AICPA Recognizes Outstanding Contributors to Forensic and Valuation Fields

AICPA Recognizes Outstanding Contributors to Forensic and Valuation Fields

• CPAs Armstrong and York named Volunteers of the Year during the 2020 AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services Conference.
• 22 outstanding CFFs and ABVs age 40 and younger honored with the FVS Standing Ovation Award.

NEW YORK (November 10, 2020) – The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is pleased to honor the contributions of 24 CPAs during the 2020 AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services Conference being held virtually this year.

Peter Armstrong, CPA, CFF, and Steven York, CPA, ABV, CEIV, CGMA were named Volunteers of the Year, while 22 young CPAs received the Forensic and Valuation Services (FVS) Standing Ovation for significant contributions in their practice areas and their communities.

Volunteers of the Year
Each year, the AICPA FVS Section names two volunteers who contributed greatly to the practice and profession. Armstrong is the 2020 Forensic & Litigation Services (FLS) Volunteer of the Year, while York is the Business Valuation Volunteer of the Year.

“Peter and Steve have been valuable members in our efforts to enhance the forensic and valuation services area,” said Eva Simpson, CPA, CGMA, director of valuation services for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. “They have helped educate regulators on relevant standards, created certification exams, and presented at numerous conferences. Their commitment and value to the profession is extraordinary.”

Armstrong is a partner with KPMG LLP in Toronto, Canada, and has served as a member of the CFF Credential Committee since 2017. He helped create the Canadian CFF body of knowledge and exam, which launched in 2017 and he has been instrumental in the development of a global CFF body of knowledge, which will launch later this year. A member of the Forensic and Valuation Services Executive Committee from 2014 – 2016, Armstrong has been a frequent speaker at the AICPA Forensic & Valuation Services Conference, proudly representing his fellow Canadian CFF Credential holders.

York, an executive vice president with Stern Brothers Valuation Advisors, currently serves on AICPA’s National Accreditation Commission (NAC) after serving three years on the Institute’s Business Valuations (BV) Committee. He provided insight, expertise and opinions to several projects and initiatives and led or significantly contributed in the areas of advocacy, technical guidance, and educational resources, most notably in ongoing efforts to promote and educate regulators on valuation standards and how they can improve valuations, publishing a whitepaper and recent update for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on ‘What Every Valuation Analyst should know about ESOPs’ and participating in numerous webcasts, authoring articles, and serving as a presenter at AICPA’s annual FVS conference.

Standing Ovation Program
The Standing Ovation Program recognizes young CPAs holding the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) or Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) specialty credentials who have exhibited exemplary personal achievement. The recipients in this year’s class, who were honored today during the AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services Conference in Las Vegas, were recognized for their efforts to advance their fields, including volunteering at a variety of nonprofit organizations, speaking to local CPA groups, serving as  volunteer experts to legal organizations and guest lecturing in college accounting classes.

“These up and coming leaders in the forensic and valuation services arena are going the extra mile to advance the profession and serve their communities , ” said Barbara Andrews, director of forensics, technology and management consulting for the Association. “Their efforts embody the spirit of volunteerism that the accounting profession is known for.”

The 2020 list of FVS Standing Ovation recipients is in alphabetical order below:

• Ashish Bagree, CPA, CFF, Arnie & Company PC, Houston
• Theodore Brown, CPA, CFF, Aprio, LLP, Atlanta
• Emily Chee, CPA, CFF, CITP, KPMG Canada, North Vancouver, British Columbia
• Anne Cooper, CPA, ABV, StoneTurn, Houston
• Mark, DiMichael, CPA, ABV, CFF, Citrin Cooperman, New York
• Eric, Flickinger, CPA, ABV, Apple Growth Partners, Akron, Ohio
• Jesse, Gillett, CPA, ABV, CFE, Edelstein & Company LLP, Boston
• Jordan Graves, CPA, ABV, Cooper Norman, Idaho Fall, Idaho
• Nicholas Landera, CPA, CFF, Appelrouth Farah & Co, Coral Gables, Fla.
• Andrew Leith, CPA, ABV, CFF, CBIZ MHM, LLC, San Diego
• William Lind, CPA, CFF, Hemming Morse, LLP, Concord, Calif.
• Ewelina Meczkowska, CPA, CFF, ABV, RSM US LLP, New York
• Stuart Neiberg, CPA, ABV, CFA, KapilaMukamal, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Monica Ospina, CPA, ABV, CFF, Forensic Accountants & Consultants, P.A., Tampa, Fla.
• Hunter Outcalt, CPA, ABV, HealthCare Appraisers, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla.
• Micah Pycraft, CPA, CFF, Hemming Morse, Los Angeles
• Kriste Rodriguez, CPA, ABV, Eisneramper, Iselin, N.J.
• Arielle Schmeck, CPA, ABV, J. Taylor & Associates, LLC, Fort Worth, Texas
• Anveshica Tayi, CPA, ABV, AlixPartners, LLP, Dallas
• Robert Taylor, CPA, CFF, JD, CVA, Taylor & Morgan, Flint, Mich.
• Michelle Tran, CPA, CFF, Berkeley Research Group, LLC, Houston
• Tyler Wright, CPA, ABV, CFF, Moore Colson CPAs and Advisors, Atlanta

A list of prior FVS members and CFF and ABV credential holders who have received awards and recognitions over the years is available on the AICPA’s FVS Awards and Recognition page.

In addition to forensic accounting and business valuation represented by the FVS Section, the Standing Ovation Recognition Program also recognizes young CPAs who exhibit exemplary professional achievement in the areas of Personal Financial Planning (PFP) and Information Management and Technology Assurance (IMTA). The Standing Ovation nomination periods for holders of the AICPA’s PFP and IMTA specialty credentials are currently open.

Business partners or managers are encouraged to submit applications on behalf of nominees, and applicants may self-nominate with an accompanying letter of recommendation from a partner or manager. Standing Ovation nominees must be age 40 or younger, and nominations may be submitted on AICPA’s website.

About the American Institute of CPAs
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is the world’s largest member association representing the CPA profession, with more than 429,000 members in the United States and worldwide, and a history of serving the public interest since 1887. AICPA members represent many areas of practice, including business and industry, public practice, government, education and consulting. The AICPA sets ethical standards for its members and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, nonprofit organizations, federal, state and local governments. It develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination, offers specialized credentials, builds the pipeline of future talent and drives professional competency development to advance the vitality, relevance and quality of the profession.

About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association) is the most influential body of professional accountants, combining the strengths of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) to power opportunity, trust and prosperity for people, businesses and economies worldwide. It represents 657,000 members and students across 179 countries and territories in public and management accounting and advocates for the public interest and business sustainability on current and emerging issues. With broad reach, rigor and resources, the Association advances the reputation, employability and quality of CPAs, CGMAs and accounting and finance professionals globally.