphasizes the importance of this issue in our digital world.Support the show

Startup founders and small business owners are facing difficulties in obtaining capital due to the current economic climate with investors, banks, and consumers becoming more cautious with the recent stock market crash and rising inflation rates. This has resulted in higher interest rates, making it more expensive to borrow money, and causing investors to seek more secure investment options with guaranteed returns, reducing the appetite for riskier startups. However, there are alternative ways to secure business support and funding. On this week's episode, I chat with Naren Balakrishnan, Partner, R&D and Government Incentives at Grant Thornton LLP. Naren shared how startups can access funds in Canada, and much more. Listen, enjoy, and share.

A new calendar year is nearly upon us, and with a new Prime Minister comes governmental change that could easily affect the trends and patterns emerging in UK regulation.Joining us on FinTalk to clear the fog on the horizon and look at what the industry may have in store, we hear from Gavin Stewart - Director at Grant Thornton LLP - and a returning guest, VERMEG's Hanbury Hampden-Turner.We hear how Big Bang 2.0 indicates a sharp change in direction, why shifts may be slower than expected, the overarching themes surrounding market risk, and much more.This episode of The VERMEG podcast covers:The biggest changes we're likely to see with the new governmental directionPatterns forming with ESG-based policy and legislationOverarching themes around market risk, more granular data and temporary measures becoming permanentHow firms might guide their client base through the cost of living crisisVERMEG: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vermeg/Jawad Akhtar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jawad-akhtar-313562b/Gavin Stewart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinbstewart/Grant Thornton UK LLP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-thornton-uk-llp/Hanbury Hampden-Turner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanbury-hampden-turner-16004514/FutureFit Regulatory Conference: https://www.vermeg.com/event/futurefit-2022-regulatory-conference/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_campaig=post-2 

Naren Balakrishnan (@naren.bala) is a Partner at Grant Thornton LLP.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss his past life being an engineer at IBM, the $3 billion-plus tax credits that are given out in Canada every year, his relationship with money including how he invests, why companies need to consider & take advantage of the SRED program, and more!Follow Naren:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/narenbalakrishnan/) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/naren.bala/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Naren Balakrishnan01:00 - Naren's upbringing, family life, and path to becoming a software engineer03:24 - What he liked, and didn't like, as a software engineer; a passion for problem-solving05:32 - Making the switch to work in a technology-based role08:22 - Government Canada's SRED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) program10:46 - Naren explains how Grant Thornton adds value to its customers15:37 - The types of companies that eligible to apply for SRED17:31 - How Naren would enhance the SRED program if he had a say in policy20:38 - The amount of money Canadian companies spend on R&D; what are they spending it on?24:36 - How Naren's friends/family reacted to his career change27:12 - His biggest learning lesson in the last 3-5 years; how to deal with people29:54 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by his friends and family32:06 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self33:32 - Naren's relationship with money; saving and investments34:52 - His favourite ways to consume new information; podcasts, articles, etc.37:50 - Investments being poured into enhancing space39:09 - How COVID-19 impacted Naren; physical activity and seizing the moment41:51 - Creator Confessions50:00 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      

In this episode, Mario Nigro speaks with Michelle Alphonso of Grant Thornton LLP about her recent experiences conducting financial diligence in midmarket M&A transactions. While opining on “sustainable EBITDA” can be a challenge in these uncertain times, Michelle and her team are able to identify and evaluate the variables that make up a company's risk profile. Data analytics are playing an increasing role in this work – a development that has been accelerated during the pandemic.

By now, most of us know how to recognize the signs that our credit or debit card information has been compromised. Maybe you see some strange activity in your banking app, or an emailed receipt from Amazon for a heinous chaise longue you didn't order.The scam we're talking about today can be much more insidious. It can go on for years while you remain completely unaware, until one day, you get a phone call asking why you haven't made any payments on a mortgage you never signed up for. Welcome to the world of 'synthetic identity fraud'. So how does this scheme work? How can you tell if someone has used your information to take out a fraudulent car loan or mortgage? And what should you do once you've uncovered the scam? GUEST: Jennifer Fiddian-Green, leader of the National Risk and Forensic Advisory Practice at Grant-Thornton LLP

Lana Schwartzman (@LanaCryptoAML) is the Chief Compliance Officer at Dapper Labs, the team behind NBA Top Shots, NFL All Day, and Cryptokitties. Lana has more than 17 years of experience specializing in compliance, cryptocurrency regulations, and AML. Specifically, in BSA/AML/OFAC program development, MSB/MTL licensure process, internal audits, independent compliance program reviews, and consent order validation for various cryptocurrency exchange companies, financial institutions, and foreign banking organizations. Prior to joining Dapper Labs, she spent close to 3 years as a Chief Compliance Officer at a regulated P2P marketplace, and previously spent 7 years at Grant Thornton LLP in the Regulatory Risk Group specializing in BSA/AML and OFAC regulations. Lana spent her early years at Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank in various compliance roles. Lana is known as a subject matter expert in Regulations and Compliance related to cryptocurrency and she stays current on all AML regulations. Lana is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and obtained the ACAMS Virtual Currency Certification and various Chainalysis certifications. She achieved the recognition of "AML Professional of the Month" in 2019 and has been a frequent panelist at various ACAMS, ACFCS, and Bitcoin conferences. You can also find Lana on LinkedIn. In this episode of Law of Code, Lana explains what a chief compliance officer does, building a compliance program, and why a compliance officer isn't the "fun police." We also discuss: - Mining Bitcoin - Dapper Labs - Where compliance officers add value - Learning more about compliance regulation - Surprising aspects of a compliance role - Changing sentiment of regulators - Promoting inclusion and diversity If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on the latest episodes.

Ana Bullock is currently an Accountant and CPA student with Grant Thornton LLP in their Saint John office. She is a 2021 Dalhousie Accounting graduate, Queens alumnus of the GDA program and a Teaching Assistant for the Rowe School of Business. She joined Sam to discuss how to succeed at Dal, finding the right study partners, and how to succeed in a business school. Ana and Sam also shared their experiences on the search for balance with school, work and life. -- Ana's Info: Email: ana.bullock@dal.ca LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-bullock/ Sam's Info: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-taylor-64b93558/ Email: thesamtaylorpodcast@gmail.com

Do you need a business valuation? HINT: You might want to think about one if you're going through a separation or divorce, or doing estate planning.  What's a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV)?  What types of situations justify hiring a CBV? Listen to this episode of A2J where we interview Jonathan Lacasse of Grant Thornton LLP and find out the answers to those questions and much, much more! 

Dave Roehr joins Landon today to share how he grew a $6.5 billion dollar portfolio from scratch. With over three decades in the banking and finance world, Dave Roehr has learned how to survive the daily grind and see his efforts through. Dave has chased excellence his whole life and built an exceptional resume including Partner at Grant Thornton LLP, President and Chief Financial Officer of Cabela's Inc., Founder, and CEO of World's Foremost Bank, and the current CEO of Proceed Finance. Keep Striking! ___ Connect with Spark To Fire | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | YouTube ___ This show is produced by Grindstone. Interested in starting a podcast? Visit grindstoneagency.com/podcasting to learn more.  

Dave Roehr joins Landon today to share how he grew a $6.5 billion dollar portfolio from scratch. With over three decades in the banking and finance world, Dave Roehr has learned how to survive the daily grind and see his efforts through. Dave has chased excellence his whole life and built an exceptional resume including Partner at Grant Thornton LLP, President and Chief Financial Officer of Cabela's Inc., Founder and CEO of World's Foremost Bank, and the current CEO of Proceed Finance. Grab a pen and paper, you'll want to take notes from this success story. Keep Striking!

In this week's episode of Secure The Seat, I interview Dr. Erin L. Thomas. Dr. Thomas is the Head of Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging & Access at Upwork. We will discuss Creating Boundaries in the Workplace. She brings a distinctive mix of research and practitioner expertise to this role, which includes leading diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DIBs) strategy, implementation, and coaching. Prior to Upwork, Erin was a Managing Director at Paradigm, a diversity and inclusion strategy firm, where she partnered with companies to embed DIBs into their organizations through culture transformation and people development. Prior to Paradigm, Erin held positions at Grant Thornton LLP and Argonne National Laboratory developing D&I strategies, programming, and metrics. Her work has been featured in Fast Company and the New York Times and recognized by Forbes, Human Rights Campaign, the National Association for Female Executives, and Equal Opportunity Magazine. She holds a Ph.D. in social psychology; a Master of Philosophy in social psychology; a Master of Science in social psychology; and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and international studies from Yale University. Connect with Dr. Thomas on Twitter @ErinLThomasPhD and Watch the live episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7jUPMZzAhk The Writing Retreat https://www.eventbrite.com/e/secure-the-seat-writers-retreat-2021-tickets-158318094683 and code STS2021

Grant Thornton LLP is a leading Canadian accounting and advisory firm providing audit, tax and advisory services to private and public organizations. They help dynamic organizations unlock their potential for growth by providing meaningful, actionable advice through a broad range of services. Grant Thornton LLP is a Canadian member of Grant Thornton International Ltd, whose member firms operate in over 100 countries worldwide.Learn more about Mike and Grant Thornton LLP by visiting: www.grantthornton.caLinks to organizations and initiatives referenced:Greater Victoria Public Library: www.gvpl.caThe Beach House Restaurant: www.beachhousevictoria.comFor more local news impacting business, visit:Website: www.businessexaminer.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remote, in-person or a hybrid, the Future Workplace is here. So, this week, Vinay takes a closer look at what leadership looks like now and in the future, through this immersing conversation with Srikanth ND, Advisory Leader at Grant Thornton LLP, who brings insights from his work building, managing and growing high performing teams as large as 200+ over the last 20 years. Srikanth is also the host of the ‘Inspire Someone Today' podcast.[05:58s] Leading remote teams[11:30s] Team building and on-boarding[16:37s] Balancing off-shore and on-shore stakeholders[19:41s] What does the future workforce look like?[24:58s] ‘Inspire Someone Today' podcast by Srikanth[33:43s] RWL Srikanth's recommendations to READ ‘The Learning Factory' by Arun Maira; ‘Tribe of Mentors' by Tim Ferriss; LISTEN ‘The Elevate Podcast' with Robert GlazerListen to Srikanth's podcast ‘Inspire Someone Today'Connect with Srikanth on LinkedIn.Connect with Vinay on Twitter, LinkedIn or email him at vinay@c2cod.comWhat did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about?  Write in at podcast@c2cod.comSubscribe to us on your favorite podcast platforms Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Stitcher, Castbox, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Listen Notes, Castro, Jio Saavn, iHeart Radio. This podcast is brought to you by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together'. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook

Johnny Lee is a forensic investigator, cybersecurity and data privacy specialist, digital detective, and attorney with almost 30 years of experience under his belt. He is currently the Principal & National Practice Leader of Forensic Technology Services at Grant Thornton LLP, one of the world's leading audit, tax, and advisory firms.  One of Johnny's primary passions is providing advisory services to companies that are working to address complex cybersecurity, blockchain, information governance, and data privacy issues. In this episode… You, like many other business owners, may think that you've done everything necessary to ensure your company's privacy and security. After all, you have a SOC 2! But, is that really enough to protect your data? Unfortunately, depending on compliance paperwork could lead to serious privacy and security issues for your business. Though having SOC 2 compliance is a necessary step in establishing protective measures for your company, it is the minimum requirement for privacy and security—not the maximum solution. So, what are the next steps you should take in your journey toward achieving privacy and security for you, your customers, and your company? In this episode of She Said Privacy, He Said Security, co-hosts Jodi and Justin Daniels sit down with Johnny Lee, the Principal & National Practice Leader of Forensic Technology Services at Grant Thornton LLP, to discuss common misconceptions about privacy and security. Listen in as Johnny talks about why your business needs more than SOC 2 compliance, how blockchain technology is improving over time, and what the future of privacy and data security will look like. Stay tuned for more!

