The CPAs honored at the second annual CPA: Beyond the Bottom Line awards on Nov. 10 credited hard work and teamwork for their success. The event, hosted by Westfair Communications and founding sponsor People”™s United Bank, recognized six conscientious, proficient and accomplished accountants at The Briarcliff Manor. About 140 colleagues, family and business people attended.
Joe McCoy, senior vice president, region manager at People”™s United Bank, said the goal of the event was to give the accounting profession the attention and appreciation it deserves. He said as a commercial banker, he has worked closely with accountants and has learned firsthand how important CPAs are as trusted advisers, not just number crunchers.
“Even more importantly so, is to give that sound advice that I know my clients ”” the entrepreneurs and the business owners ”” have really come to heavily rely upon to help their businesses grow and move them forward in today”™s economy,” McCoy said.
Keynote speaker Andi Gray, president and founder of Strategy Leaders Inc., said CPAs do more than handle taxes and finances, but listen to their clients, offer sound advice and help them make sense of the numbers. She said when she started her business the financial adviser she used to set up her accounting systems got it wrong. About a year later she found a top-notch CPA firm that could advise her and her company and could grow with her over time.
The CPA firm she chose not only straightened out her books but also asked questions about strategy, Gray said. In running a small business the questions are never simple and the answers are rarely straightforward, she said.
“I understand that the decision, as a business owner, sits on my shoulders, but I want someone sitting here at the table who”™s going to do a really good job talking me through the choices that I”™m going to have to make,” Gray said.
Alan Badey, partner at Citrin Cooperman”™s White Plains office and one of the two winners of the Most Trusted Adviser Award, said he and his team use their knowledge to put themselves in the place of the client.
“When you do that, you actually end up giving advice that”™s well beyond financial and tax advice and it really goes to the core of what they”™re trying to achieve in their lives,” Badey said. “I think that”™s why as a profession, we can be as successful as we are.”
Douglas Ruttenberg, tax partner at O”™Connor Davies, who tied for the Most Trusted Adviser Award, also credited his team for his success. He said he makes the extra effort to find solutions for his clients.
A new award this year, Independent CPA, went to Spencer Schwartz, a CPA who is the CFO of Atlas Air Worldwide. He said since joining the company, stock prices increased more than 450 percent, profits doubled and the debt was refinanced with “interesting solutions,” saving the company more than $60 million.
“What I”™m truly most proud of is going to work each and every day with the great people I get to work with,” Schwartz said.
Thomas Blaney, partner at O”™Connor Davies, said there are times he feels like he is “behind the eight ball” when accepting the Ahead of the Curve Award. Yet, he said using technology to keep up with the regulatory environment and working with colleagues from intern to senior partner level, keep him current.
“Us CPAs we”™re not accountants, were business advisers,” Blaney said, adding that teamwork helps find them solutions.
The winner of the Top Accountant Under 40 Award, Steven Stern, director of accounting at Weiss Advisory Group LLC, said by following the lead of knowledgeable, experienced professionals like the ones being honored led him to where he is today. He said starting his own business has given him the unique perspective to help his own clients.
The recipient of the Most Generous Award, Spencer Barback, partner at Citrin Cooperman”™s White Plains office, thanked his colleagues for giving him leeway to spend time toward his passions. He encouraged the audience to get involved with a charity.
“You will love the feeling you get back,” Barback said.
A panel of three judges, Brian Gates, senior vice president of Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp.; Mark Leeds, CFO of Win Properties and Don Kiamie, CEO of Windsor Management Corp., chose the winners.
