Join us for an update on the BRN program and discussion of best practices, shared by Alliance team and member leadership. We will also facilitate a 90-minute speed networking session. The Summit is designed for members of our BRN program, but all CPA firm members and BDO professionals in attendance are welcome to join.

This gathering of accounting and auditing professionals from Alliance firms, including BDO Assurance principals, will allow for ample discussion of challenges, best practices and innovative ideas in leading efficient audit practices. Your fellow Alliance firms will drive the content and topics to be discussed and will help facilitate the meeting.

This gathering of tax practice leaders from Alliance firms, including principals in BDO’s National Tax Office and Specialized Tax Services practice, will provide key tax technical updates in a variety of disciplines, as well as breakouts for peer discussion on challenges, ideas and best practices in running profitable and efficient tax practices.

This session will allow members of the BDO Alliance CAAS Roundtables and others engaged in this practice area to engage in small-group discussions focused on pressing issues related to managing and growing a client/outsourced accounting practice. We will have a mix of presentation and open discussion. Bring your candor, questions and great ideas to share with your peers!

During this immersive 3-hour workshop, we will dive into the world of client and employee experience in today's ever-evolving business landscape. As more and more firms shift their focus towards offering advisory and consultative services, understanding the vital role these two dimensions play has become paramount. In a world where attracting and retaining top talent can be quite the puzzle, nurturing a positive employee experience becomes the secret sauce. At the same time, crafting an outstanding client experience is the cornerstone of business success. While these priorities may seem conflicting on the surface, this workshop is all about unveiling the magical synergy they share. We'll keep you actively engaged throughout with lively breakouts and guided discussions.

Featuring Arianna Campbell, Boomer Consulting

This is an opportunity for all attendees to get together, immediately following our General Session. Our ever-popular Tradeshow event is legendary, offering access to over 100 member exhibitors and industry-leading vendors! Experience the energy of this conference and what the BDO Alliance USA has to offer by mingling with fellow members, sponsors, exhibitors, and BDO professionals.

Drink and food stations will be available throughout the room.

Roll out your mat (or hotel towel) and join us for a yoga class with Amy Vetter, CPA and RYT500, to stretch and energize your body and mind. The class will incorporate movement through yoga poses and breath work that is accessible to all levels. There is no better way to begin your day than taking time for yourself to get present, while cultivating the focus and energy you need before attending conference sessions and networking with your peers!

Completion of online waiver required at registration.

We are trying something new this year and offering a few select bonus sessions for the ‘early birds’ or those looking for more content. Grab your breakfast early and then join us in either of these rooms for two bonus breakout sessions!

Mindset Shift for Propelling Your Firm
Michelle Walsh, Edelstein & Company LLP (CPA Member)
Are you ready to move your firm forward, but lost with where to start and what to do? This session is designed to introduce simple ways to shift your mindset and accelerate your firm. We will share past journeys with organizational transformation and outline a “Playbook for Success” that can be customized to fit a firm’s culture, goals, geography and tolerance for change. Whether you ultimately want to expand, elevate or just keep up in today’s market, there will be something here for you.

How to Grow to $10M through M&A
Joe Lerro, LerroSarbey (CPA Member)
The accounting industry is ever changing, and if anything is clear, the days of the sole proprietor are ending. The presenter in this session will talk to you in layman’s terms about how he grew his firm over four times in five years by revenue and headcount and how he expects to continue that trajectory! He will discuss typical deal terms when acquiring small firms as well as one firm’s process for getting sellers onboard, analyzing the deal, and getting to a stage of putting together an LOI.

We will kick off the second day of our conference with a second General Session. We will also reveal the winners of our annual BDO Alliance awards!

Guest Speaker
Allan Koltin – Koltin Consulting Group
Being The Best Leader You Can Be – Things I Wish I Knew About Being a Great Leader Before I Was One

We will explore what makes great leaders and, more importantly, offer advice on how to continuously improve as a visionary leader. Allan will discuss professional and personal success characteristics of great CPA and advisory firm leaders and share real-life examples of leaders in action. He will also address firm structure and the decision-making that needs to be in place for leaders to thrive.

BDO’s nonprofit leaders will cover recent updates made by the Government Accountability Office to Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), as well as best practices to ensuring compliance with GAGAS requirements.

This session will cover finalized guidance from the FASB on digital assets, as well as auditing considerations and best practices.

This session is designed to review the more significant updates that impacted private clients in 2023 and midway through 2024.

This session will review the more recent 2023/2024 changes and focus on federal tax procedure and controversy, as well as discuss current trends in procedure, exam and appeals. We will provide an update on the IRS implementation of $80 billion funding received in 2022 legislation that was discussed in last year’s session.

