Check out Our Agenda

Danny Estrada is the Vice President of Consulting at Rare Karma. Throughout his career, Danny has been a CRM evangelist and expert at leveraging technology platforms to create business value.  He has been a Senior Director at KPMG and has over 20 years of experience with accounting firms, a thought leader for Salesforce and Microsoft, and published in an industry whitepaper by the Harvard Business Review.  Danny is also a long-time columnist for CRM Magazine and he also holds an Executive MBA from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

Remarkable brands require authenticity and a die-hard commitment to values & purpose. As CEO and Managing Partner of Resound, Mike Jones passionately pursues these beliefs with every client as he leads this award-winning B2B branding agency’s vision, strategy, and business development. And he preaches these beliefs as co-author of the soon-to-be-released book, You Are Remarkable: How To Unlock Your Authentic Brand To Attract Loyal Customers as well as hosting two podcasts, Resoundcast and AZ Brandcast.

Over the last 15 years he’s personally built – or led teams in building – brand experiences for hundreds of brands including Google, HP, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Shamrock Farms, and Breezes Resorts. In more recent years, he (and all of Resound) have focused on helping specifically B2B businesses with their brand strategy, content marketing, videos, and websites. He has a deep passion for developing customer experiences built on the authentic identity of the brand with the result of keeping customers coming back for more.

Due to his expertise and experience, Mike speaks and facilitates workshops on branding and marketing at a number of marketing-focused events (including Accounting Association of Marketing Summit, Legal Marketing Association annual conference, and PHX Startup Week) as well as for country’s top university’s and organizations (including Arizona State University, Texas Tech University, American University, Arizona Commerce Authority, and the Better Business Bureau).

With a deep passion for his home state of Arizona and the entrepreneurs that call it home, Mike has co-directed PHX Startup Week in 2019 and 2020, co-founded the startup-supporting non-profit Thrive PHX, serves on the board of Conscious Capitalism Arizona, and is a partner with Social Venture Partners Arizona.

In recognition of his work building Resound, supporting Arizona business communities, and sharing his expertise, Mike Jones was named by the Arizona Republic as one of the state’s top 35 entrepreneurs under 35 in 2014, and more recently by the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the city’s top 40 Under 40 business leaders in 2020. Resound has also been recognized for their work having won numerous awards including Tempe Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award (2019), Clutch Top Branding Agencies Award (2018), EXPERTISE Best Content Marketing Agency in Phoenix (2019), and Ranking Arizona Top Advertising Agencies (with less than 15 employees) in 2021.

Mike lives in very sunny Mesa, Arizona with his wife and three kids. When he’s not doing all that stuff above, you can usually find him playing bass guitar (like the rock star he used to be), reading a good (and lengthy) history book, and, of course, sipping a cup of home-roasted coffee.

Blake Oliver is a CPA who specializes in accounting technology, and co-host of the the The Accounting Podcast, the most popular podcast for accountants and bookkeepers.

He has been honored to be named twice to CPA Practice Advisor's “40 Under 40” list and Accounting Today’s “Top 100 Most Influential People” list.

Blake founded Earmark CPE so listeners can earn continuing professional education credits for listening to my shows and many more accounting and tax podcasts.

Franco is the founder of Narrative SEO, and leads a technical marketing consultancy renowned for giving industry leaders a competitive advantage. His expertise lies in fine-tuning websites across various digital platforms, enhancing lead generation, conversions, and sales. Narrative SEO has forged strong partnerships with global brands such as The Panama Canal, Avis, MattressFirm and others - a testament to its impact in the digital marketing sphere.

Before establishing Narrative SEO, Franco honed his skills as a network engineer and IT program manager at IBM. This experience laid a solid foundation for his venture into the world of SEO and digital marketing. Currently, Franco is dedicated to advising CEOs and CMOs on the latest industry trends, offering top-tier insights to boost sales performance through digital marketing strategies.

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.

As the Head of Growth and Customer Success at QuickFee, Chris Smith drives innovative growth strategies to enhance client engagement and business expansion. With over 18 years of experience in the tech and financial sectors, Chris has a proven track record in revenue operations, go-to-market strategy, and sales leadership. Prior to QuickFee, Chris served as Vice President of Revenue Operations & Strategy at DIRTT Environmental Solutions and held various leadership roles at Sage, including Vice President of Construction ERP, Chief of Staff, and Director of Accountants Channel. Chris's expertise in crafting and executing growth strategies has consistently delivered results, making him a respected leader in the industry. Chris is passionate about leveraging technology to transform business processes and generate results.

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.

