2008 Conference Speakers

Your Conference Host

Doug Sleeter - Founder and President, The Sleeter Group, Inc.

Doug Sleeter has taught over 30,000 accountants and QuickBooks users how to properly use QuickBooks software. Doug has worked with hundreds of QuickBooks consultants in numerous industries since 1994. Doug was a pioneer in developing the first QuickBooks seminars in the country. Doug consults with several software and hardware companies on product design, marketing, and distribution.Doug's in-depth knowledge of QuickBooks and his "systems" approach to solving small business accounting problems has earned him the reputation of being one of the nation's leading QuickBooks and accounting software experts. Doug is the author of numerous books, videos and courseware materials including: The QuickBooks Consultant’s Reference Guide, QuickBooks Fundmentals, Intermediate and Complete college textbooks. Doug is also the co author of: QuickBooks Point of Sale Consulting, QuickBooks for Not for Profit Organizations and The Successful QuickBooks Consulting System.

Keynote Speakers

Jill Ward - Senior Vice President and General Manager of Accounting Professional Division, Intuit Inc.
As senior vice president and general manager of the Accounting Professionals Division, Jill Ward leads Intuit in solving accountants’ most critical tasks across their workflows, resulting in increased productivity and growth for their firms.
Ward joined Intuit in 2001 as the vice president and general manager of QuickBase and went on to lead the company’s vertical solutions businesses.  Prior to her role with Intuit’s Accounting Professionals Division, Jill served as vice president of Accountant Central where she was responsible for deepening relationships with small businesses and accountants who use QuickBooks.
Ward joined Intuit from a $100 million customer relationship management outsourcing business where she served as president. She holds a BA from Wellesley College and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth.

Nina Smith - President, Business Management Division, Sage Software
As President of the Business Management Division for Sage Software, Nina Smith is responsible for the company’s success in serving small and midsized businesses with core business management products and services that encompass accounting, customer relationship management, manufacturing and distribution, and related functions. Ms. Smith serves on the board of Output Links, Inc. She lectures frequently on marketing, mentoring, and general business topics, and is featured in the book, The One to One Manager: Real World Lessons in Customer Relationship Management, by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, Ph.D. She is a business graduate of the University of Redlands, California.

Randy Johnston, Executive Vice President and partner of K2 Enterprises and Network Management Group, Inc.
Mr. Johnston is known as one of the 2004, 2005 Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People and one of nine technology stars in the U.S. according to Accounting Technology Magazine. Mr. Johnston owns multiple businesses that he has started during his esteemed 27 years in technology and management consulting. In addition, he taught technology courses at Hutchinson Community College, James Madison University, Western Washington University, and the University of Central Oklahoma. Mr. Johnston is a nationally recognized educator, consultant, and writer with over 30 years experience in Strategic Technology Planning, Systems and Network Integration, Accounting Software Selection, Business Development and Management, Diaster Recovery and Contingency Planning, and Process Engineering.

Gregory LaFollette, CPA.CITP, Executive Editor of The CPA Technology Advisor
Greg has practiced public accounting for nearly 35 years, served as an executive for one of the country's leading accounting software providers and now heads the profession's premier technology magazine. He continues to practice as a Senior Manager of Tax and Technology Consulting with the Top 25 firm of Eide Bailly, LLP, and is extremely involved with the AICPA's technology efforts. He chairs its prestigious CITP Credential Committee, and serves on the TECH+ Planning and the Top Tech Initiatives committees. Greg speaks extensively and last year presented in 14 states to nearly 40 different groups (over 4,000 individuals) on accounting technology related topics. Greg and his wife chose to live in their hometown of Sioux Falls, SD.

More Keynotes to Be Posted Soon!

Main Conference Speakers

We are adding speakers every week. These are just a few of our 2008 speakers.

Andrew B. Abrams, Founder and Executive Director of Technology In A Box, is one of the nation’s leading QuickBooks and Microsoft consultants, providing Information Technology and Accounting Software Solutions to small and medium sized business around the country. With over 15 years experience in accounting, management information systems, retail and sales, Andrew has guided manage business owners on how to improve their productivity through the use of their technology.  Ander was one of the first consultants in the country to be certified by Microsoft as a Small Business Specialist and has won numerous awards from Intuit for sales and service as a charter member of the Intuit Solution Provider Program.  Andrew has been a featured speaker by Intuit, Microsoft and the Sleeter Group for webinars and conventions nationwide. Andrew received a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting both from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business.  Andrew is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, a Certified QuickBooks Enterprise and Point of Sale ProAdvisor, a Microsoft Certified Small Business Specialist, a Microsoft Certified Professional and a Sleeter Group Certified Consultant. 