CEO Dave Roehr leads Proceed Finance with over three decades of experience in banking, finance, and strategic growth. Prior to Proceed Finance, Mr. Roehr was President and Chief Financial Officer of Cabela's Inc. [CAB:NYSE], guiding the company through a time of unprecedented sales growth and retail expansion, and rocketing them past the $1B valuation mark. Included in Mr. Roehr's leadership at Cabelas was his role as Founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO of World's Foremost Bank, the wholly-owned regulated credit card bank utilized by Cabelas to issue and manage their co-branded Cabelas VISA credit cards and related consumer rewards program. Mr. Roehrs previous roles also include partnership at tax consultancy Grant Thornton LLP, the US member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd. While at Grant Thornton, Mr. Roehr utilized his CPA and MT (Masters of Taxation) credentials within their public accounting business practice, contributing to revenue growth of over $150M and expansion into nearly 70 countries worldwide during his tenure. Aside from his career leadership roles, Mr. Roehr also contributes guidance to businesses in growth mode via memberships on various boards of directors. Mr. Roehrs current and past board memberships include: The Buckle [BKE: NYSE] Air Methods [AIRM: NASDAQ] Regional Board of Directors for US Bank [USB: NYSE] Security First Bank [privately held] What You Will Learn: Dave's journey into the banking industry Dave's successful career as CFO and President of Cabella's Why Dave chose to come out of retirement to pursue a career in consulting What drew Dave to the niche of high-end dentistry and large case dentistry How Dave's product helps dental practices close more cases and generate revenue How dental practices can take advantage of the opportunities in implantology How Proceed's risk share model is structured, and how it sets them apart from other patient financing partners in the industry How to contact Derick Van Ness: Website: //www.proceedfinance.com/ LinkedIn: //www.linkedin.com/in/dave-roehr/ //www.linkedin.com/company/proceedfinance Facebook: //www.facebook.com/proceedfinance You can learn more and enroll with Proceed Finance here: www.proceedfinance.com/providers/enroll Referral: Podcast – The Progressive Dentist. Contact Proceed Finance at 844-272-7587

In today's episode, Brent Watson, Principal at SALTA, PLLC, is here talking to us about the benefits and savings of being really attentive to sales and use taxes. Brent walks us through how operators can avoid overpaying on taxes, what to avoid and how one small operator saved over $275,000 by hiring a consulting firm to manage their taxes and review their purchases.Highlights:1:44 Why should oil and gas well operators care about sales and use tax?6:13 Differences in tax situations by different states8:58 Recouping Sales and Use Taxes10:27 The greatest opportunities to save on sales and uses taxes11:43 House Bill 430 in Ohio15:08 Exemptions allowed in some states like Colorado, Kansas, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania17:27 A Limited exemption in Louisiana18:50 Taxes on completion activities versus operational activities22:47 What to look for when processing invoices25:17 When you should bring in an outside consultantAbout Brent Watson:Brent is the Principal at SALTA, PLLC, which he founded in September, 2017 after leaving Grant Thornton LLP. Brent has 31 years of practice in sales tax, property tax, and tax incentive programs. Brent has specialized in working with clients to improve compliance through educating personnel and establishing or improving sales tax processes. Brent has established rapport with taxing authorities to effectively resolve tax issues on behalf of clients especially in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.He launched the non-income tax group at Tyson Foods in 1990, then led that group for ten years. Brent has fourteen years of experience as a consultant and has extensive experience in the manufacturing, oil and gas, construction, and multi-state retailing industries. Brent has taught seminars for Lorman Education Services, is a frequent speaker for the Oklahoma Society of CPAs and COPAS; and has authored numerous articles in the OSCPA Focus magazine as well as the COPAS Accounts magazine. Brent is a certified Avalara implementation partner.Brent is a member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation, Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Tulsa Chapter of the Oklahoma Society.Connect with Brent:About SherWare, Inc.If you're enjoying this episode, please subscribe to our pdcasot and share with a friend! We also love ratings and reviews on Apple podcasts.SherWare creates software to simplify your accounting needs so you have more time to do the things that matter. We serve independent oil and gas operators, accountants and investors with a platform to manage their distributions and joint-interest billings on a platform -- and we're the only software on the market that can integrate with your QuickBooks company. Click here to watch a demo of the software in action right now.About COPAS:COPAS provides expertise for the oil and gas industry through the development of Model Form Accounting Procedures, publications, and education. We are a forum for the active exchange of ideas which result in innovative business and accounting solutions.Find a society near you.

Reset checks in with Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton LLP, for more about what the dire numbers mean for the future of the U.S. economy.