Jason serves as the firm’s Visionary, leading the strategy with Julie of which markets to serve and how to approach the industries they serve with creativity and purpose. Jason got his Bachelors in Accounting from Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC. His near 30 year career has been so varied, he’s performed every function in the firm and many other companies he has worked in. From Controller, to National Payroll Manager, to Audit Manager, to Tax Specialist, to Consultant, he has gained the experience to lead all aspects of the firm into great growth. Jason and Julie, his partner, lead the firm as well as the Thriveal CPA Network, a community providing the education, community, and entrepreneurial support for accounting firm owners all over the world.

He shows genuine care as a leader for the team, and is deeply thankful for the opportunity to lead alongside other people who do their work from the heart. Not always appropriatly delivered, Jason enjoys a good laugh and keeps the team guessing how the next point of strategy or education will be communicated.

Jason is adept at crafting, seeing, and implementing growth strategies that allow he and Julie to lead and operate two full time growing businesses. It takes a commitment of the heart to pull off, which is the model of how they lead. Heart first. This experience with service-based business growth allows him to find joy in the daily work of leading a firm, and the consulting that he and Julie provide to many service based businesses around the world.

He calls people to become the leader he knows is inside of every entrepreneur the firm serves. Jason also stays close to the operations and team, with Julie, making sure all strategies are implemented successfully, and creating the development of the firm’s Intellectual Property, courses, and events.

He lives in Greenville, SC, with his wife, and is close to seeing almost all of his 3 kids move out of the house (but not quite). He loves the challenges of living a purposeful, balanced, and sacrificial life, both personally and professionally. Seeking God as the creator and motivator for all of his heart work, he loves the way in which a well placed life can form us into better people with continual practice. Jason is always reading multiple books (at one time), loves to travel, and takes a splash of seltzer and a lime in his bourbon. He is best described as sensitive, yet continually learning to be strong. He longs for the empathetic sacrificial life while balancing his love of dark, quiet, and solitary places.

His morning coffee is always ground, fresh, and hot. Preferably with quiet meditation in the dark before the day begins. He loves to write and read on Sunday afternoon with wine, and a good grilled marinated chicken with veggies before the week begins again. He is a connoisseur of documentaries (everything!), but loves a heist movie when watching alone. A fan of the Kung Fu Wing Chun film genre, he says he can kick stuff. A favorite pastime is time spent on his screened in porch (not yet built) as late summer turns to fall.

Favorite band: Porcupine Tree

Mark Burnette is the Advisory Services Practice Leader. He possesses 18 years of experience in information security and risk management. Mark’s background includes extensive experience in security program strategy and development, regulatory compliance, security policies and procedures, risk assessment and management, penetration testing, and security function design, development, and staffing. Mark is particularly passionate about cybersecurity leadership and growing the profession.

During his decorated career, Mark has served as the President and Global Practice Leader for a national information security consulting company and built and led information security functions for two major publicly-traded corporations. He worked for several years in key leadership roles with two of the Big 6 (now Big 4) accounting firms where he specialized in developing, implementing, assessing, and securing information technology solutions for companies in the healthcare, retail, manufacturing, banking, and insurance industries. In 2005, while serving as the Global Information Security Officer for international insurance broker The Willis Group, Mark was named the Information Security Executive of the Year at the ISE Southeast Awards. In 2008, while serving as the Executive Director of IT Operations and Security for hotelier Gaylord Entertainment Company, he was named one of Information Security Magazine’s “Security 7” top seven security leaders and was chosen by ComputerWorld Magazine as one of the Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2009. In January 2011, the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), the international trade association for information security professionals, named Mark a Fellow. This prestigious honor, which has only been granted to a handful of individuals worldwide, is bestowed by the ISSA Fellow Program for distinguished accomplishments in the field of information security, leadership, and future service to the association and profession. Mark’s unique background allows him to bring a “walk a mile in the shoes” perspective to all of LBMC’s security engagements. His experience building and running information security functions allows him to develop solutions that are relevant, practical, and actionable.

Recognized as an IT security expert by technology think-tank Gartner, Mark has repeatedly been featured as a subject matter expert on ABC and CBS television affiliates been published in print media such as CSO, Secure Enterprise, Information Security, and ComputerWorld magazines, and quoted by ABCnews.com, among many media appearances. Mark’s engaging style has made him a popular and highly-requested speaker for international conferences and specialty groups around the world.

Mark currently serves on the American Institute of CPAs’ national Cybersecurity Working Group. That group of cybersecurity experts has worked on behalf of the AICPA to update existing cybersecurity control descriptions for the CPA profession and to develop a new cybersecurity risk management attestation standard that was published during 2017. The AICPA also tapped Mark to develop a cybersecurity toolkit for its member firms that provides guidance on how CPA firms can develop and staff a cybersecurity consulting function that will allow them to offer cybersecurity services to their clients. Mark also led the development of the AICPA’s official training curriculum on cybersecurity risk assessment and consulting services. These new training courses, delivered for the first time in 2017, are training the next generation of cybersecurity auditors and assessors in the proper scoping, evaluation, execution, review, and reporting of an entity’s cybersecurity posture. In January 2019, Mark was recognized as one of the cybersecurity industry’s 75 “Pioneers”, having been one of the first enterprise CISOs, and, in so doing, laying the groundwork for today’s CISO role. In March 2019, Mark delivered a wildly-popular TED talk at TEDxNashville titled “The Humanity Behind Cybersecurity Attacks”.

