Agenda

David Cohen is chief sales officer at HubSpot. He joined the company in 2025 to lead its global sales organization and drive growth by delivering exceptional value to customers around the world.

David brings more than two decades of experience in building and scaling high-performing go-to-market teams. Prior to HubSpot, he served as chief revenue officer at Sword Health, where he helped accelerate growth in the digital physical therapy space. Before that, David spent 15 years at LinkedIn, joining as one of its first 250 employees and playing a key role in the company’s expansion. He led LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions business across North America, growing it fivefold to $3B in annual recurring revenue, and previously tripled the EMEA business to $300M ARR while based in London. He also spearheaded the company’s geographic growth, opening new offices in Chicago and Canada.

In addition to his operating experience, David is an active advisor and investor in high-growth technology companies. He serves on the Chicago Board of Directors for Braven, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting first-generation college students on their path to strong careers. Earlier in his career, he held roles at Accenture, worked in venture capital, and founded his own consulting firm.

David holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Emory University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife and three children.

Gary Shamis is a highly experienced and accomplished business advisor, entrepreneur, and Certified Public Accountant with over 40 years of experience in the accounting and consulting industries. As the Managing Director of Winding River Consulting, Gary provides strategic guidance and support to accounting firms, helping them navigate the complex challenges of the modern business landscape.

Throughout his career, Gary has worked with hundreds of accounting firms across the United States, ranging from small local practices to large international organizations. He has a deep understanding of the challenges facing the industry, and has helped countless firms overcome those challenges and achieve long-term success.

Gary is a recognized thought leader in the industry and a frequent speaker at industry events. He has authored numerous articles and publications on topics related to accounting firm management, leadership, and growth. He is passionate about helping accounting firms achieve their full potential and has dedicated his career to this mission.

Prior to founding Winding River Consulting, Gary was a co-founder of SS&G, a top 50 accounting and consulting firm, where he served as Managing Partner for over 30 years. Under his leadership, the firm grew from a small local practice to a regional powerhouse with multiple offices and a diverse portfolio of clients.

Gary is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Akron.

With his extensive knowledge, experience, and passion for the industry, Gary has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor and mentor to accounting firm leaders across the country. He works closely with his clients to develop customized strategies that drive growth and profitability, and he is committed to helping accounting firms thrive in the face of the challenges and opportunities of the modern business world.

Brian is a visionary strategist who believes that sustainable firm growth begins with people and an outward mindset. At Winding River, Brian works with private equity firms, individual businesses, and accounting leaders to craft intentional growth strategies, integrate acquisitions, and align leadership teams around shared outcomes.

From launching new markets to transforming go-to-market teams, he brings both a strategic and operational lens to leadership. Brian’s belief in people-first culture and transparent metrics reflects WRC’s core values of clarity, collaboration, and impact. His approach is data-informed, people-driven, and built to last. A natural collaborator and industry thought leader, Brian brings decades of experience driving transformational change across professional services.

As former Chief Growth Officer at Wipfli LLP, he led the firm’s growth from $227M to more than $590M, building a nationally recognized go-to-market model rooted in industry specialization, innovation, and client value.

David Toth built his marketing expertise around a strong digital comprehension. Understanding the importance of data, he reasoned, should guide each step of the process, using informed decision making to adapt when and where necessary. Armed with the evidence, David challenges the status quo to drive results.

He is a strategic-thinker and believes the path to successful outcomes includes integrating technology with tried-and-true practices. As David sees it, when it comes to digital transformation there will always be new dots to connect. The challenge is having the discipline to make the connections that close the gap between marketing dollars and sales revenue.

David has served as an outsourced CMO, agency executive, and change agent for organizations in sectors from fast-growing start-ups to well established Fortune 500 companies. He has a knack for building meaningful relationships. David has found that while each business and industry is unique, the foundation to success is always the same — know your audience.