Gainesville, Fla. (October 6, 2022) – RFH, PLLC, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., and CironeFriedberg, LLP, headquartered in Bethel, Conn., have joined CPAmerica, Inc., an accounting association of independent, certified public accounting firms that provides shared best practices, networking opportunities and access to expert resources for member firms. 

RFH, PLLC is comprised of over thirty CPAs, CPA Candidates and paraprofessionals. Specializing in audits and assurance, tax, and consulting and advisory services, RFH’s forward-thinking and innovative team utilizes the latest technology to meet their clients’ needs.

CironeFriedberg, LLP is a leading CPA firm serving middle market, privately held and family-owned businesses and high-net-worth individuals. Serving the tax, accounting, and consulting needs across many industries, CironeFriedberg is the firm of choice for manufacturing, distribution, and retail; real estate management, development and construction; and service businesses, including medical practices.

“Our team is excited to join CPAmerica,” said RFH, PLLC partner, Bradley Hayes. “We believe the resources available through the association will positively impact our firm and be another tool to help us obtain our strategic objectives. We look forward to both sharing ideas and learning from the community.”

“CPAmerica is exactly what our team has been looking for,” said CironeFriedberg partner, Anthony Cirone. “We look forward to the collaboration with member firms and learning from each of them, as well as sharing our experiences. The tremendous resources the organization offers as well as those of the member firms will enhance our initiatives as we grow and expand our practice.” 

As an exclusive association of independent CPA firms, CPAmerica provides opportunities for its members to continuously improve. CPAmerica is a member of Crowe Global, providing its members and their clients’ access to high quality support around the world from other network member firms. 

“We are pleased to gain two like-minded member firms whose objectives are to remain independent through their affiliation with each other,” said Grace Horvath, CPAmerica president. “The edge they gain by utilizing CPAmerica’s meetings, training, access to international expertise and the programs designed for them to improve through sharing is immense.” 

Each firm undergoes a rigorous quality review prior to obtaining membership in CPAmerica. Only those firms with the highest standards in all practice areas are approved by the council of members.

INSIDE Public Accounting reached out to leaders from some of the biggest and most influential groups to find out what their challenges are, where they see the profession heading and how they plan to play an integral role in that developing future. Below is the association Q&A with CPAmerica President, Alan Deichler.

Training is always a huge part of what associations do, but the need for rapid upskilling has become more urgent. How is your association responding?

We certainly offer traditional training. In 2020, the association conducted numerous additional training programs to quickly share expertise and awareness related to the pandemic. Besides relying on sharing and consultants’ expertise, the association, through our membership in Crowe Global, also has an exclusive relationship with Crowe LLP’s national tax office. This allowed members to be supported in the tax area similar to how Crowe LLP supports its regional office partners. The effect is members get the expanded support and training they need and while doing so, gain the skill for subsequent opportunities.

What was your biggest personal ‘lesson learned’ from last year?

Business – both associations and firms – can survive virtually for a while, maybe a year or even two (hopefully we will not need to), but relationships need the personal touch of sharing a meal, a drink or just a brief conversation. These relationships are the raw material for sharing and improving within associations and for firms to grow. Our members want to get together face-to-face to share soon. Another personal lesson learned is associations with a geographic consideration model like CPAmerica, or limiting members within a specific geography, may become challenged as firms recruit people and solicit new business throughout the country and regions. It may put a strain on sharing within associations if both clients and staff are recruited by other firms hundreds of miles away.

The value of deep knowledge of client businesses was reflected in the many ways firms helped clients last year. How can firms keep that momentum going?

Many firms have proven of significant value to clients in the last 12 months with advisory offerings related to pandemic economic recovery programs. Those partners and staff that maintain and grow this presence with clients will become even more of a true trusted advisor. It is important to end every meeting with two things – what have we learned today and what are next steps. These ensure firms are “hitting the mark” and providing value (as well as reminding clients of that value provided) and remain active to the client by literally staying on their calendar.

How is consolidation within the profession impacting associations and member firms?

Consolidation within the profession is not new, but is continuing. I came to CPAmerica in 2009 and M&A was a major discussion point even then as firms became aware of the need for immediate succession planning. Many of our firms have grown by acquiring smaller firms. In looking back over my tenure here, I was surprised to see that CPAmerica has attracted 45 firms to the association since 2010, but also lost 37 firms, mostly to mergers and acquisitions by other CPA firms. Associations that are not always “selling” their services will shrink. When they shrink, they may not be able to support their members’ expectations.

