2008 Best Accounting Firms to Work for

Congratulations to the 60 accounting firms named the 2008 Best Accounting Firms to Work for in the first annual program created by The Accountants Media Group, publishers of Accounting Today, Accounting Technology, CPA Wealth Provider, Practical Accountant and host of WebCPA.com and Best Companies Group.

2008 Best Accounting Firms to Work for (alphabetical order, no ranking)

· Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP
· BARFIELD MURPHY SHANK & SMITH
· Bartolomei Pucciarelli, LLC
· Berlin, Ramos & Company, P.A.
· Bernard Robinson & Company, LLP
· Berntson Porter & Company, PLLC
· Biscotti, Toback & Company, CPA's P.C.
· BKD, LLP
· Bland, Garvey, Eads, Medlock + Deppe, PC
· Bond Beebe
· Boyer & Ritter, CPAs and Consultants
· Briggs & Veselka Co.
· Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz
· Brown Smith Wallace, LLC
· Burr, Pilger and Mayer, LLP
· Citrin Cooperman & Co.
· Clifton Gunderson LLP
· Cohen & Company
· Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A.
· Daszkal Bolton LLP
· DiCicco, Gulman & Company LLP
· DiGiovine Hnilo Jordan + Johnson Ltd.
· Ernst & Young
· Frazier & Deeter, LLC
· Friedman LLP
· GALLINA LLP
· Garcia, Espinosa, Miyares & Company, LLP
· Glenn M. Gelman & Associates, Certified Public Accountants and Business Consultants
· Heinfeld, Meech & Co., P.C.
· Henry & Horne, LLP
· Johnson Lambert & Co. LLP
· Kaufman, Rossin & Co.
· KPMG LLP
· KraftCPAs PLLC
· Kreinces Rollins & Shanker, LLC
· Lanigan, Ryan, Malcolm & Doyle, P.C.
· LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand
· Mahoney, Ulbrich, Christiansen & Russ PA
· Mark Bailey & Company
· Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs, P.A.
· McKonly & Asbury, LLP
· PETRINOVICH PUGH & CO, LLP
· PKF Texas
· Porter Keadle Moore, LLP
· Presser, Lahnen & Edelman, PA
· Rothstein Kass
· RSM McGladrey/McGladrey & Pullen
· SAS 70 Solutions
· Sharrard, McGee & Co., P.A.
· SingerLewak
· Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd, LLC
· The Rehmann Group
· Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C.
· Whitley Penn LLP
· WHITLOCK, SELIM & KEEHN, LLP
· Wilkin & Guttenplan, P.C.
· William Vaughan Company
· Windham Brannon
· Wipfli LLP
· WithumSmith+Brown, P.C.


The ranking of the Best Accounting Firms to Work for will be unveiled and published in the January 5, 2009 issue of Accounting Today.


This survey and award program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in the accounting industry, benefiting the nation's economy, its workforce and businesses. The Best Accounting Firms to Work for list is made up of 60 companies split into three groups: 5 small-sized companies (15-24 employees), 40 medium-sized companies (25-249 employees) 15 large-sized companies (more than 250 employees).


Firms from across the country entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Accounting Firms to Work for. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration, survey and analysis process and determined the final rankings.


For more information on the Best Accounting Firms to Work for program, visit www.BestAccountingFirmstoWorkfor.com.

Revenue Enhancement Innovation

I am proud to brag about one of my clients, Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C., winners (for the second year in a row) of a Practice Innovation Award sponsored by Practical Accountant. Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C. formed its Revenue Enhancement Committee (REC) about 18 months ago to focus client retention and acceptance, and on pricing. The REC meets monthly as well as communicates via e-mail between meetings.

Activities of the REC include:
· Establishing client acceptance criteria.
· Strategizing pricing options for clients and new business prospects.
· Evaluating the lowest realization clients (largest write-offs) for each partner and manager and brainstorming ideas to improve work efficiency and job profitability.
· Developing a Client Evaluation Form (and process) for use by managers to identify problem clients and solutions.
· Reviewing WIP adjustments.

The REC’s efforts have resulted in 10% improvement in realization. This is attributable to many factors initiated by the REC including better pricing, more discussions with clients regarding preparation they can complete to make our work more efficient, more up front discussions with clients about fees, and better management of fees incurred while work is ongoing.