For his cumulative efforts as a security leader serving his community and his State, on September 11, 2008 Mark was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation from Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen in recognition of outstanding service in the best interests and highest traditions of the State of Tennessee.

In 2019, Tom became Blue & Co’s first Chief Growth Officer. He champions and leads the firm’s business development, marketing, and strategy activities. Over the last five years, Tom has focused on modernizing and standardizing the firm’s marketing and business development efforts. He has forged new partnerships with Microsoft, Introhive and ZoomInfo to build a data-driven client-first culture at Blue & Co. Prior to Blue & Co, Tom was leading healthcare growth teams at Bard Capital Partners, Cardinal Health, and Johnson & Johnson. Tom continues to participate in the healthcare, medical device, and consumer product markets by advising over 30 start-up ventures and early revenue firms in Europe, Asia and North America. Over the last 25 years, Tom has worked with his clients on developing and leading “go to market”  and sustainable growth strategies in complex healthcare regulatory markets. Tom is actively involved in fundraising and alumni activities at the University of Wisconsin and University of Michigan, along with a variety of local Indianapolis charities.

As the Head of Growth and Customer Success at QuickFee, Chris Smith drives innovative growth strategies to enhance client engagement and business expansion. With over 18 years of experience in the tech and financial sectors, Chris has a proven track record in revenue operations, go-to-market strategy, and sales leadership. Prior to QuickFee, Chris served as Vice President of Revenue Operations & Strategy at DIRTT Environmental Solutions and held various leadership roles at Sage, including Vice President of Construction ERP, Chief of Staff, and Director of Accountants Channel. Chris's expertise in crafting and executing growth strategies has consistently delivered results, making him a respected leader in the industry. Chris is passionate about leveraging technology to transform business processes and generate results.

Jason serves as the firm’s Visionary, leading the strategy with Julie of which markets to serve and how to approach the industries they serve with creativity and purpose. Jason got his Bachelors in Accounting from Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC. His near 30 year career has been so varied, he’s performed every function in the firm and many other companies he has worked in. From Controller, to National Payroll Manager, to Audit Manager, to Tax Specialist, to Consultant, he has gained the experience to lead all aspects of the firm into great growth. Jason and Julie, his partner, lead the firm as well as the Thriveal CPA Network, a community providing the education, community, and entrepreneurial support for accounting firm owners all over the world.

He shows genuine care as a leader for the team, and is deeply thankful for the opportunity to lead alongside other people who do their work from the heart. Not always appropriatly delivered, Jason enjoys a good laugh and keeps the team guessing how the next point of strategy or education will be communicated.

Jason is adept at crafting, seeing, and implementing growth strategies that allow he and Julie to lead and operate two full time growing businesses. It takes a commitment of the heart to pull off, which is the model of how they lead. Heart first. This experience with service-based business growth allows him to find joy in the daily work of leading a firm, and the consulting that he and Julie provide to many service based businesses around the world.

He calls people to become the leader he knows is inside of every entrepreneur the firm serves. Jason also stays close to the operations and team, with Julie, making sure all strategies are implemented successfully, and creating the development of the firm’s Intellectual Property, courses, and events.

He lives in Greenville, SC, with his wife, and is close to seeing almost all of his 3 kids move out of the house (but not quite). He loves the challenges of living a purposeful, balanced, and sacrificial life, both personally and professionally. Seeking God as the creator and motivator for all of his heart work, he loves the way in which a well placed life can form us into better people with continual practice. Jason is always reading multiple books (at one time), loves to travel, and takes a splash of seltzer and a lime in his bourbon. He is best described as sensitive, yet continually learning to be strong. He longs for the empathetic sacrificial life while balancing his love of dark, quiet, and solitary places.

His morning coffee is always ground, fresh, and hot. Preferably with quiet meditation in the dark before the day begins. He loves to write and read on Sunday afternoon with wine, and a good grilled marinated chicken with veggies before the week begins again. He is a connoisseur of documentaries (everything!), but loves a heist movie when watching alone. A fan of the Kung Fu Wing Chun film genre, he says he can kick stuff. A favorite pastime is time spent on his screened in porch (not yet built) as late summer turns to fall.