Randy Bacchus is a Senior Trainer with the Sage Accpac Learning Services team, focusing on financial reporting/business intelligence, project/job costing, payroll and CRM.  He has worked with the Accpac product line for over 14 years, starting as an Accpac Plus user but moving on to various roles as a consultant and channel partner.  He has held senior positions in consulting, implementation, sales/marketing and client care for one of the largest Sage Accpac solution providers in Canada.  Prior to working with Sage Accpac, Randy was a partner and lead consultant for an emerging IT firm providing custom solutions for midmarket and multinational clients.  Randy holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University and works out of the Sage’s Toronto office.

Dave Brown has been involved in both manufacturing and manufacturing software for over 25 years.  He is the co-founder of Manufacturing Information Systems Inc. (MISys).  He has been a speaker at numerous industry events over the years and has developed an insightful understanding and knowledge of what real manufacturers are looking for in manufacturing software. Dave has been involved with business partners and consultants in 46 countries worldwide, helping them to accomplish successful engagements with small- to medium-sized manufacturers in their respective markets.  He is the author of An Accountant's Guide to Choosing the Right Manufacturing Software available at www.misysinc.com/cpaguide.

Leslie Capachietti has been working with small businesses for over 15 years, helping them both streamline and gain a better understanding of their financial operations using QuickBooks software. Having successfully owned and operated her own businesses, Leslie has a personal understanding of the unique needs and resource constraints (both time and money) of business owners. She is National Speaker and Trainer for Intuit and is one of the country's leading experts on QuickBooks Financial and QuickBooks Point of Sale software. Ms.Capachietti holds an MBA degree in Finance and Accounting from Boston University and was a member of Intuit's Accountant and Advisor Customer Council from 2003-2005. This year, Leslie returns to our Preconference day with her QuickBooks Point-of-Sale consutling seminar. Having just completed her book QuickBooks Point of Sale - Best Practices for Success, published by The Sleeter Group, Leslie is one of the country's leading authorities on QuickBooks Point-of-Sale.

David Cieslak is a Principal with Arxis Technology, Inc., a computer consulting firm with offices in Southern California, Chicago and Phoenix. He specializes in micro-computer accounting systems, information security, the Windows operating environment, eCommerce, handheld computing, systems development and project management. He is currently an instructor for K2 Enterprises and frequent speaker for the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and other state accounting societies. He speaks on computerized accounting topics, information security, handheld computing, electronic commerce, Linux and the Windows operating environment. He has taught micro-computer classes for California State University at Northridge and written articles for The Quantum PC Report for CPAs, CSCPA Outlook, California CPA, and the AICPA InfoTech Update. He is currently on the editorial board of the CPA Technology Advisor and the California CPA. He is a Sage ACCPAC ERP and Sage ACCPAC Plus Certified Consultant, a Windows Certified Professional and holds the GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC).

David Glantz has worked for various financial accounting and technology software companies for over 25 years providing consulting and consulting management services - Ross Systems, Walker Interactive, Flexi International, Macromedia.  David left the corporate world to pursue a dream of running his own consulting business and to be closer to his family.  Six years ago, David and his wife Robin collaborated to form Business Cents, a QuickBooks centered organization with 8 employees based in Marin County, California. Business Cents/David is an Intuit Retail Solution Provider (RSP) since 2006, Intuit Solution Provider (ISP), Advanced QuickBooks Certified, Certified Sleeter Group Consultant.

Allen Goldberg joined the Microsoft team in 2005 as an "edutainer" who specializes in making the complex simple. After 20 + years as a corporate executive and business owner, Allen created  & taught the most popular elective computer course to high school students for six years in Plano, TX, both in the classroom and on internal web casts. Audiences from young to old find his presentations fun and informative.  A title sampling of Allen's web casts are "Internet Security,", "Microsoft Office Accounting 2008-the right stuff!", "Protecting your Priceless Data", "How to Protect Yourself in Our Digital World, and "Small Business Essentials...what you need to succeed."