The benefits of the REC’s efforts also include:
· More input from managers on client billing and about clients, in general.
· Many procedural features that improved WEC’s own quality control.
· Identifying additional service opportunities that were communicated to clients resulting in better client service and extra fees.

What I've learned so far is that marketing plays a role in enhancing a CPA firm's revenue. Understand how your firm works and how it makes money. Know your firm's client base. Assist your firm's partners and managers with revenue-enhancing ideas and implementation.

To subscribe to Practical Accountant call 800.221.1809 or e-mail custserv@sourcemedia.com.

"Your call is very important to us ..."

I recently received an e-mail to renew my online subscription to a well known greeting card company. Since I didn't use it very much (I still like to buy cards in a store and mail them) I decided to cancel my subscription. They didn't make it easy.

1. I couldn't cancel online. I had to call the company. If I didn't call my subscription would automatically be renewed.
2. I was placed on hold for nearly eight minutes and had to endure their on hold messages: "Never miss an occasion ...," "Ask about our print and mail option," and the popular favorite, "Your call is very important to us and will be answered in the order it was received."
3. When a company representative finally came on the line I was offered a free 90-day extension to my subscription. Of course, I declined because I'd only to have to go through this miserable experience again - if I remembered to cancel it in the first place. This is where the sneeky automatic renewal comes into play.

What I've learned so far is that client service is vital to the success of a business. This experience was quite annoying and left me with negative feelings about this company. How do your clients rate your firm's client service? When was the last time you reviewed the processes your firm has in place regarding client contact?

John McEnroe Fires His Accountants

Tennis legend and insightful sportscaster John McEnroe recently fired his accountants (“John McEnroe Is Still Pretty Complicated,” The New York Times Magazine, August 24, 2008) “only after his former numbers men of 10 years ‘dropped the ball’ several times.” Known for his high expectations and “You can’t be serious!” attitude, I find it interesting that he endured several mistakes before making the change. What I've learned so far is that client retention is an important business strategy. How many dissatisfied clients are hiding in your client list? What are you doing about it?

Marketing Budget Wastes

A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of presenting “Beyond Basic: How Your Marketing Budget Impacts Your Firm’s Strategy and Your Career” to the AAM-NY Metropolitan Area Chapter. It was an interactive session including how to build a marketing budget, how much CPA firms are investing in marketing, and the impact a marketing budget can have on a marketer’s career. Here are several ways that marketing dollars can be wasted:

• Spending money to reach the wrong prospects/contacts.
• Generating leads that aren’t appropriate for your firm.
• Failing to follow up on leads.
• Overemphasizing new leads.
• Investing in passive initiatives without active participation.
• Losing people on your Web site.
• Failing to get the most out of your email marketing.
• Not knowing what you get for your money.

To receive a free copy of my presentation e-mail me at jcaragher@capstonemarketing.com. Simply put "Free Presentation" in the subject line.

Summer Reading #2

Arrogant, self-centered, stubborn, and insecure - words that most people associate with ego. But, authors David Marcum and Steven Smith argue that the upside of ego is as powerful as the downside and answer questions that have been a mystery to most people. They provide compelling evidence and matter-of-fact answers on striking the balance between ego and humility to reach the next level of leadership. Case studies are used to illustrate how ego subtly interferes with success but also how ego sparks the drive to achieve, the nerve to try something new, and the tenacity to conquer adversity.

Egonomics: what makes ego our greatest asset (or most expensive liability) makes a great "book club" selection for your firm. With the strong focus on recruiting and retention in the accounting profession today it's important that you learn not only about your behavior but the behavior of your colleagues. "Often the hardest side of business to master is the human side, and nothing is more human than ego. How we manage ego on the human side affects everything we do on the business side, one way or the other."

Visit http://www.readegonomics.com/ to download a free book discussion guide and find links to buy the book.

Summer Reading #1

This book is a must read for all CPA firm partners and marketing professionals. The authors offer an integrated leadership model that they believe is necessary for professional service firms to remain successful. They identify four critical activities effective leaders must carry out:

- Set strategic direction

- Secure partner and associate commitment to this direction

- Facilitate execution of strategy

- Set a personal example of behavior

Many examples are used from CPA firms, law firms, consulting practices and investment banks.

Put aside the latest murder mystery or "chick book" and read When Professionals Have to Lead. You and your firm will benefit greatly.