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FORIMMEDIATERELEASE Contact:DebiWilliamsDirectorofOperationsAccounting&FinancialWomen’[email protected]/Wilson-TaylorAssociates,Inc.231.299.1275/Cell:[email protected]
Promotions,PlateausandPossibilities:Context;Coaching;andCohortNetworksKeep
CareersonTrack
2019BestCPAFirmsforWomenand2019BestCPAFirmsforEquityLeadershipShowHowInvestinginWomenIsInvestinginFirmsLexington,KY,June62019--The2019AccountingMOVEProjectwilldelveintotheperceptionsandmisperceptionsthatwomenandfirmshaveabouthowandwhywomenpursuepartnershipandotherseniorleadershippositions.Thereportwillalsooutlinetacticsthatwomen,advocatesforwomen,andfirm
leaderscantaketoensurethatallwomenCPAscanfullyachievetheiraspirationsfortheircareersanddrivefirmgrowthintheprocess.Highlightsofthefindingsinclude:
• PeerPower:Women’speernetworksarebothhorizontalandtendtobepowerfulretentionfactors.Bycomparison,men’speernetworkstendtobeverticalandtransactional.LeadingMOVEfirmsshapewomen’sinitiativestomakethemostofhowwomenorganicallycultivatenetworks.
• PiecingtheFuture:Womenplottheirexpectationsbasedonwhattheyobserveandexperience.Firmsthatshowwomenthebenefitsofpartnershipandthatbuildconfidenceandresultswithearlybusinessdevelopmentwinsseedambitionforpartnership.
• InterventionBuildsRetention:Womendon’twanttochoosebetweencoastingandquitting.Firmsstrengthenretentionbycultivatingmultiplepathstoseniorpositions,andbyworkingwithwomenbeforetheyreachthepointofnoreturn.
“Firmsofallsizesareengineeringnewwaysforwomentoexcel.Andwhenwomenexcel,firmswinnewclientsandgrowtheirrelationshipswithexistingclients,”saidJoanneCleaver,PresidentofWilson-TaylorAssociates,Inc.,thecontentstrategyfirmthatmanagestheAccountingMOVEProject.“Aswell,the2019AccountingMOVEProjectillustratesthepowerofre-investinginprogramsandcultureproventoadvancewomen.FirmsthatconsistentlyparticipateintheAccountingMOVEProjectpromotemorequickly.Asagroup,28%oftheirpartnersandprincipalsarewomen,aheadofeventhehighmarkachievementthisyearof27%womenpartnersandprincipals,forallparticipatingfirms.”“Thefindingsinthethisyear’sreportemphasizehowimportantitistobetransparentaboutcareerpathsandopportunitieswithinyourfirm.Havingthosehonestconversationsstrengthensrelationshipsandreallycreatesastickyfactor,”saidJenniferWyne,executivedirectorofhumanresourcesforMossAdams,foundingsponsoroftheAccountingMOVEProject.“Midcareercoachingoffersthegreatestreturnforinvestmentinwomen,andthegreatestopportunityforfirmstodriveimmediateand
long-termresultsfromthatinvestment.AtCohnReznick,wearesteadilycapitalizingontheeffectsofretainingrisingwomen,”saidRisaLavine,PrincipalandchiefofstaffatCohnReznick.CohnReznickisthenationalsponsoroftheAccountingMOVEProject.“Thisyear’sAccountingMOVEProjectreportshowsstrategiestohelpfirmsretoolthepipeline.”Anexecutivesummaryofthe2019AccountingMOVEProjectisavailableattheAccounting&FinancialWomen’sAlliancewebsite.https://www.afwa.org/move-project/“Thisyear’sMOVEReportisespeciallyimportanttoAFWA,”saidCindyStanley,executivedirectorfortheAccounting&FinancialWomen’sAlliance(AFWA),theassociationpartnerfortheAccountingMOVEProject.“Asawomen’sorganization,weseefirsthandthevalueofastrongwomen’snetworkatallstagesofthecareerpipeline.Thisyear’sreportshowsthataswomenadvanceintheircareertheyhavefewerpeers,andeachpeerbecomesmorevaluable.Fromentryleveltopartner,womenbenefitgreatlyfromthesupportandexampleofotherwomenintheirnetwork.AFWA’sgoalishelpwomenconnect,advance,andlead.TheMOVEProjectisimportanttous,asthereportheightensawarenessofthechangesthatarenecessaryforwomentoadvanceinthisindustry.”Firmsofallsizesareinvitedandencouragedtoparticipateinthe2020AccountingMOVEProject.RegistrationwillopeninAugust2019atwww.wilson-taylorassoc.com.TheMOVEProjectissupportedbyfoundingsponsorMossAdams,nationalsponsorCohnReznick,andadministrativefeesfromparticipatingfirms.RegistrationfortheAccountingMOVEProjectwillbeopenthroughDecember20,2019.MOVEismakingarealdifferenceintheprofessionandhaspositionedCPAfirmsasinnovatorsinthebusinessworld.LooknofurtherthanMOVEmentionsintheCPAPracticeAdvisor,HarvardBusinessReview,FinancialTimes,ParadeandotherpublicationstoseehowMOVEProjectfirmsareleadingthenationalconversationaboutadvancingwomen.