Technology is changing the way your clients expect to work and manage their finances. To stay relevant, accounting professionals are retooling to launch into new services and will need to acquire new skill sets, one being that of a technologist. This session will discuss why it’s important to not just implement technology to do things the same way you have always done them, but instead, rethink the business processes in your practice. Learn to define your “why” and how to select a vertical niche, assess the right technology, and explore other ways to re-engineer your business processes. You will come away with an understanding of how technology’s gift of more time gives you the opportunity to become “Cherished Advisors.”

In this interactive session, we will have a power panel representing tools like QuickBooks®, Xero, Intacct and NetSuite for a comprehensive discussion on enhancing and broadening a tech stack. It will address how they can work within a practice simultaneously and which unique features lend themselves to particular clients and industries. Attendees will walk away with insight to help navigate the complex landscape and make strategic technological decisions.

Whether you are a managing partner, partner or aspiring partner, you’ll benefit from hearing the perspectives of a panel of managing partners representing larger CPA Alliance firms. We will discuss the results of an April 2024 survey related to MAP topics and hear from our panelists. This year’s Pulse session will continue to be interactive, and we will look for audience participation related to a variety of topics, including growth, capacity, succession planning, M&A and partner compensation.

Join us for an informative session that explores BDO EDGE, a high-powered, quality strategic capacity solution available exclusively to global BDO member firms and Alliance firms, designed to skyrocket your success. Learn how it can benefit your firm and address your specific capacity challenges. We’ll cover real-world success stories from firms who are already experiencing the advantages of BDO EDGE, share the implementation roadmap for an understanding of the simple steps to integrate BDO EDGE into your practice, and review the financial advantages of this cost-effective model and potential revenue growth opportunities. Learn how your firm can expand your capabilities, enhance your client service, and achieve your strategic goals with BDO EDGE.

The shrinking accounting pipeline and workforce shortage calls for real innovation in staffing models so we can continue to deliver an excellent client experience and support our often-overwhelmed client-facing staff. Leading-edge firms are expanding their service lines to include new operational and client service personnel who break the traditional “admin” mold, participating directly in the client service and service delivery processes. Picture new team members who are planning ahead, projecting capacity, balancing resources, onboarding clients, gathering important client deliverables, loading client components onto portals, responding to client emails, and generally removing all work from your advanced-degree audit, tax, accounting and advisory team members. In this interactive session, we’ll explore strategies for establishing a difference-making, non-CPA client team.

Uncover the driving force behind exponential growth in this session dedicated to essential sales and marketing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Join us to reveal the 10 most influential metrics for advancing your business. Develop a comprehensive understanding of how these metrics shape your strategies and master tracking and deciphering them effectively. This session will impart the insights necessary to fine-tune your growth endeavors from conversions to engagement.

A personal brand is your story. Having a well-defined personal brand can help you not only cultivate powerful connections, but also set you apart. Explore the integral components to building a strong brand, especially with regard to firm culture, and gain strategies to help you create your own marketable personal brand. This session will cover tone at the top, leading by example, etc.

We are awash in new “Artificial Intelligence” tools that purport to make every aspect of our lives and jobs better, but not everything is as it seems in the world of Intelligent Bots. In this session, we will explore the differences between artificial intelligence and machine learning, and why it matters to you. We will address and define strategies to mitigate the many types of bias inherent in our data sets, and we will map out the current landscape of bots and the ways you can best leverage emerging AI platforms within your firm.

Step into the groundbreaking world of artificial intelligence and discover its transformative impact. In this session, we will unravel the concept of AI, explore its relevance to your firm and clients, and showcase live demonstrations of its remarkable capabilities. Gain invaluable insights on how to deploy AI in practice, leveraging its power to enhance decision-making, streamline processes, and create new opportunities for growth. Don’t miss this chance to learn about the game-changing potential of AI and how it’s shaping the future.

This session will offer a lively discussion of the current challenges and opportunities the construction industry faces in today’s economy, as well as technical updates you need to know. If your firm serves clients in the construction industry, this is a session you won’t want to miss.

This session will discuss developments in Employee Benefit Plans, including recent DOL activity, quality control findings, and recent standards setting activity.

This session will discuss developments and reminders in the areas of ethics and independence.

This session will cover an update of the global minimum tax and hot topics in international tax, such as the final foreign tax credit regulations, section 987 regulations, and recently released Notice 2024-16 (provides guidance regarding CFC basis adjustments in certain transactions). It will also provide an update on the status of certain U.S. income tax treaties, such as Chile and Hungary.

