Greater Philadelphia Chapter Crucial Concerns When Buying, Merging, or Selling a CPA Firm, Law Firm, or Consulting Business

Ira S. Rosenbloom, CPA, is the chief operating executive of Optimum Strategies, LLC, a consulting firm focused on helping accounting firms improve their business performance and the entrepreneurial skills of their current and future leaders.

With more than 25 years of experience as a public accountant, Ira has the unique perspective of someone who has achieved success as an entrepreneur leading a mid-size accounting firm, a practice director in the corporate environment of a top-20 firm and a regional partner in a national accounting industry M&A business. Using lessons learned from the front lines and interior offices, he leverages his knowledge to help clients improve their profitability, efficiency and strategic accomplishments.

A dynamic, results-oriented professional, Ira is recognized for his ability to enhance the profitability channels of accounting firms and to motivate internally and externally for strong bottom line results. As managing member of a highly profitable, 40-person firm, he tripled sales volume during his 15-year tenure, introduced several new lines of service, effectively negotiated the retirement of four founding members, positioned the practice for merger and ultimately oversaw its successful integration with a top regional firm. In the combined firm, Ira was responsible for the marketing, operational efficiency, sales and recruiting efforts of a $20M practice area focused on closely held businesses.

Ira’s CPA firm career path provides a perspective that stimulates strong interest in his speaking and writing. He actively presents for the AICPA, to industry associations as well as state societies. Ira is a long time member of the editorial board of CPA Practice Management Forum, a regular contributor to The Practicing CPA and has been published in Accounting Today. Ira is a proud member of PICPA and the state societies of New York , New Jersey and Connecticut. Licensed in both New York and New Jersey, Ira served with distinction on AICPA’s prestigious Management of an Accounting Practice Committee. Ira has served as a Trustee of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and has directed many initiatives for local chapters.

Now as a sought-after strategic adviser to small and medium sized accounting firms, Ira uses his “Managing Partner On Call” and “House Call” platforms as the means to share his strengths in practice management, managing partner effectiveness, business intelligence processes, practice enhancement, tax department optimization, next generation leadership development and mastering the merger matrix.

Ira graduated cum laude from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and received his Master of Science degree in Accounting with honors from Northeastern University.

William R. Wanger

Bill represents a diverse group of manufacturing, retail, professional, franchise and other types of privately held businesses. He counsels clients on a broad range of topics, including:

• mergers, acquisitions, and other sales and purchases of businesses
• family and management succession planning
• franchise and license matters real estate purchases and sales raising business capital and financing

Bill has lectured on:

• the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
• business purchase and sale agreements
• shareholder, member, and partnership buy and sell agreements
• letters of intent
• ethics in business transactions

Bill is an American Red Cross Blood Drive Chair. He is also a Republican Committeeman and Municipal Chair of the Republican Committee of Lower Gwynedd Township.

Michael J. Stephano, CPA

Present Position
Michael is Managing Partner at Stephano Slack LLC, a Philadelphia based regional accounting and tax firm.

Experience
Prior to joining Stephano Slack LLC, Michael worked at Rainer & Company located in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania and a Partner at Carrow, Doyle & Associates located in Berwyn, Pennsylvania.
Areas of professional experience include managing an array of privately held companies in manufacturing, wholesale distribution, the automotive industry, contracting, real estate development, education, retirement plans, and financial services organizations.
At Stephano Slack LLC, he is responsible for ensuring the quality of the firm’s financial reports and administrating the firm’s audits.
Michael has been a Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania since 1992.

Education 
Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Villanova University.

Professional  
Member of American Institute of Certified Public Accounts.

Activities  
Member of Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
   
Seminars 
Michael has delivered presentations on audit topics to various civic and professional organizations.
 
Other Activities
Advisory Board Member of various privately owned companies.