2018 DFK/USA Executive Commitee Members
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President-Elect
Friedman LLP
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Treasurer
Abdo Eick & Meyers
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Secretary
Shea Labagh Dobberstein
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Vice President
Ellin & Tucker
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Vice President
Ianuzzi Manetta & Co
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Vice President
Bohlmann Accounting Group
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Vice President
Bennett Thrasher
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Immediate Past President
Mellott & Mellott
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Executive Officer
DFK International/USA
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Letter From the Executive Office
It may be summertime, but things are in full swing at DFK/USA Headquarters! Along with the Executive Committee, we've been busy with conferences and trainings - the Managing Partners Conference in May, the Leadership Symposium in June, and the DFK International Conference in July. We've also been getting things ready for the North American Annual Conference in October and finalizing the
programs for DFK University - training for Tax & Audit Seniors as well as the two part New Managers program (registrations coming soon).
As DFK/USA is looking to grow our membership, we have been busy talking to prospective firms in a number of regions and has seen a promising response. Remember, our current members are our strongest advocates, so if you know of a firm that would benefit from membership in DFK, please put them in touch with our Executive Office so that introductions can be made.
A number of new initiatives are underway as a result of the DFK Strategic Planning Committee, but perhaps one of the most exciting is the plan to implement a "DFK Champion" at each firm. This "champion" would be someone other than the Managing Partner or Board Member, who can be an advocate for DFK within their firm. The plan is to have this representative
attend the Board Meeting in May and have their own breakout sessions during the Managing Partners conference where they can discuss firm issues and best practices, just as the MPs do in their breakouts. The goal of this initiative is to widen the knowledge about DFK in our member firms as well as secure a succession plan for the future of DFK Leadership.
In an effort to maximize communication and collaboration within the membership, DFK has signed a contract with
Carii
,
a community-building networking platform that allows communities to connect and communicate around the world. Committees and groups can share chats, files and calendars in one easy to manage location. Our site is currently under construction, so stay tuned to see how this new platform will help expand and maximize the benefits of your DFK membership as our world of resources is delivered to your fingertips.
DFK/USA is striving for increased member communication and is currently doing so through the sharing of Executive Committee minutes with the board, the reinstatement of committee list-servs, and this newsletter. We would love to hear from our members how you would like to see this mission further carried out. Please send your thoughts and suggestions to me at mdillmore@dfk.com
DFK/USA has made great strides over the past year and is excited for the months ahead!
All the best for a productive and relaxing summer,
Maureen
Maureen Dillmore
Executive Officer
DFK International/USA
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Secondment Opportunities Within DFK
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When a last minute request to fill a spot at DFK Canada firm KRP LLP popped into my inbox, it seemed like a long shot that it could be filled on such short notice. However, DFK USA firm Bernard Robinson & Co responded almost right away, volunteering Justin White for the opportunity.
“We did it for a host of reasons, primarily to give the opportunity for a broader experience, learn/live another culture and perhaps bring back fresh/new perspectives” says BRC's Managing Partner, Wade Pack.
Head of US Tax Group at KRP, Mathew Desilets, shared similar reasons for using a secondment placement to fill the position:
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Sharing workers between the DFK firms results in an exchange of knowledge between the firms. Justin has learned about some of our KRP internal processes for completing work and has contributed some ideas that when combined with our current processes can make for a stronger overall group.
It was also beneficial being able to add on someone with fairly short notice with a lot of U.S. tax experience in our time of need to meet client deadlines. We would not have been able to find that in the short term through the local Edmonton market.
"
Interested in an secondment experience with another DFK firm? Contact me today at mdillmore@dfk.com to learn what other secondment opportunities may be available to you at DFK firms. Australia/New Zealand firms are actively seeking auditors through their busy season which wraps in Octo
ber, but to keep apprised of further opportunities, please send me an email.
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Registration for the 2018 North American Annual Conference is Now Open!
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The Annual Conference is the premier educational and networking conference for partners and shareholders of DFK member firms.
Held at the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes, this year's conference will include presentations by AICPA's Mark Koziel, technology guru Roman Kepczyk, and more! There will also be ample networking opportunities with events being held at Universal Studios, the Magic Kingdom and Wild Florida.
Registration deadline is Friday, September 7th
Click below to view the agenda, book your hotel room and register for the conference!
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AGN International and DFK International to hold Major Firms Meeting August 6th
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AGN International and DFK International have formed a strategic alliance, entitled Global Connect, and will be holding their first joint endeavour August 6th at the offices of DFK firm, Friedman LLP. The Major Firms meeting will include about 7 firms from each association and will focus on discussions surrounding challenges each firm is facing and working towards solutions to those problems.