This session will focus on new developments in the R&D tax credit and Sec. 174 area, including current IRS and related state tax authority environments and how to proactively plan for and position research credit claims in the evolving environment. It will also discuss guidance on addressing specified research or experimental expenditures under Sec. 174.

CAS is a service line for entrepreneurs - those that love to create, develop and test the boundaries. In this session, we have another superstar panel of top practitioners from across the country lined up to share their successes (and failures) in the daily adventure of building and growing their practice. Join us as we have an open, honest discussion on topics such as the ideal employee profile, the ideal client, balancing advisory and transactional work, and building systems that scale, among others.

In this session, we will discuss major trends in ESG adoption including opportunities, challenges, regulatory updates and other practical aspects of ESG integration into an organization's strategy and operations.

If you are interested in growing your Risk Advisory Services (RAS) practice, join this session to learn about the technological knowledge, tools and subject matter experts available to Alliance firms and how you can deliver exceptional outcomes for clients. With the specialized skills, extensive coverage, and a commitment to Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) within the Alliance, attendees can explore how to grow a RAS practice.

Whether you are a managing partner, partner or aspiring partner, you’ll benefit from hearing the perspectives of a panel of managing partners representing medium and smaller-sized CPA Alliance firms. We will discuss the results of an April 2024 survey related to MAP topics and hear from our panelists. This year’s Pulse session will continue to be interactive, and we will look for audience participation related to a variety of topics, including growth, capacity, succession planning, M&A and partner compensation.

You've survived the “great reshuffle,” now what? Leading the talent of tomorrow requires a new and different skill set. Shorter employee tenure and increasing client demands can leave leaders feeling off balance and unclear how to maximize the employee experience in a way that also addresses client needs. In this session, you will learn frameworks to help employees get real about what they want in their career and coaching conversations to help connect the dots between team member, client and firm needs. Additionally, you'll learn about the upskilling trends top firms are using to maximize team member performance.

Succession planning is on everyone’s list and on meeting agendas at every level of our industry. The dilemma with this critical topic is there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” solution. The uniqueness of each firm’s cultural and performance expectations creates different lenses by which we view solutions. Clarity and action, however, is a must. In this session, we’ll discuss best practices and principles common to effective plans, as well as recent findings and case studies, and have a group discussion surrounding this impactful topic.

GenAI has proven its ability to reduce costs through time savings and the democratization of sophisticated design and production to non-specialists. Marketers can now prepare for a new wave of GenAI, which will enable them to drive strategic growth through advanced prediction and personalization tools. Marketing doesn’t set your goals; it helps you achieve them. Adding GenAI tools to your marketing toolbox should be done intentionally, so the focus stays on the strategy and not the shiny new options. We’ll share what we’re seeing that is exciting in GenAI and what to watch out for in the coming months to help marketers continue to contribute to the firm leaders’ vision.

This session will offer an insightful discussion with digital transformation professionals from OneSource Consulting and BDO Digital. It will highlight how to identify and evaluate challenges in your organization that may be addressed using AI and automation, as well as insights on the problems explored during the recent BDO Alliance USA Innovation Challenge. There will be opportunities to ask questions on advanced technologies, like AI and RPA, too. Learn how to transform your firm’s challenges into innovative solutions using emerging technologies.

In the fast-paced world of accounting, automation has become more than just a buzzword; it's the key to unlocking your firm's growth potential. Join us for an illuminating panel discussion on why automation is essential for propelling firm growth. We'll explore the prescriptive steps you can take to become a tech-forward firm, while sharing experiences, success stories, and actionable insights and ideating together on a software ecosystem that supports capacity, client experience and firm operations/cash flow.

This session will provide a discussion of a tech company’s life cycle, walking through the various stages of growth and highlighting how a firm’s services can be of benefit at key points in their journey. Attendees will learn what to look for, how and when to address hurdles, and how to identify key mistakes companies often overlook, hindering their ability to obtain funding or go public. It will also delve into the benefits of sell-side due diligence and how it can enhance a company's credibility and valuation. Gain valuable insights and strategies to navigate the challenges and maximize opportunities in the tech industry.

BDO’s governmental practice leaders will lead a discussion on the latest changes issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and the status of current projects being deliberated, including several recently issued GASB Statements.

Evolving requirements, firm consolidation and retiring practitioners have transformed the peer review market. In this session, a panel of BDO Alliance USA practitioners will share best practices for setting up and managing a peer review practice.

This session is designed to provide a more strategic discussion of tax issues for high-net-worth taxpayers, the sunset of the current estate tax exemption amount if there is no congressional action and what to do, and the U.S. federal income tax and information reporting obligations that may apply with respect to foreign trusts and estates.