Zach has the honor of having a conversation with Dr. Erin L. Thomas, Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Upwork, about organizational equity during the COVID-19 pandemic. She graciously shares some advice regarding what organizations can do during this time to at the very least reduce harm for their black and brown employees and talks a bit about how her perspective and focuses at work have shifted as this pandemic has continued. Check the links in the show notes to connect with Dr. Thomas!Link up with Dr. Thomas on Twitter! She's also on LinkedIn. Links in order:https://bit.ly/3c0BXKhhttps://bit.ly/3c7qhFELearn more about Upwork on their website. You can view their open positions by clicking here. Links in order:https://bit.ly/2TEC8Vnhttps://bit.ly/2A5X00WFind out how the CDC suggests you wash your hands by clicking here or below.https://bit.ly/2Ug4l5KHelp food banks respond to COVID-19. Learn more at FeedingAmerica.org.https://bit.ly/2WD73UkCheck out our website.https://bit.ly/living-corporateTRANSCRIPTZach: What's up, everybody? It's Zach, and you know what? I'ma just go ahead and say it right now. It's also Emory. Emory, say something. [Emory breathes] That's just her breathing. Emory is, at the time of this recording, six weeks old. So we're here because I'm on daddy duty and my wife has to get some sleep. That's right. Husbands, help your wives, or partners rather, excuse me - not to be overly gendered on a podcast all focused on inclusion, equity and diversity. Help your partners, you know what I'm saying? Everybody, you know, they--one person can't do it all. Sometimes you gotta step in, and this podcast is great, and I love y'all, but of course I love my daughter the most. Well, I love my wife also. Let me not do any type of weird hierarchy right now live, like, a live-streaming conscience of thought on the podcast, but the point is you have responsibilities. There are things that take precedent. And look, we're in a new normal, so I'm just here. Where was I? Right, Living Corporate. So look, Living Corporate amplifies and centers black and brown voices at work. Why do I say black and brown and not, like, people of color? Because I want to be very explicit, we want to be very explicit, with what our mission is. So we aim to center and amplify black and brown identities, marginalized folks, folks on the periphery, in the workplace, and we do that how? We do that by having real talk in a corporate world. Now how do we do that? We do that by interviewing incredible leaders cut from all type of cloth. And, you know, we've had executives. We've had professors, entrepreneurs, public servants, activists, civil leaders, elected officials. We've had all types of people, artists, and today is no different. Today we have Dr. Erin L. Thomas. Dr. Thomas is the head of diversity, inclusion and belonging at Upwork where she leads diversity, inclusion and belonging, or DIBs. She leads the strategy implementation and coaching for all of Upwork. Prior to Upwork though, Dr. Thomas was a managing director at Paradigm, a diversity and inclusion strategy firm where she partnered with companies to embed DIBs into organizations through culture transformation and people development. Prior to Paradigm, Erin held positions at Grant Thornton LLP, Argonne National Laboratory developing D&I strategies, programming and metrics. Her work has been featured in Fast Company and the New York Times and recognized by Forbes, Human Rights Campaign, the National Association for Female Executives and the Equal Opportunity Magazine. She holds a PhD in social psychology, a Master of Philosophy in social psychology; a Master of Science in social psychology; and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and international studies from Yale University. She is accredited, y'all. Okay? Don't question us, okay? We're coming to y'all. We bring y'all heat rock every single week, and the heat rock we bring is because we have guests that have heat rock. I'ma say heat rock again just so y'all get the point. Yes, I'm turnt up. Yes, it's a Tuesday. Who cares? Erin, what's up? Welcome to the show. How are you doing?Erin: I'm doing great. Thanks so much for having me. Hi, little baby Emory. I am so excited to be here, and I want to give you a number. So I'm really into, during COVID times, anchoring, you know, "How are you doing?" on a scale. 1 is, you know, "We've got to get out of here and get some more support." Like, "We're not doing well." 10 is, you know, "COVID what? COVID who?" But I think, like, if you're a 10, you also probably need some external support. Zach: Facts. [laughs]Erin: And I think today I am... I'm, like, a 7, 8. I'm very excited to be chatting with you. What's your number?Zach: That's a really good question. You know, I don't know. So it's interesting because your scale, I don't know how it accounts for, like, other things, right? So, like, I'm also here with, like, a six-week-old baby. So maybe I'm, like, a--so, like, coronavirus is not, like, at the top of my mind because I'm trying to focus on keeping this thing that looks like me alive. Maybe I'm, like, a--I'd probably say I'm, like, a 7, 8. Like, I'm pretty good. I'm happy, right? Like, I mean, life is good. The new Drake album--well, not the album, but a little collection of loosies came out recently that was very good, that I enjoyed. You know, my favorite shows are still coming on. I've caught up on some anime. So I'm keeping myself well-distracted.Erin: [laughs] That's good. I think distracted is good. I think--I don't know, I think in the beginning days of all of this it felt, for me at least, a little weird to compartmentalize, or I felt a little guilty, but I actually think that's incredibly healthy, you know, to find moments of just pleasure and delight. That's all we got, right? That's all we got.Zach: I mean, this--the reality is that before this pandemic, like, I was already a homebody. Now, people at work--like, people who know me from work would--they may not know that, because, like, in person, like, I'm a fairly gregarious guy. But, like, you know, people are complex, right? I think, like, we create a lot of these terms and things that aren't really academic or scientific just to kind of better compartmentalize people, like, "You're an extrovert, you're an introvert." It's like, "I mean, I enjoy people, but I also enjoy being alone." Like, I enjoy being at home, being with my wife and now my kid. Like, I'm fine with that. But I'm glad, I'm glad that you're excited. I'm excited and in a good place as well. You know, this would be interesting to do again, like, if our numbers were wildly different, right? So, like, you're a 7, 8, I'm a 7, 8, but if I was, like, a 2, then, like, I wonder how the dynamics of this discussion would look, especially considering what we're talking about.Dr. Thomas: Yeah. I mean, I think then--and this has happened to me at work, right? Like, I come in low and someone else is high or vice versa. I think then that's the--I mean, that's the point of it, right? It's a moment of pause to figure out what do you need to put aside or do you need to get off this call or how can I support you and give that person who's lower an opportunity to either just share or not or articulate more. I just think it's a great window into "How can we work together towards whatever it is that we need to achieve?" And if now's not the time, fair. You know? We gotta go and come back together when we're both in the right space. I think that happens all the time, we just don't often put numbers to it, right?Zach: I agree, I agree. So look, that actually is a really good segue for us to get into this. Like, this pandemic, it continues to expose and exacerbate all types of inequities, from social to governmental and of course workplace, just all across the board, and I'll tell you, frankly it just feels overwhelming for me to think about holistically, let alone try to address, and so I'm really curious about just, like, considering your role with Upwork, I'd love to hear how your perspective and focuses have shifted as this pandemic has continued, and considering your level within Upwork and, like, the organizational power that you wield by way of your level, I'd love to hear about how power and influence has shaped your praxis.Dr. Thomas: Yeah. Whoo, this could take the whole hour, which, you know, happy, happy to unpack it for that long, 'cause it's deep. It's deep and very real. Like, the quickest answer for me is not that much has actually changed about the objectives that we set out to achieve for this year. How we go about them certainly has had to stay agile and nimble, but in the work that I do that's always the case. I always like to be super responsive to context and not get so [prescriptive?] about how we execute but to kind of keep our eyes on the prize, and so from my personal vantage point, I--especially during the beginning days of this--have never felt more critical than I do right now. You know, I think there's so many external conversations and great thought leaders who have articulated this better, what this crisis has really done, like most crises, is magnify fractures, gaps, inequities, that already existed, and so I've used this really as an opening to accelerate my platform and the work that I'm doing for marginalized folks at our company. So just to dig into it, you know, I did a couple of tactical things once it became clear to me that, you know, "This is serious. This is not the flu. This is gonna change everyone's lives forever," and I don't think that's an overstatement. So once that reality sort of set in, the first thing I did was I revisited these operating principles that I had crafted when I started at Upwork. So I joined the company in December of 2019. I'm only about weeks in, and there's been a lot of change since then, internally and obviously externally, but as a team of one and as the first DIB leader in our organization, I thought it was really important for me to just get anchored on what [?] and, you know, use that decision framework for really [advertising?] how I [fell?] in my role. I think, especially when a role like this is new or especially when someone comes in with a multi-disciplinary background [or] a very strategic lens, folks don't necessarily know what the role is and they kind of fill in their own blanks and make their own stories. So that was important to me, and I revisited those once we started quarantining just to make sure that they were evergreen and [stood up?] in this crisis, and they did, thankfully, and I can put [?] on my name. There's only four, and everything we do is, you know, it's systemic, so #1 is account for the systems and structures we're operating in, and that's, you know, systems and structures within our company and certainly externally as well. So that's #1, definitely holds true today. #2 is everything we do is tailored to the most specific population or the most specific point in the employee experience as possible, and so it kind of goes back to how you introduce the podcast, which is it's basically about centering. We have to get specific. We have to get articulate and discrete about what problem we're trying to solve or what opportunity we're trying to seize, and certainly during public times that's been really critical, and I think that principle holds up. The third is active. So I really wanted to mark that for myself and for others. You know, there's no passive way to do this work. Like, we're gonna have to change some things, and, you know, I think that's intuitive, but also [?] to declare. And then the fourth thing which is super critical for me, and this is where I see a lot of DIBs or DEI, whatever acronym you want to use, professionals flounder a little bit, is being pragmatic and being compelling and cohesive and telling, you know, one story that folks can get behind that also makes sense in the context of the day-to-day decisions and work that they're doing, and I think too often DIBs work kind of exists in a bit of a vacuum, right? It's a little bit of a tag-along or an extra-curricular, and I think that's the piece, you know, during corona times, that I've had to really get critical, even more so with myself, about "[?]," right? Like, do people have the capacity for this new thing or this new structure or this new effort and just really kind of giving grace to the folks who have to carry forward on the strategies, who have to, you know, change their behaviors, because it's a lot to ask even in the best of times, and I want to push and, again, lean into this comfort, but also be gracious with the fact that folks are dealing with a lot right now. So that's one of the things I did, was just, like, double-check on the way that we're going about this work. So relevant during this time. Another thing was just re-prioritizing some of those actual objectives. There were just, like, a couple that, even before corona, were nicer to have, but now it's clear that this is not the year to be working on the frills. It's really--we gotta stick to the essentials in terms of our strategic goals. And then the last thing I'll quickly say is I actually really leveraged the fact that it seems like most folks are becoming kind of armchair experts in academiology these days, right? Like, I'm learning more, more about viruses and how they spread, and I think there's some really interesting--and if I thought about it hard enough there could be a poem out of this, but, you know, I think there's some really interesting overlays between what we're seeing with the virus [Emory makes some noise] and how I think about people and the fact that--hey, Emory! The fact that we are all connected, we're all inter-dependent, and we need to center the most vulnerable. I think, as a society, that's becoming more and more clear, just with the true facts that are coming out from COVID, but it also I think has been what activists and DIBs practitioners have been saying for, you know, decades, and so I think, at least in my company, it sort of seems like there's this window of opportunity to seize on this understanding of centering and equity and disproportionate impact that folks are getting externally and [?] that same framework and understanding through the work that I do internally. I just think folks are grasping it a little bit more easily now than they might have been before this. So that, for me, has been exciting.Zach: That's awesome. And yes, hello, Emory. But no, you're absolutely right. [laughs] You know, what I find curious about this time, or intriguing even, is that because of the real impacts that this pandemic is having with folks that look like us and that don't look like us and the frustrations that come along with that, it's creating avenues for people to have even more frank conversations and to really kind of, like, get past some of the jargon and, like, these super long monologues about whatever and really get into, "No, how can we actually create impact and change and help? Because there are people who actively need help," and I think that's--and I try to be, like, a silver lining type of person, so, like, that's--so I would say that is something that is a positive out of all of this. I do think also, to your point around DEI practitioners, I do think that there's a bit of a gap when it comes to, "Okay, how do we transition from--" And I've talked about this with some other folks in the past. I think we're now doing a decent job of, like, talking about the historicity of oppression, or we'll talk about systemic inequities in, like, these very, like, high level systems that almost seem--like, we speak about them almost, like, in the abstract, right? So we'll say, like, "Well, you know, black men, they have disproportionate--they're targeted by police and da-da-da," and it's like, "Okay, that's true," and I'm not being dismissive of that. "Let's talk a little bit more about the systemic inequities in your workplace though," right? Like, "How can we transition these conversations to be a bit more practical and targeted to the reality of your employees?" And, like, that's--and I get why, you know, there's a variety of reasons why we don't necessarily have those conversations when I don't think we necessarily know how, but then two, like, it's increasingly uncomfortable to have conversations about actual power in your workplace, because then we start looking at individuals, right?Dr. Thomas: Yeah. I mean, it's hard, or maybe impossible, not to take, you know, a conversation about power and privilege personally, but at the same time I think where I've seen the most effective work, where I've done the most effective work, is where we actually sort of meet somewhere in the middle. It's about what roles or positions do we hold, how are those products of a greater societal system, and given the seat we're in--it's not really about us. I think it's really about the position. But given that we fill it, you know, what is our responsibility? To disrupt things that before now we weren't aware, you know, we were products of, or now that we are we realize we have a bit of an urgency to leave a legacy or leave things better than where we found them, and I think that's where the activation can happen. That's where we can get [?] without guilting people, right? Without making them defensive. I think it's just the reality of, "Oh, this is all by design, and we're sort of products of this greater architecture. So now what are we gonna do about it?" And if we're not gonna do anything, that's fine too, but then we should stop talking about it. Right? So, like, that's fine. I don't--[laughs] I want to be clear that I don't judge or begrudge that. It's fine. You know, companies and leaders can make those choices, but then stop talking about it. That's where--right?Zach: Yes. That's my rub too. At a certain point it's like, "Look, I'm tired of us talking about diversity being our strength and there not being anybody that looks like me that actually has any type of authority or power." You know, "I'm tired of us always--" Like, not shoehorning in, because no disrespect. We talk about gender in these very, like, binary, exclusionary ways without being intersectional at all with race or sexual identity. We talk about sexual identity in these binary ways without including race. We ignore any race trans identities, particularly trans black female identities. So, like, if we're gonna do this, let's do it. If we're not gonna do it, let's not. It's 2020. Rona or no rona, let's just--let's just be honest. [both laugh]Dr. Thomas: I agree. I mean, you know, that's where folks get disillusioned. That's where, you know, when the word doesn't match the deed, it reads as inauthentic because it frankly is, and I think most companies or leaders within them would be honestly better served to talk a little less about diversity, about inclusion, about equity, [then keep on?], or to raise--you know, raise the bar for themselves, but this weird in-between is just not working, right? It's not working. It's frustrating the folks who are most impacted. And then we see the results, which is very minimal quantitative gains when it comes to actual representation within the workforce. So these things all [?] together. They all relate, so yeah.Zach: They do. Now this is me going off the chart, but it just popped in my--not popped in my head, 'cause I think about it a lot, but we didn't talk about it for this interview. We gotta have you back, Erin, 'cause I really want to talk about in group, out group dynamics and the pressures that marginalized people in positions of authority have to, like, toe the line in that regard or how much they push against to then create inclusive workplaces for people who look like them. 'Cause, like--no, and I recognize that's a big topic, but, like, I just want to say this 'cause it's on the top of my heart and my mind. Like, I've noticed--and I've had these conversations, like, with black folks, like, off the record, right? So, like, in consulting, you know, there's all these different tracks of leadership, and, you know, the highest up is typically managing director or partner, and I've talked to some black partners who I really respect and everything, and I'm like, "Look, how many of you do you meet?" 