Pittsburgh Chapter Practitioners Conference

Richard F. Fischer, CPA, CGMA
Partner
Louis Plung & Company LLP

Rich is the Partner-in-Charge of the Accounting and Auditing Department of Louis Plung & Company. He has more than 27 years of experience in audits, reviews, compilations, and internal control engagements in the public, private, non-profit and governmental sectors. His clients range in size from start-up companies to multi-billion dollar corporations. His extensive industry experience includes real estate, manufacturing, construction, communication, wholesale distributors, and retail. Rich joined Louis Plung in 1999, and previously had worked for two of the “Big Four” accounting firms.

In addition to the above industries, Rich specializes in employee benefit plan audits, which includes financial statement audits, reviews, and compilations, as well as service organization examinations. In addition to providing the traditional employee benefit plan accounting and audit services, he has worked with clients to successfully negotiate with the Department of Labor on matters related to their plan.

Rich also assists public companies in addressing and resolving comments related to their accounting positions or financial disclosure-related issues raised by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In his role as Technical Review Partner, Rich is responsible for ensuring that all financial statements the Firm issues are in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, and he assesses the impact of new accounting and auditing pronouncements on clients. Rich frequently develops training materials and conducts seminars for clients and the Firm on new accounting and auditing pronouncements, and on hot topics related to accounting, auditing and financial reporting.

Community Involvement and Professional Associations
• Approved Peer Reviewer (AICPA)
• Chair, Construction Committee (PICPA)
• Chair, Technical Committee of the Employee Benefits Plan Committee (PICPA)
• Member, Peer Review Committee (PICPA)
• Member, Accounting and Auditing Procedures Committee (PICPA)

Jeffrey A. Ford, CPA
Partner
Grossman Yanak & Ford LLP

Jeff has focused his career on providing accounting, auditing, and consulting services to privately held companies and not-for-profit organizations. His experience includes furnishing compliance services such as audits; due diligence and investigation services related to business acquisitions; fraud investigations; developing and compiling projected and forecasted financial statements; and evaluating, selecting and implementing information systems for a variety of companies in the wholesale, service, manufacturing, construction, distribution and not-for-profit industries.

Jeff’s experience includes significant advisory and accounting services related to business acquisitions and sales. In this arena, Jeff has assisted many companies with due diligence, structuring transactions, transition consulting and dispute resolution. Jeff has served a diverse group of ownership groups including public companies, private companies, private equity groups and foreign investors.

Jeff has provided expert testimony and services related to litigation support, arbitration and mediation in connection with business acquisitions, contract disputes and certain bankruptcy matters.

Jeff frequently speaks at seminars and business association meetings. He has written and instructed classes regarding LIFO inventories, business acquisitions and the impact of information technology on accounting controls and audit risks. Additionally, he participated in the formation of the International Consulting Network, an association of firms in over 40 cities dedicated to accounting system consulting.

Jeff is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants and the Management Consulting Services Division of the AICPA. He also serves as an officer of the Boards of Directors of two local tax-exempt organizations and serves on the Executive Committee of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Michelle L. Hoke, CPA
Senior Manager
Maher Duessel CPAs

Ms. Hoke began her public accounting career in 1999 with Maher Duessel. Ms. Hoke serves a broad base of non-profit clients including  libraries, religious institutions, human service providers, foundations, and art/cultural institutions.

Representative Clients
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh • eiNetwork • Cornerstone TV • Society for Contemporary Craft • McGuire Memorial Homes

Professional Activities and Volunteer Affiliations
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) – Member
• Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accounts – Member
• Leadership Pittsburgh – Class XIV, Leadership Development Initiative
• Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank – Food Distribution Volunteer

Education and Training
• B.S. in Accounting, M.S. in Accounting, Grove City College

Representative Clients

Dianne S. Wainwright, Esq.
Partner
Margolis Edelstein

Ms. Wainwright graduated from Washington & Jefferson College in 1986 earning the Distinguished Military Graduate award; upon graduation she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.   Ms. Wainwright is a 1990 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.  She is admitted to practice before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the United States District Court for both the Western and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Ms. Wainwright has extensive litigation experience handling a wide variety of commercial cases including representing accountants, engineers, professional land surveyors, real estate closing companies, insurance agents, insurers and stock brokers in numerous professional liability matters.

Ms. Wainwright has defended/represented accountants in actions involving allegations of fraud, misrepresentation and failing to follow applicable professional standards relating to attestation, tax, and consultation engagements.   Her cases have included involvement with IRS investigations, tax matters, Grand Jury investigations, business valuations, governmental compliance audits, annual financial statement audits and attestation engagements. Ms. Wainwright has also represented professionals in various administrative matters before the State Licensing Boards.

Additionally Ms. Wainwright has litigated UM/UIM coverage disputes. She has represented engineers, contractors and sureties in numerous construction claims. In addition to handling civil matters in both the federal and state courts, Ms. Wainwright has litigated and mediated numerous claims filed before the American Arbitration Association.

Ms. Wainwright is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association.  She is also currently serving on the Rules Committee for the Allegheny County Bar Association.  She is a frequent speaker and presenter, providing continuing professional education to professionals where the focus of her presentations involve how to reduce risk in particular practice areas.

Ms Wainwright received the Bronze Star Medal for her service in the 1991 Desert Storm Campaign as the Commander of the 630th U.S. Army Transportation Company.  She remains active in Veterans organizations including the American Legion, and the American Legion Auxiliary.  Ms Wainwright volunteers with numerous non-profits and serves as a Board Member for Youth Places, a non-profit corporation serving the needs of urban youth in Pittsburgh; she is the Secretary of the Mt. Lebanon Baseball Association and a member of the Mt. Lebanon Community Relations Board as well. 

Practice Areas:
* Professional Liability – Accountants, Insurance Agents, Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors
*Construction/Surety Litigation
*General Commercial Liability

Areas of Concentration:
Accounting Malpractice, Engineering Malpractice,  Defending Insurance Agents, Insurers and Stock Brokers, Insurance Policy Coverage Issues, UM/UIM Disputes, Premises Liability, Construction/Surety Litigation and General Liability Claims.