This session will provide an update on recent tax law and regulatory guidance relating to corporate businesses. It will also provide an update on the various issues we are seeing in M&A transactions from a U.S. federal income tax perspective for both the buyer and seller.

The session is designed to provide attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to maximize value and pricing for CAS services in a way that doesn’t require sophisticated financial analytical skills or CFO experience. It will address key controllership services, including budgeting and forecasting, internal controls, spend management, and accounts receivable management. Attendees can expect to leave with a stronger skill set and a better understanding of how to effectively incorporate controllership services into their CAS practice, ultimately empowering them provide more comprehensive and valuable services to their clients.

In a transforming accounting landscape, CAS services have proven to drive firm growth due to client demand and the need to deliver a more tailored service approach. As firms evaluate and customize their service offerings, expansion into sales tax compliance continues to gain momentum. Whether you are a seasoned accountant, a firm decision maker, or learning more about the future of CAS, this session will equip you with the “how-to” knowledge and insights to provide sales tax services that deliver both growth and profitability.

In this panel session, leaders from three firms will share their remarkable success stories in building and growing their Advisory practices. Whether you are from a small, medium or large firm, this session will offer valuable insights and actionable strategies that can be applied to your own practice.

The deal train isn't showing any signs of slowing down, fueled by a myriad of modern-day pressures in public accounting. In this session, some of the top minds in the industry will share where we stand today, what they're seeing, and what you need to know before the final handshake.

This session provides participants with practical strategies to effectively navigate the challenges of leading change in a dynamic business environment. Through an exploration of common obstacles such as resistance, communication breakdowns, and lack of buy-in, attendees will gain valuable insights into fostering a culture of adaptability, crafting compelling change visions, and empowering change champions. By addressing employee concerns, promoting transparent communication, and learning from failures, participants are equipped to drive successful and sustainable change initiatives, ensuring organizational resilience and growth in the face of transformation.

In today's fast-paced and demanding professional environment, it is essential to prioritize the well-being, mental health, mindfulness and stress reduction of individuals within our firms. In this session, we will explore the significance of creating an environment that fosters not only firm efficiency but the overall well-being of its members as well. The panelists will share their personal experiences and innovative approaches to promoting well-being within their organizations.

Are generational differences really driving the challenges in your firm today? Of course! However, if you think that is the only attribute creating angst, you are only scratching the surface. Generational attributes, personalities, work styles and strategic thinking all play a role in how a firm’s culture is created. In this session, we will identify the positive attributes that the 5 generations bring to the workplace, define how personalities and work styles can play a huge part in team performance, and how can you pull all of the attributes people bring to the firm into one strategic “future focused” culture.

In the fast-changing world of business today, where automation, AI and evolving client expectations come together, the journey from prospect to loyal customer has been revolutionized. This session will explore this transformation, providing actionable insights on how industry professionals can effectively navigate this change through demand generation's omni-channel approach to foster lasting growth.

On average, professionals hold approximately 12 jobs throughout their lifetimes. Just because a professional leaves your firm doesn’t mean you can’t maintain a mutually beneficial relationship. Those leaving the accounting world become CEOs, business owners, CFOs, and decision-makers who need your services. But staying in touch, maintaining relationships, and educating your alumni often takes a backseat to outreach to new prospects. In this session, we will walk you through the process used to jump-start BDO’s alumni program in the New York Metro area, including how to develop a plan, create a solid contact list, educate alumni and select appropriate events.

Technology - such as cloud software, artificial intelligence and machine learning - is not the end of real human connection; it is just the beginning. In fact, the future of people collaborating and communicating in the workplace, whether it’s between your team members or serving your customers, will increasingly depend on how you take advantage of the latest technology to create an experience that is uniquely yours as a business. In this session, we will discuss how technology has the potential to empower your employees to tap back into their purpose, become more mindful leaders and empathetic communicators, and create greater work-life harmony for improved productivity, innovation and overall happiness in their work and life.

With the adoption of the AICPA's quality management standards approaching, firms are beginning to explore the requirements, including the new risk assessment requirement. Join a panel of speakers from a diversity of practice sizes to hear how they have been addressing the new challenges, including practical examples of issues they have addressed in their adoption.

With the adoption of ASC 842 in the rearview mirror for private companies, the focus turns to "Day 2" and ongoing considerations. This session will cover subsequent measurement and other practice matters.

This session will focus on the complicated and daunting task of keeping accurate computations of partner capital accounts. Those accounts can be heavily impacted as a result of partnership transactions, so it will also focus on important considerations and related calculations. The session will also provide an update on transactions involving partnership equity rollover, taxable purchase of partnership interests, pre-transaction partnership formations, and partnership terminations and the related impact of transactions.