What is the No. 1 concern among association members?

For smaller firms, the short-term concern is that revenues will not come back as soon as expenses post-pandemic. Nearly all firms are going into 2021 with a keen eye on managing expenses, expecting a possible surge in “coming back” expenses. In the long run, the move from compliance services, increasingly supported through technology, will put the pressure on building relationships and adding value to clients through advisory services, both in vertical niche services and throughout the business. CPAs, as successful and trusted businesspeople, will have an opportunity to expand their role as advisors to all parts of the client’s business. Sharing associations like CPAmerica, which also has access to top-10 firm expertise and support, will be important to meeting our firms’ new challenges.

You can read the complete article here.

This is my second to last President’s Corner. Throughout 2021, we are in the midst of transitioning the role of president of CPAmerica to Grace Horvath who will take over the role on January 1, 2022. It is indeed an interesting process full of all sorts of emotions for both of us. For me, I am looking forward to my retirement, but am also trying to imagine not being part of this organization. I will miss all the members and staff! I’m pretty sure Grace will be providing insight into her thoughts and feelings in subsequent President’s Corner articles.

Part of this transition process is giving the future staff leaders of CPAmerica a chance to participate in this column, so after this article you won’t “see” me again here until December.

I am reminded of the song by The Byrds from the mid-sixties, “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and from Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 in the Old Testament. You may remember it as “To everything there is a season …” and so it is with the process of moving on. There is a time to do it yourself and there is a time to teach others to do it themselves.

The transition to a new president is moving along nicely. Grace and I built a plan for this transition last fall and with the board’s approval and regular inspection, we are proceeding along with that implementation plan.

Grace has named her successor, Jenn Walker, from our staff, to be the new leader of services. Jenn was a senior member services manager supporting A&A among other duties. So her first task will be to find and train her replacement. Grace is coaching and training Jenn on her new role as director of services.

In the coming months, Grace will start managing more and more of what is, and was, my role. She has already begun work on our innovative technology support to firms, implementing an enhanced learning management system (more on that in coming months), and preparing to assume responsibility for our marketing and new member development efforts this summer.

New member development took about 20 percent of my time. Development is critical to the association’s health. New firms not only help us grow, but replace firms that have sold or merged up. New firms and members also provide our association new thinking and a fresh perspective.

During the shutdown times of 2020, we were able to continue a number of programs and events virtually. However, the Visitation Improvement Program (VIP) was completely cancelled in 2020, putting us a whole year behind. Our plan of each firm hosting a VIP every four years was already a challenge with the recent growth in firms, but by missing a whole year of VIPs, we are seriously challenged. We are working hard to catch up and have scheduled 25 VIPs for this summer and fall. In past years, Grace

and I have split up the VIPs to assist the two visiting leading partners and we plan to continue that practice this year. That said, it will be a very busy July, August and fall for traveling to VIPs along with our regular events that are planned to be in person this year.

If all goes to plan, Grace will be trained on all her new responsibilities as president, and will be over a number of activities by fall. I’m sure she will do a great job as your new president of CPAmerica.

A phrase that made me a bit sad over my career was whenever I heard someone talk about a recently retired executive, stating, “…he retired a couple of years before he left.”

I promise that I’m working to try to not have that be a comment about my remaining time at CPAmerica. I continue to be responsible for CPAmerica and achieving our mission of members improving through sharing. It just happens that my primary responsibility today has changed from doing it myself to making sure Grace is comfortable and capable to be president on January 1.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated technology innovation for both CPA firms and their clients. Some pundits suggest that 2020 forced five years of innovation into one. While work-at-home became a “new normal” during the stay-at-home orders, partners discovered that many of their professional team were more productive and happier to

work from home (WFH). So, does WFH become the common way to do business? Is work from home the “next normal”?

While the answer to the WFH question remains to be seen, the factors that drive this decision seem clear.

• Can client service be maintained or improved?
• Does realization improve?
• Are engagements and projects appropriately covered?
• Does the firm culture remain?
• Is business development expanded?
• Can the firm maintain team member satisfaction without losing key personnel to competitors?

I am sure you have a few questions of your own to add to this list. Further, technology is a must-have component to make this all work.

What changes are we likely to see in tech after we emerge from the pandemic?