2019AccountingMOVEProjectBestCPAFirmsforWomenInalphabeticalorderTheBonadioGroup/Pittsford,NYTheBonadioGroupcontinuestomaintainitsfocusonadvancingwomenwith39%womenpartnersandprincipals.Thefirmmaintainsastrongcommitmenttoitsmentoringprogramsthatfocusonprofessionalgrowthareas.BPMLLP/SanFranciscoWomenwithdiversebackgroundsareopeningnewmarketsforBPM,parlayingtheirknowledgeofcultureandspecializedtechnicalexpertisetorapidlybuildrelationshipswithnewclients.BPMprovidesthree-dimensionalsupportintheformofbusinessdevelopmentskills;budgetforspecialprograms;andplentyofschedulingflexibilitythatfostersrapidclientrelationships."BrownSmithWallace/St.LouisBrownSmithWallacecontinuestocreateprogramsthatengageanddevelopwomenateachstageintheircareer.Tohelpbalanceworkloads,thefirmhasfoundsomecreativesolutions,includingquiettimesoemployeescanfocusoncompletingprojects.ClarkNuberPS/Bellevue,WAClarkNuberhiressomeofitsinternsason-campusrecruitersduringtheschoolyear.Theinternsrecruitandvetpotentialinterns,whichgivespotentialinternsafirst-handperspectiveandgivesthefirmmoreopportunitiestoreachstudents.CohnReznick/NewYorkCohnReznick/WomencomposeafullthirdofCohnReznick’smanagementcommittee.Thefirmstaysastepaheadofnationalpayequitytrends,proactivelycommunicatingitspoliciestoall,and
advocatesforgender-diverseslatesofspeakersateventsinwhichitparticipates.EideBailly/FargoWhenEideBaillyrealizeditspipelinehadsprungaleakatthemidlevel,itconcentratedresourcesonauniqueprogramthatequipswomenwithmeetingfacilitationskills.Becausethoseskillsbuildconfidenceinnearlyallsettings–frombusinessdevelopmenttoone-on-onemeetings–midlevelwomengainedtraction..andstayed.ElliottDavis,LLC/Greenville,SCDeliberate,strategic,flexibleworkpracticesarereshapingElliotDaviscareerpathsandadvancementforwomen,eveninitstravel-intenseauditpractice.TakingcuesfrompriorMOVEProjectwinners,thefirm’sinitiativesforwomenarerapidlyaccelerating,officebyoffice.LurieLLP/MinneapolisWomenleadfivelinesofbusinessatLurie,demonstratingtoallemployeesandtoitsbusinesscommunitythatthereareasmanypathstoleadershipastherearewomen.33.3%womenpartners&principals,forequityleadershiplistMCMCPAsandAdvisors/LouisvilleMCMCPAsandAdvisorsjoinsthesmallbutgrowingnumberoffirmswithpart-timepartnertracks.Thisprogramensuresthatwomenworkingreducedschedulescontinuetoinvestinlong-termskillsthatqualifythemforleadership.MossAdams/SeattleMossAdamscontinuestoseepositiveprogressandmomentumfromitslong-termcommitmenttoForumW,whichisitsefforttoattract,develop,retain,andadvancewomen.Womennowrepresent26%ofthepartnershipand33%ofitsexecutivecommittee.Novogradac/SanFranciscoNobodycanarguewiththisfirm’sresourceful,entrepreneurialapproachtosettingpartnersupforsuccess–notwhen40%ofitspartnersandprincipalsarewomenand33%ofitsmanagementcommitteeare,too.