'Cause the people that I talk to, like, they're with it. Like, they're conscious. They genuinely care. They try to use their access, power and privilege, relative power and privilege, to help other folks that look like them--and I'm talking, like, two people, right? [both laugh] And I asked them like, "Yo, what's going on? Like, why are the rest of y'all a bunch of Clarence Thomases up here? Like, what is this?" And so we had this whole frank discussion about it, but I really want to have you back on, because, like--I don't know. I feel like you and I could have that conversation, but I want to have it because, like--and I had this very... it was not uncomfortable. Wait, let's pause. Everybody stop, everybody. Y'all should know by now. This is, like--we're a couple hundred episodes in, hundreds of episodes in actually of Living Corporate. Y'all know I enjoy awkward conversations, so this exchange I'm about to explain to y'all was not awkward for me. It was awkward for them, okay? It was not awkward for me. So, you know, I had this conversation, and--[Emory makes noise] Oh, goodness, my daughter is loud. Hey, y'all. Y'all, check it out. Y'all hear these vocals by Emory. Don't play. No labels, but, you know, we'll make a SoundCloud soon. So anyway, I was talking to this person and I was like, "Look, the reality is the folks in power only let a certain amount of us in these spaces, okay, and when you see us in these spaces high up, like, to find somebody that looks like us in those spaces who genuinely care, who are not closing doors behind and who are speaking truth to power--" Again, I'm not asking you to come show up in a Kunta Kinte shirt. I'm just saying if you could just--[Dr. Thomas laughs] Okay? If you could just, you know, act like you're black, act like you recognize, you know, experiences. To find those types of people, it's like finding a unicorn with gold teeth, you know what I mean? It's crazy. Dr. Thomas: Yeah, and it's hard for me to speak to personally simply because my role is diversity, right? [both laugh] I'm not here as a [?] professional, I am a diversity expert and researcher. So that's, I guess, a privilege if you will that I hold as a leader in my company, and I recognize that. It was true in my last role too. I was in a consulting firm, and I was on the leadership team, but we were a diversity consulting firm, right? And so even in there you see some of that where, yeah, I had to really reconcile with the fact that I was doing this work and certainly had more latitude to, you know, speak that truth to power than I would if I were in another profession, and at the same time even I find myself vigilant, of course, and protective, of course, of how much is too much, you know? Where do I strike that balance of advocating in ways that people can hear versus that active, you know, operating principle that I called out earlier, you know, [?] folks that healthy discomfort. It's tough. It's a whole level of calculus that I have become I think decent at. I think also though I always--and, you know, we should talk about this another time because we can go real deep into this, right? I always view this dance of, like, on the one hand, any professional--especially any leader--is context switching and code switching all the time, right? Like, that is effective leadership, right? That's effective, but yet when you're a person of color, when you are black--which I can speak to--when you're brown, I think it creates some compunction of, like, "How much of this is playing the game that anyone would play and how much of this is selling out?" And I don't have an answer. I think everyone has their own barometer for that, but it's something I challenge myself on all the time. Like, "What of this feels like me and what of this feels like I'm becoming complicit in something that I don't subscribe to?" And, you know, sometimes I can't really codify when I'm feeling uncomfortable, but I know what I'm feeling, and that's when I have to really check myself and really examine if how I'm showing up or what I'm sharing or advocating is really serving my key audience, which is our marginalized folks at our company.Zach: Yo, so thank you for real. Sound Man, put a little round of applause in here for Erin answering this question off the fly, 'cause we did a pre-production. This was not part of the questions, but it was just something on top of my mind. Thank you so much. Now, look, let's get into this though, because we're just now really at the top of the conversation we planned on having. So look, at the time of us recording this, over 32 million folks have applied for unemployment benefits. At the same time, many companies are trying to retain their employees and keep them engaged in new working environments. I mean, there's even a lot of unofficial conversations happening on companies having pressure to not let go of too many minority employees in the name of just optics and potential legal ramifications. I'm curious, can we talk about this dynamic [?] where tensions may be, particularly for black and brown employees.Dr. Thomas: Sure. I mean, when I hear this question I'm really thinking about it as what are black and brown workers maybe thinking, feeling, [?] with individually if they are still employed, and I think I've seen both--at Upwork it's certainly [?] as well, 'cause obviously I consume research, I consume, you know, thought leadership externally, and I think there's a picture that's sort of forming for me in my head, which is there's a range I think of emotional reactions for folks who are still employed, and I think at its best folks are feeling really grateful of course. Right? It's sort of--going back to operating on a scale of 1 to 10, it's, like, yeah, a very compartmentalized 1 to 10, but, like, we're grateful for the blessings we have, and I think certainly that is true for folks who are in jobs with fair pay and fair benefits. They want to give their all to their employers because their circumstances could be so much worse. And I think especially in, you know, people work, in mission-driven organizations and purposeful organizations, that's incredibly true, you know? I'm seeing more and more come out, for instance, among mental health professionals who are burning out 'cause they're just giving it all. And I think, you know, in normal times it's hard to strike that balance of taking care of others versus yourself, and I think especially now, if folks are lucky to still have some semblance of job security, they're giving a lot, and they're very grateful. I think, towards the more extreme ends of this spectrum of reactions, I'm also seeing certainly some guilt, some comparative guilt, you know, around--there are folks out there who are on the front lines, who are essential workers, who have lost their jobs, and so "Maybe I'm not feeling great about what I'm doing or where I am, but, like, how could I complain?" Right? Like, "How can I explain when--maybe things aren't ideal, but I have so much," and so that's where I start to get--yeah, I get a little nervous about that, but I understand it, right? Like, you won't want to rock the boat right now when employment is so precarious. I think there is, you know, on this extreme end of the spectrum, a bit of grief happening, just--obviously black and brown folks are more likely to have people around them succumbing to this virus, falling ill, being unemployed themselves, and so, you know, folks are at work but breathing different losses that some of their counterparts may not be breathing as directly. And then there's backdrop of fear. Like, even if you feel secure in your job for now, this whole situation is obviously unprecedented. We don't know what will happen to the economy, we don't know what will happen to our companies. And again, the research shows that black and brown folks, and women, are the first to get furloughed, to get laid off, to your point, and we know in secure times black and brown folks are more heavily scrutinized, and I think folks who are still working feel a microscope that may or may not be on them, but it's impossible not to be vigilant about if you're gonna make it out of here with the job you went into this crisis with and if that job is actually the right job for you or if you're feeling beholden to, you know, a vulnerable time in your life. I think it's a very confusing time, but it all goes back to what we were talking about earlier, which is that it's just magnifying some of the sentiments that folks are always feeling. I think there's an overlay of, like, true uncertainty that is pressing, but I think folks are really trying to just get through the day, trying to keep the jobs they have, and, you know, trying not to encounter some of the secondary traumas that come when you lose that job, that security that you have in place. So I'm seeing a whole swirl of things, and the way they look to me basically is people are tired. They are exhausted. They are burning out and, you know, I think they're taking care of themselves a little less than they used to because it feels a little risky to do that.Zach: You segued really well into my next question about, like, black and brown employees and their experience, and it's funny because I was talking to a colleague about this, talking to a workplace colleague about, like, my own experiences, and I was telling him about, like, you know, "I've had some stresses because I've had some friends who almost fell victim to COVID-19," and, you know, they recovered, you know, but I also have acquaintances whose family members have passed, right? So you're right, like, what's on my mind and the stresses and the drama is--just what's on my mind is different throughout the day, or maybe it's just a little more real. Let me not say that other folks--'cause there have been white folks dying from the coronavirus too. So it's like, you know, not about trying to dismiss one to uplift the other. It's just like, "Okay, this is real for you, and it's even more real for me." And so I'm curious, like, you know, can we talk a little bit about what organizations can do during this time to at the very least reduce harm for their black and brown employees?Dr. Thomas: For sure. I think, you know, first I want to say 1. thank goodness for your friends who have recovered, and 2. I'm very sorry for the losses that are close to you, and to your point, I'm sorry for that for everybody. This is--you know, the backdrop to all of this is just... it's really hard to fathom honestly. It's hard for me to, like, wrap my head around the devastation this has caused, and it's just--it's so painful, and I'm sorry that everyone is going through this in some way, 'cause everyone is affected and is going to be in some way by the physical toll that this is taking on people. To that point, you know, I think there's a few things that orgs can do kind of from the top down. I think there's also things certainly that any individual colleague or manager can do for the folks around them, but I'll talk about this on a couple of levels. Sidebar, I always think of the Nick Jonas song "Levels" whenever I'm thinking about how to approach this work. Zach: Now, hold on, what is the Nick Jonas song--'cause see, the only song I know by Nick Jonas is that "I still get jealous--" You know what I'm saying? "[continues singing]."Dr. Thomas: It's about--I'm trying to think of how it goes. It's about "love has levels." "Levels, levels." I don't know the words.Zach: Come on, Erin. Come on. I hear you with the vocals.Dr. Thomas: I know. I gotta find it, but I like him, and I know he has a song called Levels, and I always think about it. It's like, "Oh, levels, take me higher--" I don't know. Levels take me higher. I don't know. It's a terrible song.Zach: It's a terrible song? Okay. Did he have a black choir in the background? [both laugh] Yo, when Nick Jonas came out there, boy, he came out there and they was like, "I still get jealoous." I was like, "What is going on? Jesus ain't got nothing to do with this." I mean, he's a jealous guy. Anyway, moving forward... [both laughing] Dr. Thomas: I'm gonna have to find it, I'm gonna have to sing it and just send you a little audio clip, 'cause I can't even remember the tune, 'cause it's not a memorable song. Love you, Nick.Zach: Okay. [laughs]Dr. Thomas: You know? From the top down, companies, and really I'm talking about leaders, people leaders, diversity leaders, can take care to do a few things. One is--and I saw this during the earlier days of people sheltering in place. I think it's leveled out maybe a bit, at least from my vantage point, but in the beginning there was a lot of corporate messaging--and I think you even see this still in commercials--of, you know, "We're all in this together," and on its face, cool, cool, cool. Like, right, you want to build camaraderie, you want to cohere folks around a shared sense of community, but if you beat that drum a little too long, especially within your company, I think it can kind of err to the side of being colorblind, right, and really minimizing the disproportionate strain that there actually is on employees of color and on black and brown folks. So I think striking that balance of certainly we're all in this together, and also there are distinct experiences that we know folks are grappling with. It's an important sort of dual approach to make sure that your folks who are black and brown know that they're seen, know that they're recognized for their unique experiences through this and the unique impacts that they're encountering. So that's one thing, just sort of take that multicultural lens to those company communications that you're sending out. I think another thing is, you know, wherever you can creating space for employees to uncover and share more about their specific experiences. So, you know, we did this back in April at Upwork. We partnered with Michelle Kim, who I know is a friend of the pod.Zach: Come on. What's up, Michelle J. Kim? Shout-out to Awaken Co. What's up? [imitating air horns]Dr. Thomas: [joins in, Zach laughs] She's awesome, and we sort of co-facilitated I think a 75-minute conversation with leaders of our Asian ERG(s)--and this is before the data about [?] were coming out with regards to black and brown folks, and the conversation was mostly around--in terms of the media--anti-Asian bias and discrimination and racism, so we seized on the timeliness of that conversation and built out, you know, a virtual forum for our employees to share what they were concerned about, what they were hearing in their day-to-day lives and interactions, and to scale out from that, from those stories to give more context to, you know, why are we seeing this, what is this. This is not unique to this moment in time. This is, you know, a pattern repeating, and really come from a place of urgency to educate our folks a little bit more about historical context and why it matters now and certainly what they can do to disrupt and call out bias in themselves and discriminations they're seeing externally. A third thing is certainly around mental health and benefits and resources to aid folks, you know, who are experiencing trauma and grief. And I don't think this just has to be if you've lost someone close to me. I think in general folks are really struggling obviously with anxiety and insomnia, and there's data coming in on that, and so making sure that your company has the right level and amount of bereavement and [leave?] policies, but also just coaching and support with your EAP if you have one or your [?] and getting them at least to a basic level [?] of providing that 1:1 support for folks and hopefully referring them out to medical providers if they need, you know, more professional coaching. And then the last thing, you know, is related to what you were saying about terminations and lay-offs and all that. Every company should be auditing the decisions they're making this time when it comes to furloughs and risks, making sure that they're looking at that through an equity lens, making sure that they're not just focusing on people's kind of positions in the company or tenure, because black and brown folks tend to sit lower in the org and tend to be earlier in their tenure, so really taking a performance-based approach to that analysis can be helpful in getting out of that sort of hamster wheel of, you know, first in first out when it comes to black and brown folks. So those are, you know, top-down, structural considerations that companies can be taking every day. I think on the ground, peers and managers can be doing some of what we've already role modeled in this conversation. Check in with people, my goodness. Just think about who you haven't spoken to in a while. Think about who you might normally pass at, you know, the water cooler or the coffee station, and if you haven't chatted with that person 1:1 in a minute, you know, Slack them, ping them, whatever you've got in terms of internal messaging systems, call them, pick up the phone and check in. Just see how people are doing, and make sure you create, you know, space to actually hear their answer and to actually respond. So, you know, as opposed to the normal "How's it going?" Like, really ask the question and really wait for the answer and be with that person with whatever they share, you know? I think it's really about those personal connections that we probably took for granted when we were back in an office setting, for those of us who were in offices, and that are harder to actualize now, right? Like, we're all home. We're all behind screens, and so there is no organic water cooler conversation. That means we have to make a little bit more effort to reach out to folks and to show them that we care about them, that we're connected to them and that we're a resource, or that the company has resources, for them whenever they need.Zach: I love it, I love it. Now, Erin, you know that we're about real talk in a corporate world like I said at the top of the show. For the executive leader to this and perhaps rolling their eyes or maybe, like, speed listening and being like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know this. Yeah, yeah, yeah," like, you know, just kind of being dismissive as to the gravity of this and why this matters. Why should folks have an inclusive and equitable lens during this time, and then what's the potential fallout in your mind if they don't?Dr. Thomas: I have so many reactions to this question. I think, first, if someone's rolling their eyes to this, which... yeah, could be true, I'll just, like, emphatically say that's not my key audience. Like, I'm just not--you know, I'm really not, and I'm just not. That's not my sweet spot. There were times earlier in my career where that was, where I found it fun to really push the business case for equity, business case for diversity. I am not interested in that anymore, and thankfully I'm in an org where I don't have to do that. Like, kudos to those of you who are doing that. Frankly, for me personally, that's ineffective, right? You know, people do not make decisions based on facts or data. So, you know, I could stand here and talk about the research that's been done. You know, Great Place to Work just did a study around [?], right, and they showed that those who focused on inclusion did better during the recession and saw more returns. So, like, I could share all those stats and all that, but it doesn't matter. Like, if you're rolling your eyes, if you are asking why or if, like, it's probably not gonna happen for you. Just call it, you know--because you can Google it, you can ask Siri, you can ask Jeeves, you can do whatever you want to do, but, like--Zach: [laughing] Not ask Jeeves.Dr. Thomas: [laughing] You can go back to Jeeves if you have to, but my point is that this is not how people make decisions. People make decisions emotionally. They do what they want to do and then they rationalize it later. That is a fact. Zach: That is a fact.Dr. Thomas: You know, it is. And that's science. [laughs] And so if you're not in any way emotionally inclined to care, nothing I say, no data point is gonna make you care. So I think that's one thing. Like, I am impatient and frankly, especially with, you know, decades of research that I think has really caught on in industry, we're just past the point of denying the value proposition of diversity. I think it wastes calories. I think it distracts from the meaningful question, which is, like, how we can go about it during this time or, you know, what we should be prioritizing. I think those are fair questions, but if you're, for whatever strange reason, listening to this podcast and rolling your eyes, like, I don't have time for it. I just don't. I don't. And already that was too much time explaining how I don't have time for it. So that's my quick reaction to that. [both laughing] I think those who are kind of, you know, struggling with how to go about this or where to maybe invest less or more, that's incredibly fair. I think that is incredibly challenging. So what I would say there is just--it goes back to what we talking about earlier. I mean, this is life and death, right? It does not get more real in terms of a call to action than this moment in time, and I think every leader should sit themselves down and critically examine what legacy they want to leave, you know? This is the time for companies to demonstrate what living values, living their values actually looks like. It's their time to pressure test, you know, different mantras that companies love to share around, you know, authentic selves at work, or "Bring your whole selves to work," because you saying--it goes back to what we were talking about earlier. You're saying those things... well, here's your moment. Here's your moment to [know?] what it really means, and that's true at the company level, it's true at that personal level. Hopefully you're inclined to want to dig more deeply into what actualizing on your commitments actually could mean right now, and I think that's the place to get really serious about where are the potential gaps between what you're saying and doing. And as we said earlier, you know, if you realize "Huh, even in these most dire circumstances, we're maybe not really ready to make the investment that we might need to actually move the needle or create the environment that our people need." Okay. That's a tough conclusion to come to, but okay.Zach: That's responsible though, right?Dr. Thomas: Right. Yeah. I mean, and then okay, well, then you have to communicate that back, but if you have been talking a game for a while and are realizing you want to step it up, that's amazing, and I think from there what you can be doing is really leveraging external leaders--I mean, there's a lot of information, tools that are free. You could certainly and should be always leveraging your internal employees or workers however they want to be leveraged to help you reveal your blind spots. But this is it. Like, this is the moment, and hopefully orgs will really step it up and leave a footprint that I think can last for generations. You know, what companies do now I think is going to reset how people see them in the public light, how people see them as an employer of choice or not, and so it's a critical kind of come to Jesus moment hopefully for leaders and orgs to double down or to de-emphasize the things that we've been talking about for a while.Zach: Yo. Man, I mean this has just been an incredible conversation. I would be remiss not to drop a Flex bomb right here, and then also some air horns, put 'em in right here. Okay, there we go. Erin, before we let you go--before Emory and I, excuse me, let you go, any parting words or shout-outs? I know you've been dropping wild gems this entire time, but I just want to give you one last--you know, where they can find you, what you're excited about with Upwork, anything. Give you time to plug.Dr. Thomas: Oh, goodness. Okay, I did not prepare for this. I have so many people to thank. I would say find me on Twitter. That's it. Please don't try to find me on LinkedIn. I don't respond on LinkedIn. Real talk. It's just too cluttered. So ErinLThomasPhD is my Twitter handle. I would say check out Upwork. I have been a lot of places. I have led diversity within two other organizations before now. I've been an expert consultant. I've seen a lot of what companies are doing, and I wouldn't be at Upwork if I weren't rabidly passionate about what we're doing and about all of the magic ingredients that attracted me to our company. So I'd love for folks to check us out. Come work with us. We're a great, amazing, purposeful company doing great work, with cool leaders like me, so come on through.Zach: I mean, this is the best ad I could imagine. [both laugh] All right, y'all, you know what it is. We're having real talk in a corporate world. I'm saying it, like, three times this time, but you know we amplify and center marginalized, underappreciated, underrepresented, undersupported, underestimated voices at work, and look, you can check us out anywhere, okay? Look, we're all over Barack Obama's internet. You just Google Living Corporate, okay? We're gonna pop up. We're there, okay? We're all over. Check us out on Twitter @LivingCorp_Pod, @LivingCorporate on Instagram. Shoot, if you old school and you're like, "Nah, Zach. I gotta go in the browser and type in the domain like a true OG," then I'ma say, "Okay, cool," and I'ma tell you www.living-corporate.com, please say the dash, or livingcorporate.co, livingcorporate.us, livingcorporate.tv, livingcorporate.org, livingcorporate.net. We got all of the Living Corporates except livingcorporate.com, so if you type in livingcorporate.com and Living Corporate does not pop up do not be mad at me, 'cause I told you already we don't got that one. We got all the other livingcorporates, or living-corporate.com--please say the dash, all right? You can also email us at livingcorporatepodcast@gmail.com. You can also DM us, okay? DMs are wide open. We are not afraid of the random DM. Just hit us up. We'll make sure we hit you back. If you have a listener letter, you know, you could submit it right there. We'll answer it on the show. We got a decent number. We try to get to a critical mass so we can answer a few, and then we kind of make that an episode. Just so y'all you know. It's, like, a peek behind the curtain. Until next time, y'all. This has been Zach, and you've been listenimg to Dr. Erin Thomas of Upwork. Me and Emory are gonna catch y'all later. Emory, you got anything to say? [Emory's silent] Nope? All right, y'all. Peace.