Given the increased interest in Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) as a succession planning strategy, this session will provide an update on what is happening in the ESOP world and related business and tax issues. It will also provide a basic overview of ESOPs, as well as important information for owners to consider in their decision.

Defining the right pricing model is an ever-increasing challenge for CPA firms, especially with CAS. This session will help attendees gain knowledge to effectively and strategically handle monthly accounting services, controllership services, and advisory in a proven three-tiered model that maximizes revenues, defines and protects scope, and emphasizes client outcomes. It will equip you to build a pricing model for your CAS practice.

In many ways, accounting and advisory service lines are starting from scratch when it comes to building, training and developing their teams. This session will explore the establishment of competency frameworks, learning plans, career paths, and individualized development tracks to ensure professionals are equipped to thrive in this evolving field.

It is never smart to fix something that is not broken, but what happens if you are not changing? A firm may be put into a position where they will have to adapt or likely die if they do not take action. What inflection points do you see coming? Is your concern succession or the decision to make foundational investments needed in technology, people and advisory services? Maybe the decision to take outside investment is on your mind. This session will explore how disruption may be an essential element to the success of your firm and your clients. Attendees will be challenged to step back and look at the future steps potentially needed for their firm and to understand the possible inflection points the firm and its clients are facing.

Our desire for “partnership” and collegiality often makes firms less likely to emphasize partner accountability. Yet, studies show great results are best supported by accountability. We shouldn’t assume this means more charge hours; it means clarity as to the firm's strategy. It means goals aligned with firm vision and strategy. It means understanding the proper intersection of culture and performance. It means leaders willing to make accountability a priority. Great firms do this well and, in this session, we'll explore how it is best done.

If resilience is the ability to withstand and recover quickly from difficulties, it is no wonder that resilience can be considered a superpower. Resilience isn't just reserved for superheroes, however; it is a skill you can learn and grow for yourself and your team. If you're an employer, how do you create an environment where your people can build their resilience and the resilience of their teams? What systems, processes, practices and paradigms need to exist in order for your workforce to withstand the difficulties in the industry and the overall profession? In this session, we will learn about ways you can grow and nurture a resilient workforce.

Recruiting is a priority for many firms, which is why marketers have pivoted to focus in this area. If you’ve started with social posts, career fairs and swag, it’s time to move to the next level. Learn how the marketer’s toolbox can help your firm clearly express the employee experience, what it’s like working with your clients, and the way your work makes an impact. While you can’t control the size of the labor force, you can put your best foot forward in attracting professionals who will be happy and successful at your firm.

In this session, you’ll learn how focusing on serving an industry market can fuel your firm’s growth, profitability, employee retention and boost client satisfaction and engagement. CapinCrouse, an Inside Public Accounting Top 200 Firm and “Best of the Best” firm, has achieved continued strong organic growth by exclusively focusing on serving nonprofit organizations for over 50 years. Lerman Strategies, a consultant to those responsible for strategic growth at accounting firms, has dedicated 20 years to helping top firms turn the power of industry specialization into profit and career growth and satisfaction for their professionals. Join us as we share insights on how to approach specialization strategically, including how to identify and prioritize opportunities and develop innovative strategies and targeted services to help differentiate your firm.

Accounting firm technology has gone through a number of evolutions from introducing PCs and building networks to the return to the cloud and optimization of remote work during the pandemic. And now firms are adopting the next generation of digital automation, including generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Underlying this is the firm’s information technology infrastructure and production applications referred to as the Tech Stack. This session will discuss key requirements for your firm’s future technology strategy, as well as specific recommendations on hardware, infrastructure and the evolving mix of tax, audit and accounting applications utilized to optimize client service.

In today's competitive business landscape, firms are constantly seeking innovative strategies to retain both clients and team members. Join this session for an engaging panel discussion where industry experts will share their insights on how an Advisory practice can be utilized as a powerful retention strategy.

The most recent Rosenberg Survey offered unique insight into how the best performing accounting firms use advisory services, including wealth management and more, to drive better profitability compared to their peers. In this session, we will review how top performing firms use extended services to drive increased revenue, improve profitability, and help deliver a superior client experience. We will focus on how extended services can position your firm to not just survive, but thrive, in an increasingly competitive and consolidating environment. We will also share best practices and case studies of how we helped a global accounting firm realize that vision for their most valued clients.

BDO’s nonprofit leaders will discuss lessons learned and practice issues related to Yellow Book engagements and Single Audits, including any current developments and implications of recent legislation on Single Audit requirements.

