Decosimo, a Top 100 accounting and business advisory firm, is providing thought leadership for the Annual North Alabama Decosimo Accounting Forum on Friday, July 18th. Hosted by the University of North Alabama for the past 22 years, the accounting forum is scheduled to be a day-long event that will take place at the Joe Wheeler State Park Resort on McLean Drive in Rogersville, Al. The Decosimo firm -- which recently moved the firm’s Huntsville office to the Regions Center building on Clinton Ave. -- has served as the title sponsor of the accounting forum and has provided training at the event in four of the past five years.
The agenda for the seminar will include a review of new and pending changes in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), reporting options for small- and medium-sized business not requiring an audit, accounting issues related to presentations in forecasts and the newly released standards for revenue recognition. The Decosimo Accounting Forum will also feature sessions on fraud and internal controls, the importance of internal preparations for benefit plan audits and a review of common areas of accounting which cause errors and issues.
The annual seminar offers an opportunity for the accounting community to gather and learn about trends and procedures, directly from leading subject matter experts. The presenters at the Decosimo Accounting Forum will include the following professionals.
- Bill Acuff, CPA, CFF, CGMA, CFE, CIA, who serves as Decosimo’s director of Forensic and Internal Audit Services. Mr. Acuff has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting providing assurance services, conducting investigations, providing litigation support, performing forensic business analyses and audits, outsourcing of internal audit services, evaluating internal control systems and conducting fraud risks assessments and training.
- Paul Beckmann, CPA, is an assurance supervisor with Decosimo who has specialized in providing audit and assurance services to not-for-profit organizations and clients in retail, food service, industrial recycling, construction, as well as the manufacturing and distribution industries.
- Ken Conner, CPA, a Decosimo principal who serves as the firm’s Healthcare Practice leader. Mr. Conner has over 30 years of experience in the financial aspects of the healthcare industry, and he coordinates assurance, tax, due diligence compliance and valuation activities involving healthcare clients.
- Derek Daniel, CPA, a Decosimo assurance manager who leads the firm’s Huntsville office. Mr. Daniel manages audit engagements for clients in various industries including government contractors, manufacturing, government, construction, wholesale, healthcare, telecommunications and Major League Baseball. He has experience in assisting clients to achieve compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
- Tom Eiseman, CPA, Decosimo’s Principal in Charge of Assurance. Mr. Eiseman works with clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, securities brokers and dealers, investment entities, oil and gas exploration, restaurants, broadcasting and not-for-profit entities. He has been involved with initial public offerings and periodic SEC filings for over 25 years.
- Jennifer Goodman, CPA, CGMA, a Decosimo assurance principal who serves manufacturing and distribution clients with annual revenues approximating $1.8 billion. She contributes to the firm’s manufacturing and distribution team by providing compliance and regulatory expertise, insights into best practices and specialized advice regarding internal control issues for companies in the baked foods, industrial machinery and apparel industries.
- Cindy Lusk, CPA, RPA, a Decosimo assurance manager who has specialized experience working on employee benefit plan audits. A significant portion of Ms. Lusk’s career has been dedicated to auditing plans ranging in size from 100 to 35,000 participants with assets up to $548 million.
The annual seminar from Decosimo has been approved by the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy for eight hours of Accounting & Auditing continuing professional education credit. In addition to providing an excellent source of continuing education, a share of the proceeds generated by the Forum has been specifically designated for use in a University of North Alabama scholarship program. The Muscle Shoals Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants awards a scholarship annually to a deserving senior accounting student at the University of North Alabama.
The cost to attend the Decosimo Accounting Forum is $169. Discounts are available for currently enrolled accounting students. Registration is available online at www.decosimo.com/UNAforum. Those interested in attending may also register toll-free by phone at 800-825-5862, ext. 4862.