OUM&Co./SanFranciscoOUMdemonstrateshowfirmswithfewerthan100peoplecancreaterobustprogramsthatcenteraroundwomenandwomeninleadership.Inthepastyear,thefirmhasinvestedandexpandeditsWomen’sInitiativesNetwork,whichispoweredbywomen,butinclusivetoall;createdcustomizedleadershippathways;andinstitutedremoteworkingpoliciessostaffcanmanagetheirownschedulesandtime.PlanteMoran/Southfield,MIThefirmcontinuestocreateprogramsandpoliciestohelpwomenforgemeaningfulpeerrelationshipsthatserveasasupportsystemthroughlifestagesthatoftenthreatencareermomentum.Rehmann/Troy,MIAtRehmann,careerpathsarecustomizedforwomen.Thefirmisredoublingitsinvestmentinmid-levelwomenbyaddingadditionalupper-levelpositions,suchassubjectmatterexpertsthatcanbeeithercareerdestinationsorasteponthewaytoshareholder.2019AccountingMOVEProjectBestCPAFirmsforEquityLeadershipIndescendingorderofpercentageofwomenpartnersandprincipals;firmsalsoontheBestCPAFirmsforWomenindicatedwithan*.KaiserConsulting/Columbus(Powell)OH–100%womenonthemanagementcommittee.Auniquebusinessmodelsynchronizesbusinessgrowthwithstaffschedulingandprofessionalaspirations,ensuringthatthefirmwinstheworkthatstaffwantmosttodo.Kerkering,Barberio&Co Kerkering, Barberio & Co. -60%Kerkering, Barberio & Co. has long had flexible work arrangements and found the main beneficiaries to have been women. The firm is majority female-owned, with three-quarters of its staff being women and nearly two-thirds of its top leaders serving as shareholders/partners at the firm.
KWC/Alexandria,VA–60%Womenleadtheauditpractice,sparkinginnovationforthefirm’sotherpractices.RoseRyan/Newark,CA–60%RoseRyan,whoseemployeesworkinsevenstatesandinMalaysia,continuallykeepsitseyesontwogoals:reasonablework/lifebalanceforitspeopleandoutstandingworkforclients.Thefirmwasfoundedbytwowomenin1993.Abbott,Stringham&Lynch/SanJose,Calif.–50%Thesnowballeffectworks,asprovenbyAbbott,Stringham&Lynch:Womenareattractedtoandtrustfirmswheretheyseeotherwomengivenpositionsofleadershipandinfluence.ASLensuresthateverystaffer-notjustmanagersanddirectors-hasamentor.ClarkNuberPS/Bellevue,WA-50%*JamesMoore&Co./Gainesville,FL–50%JamesMoore&Co.hasinCarolVillemaireitsfirstmanagingpartnerwho'sawoman.Thatgenderequityisreflectedinitspartners,whicharehalfwomen,becauseofafocusonmentorship,careeradvisingandamindsetofcomingalongsideitsstafftohelpthemthrive,nomattertheircareergoal.Councilor,Buchanan&Mitchell,P.C./Bethesda–47.1%NewlyappointedboardchairPatDroletdoesn’ttakeanythingforgranted;thefirmisrampingupdiversityprogramstostokemomentum.Jones&Roth/Eugene,OR–46.2%AfamilyfocusandanemphasisonflexschedulingforallgendershashelpedbuoythenumberofwomeninleadershipandonstaffthroughoutJonesandRoth.
HBE/Lincoln,NB–45.5%Genderequityisingrainedinthefirm'sculturebutpartnersarealsointentionalaboutlong-rangesuccessionplanning,creatingamultigenerationalpipelineoffemaleandmalepartnerstoensureseamlessleadershiptransition.Johanson&Yau/SanJose-42.9%RevampedpayequityandcompensationtraininghasbroughtthetopicintotheopenatJ&Y,reassuringwomenthatthefirmhastheirbacks.Novogradac/SanFrancisco–40.4%*TheBonadioGroup/Pittsford,NY-39%*Hood&Strong/SanFrancisco-37.7%Inthelastyear,HoodandStrongelecteditsfirstwomanmanagingpartner.Thefirmintegratesanadvancementoutlookdiscussiontotheevaluationprocessofeveryemployeethatincludesapathwayconversationontheskillsandqualitiespeopleneedtodevelopinordertoreachtheircareergoals.MCMCPAsandAdvisors/Louisville–37.3%,*BeachFleischmanPC/Tucson–37.5%Overhaulingrulesforthemanagementcommitteewasachancetointroducerotatingseatstodrawinbothwomenandyoungleaders.BrownSmithWallace/St.Louis–36.6%*FrazierDeeter/Atlanta35.4%Frazier&DeeterlauncheditsWomen'sProgramalmostadecadeagoandtheprogramstillservesitsmissiontohelpwomeninareasofnetworking,executivepresence,confidenceandbusinessdevelopment.Theprogramalsohashadanotherbenefit:Ithashelpedmanagersunderstandhowtobettersupportwomenintheircareers.LurieLLP/Minneapolis–33%*
OUM&Co./SanFrancisco33%*AbouttheAccountingMOVEProjectTheAccountingMOVEProjectisbasedontheMOVEmethodology,developedbyresearchpartnerWilson-TaylorAssociates,Inc.,whichinvestigatesthefactorsproventobeessentialtowomen’scareersuccess:M–Money:fairpaypractices;O–Opportunity:advancementandleadershipdevelopment;V–Vitalsupports:work-lifeprogramsthatremovebarriers;E–Entrepreneurship:operatingexperienceformanagingorbusinessownershipMethodologySince2010,theAccountingMOVEProjecthasmeasuredandsupportedtheadvancementofwomenataccountingandconsultingfirms.MOVEistheonlyannualbenchmarkingprojectthatbothcountsandadvocatesforwomenintheprofession.TheMOVEProjectadvisoryboardincludesleadersfromassociationpartnertheAccountingandFinancialWomen’sAlliance;foundingsponsorMossAdams;andnationalsponsorCohnReznick.MOVEismadepossiblebysupportfromitssponsorsandbyadministrativefeespaidbyparticipatingfirms.FirmsreceivebenchmarkingreportsbasedontheMOVEProject.TheBestCPAFirmsforWomenlist,sponsoredbytheAFWA,isbasedoneachyear’sMOVEresults.Toearnaspotonthelist,anemployermusthavebothaproportionatenumberofwomenatmostoralllevelsofmanagementandprovensuccesswiththeMOVEfactors.Anemployercannotwinbyhavingaricharrayofprogramsbutfewwomeninleadership.Webelievethatifafirm’sMOVEfactorsareeffective,itwillhaveahealthyandgrowingproportionofwomeninitsleadershippipeline.