Targeting general assurance practitioners, this session will cover the impact of a client's information technology throughout the audit and related practice issues. It will also cover consideration of Information Produced by the Entity (IPE) and the impact of transactions processed at service organizations.

This course will address the most significant developments in 2023 with respect to S corporations and their shareholders, including legislative, regulatory and administrative updates, as well as clarification of the areas in which an S corporation may (or may not) obtain a private letter ruling to address its federal income tax status.

This session will provide an update on key state sales and use tax and value-added tax developments and trends with significant implications for clients. As e-commerce continues to grow, the landscape for indirect tax is transforming. This session will delve into how businesses are coping and how U.S. sellers need to be aware that they may have VAT/GST collection responsibilities starting with the first dollar.

For firms looking to build the value of their practice, CAS is a critical piece of the solution. This session will break down the transition from a back-office administrative function to a proactive, advisory-focused offering with a high-profit revenue stream, compression-proof cash flow and intensely deep client relationships. From positioning, client selection, packaging and pricing to delivering the highest level of client value, we will guide you through what CAS can truly be in a firm.

This session will provide an update on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising trends and activity. It will discuss how to help clients, who are positioning their company for a sale, avoid seller pitfalls and maximize the value of their business through a structured sales process.

In the fall of 2023, BDO USA established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) to provide its 10,000 employees a direct stake in the firm. “The younger generation wants a piece of what they are helping to build,” said Wayne Berson, CEO of BDO USA. This session will be led by BDO’s Chief Operating Officer Steve Ferrara, and Chief People Officer Cathy Moy, who will provide background on the “why” and “how” of BDO’s ESOP formation, as well as the anecdotal benefits to BDO’s recruiting and retention efforts. Blake Head, Managing Director of BDO Capital’s ESOP Services team, will address the broader ESOP marketplace for professional services firms.

This session will provide updated insights on the impact of private equity firms investing in CPA firms. Hear directly from several BDO Alliance members who have received PE funding, as well as from consultants who are involved in helping PE firms find candidates for investment.

People are a firm’s greatest assets, so employment law and HR issues have a direct link to the firm’s success. In this session, we will discuss the employment law issues that managing partners and other firm leaders need to understand to stay on the right side of the law; avoid inadvertent violations; get in front of potential claims; ensure that the right structure is in place to coordinate personnel-related matters; and effectively protect the firm’s clients, personnel and other business interests.

There is often a gap between what we KNOW and what we DO. We know that going to bed at a reasonable hour will likely allow us to feel well-rested in the morning, but we may stay up an extra hour or two watching Netflix. We know that letting a high producer treat their team poorly is bad for morale, but we may not speak up and hold that person accountable for their actions. Whether for our own well-being or the well-being of our organization, accountability is a critical component to ensuring good health and longevity. In this session, we will explore what accountability looks like and how it can be embedded into the everyday behaviors and beliefs of ourselves and our teams.

In the rapidly evolving landscape, the integration of digital strategies has become essential for sustainable growth and competitive advantage for every CPA firm. This session has been meticulously crafted for marketing and growth leaders, along with partners, who seek to expand their firms into the digital era while retaining the human touch that defines their success. As modern accounting firms stand at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, this session provides an actionable roadmap to seamlessly fuse the power of digital transformation with the essence of your firm's growth culture.

The accounting industry relies on the proficiency of our professionals to reduce risk for our clients. Like accounting professionals, healthcare providers are in the business of reducing risk. Yet in healthcare, more than just finances are at risk. Over the past several years, 29 leading health systems in America have united to harness brain science, fMRI technology, and AI for scalable course development, significantly reducing errors and patient harm. In this session, we will reveal how the principles learned in healthcare are now being harnessed to revolutionize the training landscape in accounting and professional services. You will learn how research-backed brain science combined with learning data can transform your training, bridging the gap from required to desired.

In a world of constant technology shifts and “shiny objects” being thrown our way, we explore the real value of technology and its implementation. In this session, we will review the landscape of AI, ML, RPA, BPA, BPM and the methodologies and framework to plan, implement and maintain these technologies. Attendees will learn the importance of intrapreneurship in your business to elevate and accelerate the adoption, implementation and maintenance of new technologies.

This session provides busy CPAs with an overview of recent changes in ethical standards and a review of common regulatory violations. Inclusion of the latest issuances and coverage of ethical violations ensure that the most important issues affecting practitioners will be discussed. Participants will have an opportunity to test their recall of common ethical requirements.

