Speakers
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.
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.
Joy Youell is a content strategist who helps companies understand that their content is more than just words on a page: it is a powerful tool that magnetizes a brand, providing essential differentiation in crowded markets. Her academic background in philosophy and psychology equipped her with a deep understanding of human behavior. She spent many years as the Chief Editor of an education franchising company, which gave her a taste for the winning power of marketing copy and its ability to transform the trajectory of businesses of all sizes.
Joy now provides both consultation and content production services for Winding River Consulting clients. She works closely with the digital marketing team to conceive and execute on creative strategies.
Joy is also the founder of Hire a Writer, a copywriting agency and training ground for copywriters worldwide. She is an avid student of human communication, a leading expert in on-page SEO, and a capable leader and instructor.
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.