Shane Hamby began his career with Intuit working QuickBooks in 1996 and is currently Product Manager for QuickBooks. He is considered a QuickBooks product expert within the company and the accounting community.

 

 

 

David F. Kvederis is president and CEO of BankServ - a company he founded in 1996. Kvederis has almost 40 years experience in the banking industry, including stretches as chairman of NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association and as senior vice president of corporate banking and cash management at Wells Fargo. He also served as an advisor with the U.S. Treasury Department to help build a private financial system in Lithuania the former Soviet Union. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kvederis holds an MBA from the University of Chicago. He resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

René Lacerte founded Bill.com in April 2006, bringing with him more than 18 years experience in the finance, software and payments industries. Built from a legacy of four generations of entrepreneurs, René developed the concept for Bill.com based on personal experience growing new businesses. He realized the tremendous need to simplify and automate the way businesses manage bills, invoices, payments, contracts and other important financial documents; and the challenge of not having control and intelligence into daily spending and cash flow. Bill.com solves these issues and also puts all valuable financial documents in one place for secure access anywhere/anytime.

Michelle L. Long, CPA, MBA is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, author of the book Successful QuickBooks Consulting and a member of the Trainer/Writer Network for Intuit.  She is the owner of M. Long Consulting, LLC and a Certified FastTrac™ Facilitator for the Kauffman Foundation.  She was named Financial Services Champion of the Year for 2007 by the U.S. Small Business Administration in recognition of her training and consulting work with Small Business Development Center clients.  She has taught QuickBooks® seminars for the past eight years as well as college courses in Accounting Information Systems, Strategic Management, Entrepreneurial Marketing, and FastTrac™  Business Planning as an adjunct professor at University of Missouri—Kansas City and Johnson County Community College.   Prior to starting her own business, her work experience included Price Waterhouse and Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Bonnie J Nagayama has been focused on supporting Accountants and their QuickBooks® Accounting Software clients with practical solutions for financial and day-to-day operational issues since 1992. Her Controller background and CPA experience are a perfect blend to bridge the gap between what the client wants and what the Accountant needs.  She understands both sides and can effectively use QuickBooks to provide a solution that works for each party.  Bonnie has been a member of the QuickBooks Professional Advisor Program since its inception, an Intuit Solutions Provider, and is a member of the Intuit Speaker’s Bureau.  She was a recipient of the California CPA Education Foundation’s Award for Instructor Excellence.  Sign up today for her free weekly tips and tricks newsletter available at www.4luvofbiz.com. 

Mario Nowogrodzki is an information systems consultant and instructor.  He is the founder and principal of Mendelson Consulting (established in 1992), based in South Florida, specializing in QuickBooks and information technology consulting services. Mario holds Master of Accounting Information Systems and Bachelor of Accounting degrees.  He is a Certified Public Accountant since 1992 and has received the Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) designation from the American Institute of CPAs.  Mario is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Certified QuickBooks Enterprise ProAdvisor, Certified QuickBooks POS ProAdvisor, and member of the Intuit Accountants Speakers Bureau.  A leading figure on the national QuickBooks scene, Mario was selected to be a charter member of the QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Provider and the QuickBooks POS Retail Solutions Provider Programs; he currently serves on the Intuit Solutions Provider Program Advisory Council. A frequent author and instructor of QuickBooks and technology topics for accountants and continuing education programs, Mario is a contributing author and speaker for Intuit and The Sleeter Group on QuickBooks and technology, and was recently recognized as a ‘2008 Killer VAR’, a prestigious distinction awarded by “Accounting Technology” magazine. In addition to working with QuickBooks users and ProAdvisors, Mario provides information technology consulting services to accounting firms and other businesses—helping them to serve clients better and manage their practice more efficiently.  You may reach Mario via e-mail at ‘mario@mendelsonconsulting.com’.

Shafat Qazi is the CEO and Founder of BQE Software Inc.  Shafat has been involved with professional services businesses for over 20 years and is internationally recognized for his simple yet effective business management ideas.  Shafat not only manages the company but is also the chief architect behind the actual programming of the company's flagship product BillQuick. Shafat possess both the business skill sets required to run the corporation and lead the development of new and innovative products such as BillQuick.