As drug development and market approval grow more connected and complex, effective regulatory information management (RIM) is more essential than ever. “The ideal state would be to leverage regulatory data as a corporate asset,” suggests Venkatraman “Bala” Balasubramanian, Senior Vice President of Life Sciences, Orion Business Innovation. “Regulatory teams will be able to better advise portfolio teams on probability of regulatory success in any given market, so you’re going to have higher success rates from a regulatory perspective going forward,” concurs Patterson Shaffer, Managing Director of Regulatory Compliance & Quality, Grant Thornton LLP. Bala and Pat serve in the Working Group developing the Regulatory Information Management reference model discussed at DIA's 2020 Regulatory Submissions Information & Document Management Forum.

David sits down at Scaling New Heights with Jina Etienne, CPA, CGMA, and Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Grant Thornton LLP. In her role, Jina is responsible for developing and implementing Grant Thornton's firm-wide D&I strategy. She shares GT's approach to diversity, why firms need to approach diversity holistically, as well as tips for smaller firms seeking to benefit from greater diversity in their ranks.

On this episode of the Treasury Career Corner Podcast, I’m delighted to be joined by Paul Harrison, the Head of Treasury Advisory at Grant Thornton LLP. As with each guest that comes on the show, Paul shares his career advice for anyone looking to follow a similar career path. We also dive into what life is like as a Treasury Consultant and Paul sets the record straight when it comes to common perceptions and myths surrounding a consultant role.  Paul leads Grant Thornton’s Treasury Advisory business (GTTA) and assists clients in establishing a new treasury function from scratch or in make an existing one ‘fit for purpose’ following organic or M&A driven change.   With more than 25 years of treasury experience in a corporate and advisory capacity, Paul’s focus is liquidity management, operational banking, FX risk management, debt compliance and treasury management systems, together with all the processes and policy changes required in each of these areas. Prior to joining Grant Thornton, he worked at PMC Treasury, PwC and Diageo.   Outside work, Paul is a family man with two daughters. When he isn’t working or spending time with his wife and kids, he enjoys playing tennis and is a keen cook.  On the podcast we discussed…  How Paul built his treasury consulting career Balancing the travel aspect of working as a consultant with family life Common myths of what a consultant role entails and the ‘selling’ aspect of the job How to achieve job satisfaction as a treasury consultant The challenges and common struggles of consulting Paul shares his work ethos and career advice for aspiring treasury consultants Would you like to get in touch with Paul? If so, you can connect with him via paul.a.harrison@uk.gt.com (mailto:paul.a.harrison@uk.gt.com)    Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?   Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. send us your CV (http://www.treasuryrecruitment.com/jobs) and let us help you in your next career move!  If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for iTunes click here!

Hear from two experts in the resilience field as they discuss the ways that cities and corporations can use new technology to prepare for a safer world. GUESTS Carmichael Roberts, Entrepreneur, Founder and Managing Partner, Material Impact Nichole Jordan, National Managing Partner of Markets, Clients & Industry, Grant Thornton LLP

When starting a business, there are steps to take in fulfilling legal, state and federal requirements. The business structure you choose determines whether you will incur double taxation or make savings by paying less in taxes. Find out more about starting your own business We’re talking to Cory Johnson from Cory W. Johnson, CPA, LLC which is located in Silver Spring, Maryland. Originally from Baltimore, he graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia with a BBA in accounting and then worked as an accountant and auditor for Aramark, Grant Thornton LLP, and KPMG. He is currently an accountant with The Architect of the Capitol which is a federal government legislative branch agency. Starting a Business - Key Points Start with an operating agreement or bylaws. File your organizing documents in your state of residence or where you want your business to be incorporated. Before you launch your business, obtain a federal employer identification number from the IRS. Clients often don’t have the tools to keep accurate financial records and are unaware of how their business will affect personal taxes. Sole proprietors end up being double-taxed on the same net profit: at the individual income tax rate as well as self-employment tax. Partnerships also incur double taxation. Most people prefer to get professional help to handle tax papers and IRS documents. The LLC is the most commonly used business structure because of the tax benefit. Cory and Hans go through an example of how you pay less tax with an LLC-S Corp compared to a sole proprietor or general partnership. Tune in for a high-level discussion on getting your business started. Links and Contact Information Cory W. Johnson, CPA, LLC Email: info@cpacory.com Here are some of our featured free resources. How Can I Organize My Financials? Should I Have A Business Plan? What Steps Should I Take Towards Branding? How Can Marketing Bring In More Clients? The Start-Up Checklist What Type Of Corporation Should I Be? Things To Consider When Scaling A Business

J. Michael 'Mike' McGuire is CEO of Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the world’s leading accounting and advisory firms. Mike has more than 30 years of experience working closely with high-growth, startup and middle-market companies, assisting in capital markets transactions ranging from angel investing, initial public offerings, merger & acquisition strategies, due diligence and deal structure. Before joining Grant Thornton in 2002, Mike served as Carolinas Audit Division Head for Arthur Andersen, LLP. Mike has received many awards and honors, including 'Most Admired CEO' by Charlotte Business Journal, and the 'Top 100 People in Accounting' by Accounting Today. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Management Information Services from Bowling Green University.   This episode is perfect for anyone interested in national accountancy, brand positioning, creating culture, disruptive technologies, and scaling family values.  IN THIS EPISODE Mike describes Grant Thornton ('GT') and what makes it 'significantly different.' He explains how GT is structured and how it serves clients across borders. He shares how he sees his job as CEO and what he means by 'People First.' He explains what GT means by 'StatusGo' and what is today's most important asset. Mike reveals the real differentiating factors between accounting firms. He discusses what qualities GT hires for and the two personality traits in employees he values most. He shares why he wants GT to be the 'Tesla' of the accounting industry. He answers whether he thinks of himself as the Elon Musk of accountancy. Mike talks about how Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Smart Contracts, Data Analytics and Robotics are changing the accounting industry. He considers what changes he would make to GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). He identifies what difficult issues GT clients are facing on the horizon. He explains what has to be done right to successfully disrupt industries. Mike addresses whether accounting firms are serving society when they help companies 'optimize' or pay less taxes. He tells the story of how he hired Dianne Swonk, the new chief economist of GT. He discusses growing up in the grocery business and what decision his father made that totally changed his family. He talks about what he learned 'at the corner of Jackson and Main.' Mike shares what happens to him when he enters a grocery store today. He answers whether his childhood friends would recognize him. He reflects on attending Bowling Green University and what it allowed him to do. He reveals why he became an accountant and what he will never forget. Mike shares how he wants to be remembered. To learn more, visit On Life and Meaning

