7. Expertise:
• Business and entity structure
• Sales and acquisitions
• Exit strategies
• IRS controversies
• Succession planning
• Liability protection
• Strategic and organizational planning
• Retirement planning
• Legacy planning
Jim LaHam
Tax Partner
Civic Activities:
• Brevard Symphony Orchestra (past Chairman of the Board)
• Estate Planning Council
• King Center for the Performing Arts (Board Member)
• Brevard Community College Foundation (Board Member)
• Stevenson School of the Arts (Student Advisory Committee)
8. Jim LaHam
Tax Partner
Jim named the Utah Jazz
basketball team, which was the
New Orleans Jazz at the time,
and has the official letter from
the team in his office.
Fun Fact
9. Expertise:
• Governmental
• Construction
• Retirement plans
• High tech and government contracting
Ross Whitley
Audit Partner
Civic Activities:
• Candlelighters of Brevard
• Leadership Brevard Alumni
• Melbourne Kiwanis Club
• South Brevard Habitat for Humanity
• City of Melbourne Village Finance Committee
• Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce
15. Expertise:
• Commercial construction
• Manufacturing
• Technology based companies
• SEC
• 401(k)
• Healthcare
• Real estate
Steven Bierbrunner
Audit Partner
Civic Activities:
• Family Counseling Center of Brevard
• KLD Youth Foundation
• Boy Scouts, Local Pack 285
• Suntree Rotary Club
17. Expertise:
• Employee benefit plan audits
• Closely held businesses
• Government contractors
• Non-profit organizations
• Commercial audits
• Compliance auditing including federal
and state single auditing
Michael Durante
Audit Partner
Civic Activities:
• Space Coast Early Intervention Center
• Florida Institute of Technology Autism Advisory Board
• Early Childhood Learning Coalition of Brevard County, Inc.
19. Expertise:
• Contractor taxation
• Succession planning
• Strategic and tactical business tax planning
• ESOPs
• Entity structuring
• Reorganizations
• Out-of-the ordinary tax benefits such as Research and
Development credits
• Energy efficiency deductions
• International sales entities (IC-DISC)
• IRS representation, negotiations and controversies
Heather McDonough
Tax Partner
Civic Activities:
• United Way Emerging Leaders
• Brevard Zoo (Board Member/Officer)
• Dance Arts Center (Board Member)
• Space Coast United Soccer Club (Board Member/Officer)
• Viera High School Academy of Business and Finance
21. Expertise:
• Construction
• Physician Practices
• Estates and Trusts
• Fiduciary Accounting
• Privately Owned Business
• IRS Matters
• Individual and Business Taxation
Brian G. Fisher
Accounting & Tax Services Partner
Civic Activities:
• AMIkids Space Coast – Treasurer
• AMIkids National Audit Committee
• Community Foundation for Brevard - Chair
• Melbourne Chamber of Commerce
22. Brian G. Fisher
Accounting & Tax Services Partner
Fun Fact
Brian knew he wanted to be a
CPA in high school and was the
only accounting major on his
college baseball team.
23. Who We Help
United States:
California
Georgia
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Texas
Virginia
Washington, DC
Wisconsin
International:
Italy
United Kingdom
Canada
Netherlands
Germany
Switzerland
Australia
Tallahassee
Jacksonville
Brevard
Orlando
Tampa
W. Palm
Beach
Miami
Total Clients: Approximately 1,208
24. Assurance and
Accounting
• We customize our services to
meet your needs. We offer:
• Audits
• Reviews
• Compilations
• Our focus is to deliver relevant,
timely and cost-effective
assurance services.
25. Assurance and
Accounting
• We provide meaningful recommendations for
improvement of operations and strengthening of internal
controls.
• Your company will benefit
at every stage of its
development through a
strategic advisory
relationship with Berman
Hopkins.
26. Compliance and
Consulting
• Our technical expertise and innovative thinking
enable us to pinpoint the tax issues unique to you.
• Our compliance services
include:
• Quality Control
• IRS Audit Exposure
Recognition
• Tax Forms Expertise
27. Compliance and
Consulting
• We provide efficient and accurate preparation of tax
returns.
• We offer a variety of consulting
services, including:
• Retirement Planning
• Succession Planning & Exit
Strategies
• Cost Segregation Studies
• Liability Protection & Entity
Selection
28. Valuation Services
• By understanding the basics, you should be able to
successfully plan the financial future of you, your
family and your business.
• The Process
1. Analysis
2. Valuation
3. Plan Development
4. Plan Execution
5. Review
29. Valuation Services
• We are members of and/or affiliated with
organizations which dedicate themselves to
promoting excellence in the business valuation
industry.
• AICPA
- Forensic & Valuation
Services Station
• NACVA
• ESOP
- National Center for
Employee Ownership
30. Contractors
• We offer contractor services in the following areas:
• Accounting
• Auditing and Assurance
• Tax Rental Compliance
• Tax Deferral Strategies
• It is our goal to maximize
your financial statement
profits and minimize your
taxable income.
31. Contractors
• We have developed solid relationships with bonding
agents to help you obtain bonding and workman’s
comp insurance.
• We have a business
valuation department ready
to provide clients with
professional valuation
reports and expert witness
services.
32. Housing & Urban
Development (HUD)
• Many of our associates are
involved in governmental
committees and make
presentations on
accounting, auditing and
other subjects at seminars.
• We have a dedicated team of professionals who are
hired and trained specifically for PHA auditing.
33. Housing & Urban
Development (HUD)
• We will consult with you in the
following areas:
• Business Transactions
• Auditing & Accounting Issues
• Compliance Procedures for
New Laws and Regulations
• Our high level of staff retention provides valuable
consistency in our service.
34. Charter Schools
• We provide open communications with your Board and
designated employees on a year-round basis.
• Berman Hopkins staff chaired the
FICPA committee which wrote the
compliance audit guide for charter
schools.
• Many of our professionals are
involved in governmental
committees and make presentations
and author articles on accounting,
auditing and other subjects at
seminars.
35. Charter Schools
• We are involved in the:
• Florida Institute of CPAs
(FICPA)
• Government Finance
Officer Association (GFOA)
• American Institute of CPAs
• And many more
• We have a thorough understanding of governmental reporting
requirements as well as statutes governing charter schools.
37. April
Date: April 6-9, 2014
Annual Conference & Tradeshow
Corpus Christi, Texas
TEXAS NAHRO
National Association of Housing and
Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
38. May
Date: May 27-28, 2014
Annual Conference
Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