Besides the traditional firm technology of tax, audit, and practice management software, WFH required sound document management systems (DMS), workflow, and Voice Over IP (VOIP) while adding software for collaboration and web meetings. For firms that had not embraced Zoom, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting, WebEx, or various other video conference software tools, these became a must-have part of the practitioner’s tool kit. Firms running a private cloud or using a hosting company had a minimal impact during the transition to WFH. However, integrated silos of information will become more common over the next decade instead of using a monolithic suite of products using centralized computing. My firm to decided to move to WFH in the morning and completed the entire move in less than 90 minutes. By the way, we had never had a work from home culture or a desire to have our team working from home, sO this was quite a cultural transition for our firm.

But the real question is about the technology we will see emerge as vaccinations allow businesses to return to an adjusted normal, that IS. the next normal. I believe these technology adjustments will become permanent fixtures of the future:

• Collaboration in the cloud will become mandatory
• Client Experience tools will improve
• Workflow will gain more automation from Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
• DMS will become more sophisticated and easier to use Integrated web meetings that will blend a hybrid of physical and virtual meetings evolve
• There will be more transition to Software as a Service introducing more silos of information and integration with digital plumbing tools
• Security improvements with ease of use such as passwordless access must occur
• Audit and trial balance tools will improve
• Tax planning, compliance, and other tax advisory services will experience a notable change
• Client accounting services tools will become more seamless and comprehensive
• Cash flow forecasting and other business advisory tools will become commonplace
• Practice management will evolve to enable hybrid workforces, collaborative workflows, and interactive team member and client experiences

While this list seems long, the initial transition accelerated during the pandemic year. Vendors and software publishers had time to focus on their products and discovered new needs and opportunities, while firms and their clients considered if the conditions were a new normal or the next normal. Many found that they enjoyed not commuting to an office and that productivity went up. While the comradery and culture of interacting in an office were missed, perhaps two or three days of time in the office was enough. Scheduling time on Tuesday through Thursday or on Tuesday and Friday was sufficient to handle all administrative work and needed face-to-face meetings.

Scheduling time on Tuesday through Thursday or on Tuesday and Friday was sufficient to handle all administrative work and needed face-to-face meetings.

Can your firm make the transition to embrace and adopt all the technologies mentioned before?

First, vendors may not give you a choice as older technologies are discontinued. Second, you will need to adopt many of these technologies to provide a better team member experience. Technology remains one of the best recruitment levers available to firms. Third, your clients have come to expect ease of use and convenience. Firms cannot continue to business in this third decade of the 21st century the same way they did in the 20th century! Clients may stay with your firm because they like you and your work, but they may not tell you that your client experience is terrible!

What are some potential tools to use today?

While this article cannot provide all the details to make the transition, I would encourage you to participate in CPAmerica events this year and beyond. Presenters will cover every topic above in the technology conference, and many will be covered during other events.

Consider this “best of the best” evolving product guide below for each category named above. There are many technologies to consider, but remember to look at your firm’s Mission, Vision, Goals, Strategic Business Plan, and Tactical Business Plan before adding these tools to your Strategic Technology Plan and Tactical Technology Plan. So, what can we review and select in each of these categories? While your firm strategy, size, and expertise could change these products, these recommendations should be directionally accurate.

1. Collaboration requires the right platform

• Google Workplace
• Microsoft 365 (best for CPA Firms)
• Zoho One (best for start-up businesses)

2. Client Experience is going through one of the larger transitions

• CCH Axcess Client Collaboration Portal
• Liscio
• Suralink

3. Workflow RPA tools will notably improve productivity 

• Diligence for fling automation and other functions
• Microsoft Power Automate
• XCM with Automation Anywhere

4. DMS

• Doc.It
• GetBusy Virtual Cabinet
• Microsoft Teams for DIY instead of a network share
• Thomson Reuters ONVIO Firm Management Document Center

5. Web Meetings

• Microsoft Teams 
• ON24
• Zoom

6. Core accounting firm options using Software as a Service with digital plumbing tools

• CCH Axcess
• Intuit QuickBooks Online and ProConnect Tax
• Sage Intacct
• Thomson Reuters ONVIO
• Zapier

7. Passwordless security

• FIDO2 keys like Yubico YubiKey
• Microsoft Authenticator, Hello, Edge
• Microsoft Azure AD PREMIUM P1