Mike McGuire is the chief executive officer of Grant Thornton LLP. McGuire has more than 30 years of experience working closely with high-growth, startup and middle-market companies in a variety of industries, including technology, services, construction, manufacturing, venture capital, distribution, retail and franchising. He has significant experience in capital markets transactions ranging from angel investing to initial public offerings. He ... Read More

Lorie White and Mike Jackson, respective Partners at Grant Thornton LLP, join host Bob Lane to discuss the impact of the Trump Administration's Tax Reform bill on Real Estate transactions on The Real Estate Hour. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you have a family business or an otherwise complex financial situation? A neutral financial expert can be extremely helpful for bringing clarity to the financial situation and financial options available to separating couples. Simone is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and Chartered Business Valuator (CBV). She is a Director in the Transactions group in the Kelowna office of Grant Thornton LLP.  Simone specialize in business valuation and litigation support related to matrimonial and other shareholder disputes. She is the Chair of the Executive of the Okanagan Collaborative Family Law Group and has been a member of the group since 2008.  Simone also practices in the area of mergers and acquisitions, assisting clients with buying and selling businesses in a variety of different industries. Prior to joining Grant Thornton LLP in Kelowna, Simone worked at Deloitte & Touche LLP in Toronto, as an auditor and business valuator. Your host, Christina Vinters, is a nationally designated Chartered Mediator on a mission to inspire and facilitate healthy family transitions. She is also a gratefully non-practicing Lawyer, Author of Pathways to Amicable Divorce and the  DIY Divorce Manual, and Peacemaking Business Consultant. Guest Links: Website: http://www.grantthornton.ca/en/                 https://collaborativefamilylaw.ca/find-professional/name/simone-brunton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonebrunton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-brunton-1b20643a/ Work Email: Simone.Brunton@ca.gt.com Work Phone: 250-712-6802   Modern Separations Links: Website: https://www.modernseparations.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modernseparations Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcewell Twitter: https://twitter.com/cvinters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cvinters/ Christina: Today I'm talking to Simone Brunton. Simone is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator at Grant Thornton. She's also the chair of the Okanagan Collaborative Family Law Group. Simone works with divorcing couples in the capacity of a financial neutral. In this interview, she shares the various ways in which a financial neutral can be helpful during the separation process, including text planning, business valuation, budgeting, and division of assets and debts. You can choose to involve a financial neutral regardless of the type of legal process you're going through, and I personally have found them to be very, very useful. Alright, here we go! Christina: Hi Simone! Welcome! I'm happy to be talking with you today. Simone: Hi! Thanks for having me. Christina: So why don't we get started by having you tell us a little bit about your self and how you got into specializing and work with divorcing couples. Simone: Okay, I'm a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator. And I moved to Kelowna almost ten years ago and joined Grant Thornton here. And shortly after that I joined the Okanagan Collaborative Family Law Group, which is based out of Kelowna. So as a Chartered Business Valuator, one of the areas that we help couples going through divorce or separation with is when a business is involved. We are able to provide an independent, fair market value of the business, which can help the couple when they're looking to divide or separate their assets. This is very important because business valuation is a very complex area. It's difficult to know just by looking at the financial statements, how much the business is worth, and we find it's especially important in matrimonial situations. Because often, one spouse has much more knowledge of the business than the other, who's maybe not involved in the business. And so part of my role is to come up with an independent valuation of the business that is fair to both parties, and then helps them feel comfortable with making that decision and moving forward. Christina: Yeah, that's really great that neutral aspect of your work... So the two of them would hire you together as a trusted person to help them sort out the valuation issue. Are there other types of financial issues that you can also help with during the separation? Simone: Yeah, absolutely! Business valuation's one of them. Financial neutrals can often be involved in tax issues and helping structure things from a tax perspective. Like I mentioned, we often help with just educating both the parties to level playing field. We can also help with the division of assets. So further actually helping them sit down with the spreadsheets and split things out, as well as budgeting and forecasting, and things like that that they might need help with. Christina: OK. And do you only work through the collaborative process or would you also be involved, for example, in a mediated file, or if couples are just negotiating between lawyers but it's not a formal collaborative process? Simone: Yeah, absolutely. We do work in a collaborative process, and we do the same sorts of things outside of the collaborative process as well all the time. Christina: So, a lot of families are concerned about the costs and they're worried about bringing on more professionals than necessary. What was your take on that? And do you find it, involving a financial neutral, can actually expedite things? Simone: Yeah so, our role is to help them get to a resolution quicker. You know, if you don't have a financial neutral involved, you might spend more time arguing with things through your lawyers, and things like that which can really add up on the cost. You know, our report can be expensive to produce but it really helps the couples kinda make the decision and move on with that part of the process. The other way I feel like sometimes to look at it as that, you know, you can have two lawyers charging out at a certain rate versus one financial neutral charging out at a certain rate. So right there it's gonna be a bit more cost-effective. And also, you know, the financial neutral is specifically trained in these types of areas and they're gonna be more efficient in working through it, where as the lawyers, you know this is not their area of expertise. So you're kind of asking them to come up with that stuff and they're not gonna be as efficient getting through it. And the final way where we tend to... for some couples, can make a big difference is the tax structuring that could happen. Can save the couple a lot in taxes which can more than pay for the cost of that work or the cost of the valuation work. Christina: So I just wanted to go back to what you were saying before about working with a couple where maybe, one person has been involved in the business and is maybe more financially sophisticated than the other. And you've got one person who's just really not comfortable or familiar with the finances. In those types of situations, do you work with both people together? But also, how do you bridge that gap? What are the results that you find working with those couples? Simone: Yeah, often I'm having separate discussions with the couples. I just find that they're getting a chance to really be heard in a neutral environment and they're getting a chance to ask any question they want and not feel you know, like it's a dumb question. So generally we're usually dealing separately with them. It also allows the couples to bring up anything that they want to bring to my attention, going through the process as well. It really depends on the complexity of the situation and the person involved, but basically, yeah. We can spend a lot of time going through the valuation report with the one party and getting them more comfortable with it or allowing them to ask questions and get them  more comfortable so that they do really understand what it is they're agreeing to. And I find that that's really, really important and it's important to do it sort of separately.  We might meet with them together as well, but often in that kind of case, there's a lot of individual meetings. Christina: Yeah, and I've personally seen a lot of success with involving a financial neutral in my mediations. I've seen that somebody who was very wary and not comfortable with the opinion of the other party is a regular business accountant. By hiring the financial neutral they really got a sense of ease, and comfort that they are getting an opinion that they could really rely on that was fair and wasn't skewed in favor of the other person. So, I'm really in favor of bringing financial neutrals on whenever possible. What would you suggest the people should know ahead of time that they should get organized or know upfront before getting started? Simone: Before getting started, we're gonna require a lot of information. So maybe you know, doing a bit of gathering that information, whether it's your accountant has it or if you have copies or whatever sort of financial statements, tax returns – that kind of information we're gonna need that to get started. Pretty much you know, we like to kinda take a quick look at that before we get too deep into it because help it can help us scope out the engagement and kind of let the parties know what the cost might be upfront, or at least a quote. And it can also determine what type of report we would need to do, or what type of work we'd need to be done. That's really important to sort of get that information to us off the bat, we'll have a quick look at it and can kind of have a better idea at the scope of what we're looking at, how long it's gonna take, and all those sorts of things. Christina: OK, and what kind of options are there for different levels of reporting? Simone: So there's three levels of reports that a business valuator can provide. So one is a calculation level report, that's sort of the lowest level of report which is kinda like your Notice to Reader financial statement. And then we have the estimate level of report, and then the comprehensive report. Comprehensive reports are usually for very highly litigious high-dollar value situations. So depending on the size of the final amount of money at stake, that's usually where we see those. For most divorcing couples we would normally recommend estimate level reports. That report is able to be used in court if it needs to be. And you know, pretty thorough analysis of the company, what's going on. In the collaborative process because the parties are agreeing to not go to court. Sometimes you can prepare a calculation level report. In specific cases which is the less robust report and a little more cost-effective. But again, only under that process since there is an agreement not to go to court because that type of report is not appropriate for court because less work is done. Christina: OK. If people are trying to figure out whether or not it's a good idea to go ahead and get a business valuation in their case, is there some kind of benchmark that you would use, for example a certain level of revenue or a certain level of profit, I don't... I'm not sure how you look at that, to say yes in your case I think it would be worthwhile to go ahead and get this done? Simone: Well, I would say whenever there's a business involved, you should at least talk to a business valuator. You can't really set it based on the revenue or profit because there's so many different expenses and things that can go through that and impact the value of the business overall. But definitely, if there's a business involved, it's a good idea to get a business valuator involved. Now, you know, we're gonna be upfront at what I was saying before about getting the information upfront and kinda high-level look, so you know, if I get it and it's clear that value's going to be zero, we'll have that discussion upfront with the parties and whether they want us to go through the business valuation, we can definitely scope it out for them. But it's definitely worth at least having us take a look at it. And then other times get involved even there's no business would be there's complex tax structures. But usually those are related to businesses, or there's this really high-dollar value net worth of individuals and again, what we're talking about before if one party's been really involved in the finances, and the other has no involvement, we can help with that education piece as well. Christina: Do you get involved with helping with budgeting at all? Some couples I know, one person is in charge of most of the finances and the other person, unfortunately, may not have an any experience with budgeting or really have a handle on what day to day life costs. So is that something that you help with? Simone: Certainly in the collaborative process, that's part of the financial neutral's role if the couple needs it. So certainly, we can get involved in that and forecasting and things like that. Christina: OK, awesome! So is there anything else that you'd like people to know about who might be wondering whether financial neutral will be helpful in their case? Any advice that you have for them? Simone: Yeah, I think that besides the stuff we've already talked about, you know having a financial neutral, and I think we have sort of touched on this earlier. Really allows for fair settlement for both parties, and I think makes both parties feel more comfortable that they're getting a fair settlement. You know, because you got that independent expert that's providing the answers rather than friends who are biased and not experts on those areas, or lawyers who aren't really experts on those areas either. So I think I can give couples a lot of comfort that they've done the right thing and they know that they're having a fair, independent opinion. Christina: OK, fantastic! And what are the best ways for our listeners to get in touch with you if they would like to seek out some help? Simone: So probably by phone or email. My phone number's 250-7126802, and my email is simone.brunton@ca.gt.com. And there's probably some information on me also available on the Grant Thornton website, which would be www.grantthornton.ca. Or www.collaborativefamilylaw.ca. Christina: OK great! Lots of options. We'll have all of those links at the show notes as well. Awesome! That was really, really helpful information, Simone. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Simone: Thank you for arranging it. That was great!

Interesting GT podcast (note upcoming deadline!)