M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP, is president of Root and Associates LLC, a full-service accounting firm in Bloomington, Ind. By effectively implementing and using information technology, Root distinguishes his firm from competitors by providing comprehensive solutions by integrating finance, accounting and technology. The firm’s services include business consulting, accounting services, payroll preparation, individual and business tax planning and preparation, technology solutions, and financial planning. Active in the community and in the accounting profession, Root is the Contributing Editor of CPA Technology Advisor Magazine, a member of the board of directors of the Indiana CPA Society, a member of the AICPA’s CITP Credential Committee, and a frequent guest lecturer on accounting technology at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. His advice is regularly featured in various podcasts and Web seminars, as well as articles in the Journal of Accountancy, Practical Accountant, Accounting Technology and CPA Technology Advisor. Root is a national speaker for Thomson Tax and Accounting seminars, Thomson’s annual User’s Conference, and is the managing member of RootWorks, LLC an organization dedicated to providing consulting services to CPA firms across the US and Puerto Rico.

Naseem Saab is passionate about helping small businesses succeed!  Naseem is the president and founder of Results Software and DPS Consulting, LLC with more than 22 years of experience in the computer consulting and software development industries.  Naseem is a recognized pioneer in the CRM industry and office automation technologies.  His success in providing business solutions to small and mid-size businesses is an outgrowth of his management experience and business philosophies. Recognizing the consistent need of businesses to maximize the efficiency of limited resources, Naseem developed and launched Results® in 1986. Leveraging the Results model, Naseem helps his clients streamline their operations, increase efficiency and improve customer relationships.

Mike Savory has been with Sage Software for 15 years and is currently a Senior Product Manager for the Peachtree product line. He formerly managed Sage’s Timeslips time and billing software product line for many years with a focus on the accountant and professional services markets. He currently maintains this focus with responsibility for Peachtree’s Accountants’ Edition product and for enhancing Peachtree to better meet the needs of service businesses.

Wayne Schulz is a CPA and Consultant with Schulz Consulting, LLC in Glastonbury CT where he specializes in Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 accounting software. A large part of his practice is consulting with companies who want to improve their existing financial systems. Wayne began his consulting career managing the technology consulting departments of two large CPA firms. His Connecticut firm specializes in ongoing advanced level technical support to clients located as far away as Alaska, California, Texas and Florida. He publishes an e-mail newsletter twice monthly to over 2,500 subscribers with timely news concerning Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 and is a Contributing Editor for Accounting Technology and news editor for the online review site GearDiary.com.

Anna M. Sheets, CPA, Principal, Accounting Made Simple
Since 1976, Anna has helped meet the accounting & reporting needs of Not-for-Profits. Over the years, she has served small businesses and Not-for Profits from inside and out. Her experience includes acting as auditor, tax professional, and consultant, as well as board member, manager, internal bookkeeper and volunteer. Her experience includes a broad range of software; from QuickBooks & Peachtree to M.I.P & MAS systems as well as exposure to a wide variety of management solutions. Her practice today specializes in optimizing QuickBooks® for use in non-profit and church accounting. Her experience has enhanced the Sleeter Group’s range of industry excellence as contributing author, consultant and speaker for several years.

Leslie Shiner—author, speaker, and trainer—has more than twenty years of experience working as a financial and management consultant for the construction industry. As the owner and principal of The ShinerGroup, she has helped both small and large construction companies better understand their business practices and maximize their profits. Ms. Shiner firmly believes training and education is instrumental in the growth and success of those in the contracting field. She is also the author of numerous publications that focus on the construction industry including the Profit Press Profit Guides: Choosing ‘Best Fit’ Construction Management Software, Implementing New Business Management Software and Health Checkup for Your Construction Business among others. Ms. Shiner’s post-graduate education focused on Finance and Accounting culminating in an MBA from UC Berkeley. Ms. Shiner has combined her knowledge of construction management with her passion for education. She teaches Construction Accounting and Project Management seminars around the country and frequently speaks at industry conferences, both locally and nationally. She has received the CEDIA Top 10 Instructor Award for the last two years. Ms. Shiner has taught as Adjunct Faculty both at the California State University System and Dominican University.

