Unlock Your Sherlock: Finding Common Errors in Performing Compliance Testing (Employee Benefit Plans

Roland J. O’Brien, CPA
Director, Quality Control
Novak Francella LLC

Roland J. O’Brien has over 25 years of accounting experience with local, regional, and national public accounting firms. He has been responsible for all areas related to the audits and reviews of single employer, multiemployer, and multiple-employer sponsored plans, including employee benefits, qualified retirement, health and welfare, and fringe benefits plans.

In 2007, Roland was the founder of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (“PICPA”) Employee Benefit Plan (“EBP”) Committee and was instrumental in creating the annual PICPA Employee Benefit Plans Conference.

Roland has been responsible for creating and presenting technical training programs at the national, regional, and local level, as well as providing quality assurance services, including national EBP quality inspections. Roland is a frequent speaker on various technical issues for industry and professional organizations.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
AICPA Emerging Industries and Risk Areas Taskforce
AICPA Practice Monitoring Task Force – Employee Benefit Plans

Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Founding Member and Chair (2007-2010), PICPA Employee Benefit
Plans Committee 2007-current
PICPA Employee Benefit Plans Technical Subcommittee
PICPA Employee Benefit Plans Conference Subcommittee
PICPA Ethics Committee 2011-2012, Chair 2013-2014

EDUCATION
B.A., M.A., Bob Jones University

Post-graduate studies:
Temple University 
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Feb 2018

Deborah A. Schneider, CPA
Director of Accounting and Assurance Services

Debbie is a director in the accounting and assurance practice area at Morris J. Cohen & Co. Throughout her career, Debbie has performed financial statement audits, reviews, compilations and tax services for companies ranging from pre-revenue startups to multi-entity operations. She has experience with manufacturing, construction, software development, wholesale distribution and not-for-profit entities with a concentration in employee benefit plans.