The key to any dental practice is how to constantly bring in new patients. We all know this. But how do you attract those patients who cannot afford expensive dental treatment in one lump sum? Those patients can typically afford a car payment-sized monthly bill— so why not make that part of your practice? We had Dave Roehr and Brad Bailor of Proceed Finance (http://www.proceedfinance.com) to discuss their company and how well payment plans work when it comes to attracting new patients with low financial risk to the doctors who consult with them. 
Proceed Finance offers affordable patient financing that helps providers expand their patient base and drive repeat business. We bridge the gap between the services providers offer their patients and the affordability of those services. The Proceed Finance model is simple – fully-funded, fast delivery financing for providers and easy to understand terms and the lowest rates for patients. Dave Roehr CEO Dave Roehr leads Proceed Finance with over three decades of experience in banking, finance, and strategic growth. Prior to Proceed Finance, Mr. Roehr was President and Chief Financial Officer of Cabela's Inc. [CAB:NYSE], guiding the company through a time of unprecedented sales growth and retail expansion, and rocketing them past the $1B valuation mark. Included in Mr. Roehr's leadership at Cabela's was his role as Founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO of World's Foremost Bank, the wholly-owned regulated credit card bank utilized by Cabela's to issue and manage their co-branded Cabela's VISA credit cards and related consumer rewards program. Mr. Roehr's previous roles also include partnership at tax consultancy Grant Thornton LLP, the US member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd. While at Grant Thornton, Mr. Roehr utilized his CPA and MT (Masters of Taxation) credentials within their public accounting business practice, contributing to revenue growth of over $150M and expansion into nearly 70 countries worldwide during his tenure. Aside from his career leadership roles, Mr. Roehr also contributes guidance to businesses in growth mode via memberships on various boards of directors. Mr. Roehr's current and past board memberships include:     •    The Buckle [BKE: NYSE]     •    Air Methods [AIRM: NASDAQ]     •    Regional Board of Directors for US Bank [USB: NYSE]     •    Security First Bank [privately held] Brad Bailor, Senior Director of Sales Brad Bailor directs Proceed Finance's corporate sales efforts, supporting growth initiatives and building relationships with provider partners. A seasoned sales professional, entrepreneur, and startup leader, Mr. Bailor draws on his expertise in client relationship development, startups, and business management to lead Proceed Finance's sales efforts. With a background that includes running his own company combined with more than two decades of working in highly visible client management roles, Mr. Bailor brings systematic sales processes and genuine interest in serving the client to his sales roles. Mr. Bailor's sales experience includes tenure at both well-known corporate brands and innovative startups, perfectly positioning him for a leadership role at Proceed Finance. Included in his experience are:     •    US CAD [privately held]     •    Sojern [privately held]

How do U.S. executives view the future of manufacturing? Some of the answers are contained in a new report from the accounting and consulting firm of Grant Thornton LLP. In a survey of more than 375 U.S. manufacturers, it asked them to detail the major forces that are shaping their industries. They were also invited to describe the steps they're taking to adapt to those changes. On this episode, we get the details from Jeff French, Grant Thornton's national managing partner for consumer and industry products. Based on the firm's research, he lays out the four critical priorities for manufacturers today, as well as their number-one concern for the future. And he discusses both the political and technological factors that promise to radically transform manufacturing in the years ahead. Are manufacturers reshoring operations back to the U.S.? What's the impact on labor? It's a time of deep uncertainty — but that's no excuse for inaction.

NCMM Executive Director Tom Stewart examines how middle market companies unnecessarily tie up their cash, and as a result, miss out on opportunities when they arise. Special guest Rob Tague, Managing Director, Transaction Services, Grant Thornton LLP.

Arla shared some powerful insights on identifying and pursuing career advancement opportunity. If you’re currently eyeing a new move, you’ll want to hear her take. Specifically, you’ll learn:1) How to do your homework to snag the next advancement 2) The importance of proactively chasing the big break3) Lessons learned from serving as Chief of Staff for two separate CEOs Arla Lach is a Partner in Audit Services in the Chicago office of Grant Thornton. She has more than 16 years of experience in public accounting, serving companies with revenues from $4 million to $1 billion. From 2008 through 2010, she served as chief of staff to the CEO of Grant Thornton LLP. In 2011, Lach received a “Women to Watch” award in the emerging leader category from the Illinois CPA Society. She’s passionate about helping women rise into and succeed in leadership roles. Transcript, show notes, links, and bonuses available at http://AwesomeAtYourJob.com

Arla shared some powerful insights on identifying and pursuing career advancement opportunity. If you’re currently eyeing a new move, you’ll want to hear her take. Specifically, you’ll learn:1) How to do your homework to snag the next advancement 2) The importance of proactively chasing the big break3) Lessons learned from serving as Chief of Staff for two separate CEOs Arla Lach is a Partner in Audit Services in the Chicago office of Grant Thornton. She has more than 16 years of experience in public accounting, serving companies with revenues from $4 million to $1 billion. From 2008 through 2010, she served as chief of staff to the CEO of Grant Thornton LLP. In 2011, Lach received a “Women to Watch” award in the emerging leader category from the Illinois CPA Society. She’s passionate about helping women rise into and succeed in leadership roles. Transcript, show notes, links, and bonuses available at http://AwesomeAtYourJob.com

The Audit Committee's Role and Structure, TK Kerstetter, President, Corporate Board Member,Trent Gazzaway, National Partner, Audit Services, Grant Thornton LLP

The Audit Committee's Role and Structure, TK Kerstetter, President, Corporate Board Member,Trent Gazzaway, National Partner, Audit Services, Grant Thornton LLP

World Economic Forum: Global Financial Recap, TK Kerstetter, President, Corporate Board Member, Scott Cutler, EVP, NYSE Euronext, Nichole Jordan, National Banking and Securities Industry Leader, Grant Thornton LLP

Part 3 of the conference contains the mid-day keynote address provided by Reto Francioni, CEO of Deutsch Borse AG. Panel 2 is moderated by Joe Cangemi, Managing Director of ConvergEx Group. It is entitled Competitive challenges in the exchange space? Panelists include Alasdair Haynes, CEO of Chi-X Europe, Bill Harts, Chief Strategy Officer in Thomson Reuters, Gary Stone, Chief Strategy Officer in Bloomberg Tradebook LLC, Wally Sullivan, Managing Partner of Pulse Trading, Peter Jenkins, President of AX Trading and Rob Howe, Corporate Strategist of Liquidnet. Panel 3 is moderated by Bruce Weber, Dean of Lerner College of Business and Economics in University of Delaware. The topic is Wherein lie the growth opportunities? Panelists include Larry Tabb of TABB Group, Ian Domowitz of ITG, Joe Rosen of RKA, Inc., Pinar Emirdag of London Stock Exchange Group, Frank Hatheway of NASDAQ OMX, and Tim Mahoney of BIDS Trading. Panel 4 is moderated by David Weild IV, Founder and Chairman of Grant Thornton LLP and Capital Markets Advisor Partners LLC. Topic is IPO capital raising in the global economy. Panelists include Huseyin Erkan of Istanbul Stock Exchange, Joseph Hall of Davis, Polk & Wardwell LLP, Steve Wunsch of Wunsch Auction Systems, Barry E. Silbert of SecondMarket Inc., and Gregory L. Wright of ThinkEquity LLC. The closing keynote speech is addressed by Larry Leibowitz, COO of NYSE Euronext.

Part 3 of the conference contains the mid-day keynote address provided by Reto Francioni, CEO of Deutsch Borse AG. Panel 2 is moderated by Joe Cangemi, Managing Director of ConvergEx Group. It is entitled Competitive challenges in the exchange space? Panelists include Alasdair Haynes, CEO of Chi-X Europe, Bill Harts, Chief Strategy Officer in Thomson Reuters, Gary Stone, Chief Strategy Officer in Bloomberg Tradebook LLC, Wally Sullivan, Managing Partner of Pulse Trading, Peter Jenkins, President of AX Trading and Rob Howe, Corporate Strategist of Liquidnet. Panel 3 is moderated by Bruce Weber, Dean of Lerner College of Business and Economics in University of Delaware. The topic is Wherein lie the growth opportunities? Panelists include Larry Tabb of TABB Group, Ian Domowitz of ITG, Joe Rosen of RKA, Inc., Pinar Emirdag of London Stock Exchange Group, Frank Hatheway of NASDAQ OMX, and Tim Mahoney of BIDS Trading. Panel 4 is moderated by David Weild IV, Founder and Chairman of Grant Thornton LLP and Capital Markets Advisor Partners LLC. Topic is IPO capital raising in the global economy. Panelists include Huseyin Erkan of Istanbul Stock Exchange, Joseph Hall of Davis, Polk & Wardwell LLP, Steve Wunsch of Wunsch Auction Systems, Barry E. Silbert of SecondMarket Inc., and Gregory L. Wright of ThinkEquity LLC. The closing keynote speech is addressed by Larry Leibowitz, COO of NYSE Euronext.

"Financial executives and members of the academic community are brought together in an event sponsored by Accounting Review, the American Accounting Association, Financial Executives International, the Stan Ross School of Accountancy at Baruch College, and the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity. The event is introduced by accountancy department chair Masako Darrough. [Video 1] The Stan Ross Department of Accountancy prize for outstanding academic contribution to practice is presented to Baruch Lev of New York University and Doron Nissim of Columbia University in the amount of $5000 for their paper, “Taxable Income, Future Earnings, and Equity Values.” Professors Lev and Nissin present their paper. Staff members of the Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), and Financial Executives International (FEI) selected the best paper from those published in Accounting Review during 2004 in terms of practical application and relevance to current issues in finance. Other speakers include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Dan Dhaliwal, Editor at the Accounting Review and Professor at the University of Arizona; John Elliott, Dean, Zicklin School of Business and Professor of Accountancy at Baruch College; and Judy Rayburn, President of the American Accounting Association and Professor at the University of Minnesota. [Video 2] Practical business applications of the winning paper are discussed in a panel format. The panel moderator is Hugo Nurnberg, Professor of Accounting at Baruch. Panelists include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Halsey Bullen, Senior Project Manager, Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); Mike Gaynor, Professional Accounting Fellow in the office of the Chief Accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Norman Strauss, Ernst & Young Executive Professor in Residence at Baruch College; and Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc. [Video 3] Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is discussed terms of implementation and sustainability. Colleen Cunningham, President and CEO, Financial Executives International serves as the moderator of a panel discussion. Panelsts include: Robert Colson, Grant Thornton LLP; Daniel L. Goelzer, Board Member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB); Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc.; Steven B. Lilien, director of the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity, Juliana Maglathlin, Director, Financial projects, Lockheed Martin Corporation; Sarah McVay, Assistant Professor of Accounting at New York University; John Milliski, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company; Jorge Milo, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Lou Thompson, President & CEO, National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)."

"Financial executives and members of the academic community are brought together in an event sponsored by Accounting Review, the American Accounting Association, Financial Executives International, the Stan Ross School of Accountancy at Baruch College, and the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity. The event is introduced by accountancy department chair Masako Darrough. [Video 1] The Stan Ross Department of Accountancy prize for outstanding academic contribution to practice is presented to Baruch Lev of New York University and Doron Nissim of Columbia University in the amount of $5000 for their paper, “Taxable Income, Future Earnings, and Equity Values.” Professors Lev and Nissin present their paper. Staff members of the Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), and Financial Executives International (FEI) selected the best paper from those published in Accounting Review during 2004 in terms of practical application and relevance to current issues in finance. Other speakers include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Dan Dhaliwal, Editor at the Accounting Review and Professor at the University of Arizona; John Elliott, Dean, Zicklin School of Business and Professor of Accountancy at Baruch College; and Judy Rayburn, President of the American Accounting Association and Professor at the University of Minnesota. [Video 2] Practical business applications of the winning paper are discussed in a panel format. The panel moderator is Hugo Nurnberg, Professor of Accounting at Baruch. Panelists include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Halsey Bullen, Senior Project Manager, Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); Mike Gaynor, Professional Accounting Fellow in the office of the Chief Accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Norman Strauss, Ernst & Young Executive Professor in Residence at Baruch College; and Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc. [Video 3] Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is discussed terms of implementation and sustainability. Colleen Cunningham, President and CEO, Financial Executives International serves as the moderator of a panel discussion. Panelsts include: Robert Colson, Grant Thornton LLP; Daniel L. Goelzer, Board Member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB); Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc.; Steven B. Lilien, director of the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity, Juliana Maglathlin, Director, Financial projects, Lockheed Martin Corporation; Sarah McVay, Assistant Professor of Accounting at New York University; John Milliski, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company; Jorge Milo, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Lou Thompson, President & CEO, National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)."