Lace up your shoes and join Tamera Loerzel and Samantha Mansfield of ConvergenceCoaching, LLC for a morning walk or run! Meet them in the hotel lobby at 5:55 am for a 6:00 am start time. The walk/run will be approximately 45-50 minutes or about 4 miles if you’re a runner; it will be an “out and back,” so you decide your own distance and pace. All are welcome for this fun opportunity to exercise and connect with other conference attendees. Be sure to bring your water and dress for the weather!

Completion of online waiver required at registration.

Board of directors and those charged with governance - whether overseeing public companies or private companies - continue to play a more active oversight role as their companies navigate significant risks and opportunities across a broad spectrum. Learn more about the topics impacting your client board members (cyber, climate, generative AI, human capital management, macroeconomics and many more) and increase the value you can bring to the leadership teams and those in the boardroom.

This session will discuss developments in preparation, compilation and review services, including practice issues and peer review trends.

As accounting and reporting topics become more complex, organizations will occasionally need to engage third party experts to assist with compliance. This session will cover current topics in the marketplace for technical accounting advisory services, as well as BDO’s outlook for additional topics on the horizon.

This session will provide a high-level overview of the most impactful developments in the accounting methods area for the 2023 tax return filing season and upcoming 2024 tax year. Emphasis will be placed on an update on Section, small business taxpayer simplification updates, the interplay between the tax leasing rules and ASC 842 implementation, recent revenue recognition issues, and bonus depreciation sunset. It will also cover recent accounting method change procedures impacting how the Form 3115 is prepared.

This session will provide an update on key state income tax developments and trends in the past year, including nexus, PL 86-272, market-based sourcing, combined/unitary reporting, pass-through entity taxes and more.

This session will provide an overview and update on key considerations when doing business in Canada, including tax and related business issues. The panel will include key professionals from BDO Canada to discuss those issues, as well as BDO USA to provide insight on how U.S. businesses manage their tax and business issues in Canada. Attendees will gain an understanding of what clients should expect when they do business in Canada and where to get information and guidance to assist them.

This session will discuss recent changes and trends in valuation, including those from regulators and private equity. It will cover valuation for different purposes, including financial reporting, tax reporting and management planning, as well as discuss the future of valuation and what can help continue its growth trajectory.

The conversation around M&A, private equity, firm capacity and growth are top of mind for modern accounting firms. But too often, shifting the conversation to be proactive on remaining independent is not brought to a firmwide, strategic level. Becoming (or remaining) a great firm requires three core pillars: leadership, succession planning, and partner alignment. Firm independence has never been more challenging in today's rapidly evolving and homogenizing business world. Join us as we talk about the importance of the three pillars along with seven boxes you will need to check as you navigate a path to staying independent.

In this session, Ron Baker will share insights on how to build a more valuable CPA and BRN firm by creating and nurturing relationships and maximizing lifetime customer value for the firm and its clients. It will include guidance on how to price your services to ensure alignment with the remarkable value being delivered to customers.

In this session, we will unpack the real dollars-and-cents impact and the PR nightmares that businesses face when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) get pushed to the back burner. Through straight-talk and real company stories, we’ll explore how ignoring DEI can hit where it hurts – the bottom line – by tanking team morale, skyrocketing staff turnover, and dragging your brand name through the mud. Let's keep it real about avoiding the financial pitfalls and reputation hits of exclusion and talk straightforward strategy about embedding DEI into your everyday business playbook. Be ready for an eye-opening journey into safeguarding and future-proofing your business through genuine, actionable inclusion strategies.

Outsourcing has become an increasingly popular strategy in the accounting profession, offering firms the opportunity to optimize their operations, enhance efficiency, and focus on core competencies. This panel discussion will bring together representatives from different Alliance firms, each employing a unique outsourcing tactic, to share their insights and experiences.

Do you need access to important information easily? Is centralization a priority for your firm? Do you want to have a line of sight on interactions between your staff and clients? A customer relationship management (CRM) tool will help — and then some! Whether you’re looking to onboard a CRM to your technology stack or want to learn how to better leverage the one you have, this session is for you.

Embark on an exciting journey into the world of BDO Digital Labs, where cutting-edge advancements and innovative products are shaping the future of professional services. In this session, discover how BDO Digital Labs harnesses the power of artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics and automation to revolutionize industries and enhance client experiences. Unveil a diverse range of groundbreaking products, encounter inspiring success stories, and explore thrilling prospects for BDO Digital Labs. Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of innovation and uncover BDO Digital Labs’ transformative impact on the professional services landscape.