Lori Siegerman began her career with Intuit in 1998, working with the QuickBooks product group.  Her first role was with the QuickBooks sales team, ensuring smooth launches for QuickBooks customers.  She has served as a Black Belt and Master Black Belt, responsible for driving operational excellence and building a better customer experience.  She joined the ProAdvisor Support Team in 1994, with a goal of providing the highest quality of support to our most important customers.  Under her leadership, the technical support team has completely turned around, from being a consistent source of pain and frustration, to one of the most cited reasons for continued sales.   She has built strong relationships with some of our most influential ProAdvisors, gathering customer requirements and driving internal improvement, based on needs.  A fixture at the Intuit Accountant Advisory council, she represents the customer driven innovation for which Intuit is known.  She is now responsible for leading the team to the next level as we strive to develop a top-notch customer experience, using multiple channels and methods of contact. 

Amy Vetter, CPA.CITP, is an Executive Director of Technology In A Box, LLC and President of AV Accounting Services Inc. in Ft Lauderdale, FL.  Technology In A Box delivers end-to-end financial, operational and technology solutions and services to their clients. Amy is an accomplished author of QuickBooks reference materials and is a contributor and speaker for Intuit’s courses for Certification and Training of QuickBooks ProAdvisors and Accountants as well as a co-author of The Sleeter Group's QuickBooks end user training materials. Amy is a member of Intuit’s Speaker's Bureau, Intuit's Certified Trainer Network, and is a participant in the Accountant and Advisory Customer Council for Intuit, Inc., 2006-2008 and a Sleeter Group Certified QuickBooks Consultant.  Amy is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, and a Certified QuickBooks Enterprise and Point of Sale ProAdvisor. Amy has been recognized by The CPA Technology Advisor as an outstanding 40 under 40 technology-based Accountant and was also awarded South Florida Business Journal’s Up & Comer Award in 2007 for her expertise in accounting. Technology In A Box has offices in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Florida. For more information, call 877/824-6229 or visit www.TechnologyInABox.net.

Chuck Vigeant is the Managing Partner of ACCOUNTiGRATE, LP and is known as the “grandfather” of Crystal Reports and Business Intelligence for QuickBooks.  He is considered the foremost expert on using the ODBC driver and the Intuit SDK for data analysis and integration. Chuck is a sought after speaker and instructor of topics ranging from proper hiring procedures and developing business plans, to QuickBooks usability, custom reports, and data mining. Currently, Chuck is a member Emeritus of the Intuit Accountant and Advisor Council, a member of the Intuit Speaker’s Bureau; an Advanced Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor, and an Intuit data engineer consultant.

William M. Willcoxson is the ProAdvisor Senior Service Manager and is responsible for improving the customer experience within the ProAdvisor Program.  He manages the delivery of the many benefits of the ProAdvisor Program to it’s over 50,000 participants, including technical support, Certification, and both the ProAdvisor Member Website  as well as the Find-a-ProAdvisor Website.  He has been with Intuit for over 8 years and has worked as a sales consulting and a technical support engineer for many QuickBooks offerings.

Bob Wolff has worked with over 3,000 professional firms and 150 technology companies over the past 20 years. He has held marketing, reseller management, product management, support, and training positions. Since 2004, Bob has played a key role in BQE Software's rapid growth. Currently he manages the company's BillQuick Advisor program.  With 100+ Advisors, Bob assists advisors with clients and develops new marketing resources. In the past 6 months, new Advisors have more substantial contracts than ever before, each adding high value to BillQuick products and services to ensure the right solution for clients.

Joe Woodard is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and Trainer with over 10 years of experience supporting clients who use QuickBooks. Since Joe began teaching QuickBooks 7 years ago, he has taught over 15,000 QuickBooks users and QuickBooks consultants across the country. Joe currently works with Intuit, The Sleeter Group, and Atlanta-area CPA firms to present advanced QuickBooks instruction to accounting professionals and QuickBooks users. Joe Woodard has earned a unique relationship with Intuit as a trainer, consultant and author. Joe regularly publishes articles as a freelance columnist for the Intuit ProConnection newsletter several times each year. Joe also provides advisory services to Intuit regarding product development, project management, and Intuit's interaction with accounting professionals. Recently, The CPA Technology Advisor recognized Joe Woodard as one of the 40 most influential accounting technology consultants in the U.S.