"Financial executives and members of the academic community are brought together in an event sponsored by Accounting Review, the American Accounting Association, Financial Executives International, the Stan Ross School of Accountancy at Baruch College, and the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity. The event is introduced by accountancy department chair Masako Darrough. [Video 1] The Stan Ross Department of Accountancy prize for outstanding academic contribution to practice is presented to Baruch Lev of New York University and Doron Nissim of Columbia University in the amount of $5000 for their paper, “Taxable Income, Future Earnings, and Equity Values.” Professors Lev and Nissin present their paper. Staff members of the Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), and Financial Executives International (FEI) selected the best paper from those published in Accounting Review during 2004 in terms of practical application and relevance to current issues in finance. Other speakers include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Dan Dhaliwal, Editor at the Accounting Review and Professor at the University of Arizona; John Elliott, Dean, Zicklin School of Business and Professor of Accountancy at Baruch College; and Judy Rayburn, President of the American Accounting Association and Professor at the University of Minnesota. [Video 2] Practical business applications of the winning paper are discussed in a panel format. The panel moderator is Hugo Nurnberg, Professor of Accounting at Baruch. Panelists include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Halsey Bullen, Senior Project Manager, Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); Mike Gaynor, Professional Accounting Fellow in the office of the Chief Accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Norman Strauss, Ernst & Young Executive Professor in Residence at Baruch College; and Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc. [Video 3] Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is discussed terms of implementation and sustainability. Colleen Cunningham, President and CEO, Financial Executives International serves as the moderator of a panel discussion. Panelsts include: Robert Colson, Grant Thornton LLP; Daniel L. Goelzer, Board Member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB); Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc.; Steven B. Lilien, director of the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity, Juliana Maglathlin, Director, Financial projects, Lockheed Martin Corporation; Sarah McVay, Assistant Professor of Accounting at New York University; John Milliski, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company; Jorge Milo, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Lou Thompson, President & CEO, National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)."

"Financial executives and members of the academic community are brought together in an event sponsored by Accounting Review, the American Accounting Association, Financial Executives International, the Stan Ross School of Accountancy at Baruch College, and the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity. The event is introduced by accountancy department chair Masako Darrough. [Video 1] The Stan Ross Department of Accountancy prize for outstanding academic contribution to practice is presented to Baruch Lev of New York University and Doron Nissim of Columbia University in the amount of $5000 for their paper, “Taxable Income, Future Earnings, and Equity Values.” Professors Lev and Nissin present their paper. Staff members of the Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), and Financial Executives International (FEI) selected the best paper from those published in Accounting Review during 2004 in terms of practical application and relevance to current issues in finance. Other speakers include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Dan Dhaliwal, Editor at the Accounting Review and Professor at the University of Arizona; John Elliott, Dean, Zicklin School of Business and Professor of Accountancy at Baruch College; and Judy Rayburn, President of the American Accounting Association and Professor at the University of Minnesota. [Video 2] Practical business applications of the winning paper are discussed in a panel format. The panel moderator is Hugo Nurnberg, Professor of Accounting at Baruch. Panelists include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Halsey Bullen, Senior Project Manager, Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); Mike Gaynor, Professional Accounting Fellow in the office of the Chief Accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Norman Strauss, Ernst & Young Executive Professor in Residence at Baruch College; and Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc. [Video 3] Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is discussed terms of implementation and sustainability. Colleen Cunningham, President and CEO, Financial Executives International serves as the moderator of a panel discussion. Panelsts include: Robert Colson, Grant Thornton LLP; Daniel L. Goelzer, Board Member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB); Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc.; Steven B. Lilien, director of the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity, Juliana Maglathlin, Director, Financial projects, Lockheed Martin Corporation; Sarah McVay, Assistant Professor of Accounting at New York University; John Milliski, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company; Jorge Milo, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Lou Thompson, President & CEO, National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)."

"Financial executives and members of the academic community are brought together in an event sponsored by Accounting Review, the American Accounting Association, Financial Executives International, the Stan Ross School of Accountancy at Baruch College, and the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity. The event is introduced by accountancy department chair Masako Darrough. [Video 1] The Stan Ross Department of Accountancy prize for outstanding academic contribution to practice is presented to Baruch Lev of New York University and Doron Nissim of Columbia University in the amount of $5000 for their paper, “Taxable Income, Future Earnings, and Equity Values.” Professors Lev and Nissin present their paper. Staff members of the Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), and Financial Executives International (FEI) selected the best paper from those published in Accounting Review during 2004 in terms of practical application and relevance to current issues in finance. Other speakers include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Dan Dhaliwal, Editor at the Accounting Review and Professor at the University of Arizona; John Elliott, Dean, Zicklin School of Business and Professor of Accountancy at Baruch College; and Judy Rayburn, President of the American Accounting Association and Professor at the University of Minnesota. [Video 2] Practical business applications of the winning paper are discussed in a panel format. The panel moderator is Hugo Nurnberg, Professor of Accounting at Baruch. Panelists include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Halsey Bullen, Senior Project Manager, Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); Mike Gaynor, Professional Accounting Fellow in the office of the Chief Accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Norman Strauss, Ernst & Young Executive Professor in Residence at Baruch College; and Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc. [Video 3] Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is discussed terms of implementation and sustainability. Colleen Cunningham, President and CEO, Financial Executives International serves as the moderator of a panel discussion. Panelsts include: Robert Colson, Grant Thornton LLP; Daniel L. Goelzer, Board Member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB); Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc.; Steven B. Lilien, director of the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity, Juliana Maglathlin, Director, Financial projects, Lockheed Martin Corporation; Sarah McVay, Assistant Professor of Accounting at New York University; John Milliski, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company; Jorge Milo, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Lou Thompson, President & CEO, National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)."

"Financial executives and members of the academic community are brought together in an event sponsored by Accounting Review, the American Accounting Association, Financial Executives International, the Stan Ross School of Accountancy at Baruch College, and the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity. The event is introduced by accountancy department chair Masako Darrough. [Video 1] The Stan Ross Department of Accountancy prize for outstanding academic contribution to practice is presented to Baruch Lev of New York University and Doron Nissim of Columbia University in the amount of $5000 for their paper, “Taxable Income, Future Earnings, and Equity Values.” Professors Lev and Nissin present their paper. Staff members of the Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), and Financial Executives International (FEI) selected the best paper from those published in Accounting Review during 2004 in terms of practical application and relevance to current issues in finance. Other speakers include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Dan Dhaliwal, Editor at the Accounting Review and Professor at the University of Arizona; John Elliott, Dean, Zicklin School of Business and Professor of Accountancy at Baruch College; and Judy Rayburn, President of the American Accounting Association and Professor at the University of Minnesota. [Video 2] Practical business applications of the winning paper are discussed in a panel format. The panel moderator is Hugo Nurnberg, Professor of Accounting at Baruch. Panelists include: Raj Aggarwal, FERF trustee and Firestone Chair in Finance at Kent State University; Halsey Bullen, Senior Project Manager, Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); Mike Gaynor, Professional Accounting Fellow in the office of the Chief Accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Norman Strauss, Ernst & Young Executive Professor in Residence at Baruch College; and Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc. [Video 3] Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is discussed terms of implementation and sustainability. Colleen Cunningham, President and CEO, Financial Executives International serves as the moderator of a panel discussion. Panelsts include: Robert Colson, Grant Thornton LLP; Daniel L. Goelzer, Board Member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB); Greg Jonas, Managing Director of the Accounting Specialist Group at Moody's Inc.; Steven B. Lilien, director of the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity, Juliana Maglathlin, Director, Financial projects, Lockheed Martin Corporation; Sarah McVay, Assistant Professor of Accounting at New York University; John Milliski, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company; Jorge Milo, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Lou Thompson, President & CEO, National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)."

A panel of accounting professionals discusses the accounting field, individual career paths, job responsibilities, tips for making career decisions and job searching, the skills and qualifications they are looking for, and international career opportunities. Panelists include: Mariya Marushchak, Real Estate Group, Ernst & Young; Alan Langer, Tax Director, Private Client Advisors Group at Deloitte; Jasmin Chitrakar, Senior Associate, Ernst & Young; Edouard Roland, Consultant, Enterprise Risk Services Group at Deloitte and Touche, LLP; Greg Kountouris, a Director at UBS; David Perez, New York office of WTAS; and Carlos Arteaga, Supervising Senior Consultant, Business Advisory Services for Grant Thornton LLP. The event is moderated by David Cenedella, Professor of Accountancy at Baruch College. The event takes place on September 22, 2008 at the Newman Conference Center, Room 750.

Damien Enderle, national marketing director, The Reznick Group The Heritage Region of the International Association of Business Communicators will hold its 2012 conference, “Find your bridge,” in Pittsburgh October 12-14. This is the latest in a series of podcast conversations with top presenters from the conference discussing the topics they will cover in their conference appearances. In this program, we speak with Damien Enderle, national marketing director for The Reznick Group, a top 20 national accounting, tax and business advisory firm that is a Gold Sponsor of the Conference. Damien talks about the challenges and opportunities facing business communicators who work in or represent professional services firms. You can learn more about how to “Build Your Bridge” to communications success by attending the IABC Heritage Region Conference, Oct. 14 -16, at the Westin Conference Center, Pittsburgh.  Register at: www.iabcheritageconference.com. Biography With more than 20 years of experience in professional services marketing, communications, branding and public relations, Damien serves as Reznick Group's national director of marketing. He leads the firm's national marketing team responsible for integrated marketing, branding, marketing technology, business development, events management and public relations/communications. Damien is a skilled professional writer and editor with more than a decade of experience as a media relations and marketing professional in both national public relations and advertising agencies.  Damien carries a strong reputation for both strategy development and tactical implementation of communications and marketing programs that drive new business opportunities and brand recognition for international professional services firms. Prior to joining Reznick Group in 2008, Damien worked as a senior marketing manager with Deloitte with responsibility for developing and implementing multi-faceted communications strategies and metrics for key leadership initiatives throughout the firm's Southeast Region. Previously, Damien worked with Grant Thornton LLP, where he directed integrated marketing, branding and events strategies for the firm's Global Public Sector.  Damien has also directed marketing and national alliance functions in tenures at both BearingPoint and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Subscribe to the RSS feed in a reader Subscribe to the IABC Heritage Region Conference Podcasts in the Apple iTunes Music Store.  

Management Team Challenges, TK Kerstetter, Chairman, Corporate Board Member, Stephen Lukens, Natl. Man. Principal, Advisory Services, Grant Thornton LLP

TK Kerstetter, Chairman, NYSE Governance Services - Corporate Board Member; Scott Cutler, EVP, NYSE Euronext; Duncan Niederauer, President & CEO, NYSE Euronext; Cindy Fornelli, Executive Director, Center for Audit Quality; Trent Gazzaway, National Partner, Audit Services, Grant Thornton LLP

Predicting the Boardroom Trends of 2014; TK Kerstetter, Chairman, NYSE Governance Services - Corporate Board Member; Mel Schwarz, Partner and the Director of Tax Legislative Affairs, Grant Thornton LLP