This session will cover recent final and proposed rulemaking from the SEC, as well as various SEC practice reminders.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the nonprofits they serve, board members must play an active role in setting the strategic financial direction and promoting a culture of resilience. In this session, we will explore the practices, resources and values characteristic of financially resilient nonprofits with a focus on how to educate and advise board members seeking to strengthen their skill set in fiduciary oversight. We will emphasize the importance of maintaining a sustainable business model and sufficient capital for change and security, as well as explore the role the board plays in ensuring effective financial planning, monitoring, and operational practices are in place.

This session will focus on updates for 2023 that impact the upcoming audit season, as well as some of the more recent challenging aspects of ASC 740. It will provide further discussions on implementation of Tax Control Framework, from small to large companies, that can help mitigate tax risk. Topics to be covered include accounting for the impact of enacted tax law changes, tax accounting implications of recent FASB Accounting Standard Updates, and understanding operational tax risk and its implications for all companies, among many others.

Given the IRS announcement in late 2023 that it will provide more focus on large partnerships, this session will cover key areas the IRS is likely to focus on and what to do to help clients be prepared. It will also provide an update on emerging issues and recent court cases impacting the taxation of partnerships.

Step into a world brimming with innovation and boundless potential. Drawing from powerful anecdotes, this session will unveil a new paradigm, urging firm leaders at all levels to shift their perspective and unlock untapped potential where they can guide their firm and clients to success as visionary catalysts for change. It will cover concepts like customer lifetime value and cost of acquisition and how SaaS companies think about ROI and KPIs, along with recommendations for how to tailor this strategy to a firm’s management strategy. It will also touch on automation, AI and how good technology can support capacity and CAAS practice expansion.

A growing number of privacy laws include requirements related to how personal information is gathered and shared via websites and the use of tracking technologies, such as cookies and pixels. Although most websites now include the option for users to express their consent/preferences for different types of cookies, that doesn’t always mean these choices are properly honored. In this session, BDO’s Privacy & Data Protection team will discuss litigation and penalties related to these matters and how we can help clients to proactively avoid them and reactively respond to them.

New threats demand new ways to manage risk. Whether you are facing a crisis, taking on a new opportunity, or simply preparing for the unknown, you must understand the risks around you and be confident in your ability to respond when adversity strikes. In this session, we will delve into the complex world of risk management and share best practices to help your organization mitigate risks and maintain operational continuity.

Five of the top ten risks cited as strategic imperatives by business executives were environmental in nature and three were social. As boards of directors and C-suite executives challenge leaders to integrate sustainability throughout the value chain, business transformation is occurring. It’s no longer only multi-national public companies who are engaged in ESG; microcap companies are now issuing sustainability reports and putting ESG governance practices into place. That means small and mid-sized firms need to be just as versed in ESG as large firms. This session will share lessons learned from studying how four sustainability-oriented organizations integrated their sustainability strategies across the organization and navigated the diverse, and oftentimes conflicting, expectations of internal and external stakeholders.

Modern firms need modern metrics. And those measurements should create accountability and stimulate response in specific pressure points within the firm, especially related to growth, people and clients. In this session, attendees will hear from leaders at a large, regional firm who have been working to define and track the KPIs that drive ROI. From sales to strategy, and operational improvement to organizational change, learn about the items on their scorecards and dashboards and hear how they are connected to the achievement of the firm’s larger objectives.

The summer of 2024 is being called “The Peak 65” because it will be when the largest number of Baby Boomers turn the traditional age of retirement. This, paired with dwindling numbers of students graduating with accounting degrees, has made for an incredibly tight labor market. Our teams are feeling the pressure and it is contributing to higher levels of burnout and turnover. With the cost of losing an accountant in public accounting currently exceeding 150% of their salary, understanding how to reduce that turnover is a business imperative. In this session, we will discuss employee burnout and how to get ahead of it, tools to help re-engage top performers, and ways to minimize turnover risk.

Most firms are finding big challenges in guiding and leading a firm, team and culture through a hybrid workplace, whether most people live in the geography or not. It has affected every facet of the employee lifecycle, from talent acquisition to culture building, leadership development and, ultimately, growth. This session will address how to lead through a hybrid workplace, including employee expectations, physical space considerations, and guidelines for working at home vs. the office – all while preserving the firm’s culture.

Unlocking the full potential of your Microsoft investment can transform your workflow, productivity and profitability. Yet, many organizations fail to tap into more than 15% of the M365 stack’s capabilities, missing out on tools and automations that could greatly enhance efficiency. In this session, we will share actionable strategies to maximize your use of Microsoft's suite as well as transformative stories from working with hundreds of companies globally.

This session will explore the expanded offerings of BDO USA’s Automotive Dealership industry group, as well as current events and trends. It will offer an industry outlook for 2024 and beyond, additional industry hot topics, and how we can provide value to our clients and prospects.