Favorite band: Porcupine Tree

Mark Burnette is the Advisory Services Practice Leader. He possesses 18 years of experience in information security and risk management. Mark’s background includes extensive experience in security program strategy and development, regulatory compliance, security policies and procedures, risk assessment and management, penetration testing, and security function design, development, and staffing. Mark is particularly passionate about cybersecurity leadership and growing the profession.

During his decorated career, Mark has served as the President and Global Practice Leader for a national information security consulting company and built and led information security functions for two major publicly-traded corporations. He worked for several years in key leadership roles with two of the Big 6 (now Big 4) accounting firms where he specialized in developing, implementing, assessing, and securing information technology solutions for companies in the healthcare, retail, manufacturing, banking, and insurance industries. In 2005, while serving as the Global Information Security Officer for international insurance broker The Willis Group, Mark was named the Information Security Executive of the Year at the ISE Southeast Awards. In 2008, while serving as the Executive Director of IT Operations and Security for hotelier Gaylord Entertainment Company, he was named one of Information Security Magazine’s “Security 7” top seven security leaders and was chosen by ComputerWorld Magazine as one of the Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2009. In January 2011, the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), the international trade association for information security professionals, named Mark a Fellow. This prestigious honor, which has only been granted to a handful of individuals worldwide, is bestowed by the ISSA Fellow Program for distinguished accomplishments in the field of information security, leadership, and future service to the association and profession. Mark’s unique background allows him to bring a “walk a mile in the shoes” perspective to all of LBMC’s security engagements. His experience building and running information security functions allows him to develop solutions that are relevant, practical, and actionable.

Recognized as an IT security expert by technology think-tank Gartner, Mark has repeatedly been featured as a subject matter expert on ABC and CBS television affiliates been published in print media such as CSO, Secure Enterprise, Information Security, and ComputerWorld magazines, and quoted by ABCnews.com, among many media appearances. Mark’s engaging style has made him a popular and highly-requested speaker for international conferences and specialty groups around the world.

Mark currently serves on the American Institute of CPAs’ national Cybersecurity Working Group. That group of cybersecurity experts has worked on behalf of the AICPA to update existing cybersecurity control descriptions for the CPA profession and to develop a new cybersecurity risk management attestation standard that was published during 2017. The AICPA also tapped Mark to develop a cybersecurity toolkit for its member firms that provides guidance on how CPA firms can develop and staff a cybersecurity consulting function that will allow them to offer cybersecurity services to their clients. Mark also led the development of the AICPA’s official training curriculum on cybersecurity risk assessment and consulting services. These new training courses, delivered for the first time in 2017, are training the next generation of cybersecurity auditors and assessors in the proper scoping, evaluation, execution, review, and reporting of an entity’s cybersecurity posture. In January 2019, Mark was recognized as one of the cybersecurity industry’s 75 “Pioneers”, having been one of the first enterprise CISOs, and, in so doing, laying the groundwork for today’s CISO role. In March 2019, Mark delivered a wildly-popular TED talk at TEDxNashville titled “The Humanity Behind Cybersecurity Attacks”.

For his cumulative efforts as a security leader serving his community and his State, on September 11, 2008 Mark was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation from Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen in recognition of outstanding service in the best interests and highest traditions of the State of Tennessee.

In 2019, Tom became Blue & Co’s first Chief Growth Officer. He champions and leads the firm’s business development, marketing, and strategy activities. Over the last five years, Tom has focused on modernizing and standardizing the firm’s marketing and business development efforts. He has forged new partnerships with Microsoft, Introhive and ZoomInfo to build a data-driven client-first culture at Blue & Co. Prior to Blue & Co, Tom was leading healthcare growth teams at Bard Capital Partners, Cardinal Health, and Johnson & Johnson. Tom continues to participate in the healthcare, medical device, and consumer product markets by advising over 30 start-up ventures and early revenue firms in Europe, Asia and North America. Over the last 25 years, Tom has worked with his clients on developing and leading “go to market”  and sustainable growth strategies in complex healthcare regulatory markets. Tom is actively involved in fundraising and alumni activities at the University of Wisconsin and University of Michigan, along with a variety of local Indianapolis charities.

As the Head of Growth and Customer Success at QuickFee, Chris Smith drives innovative growth strategies to enhance client engagement and business expansion. With over 18 years of experience in the tech and financial sectors, Chris has a proven track record in revenue operations, go-to-market strategy, and sales leadership. Prior to QuickFee, Chris served as Vice President of Revenue Operations & Strategy at DIRTT Environmental Solutions and held various leadership roles at Sage, including Vice President of Construction ERP, Chief of Staff, and Director of Accountants Channel. Chris's expertise in crafting and executing growth strategies has consistently delivered results, making him a respected leader in the industry. Chris is passionate about leveraging technology to transform business processes and generate results.

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.