TheBestCPAFirmsforEquityLeadershiplistisalsobasedonMOVEsurveyresultsandrecognizesfirmswithatleast33%womenpartnersandprincipals,as33%iswidelyrecognizedasthetippingpointformembersofanyidentitygrouptohaveindividualimpact.TheEquityLeadershiplistrecognizesfirmsthathaveachievethatmilestonethroughanycombinationofculture,programs,initiativesandgrowth.
AbouttheAccounting/MOVEProjectPartners
MossAdamsbringsmoreWesttobusiness.Morethanalocation,it’sawayofdoingbusinessinwhichinnovationthrivesandoptimismabounds.AtMossAdams,we’reexcitedbythegreatnessofpossibilityandtheextraordinarypotentialforcompaniesandindividualstoprosper.Withmorethan3,200professionalsacross25-pluslocationsintheWestandbeyond,weprovidetheworld’smostinnovativecompanieswithspecializedaccounting,consulting,andwealthmanagementservicestohelpthemembraceemergingopportunity.Visitwww.mossadams.comtodiscoverhowMossAdamsisbringingmoreWesttobusiness.Formoreinformation,visitwww.mossadams.com.
CohnReznickLLPisoneofthetopaccounting,tax,andadvisoryfirmsintheUnitedStates,combiningtheresourcesandtechnicalexpertiseofanationalfirmwiththehands-on,entrepreneurialapproachthattoday'sdynamicbusinessenvironmentdemands.HeadquarteredinNewYork,NY,andwithofficesnationwide,CohnReznickservesalargenumberof
diverseindustriesandoffersspecializedservicesformiddlemarketandFortune1000companies,privateequityandfinancialservicesfirms,governmentcontractors,governmentagencies,andnot-for-profitorganizations.TheFirm,withoriginsdatingbackto1919,hasmorethan2,700employeesincludingnearly300partnersandisamemberofNexiaInternational,aglobalnetworkofindependentaccountancy,tax,andbusinessadvisors.Formoreinformation,visitwww.cohnreznick.com.
TheAccounting&FinancialWomen’sAlliancepromotestheprofessionalgrowthofwomeninaccountingandfinance.Membersoftheassociationbenefitfromopportunitiestoconnectwithcolleagues,advancetheircareers,andbecomeindustryleaders.For80years,theorganizationhasproudlyuphelditsmissiontoenablewomeninallaccountingandrelatedfieldstoachievetheirfullpotentialandtocontributetothetheirprofession.Visitwww.afwa.orgformoreinformation.
StrategiccommunicationfirmWilson-TaylorAssociates,Inc.,hasbeendesigningandmanagingnationalresearchprojectsthatmeasuretheprogressofwomenintheworkplacesince1998.Itsmethodologypivotsonfactorsproventoremovebarrierssothat
womencanfullyparticipateindrivingbusinessresults.LedbyveteranbusinessjournalistJoanneCleaver,itscurrentandpastclientsincludeWomeninCableTelecommunications,theWomen'sTransportationSeminar,theAllianceforWorkplaceExcellence,SitterCity,andmanyothers.PleaseseeWilson-Taylor’sportfolioofworkatwww.wilson-taylorassoc.comMEDIACONTACTS
JoanneCleaver,PresidentWilson-TaylorAssociates,Inc.231.299.1275M:414.232.3181jycleaver@wilson-taylorassoc.comDebiWilliamsDirectorofOperationsAccounting&FinancialWomen’[email protected]