8. Audit and trial balance tool evolution • CCH Axcess Engagement

• Dynamic Audit Solution
• Validis with Valid8
• Verady 
• Tallyfor

9. Tax planning, compliance, and other tax advisory will experience a notable change

• Corvee
• LukkaTax
• SOVOS

10. Client accounting services tools will become more seamless and comprehensive

• AccountantsWorld Accounting Relief
• Autoreview.io
• BaCo Tech
• Botkeeper
• SmartBooks Genie
• Vic.AI

11. Cash flow forecasting and other business advisory tools will become commonplace

• Commercial Loan Success
• Complete Advisory Solution (F3C Advantage)
• Fathom
• Jirav
• LivePlan
• Spotlight

12. Practice management will evolve to enable hybrid workforces, collaborative workflows, and interactive team member and client experiences

• Aero Workflow
• Avii
• Clarity Practice Management 
• Empire RESOURCE
• Karbon
• STAR
• TPS

Rarely would I caution you with “buyer beware” since the initial vetting of these products is already complete. However, with uncertain financial times still ahead of us, many businesses will fail because of unexpected cashflow shortages and sales that do not materialize as expected. You probably would not miss the offerings of the large publishers of Wolters Kluwer, Thomson Reuters, and Intuit, so I focused on interesting alternatives.

Can we do things the same old way?

Of course! However, you know that the definition of insanity
is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Your firm may be wildly profitable today, particularly since 2020 produced extraordinary financial results for most firms. What about five years from now or even ten? Do you want your team to be prepared for the future? Picking the right technology tools today can make a notable difference in your firm tomorrow.

This will be my first of many President’s Corners as Alan referred to our transition in last month’s Advantage. This is a big year of transition here at CPAmerica as we are also excited to transition Jenn Walker into my role. Admittedly, this is a bittersweet time. I am thrilled and honored to be the next president of

your association, and can’t wait to see what Jenn will accomplish in the near future. But like Alan, I too have a hard time imagining him not being here with us. Watching your firms and understanding the importance of succession planning, it is a process done well with a methodical approach. Yet even under the best of circumstances, it is unavoidably emotional. For this year though, Alan is still at the helm while the delivery of events and services remains under my purview. We have alotgoingonandIwillbeworkingcloselywith Jenn on driving this year’s services including our events and a few other big initiatives for 2021. As the year continues to unfold, here are some of things you will hear more

about. We have made the tricky decision to proceed with our events in-person this year. We exhaustively analyzed the data together with your feedback expressing comfort in meeting in person, assessed the risks, and determined we had a strong enough case to proceed. Of course, the timing and

availability of the vaccine weighed heavily in this decision. The 2021 A&A Conference will take place in Denver. We understand not everyone who would like to attend is able or willing to travel yet, so there will be a virtual offering featuring select sessions. Taking lessons from 2020, Yellow Book will remain live the day prior, and there will also be a virtual offering because its core audience is larger than a firm can send physically any given year. Technology Roundtable will remain live as is tradition concurrent with A&A. Next Gen returns in July followed by CAS, New Partner Group and regional partners’ meetings throughout August. By fall, we expect participation very close to usual for the Leading Partners Retreat and Firm Management Roundtable, and attendance will likely grow for Tax. An added bonus for events this year is a mini Next Gen Virtual Conference to enhance the education of the live meeting. The International Group Committee is working on the December agenda right now. That is the one meeting giving us hesitancy because the multinational audience may still be restricted in their ability to travel. If we cannot meet in person, the committee is working on solutions to keep the momentum of that special interest group going.

The pandemic was a forceful distraction to our innovative technology support efforts. However, technology remained no less disruptive than COVID itself and we are revitalizing the initiative with the formation of a Strategic Technology

Support Committee. The goal is to create a program that encourages innovation and helps firms gain insights that will foster the digital transformation mindset necessary for sustainability and growth. Expect to see updates and a dedicated article to activities in this area.

We are increasing our emphasis on your training needs by exploring a learning management system (LMS) that ideally will allow your firm to centralize its training and development through the association. We have struggled for years not being able to be all things to all firms in education. Much of this has been due to varying methodologies coupled with limitations on staff time and travel. We are approaching this as an opportunity for our own digital transformation that not only allows us to continually enhance the value of membership, but also results in a deeper capacity to analyze member engagement.

This will be a fun and challenging year and it will move very quickly. I am excited to report to you throughout the year on the progress we hope to make in these areas of service. I have loved doing the work I have been responsible for here and am happy that for now I can still be closely involved.