Southwestern Chapter Ethics and Emerging Issues Conference

Brian F. Webster, CPA/ABV/CFF, CVA, CFE, CMA

Brian has more than 20 years of specialized business consulting experience. His engagements have involved clients in a wide variety of industries including: governmental, manufacturing, retail, banking, not-for-profit, and insurance, waste management and construction.

Brian’s clients have ranged from small, closely held businesses to large publicly traded multinational companies.

Brian has significant experience working in the area of litigation support, forensic accounting and fraud investigations. Brian’s specific experience includes commercial and economic damages, white-collar crime and criminal tax investigations, business valuations, financial restructuring and transformation consulting, due diligence and construction claims.

James Yard, CPA, CIA, CISA

Jim serves as the practice leader for the firm’s Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, business transformation, internal audit and internal control consulting services.

Patricia Giudici, CPA

Patricia is a Senior Manager in the Audit and Assurance Services Department with 15 years of experience serving a diverse group of companies within the technology (life science and software developers), manufacturing and distribution, private equity and employee benefit plan sectors. She has significant experience in working with start-up companies and private equity backed companies.  Patricia has a broad depth of experience in the areas of revenue recognition, complex debt and equity transactions and inventory costing. She is responsible for planning and managing the execution of engagements, oversight of the preparation and review of the financial statements and audit reports, and technical matters. She is a group leader for the Professional Services Group and a member of the Employee Benefit Plan Group at Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.

Jason Reljac

Jason is a manager in the Schneider Downs Technology Advisors Group. He has more than 20 years of experience in the development, implementation and maintenance of both computer software and hardware systems.

At Schneider Downs, Jason manages development and implementations of SD inSITE and simpLEASE Accounting. SD inSITE and simpLEASE Accounting are both web applications developed by the SD Tech Advisory group. SD inSITE is an automated workforce management tool, while simpLEASE Accounting is a tool developed to assist with lease accounting. He also assists in the implementation of various ERP and HRIS applications for a wide range of industries, including not-for-profit organizations and manufacturing and distribution companies.

Matt Werner, CPA

Matt joined the firm in 2019 as a Senior Tax Manager.  He was more than 12 years of public accounting experience.  Prior to joining Schneider Downs, Matt was a Senior Tax Manager for a Big Four public accounting firm. 

His background includes advising public and private corporations of all sizes, in the areas of tax consulting and compliance, tax accounting, and mergers and acquisitions.  Matt’s understanding of the corporate tax life cycle facilitates accurate income tax calculations for integration into financial statements and income tax returns. 

Matt advises clients in diversified sectors including transportation and logistics, manufacturing, and technology. 

Bernard J. Rafferty, CPA, CFE

Bernie is a Senior with the Business Advisory practice in the Pittsburgh office of Schneider Downs.  Bernie graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carlow University in May 2015, majoring in accounting and forensic accounting.  Bernie is also an adjunct professor in the Masters of Fraud in Forensic Accounting and undergraduate accounting programs at Carlow.  Bernie serves as the President of the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) after previously serving as the Education Director for four years.  While attending Carlow University, Bernie was a recipient of the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship from the ACFE Foundation and now serves as the Vice-Chair on the Scholarship Committee.

Jaye Wilson, CIA

As a manager in our Risk Advisory Services practice, Jaye brings more than 12 years of experience in internal audit, risk advisory and strategy and operations consulting; specializing in business process reviews, risk assessments, operational, risk and compliance audits and special projects. Additional experience includes data analytics and SOC 1 and SOC 2 control design/testing/report development.

Prior to Schneider Downs, Jaye was with professional consulting services firms Deloitte and RGP providing strategy and operations project management in areas of accounting, finance, internal audit, information management and supply chain for public and private clients. 

David Mitros, CPA

David joined the firm in 2019 as a Senior Tax Manager.  He has 11 years of public accounting experience.  Prior to joining Schneider Downs, David was a Senior Tax Manager for National and Regional Accounting firms.

His background includes advising privately held businesses and owners, with a specialty in flow through taxation.  Most of his clients have been in the manufacturing, construction, and real estate industries but David also has worked with some of the technology and life science start-up companies based in Pittsburgh.  David provides his clients with compliance, transaction advisory, and personal income tax planning services.