Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants Elects News Board for 2010-2011

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI, September 05, 2010 (Press-News.org) The Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA), recently announced its new executive committee. The organization elected Gregory A. Nowak as the chair of its board and welcomed four new Board members to an impressive roster of CPA professionals. New members are David Echelbarger, Mark Faulkner, Lori Kerch and Gary L. Riedlinger.

"We are excited to have longtime MACPA Member Gregory Nowak to run the Board during the 2010-2011 season," states Peggy Dzierzawski, president and CEO of the MACPA. "With Gregory's experience and the support of an extremely gifted executive committee and Board, the MACPA will be able to continue to provide its members with all the needed resources during the upcoming year in the accounting and tax profession. This is especially important now as many facets of the industry continue to change and evolve."

The 2010-2011 MACPA Board of Director's Executive Committee will be:

Gregory A. Nowak, Chair: Nowak is a principal at Miller Canfield in Detroit. One of Michigan's leading experts on state and local tax issues, he focuses his practice on structural tax planning and state tax issues. In 2008, he received the Thomas Hoatlin Award from the MACPA and, a year later, the organization presented him with a special recognition award for his contribution in the area of state and local taxation. He resides in Rochester.

John Pridnia, Chair Elect: Pridnia is a managing principal at Rehmann in Muskegon. For more than 25 years, John has been providing tax planning, trust and estate planning, private placement insurance and mergers and acquisition services to his clients. Serving on the boards of numerous local organizations, Pridnia resides in Muskegon.

Ramona H. Pearson, Treasurer: Pearson is the founder, president and CEO of Ramona Henderson Pearson, CPA, P.C. and the Pearson Group, LLC, both in Detroit. She provides public accounting and consulting services to mostly governments and non-profit organizations and is the former Auditor General for Wayne County. Pearson is a frequent speaker to future accounting students at MACPA events. She resides in Detroit.

Paul Steih, Secretary: Paul is the Audit Partner with Ernst & Young LLP in Detroit. He has more than 27 years experience as the Coordinating Partner for global automotive clients and services as a member of the National Office. Paul spent four years on international assignments in Europe and resides in Ann Arbor.

Jonathan D. Anibal, Immediate Past Chair: Jonathan manages property-casualty insurance programs in affiliation with Cambridge Property and Casualty and is the owner of Boston Charter, Inc. Prior to his current employment, Anibal worked in the audit group at the Detroit office of KPMG. He resides in Commerce Township.

Thomas H. Beard, Past Chair: Thomas is the chairman and CEO of Godfrey Hammel Danneels & Co. PC in Saint Clair Shores. With more than 20 years at the firm, in addition to other tasks, he has extensive experience in auditing, mergers and acquisitions, business valuation and litigation support. Beard resides in Clinton Twp.

The 2010-2011 MACPA new Board members are:

David G. Echelbarger, CPA, shareholder, president and COO at Echelbarger, Himebaugh, Tamm & Co, P.C. in Grand Rapids. Joining the company as a tax intern in 1987, Echelbarger leads the company's management team, providing vision and direction for the future. He concentrates his practice in accounting, business management and technology consulting. Echelbarger is a resident of Alto.

Mark Faulkner, BBA, MST, CPA, director of Deloitte Tax LLp's Michigan Multistate Tax Services in Detroit. With more than 18 years of multi-state tax experience, he has been involved with implementing state and local tax planning strategies, performing due diligence reviews related to corporate acquisitions and dispositions, and automating the state and local tax compliance process. Faulkner served as the sales and use tax practice leader for Deloitte's Great Lakes region for three years and previously was the manager of state and local tax planning for Owens Corning. He is a resident of Canton.

Lori Kerch, CPA has worked in audit and tax and in business advisory roles for public accounting firms and privately held companies. The Wolverine Lake resident previously served as controller at Bloomfield Hills-based gloSteam, where she took the company from a start-up operation to a second stage company. She was also a manager in the accounting consulting and tax department at Rehmann in Farmington Hills.

Gary L. Riedlinger, CPA, PFS, principal at Yeo & Yeo in Saginaw, has more than 32 years of public account experience and specializes in individual and corporate income tax; tax planning; state, local and international taxes; the Michigan Business Tax (MBT); tax analysis and estate planning. He often writes and speaks to groups, and at conferences regarding the Michigan Business Tax. He is a resident of Essexville.

The Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants is a diversified, professional, member-driven organization serving nearly 18,000 CPAs and affiliated professionals throughout Michigan. Visit MACPA's web site at http://www.michcpa.org.

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