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Recent Conferences & Meetings
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DFK International Conference in Munich
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This July, Munich was the host city for 115 DFK delegates from across the world and their families. Munich firm PSP and DFK International President Roland Graf were the most gracious hosts in their beautiful home city. Delegates were treated to entertaining and education speakers, excellent networking opportunities, and perhaps the most special of all - a private dinner at the world famous Hofbrauhaus! DFK/USA had strong representation at the meeting including President Steve Parkhill and President Elect Harriet Greenberg.
For more pictures, click
HERE
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"
Facilitator <Patrick Patterson> kept us engaged & delivered high quality content." Partner session attendee
"The presenter <Karen Durkin> was fantastic, and the course material is likely to be of great value to our firm." Manager Session attendee
"I like that I was around other peers from different firms and we were able to all brainstorm together. Charles <Hylan> is also a great speaker and I feel I learned alot from him" New Manager attendee
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Leadership Symposium and training for New Managers Part II
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42 Managers and Partners and 25 New Managers convened in Denver for the Leadership Symposium and Part II of the New Manager training. Attendees gained new knowledge from facilitators Charles Hylan, Patrick Patterson and Karen Durkin, and had the opportunity to see the sights of Denver on eTuk tours. It was a great opportunity for the next generation of DFK Leaders to get to know one another and learn how they can use their DFK membership to help solve challenges and was met with some rave reviews.
See below for some feedback from attendees:
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DFK/USA Managing Partners Conference
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The Managing Partners Conference is generally regarded as the most important DFK conference of the year, and this year proved to be no exception. Managing partners spent two and a half days in May discussing the annual DFK/USA MAP Survey with Mike Platt, learning more about the current state of the industry from Allan Koltin, and delving into practice management issues. Nearly every Managing Partner in DFK/USA and many from Canada attended this . We also had partners in attendance from the UK, Ireland, Germany and Australia!
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Training for Audit Seniors, Tax Seniors and New Managers Scheduled for December
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All programs to be held at the Westin Austin Downtown. Registrations to be released in early August.
DFK U for Audit Seniors
December 10-13
DFK U for Tax Seniors
December 10-12
New Manager Training Part I
December 10-12
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DFK International/USA | 571-232-5472 | mdillmore@dfk.com | www.dfkusa.com
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Committees and Interest Groups
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Upcoming Committee Call Schedule
DFK Marketing Committee Call
Monday, August 6
2:30 ET
DFKMarketingCommittee@dfk.com
DFK HR Committee Call
Wednesday, August 8
2:30 ET
DFKUSAHRCommittee@dfk.com
DFK A&A SEC Committee Call
Thursday, August 16
2:30 ET
DFKAASECCommittee@dfk.com
DFK Group C Call
Monday, August 20
2:30 ET
DFK Executive Committee Call
Tuesday, August 21
2:30 ET
DFK New Managing Partner Practice Management Call
Wednesday, August 22
1:00 PM ET
DFK Tax Committee Call
Thursday, August 23
2:30 ET
DFKTaxCommitttee@dfk.com
Email mdillmore@dfk.com with agenda suggestions or for dial-in instructions
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Firm News and Updates
Friedman recently launched Friedman CyZen LLC—a frontline of defense against the growing risk of cyber threats. The cyber security advisors of Friedman CyZen LLC, a wholly owned company of Friedman LLP, bring clients peace of mind by empowering them to make sense of cyber security and defend against attacks. Recognizing there is no one-size-fits-all approach, we deliver customized solutions for the particular vulnerabilities of each organization. Our experts use a unique process that makes a point of explaining their technical methodology to clients in a way they will understand.
Friedman CyZen's multi-faceted suite of services, including assessment, testing, remediation and monitoring, support a range of businesses within the public and private sectors – from small and medium sized businesses to largescale enterprises.
The Friedman CyZen team possesses more than 30 years of combined experience in cyber security protection across a host of industries including government, financial services, technology, retail, advertising technology, financial technology, manufacturing, legal, healthcare, telecommunications, real estate pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and more.
As a special offering to fellow DFK members and your clients,
we are pleased to extend a discounted rate for a personalized Security Baseline Assessment. This Assessment identifies each organization’s unique vulnerabilities and customizes a roadmap to help them remediate their risks.
Be sure to lookout for further insights from Friedman CyZen, as well as thought leadership from Jacob Lehmann, Managing Director of Friedman CyZen LLC who will be presenting at the DFK North America Annual Conference in October.
For more information about this exclusive offering or to learn more about how you and your clients can benefit from Friedman CyZen’s customized approach to cyber security, contact Jacob Lehmann at
jlehmann@FriedmanCyZen.com
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