The ONLY Conference on Practice Management for the Accounting Profession

Koltin Consulting Group, Inc. is a Chicago-based consulting firm that specializes in working with professional and financial services firms in the areas of practice growth, practice management, human capital, and mergers and acquisitions.

Highly sought for his ability to engage and inspire audiences, Allan enjoys delivering keynote addresses at conferences throughout the professional services industry. His passion is facilitating strategic planning retreats for firm leadership and partners. His specialties include strategy, governance, profitability, compensation, growth, human capital, succession, and mergers and acquisitions.

For the last twenty-four years, Allan has been named by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the accounting profession. In 2023, he was listed as the “Second Most Influential” in the profession. For the past twenty-three years, Allan was voted as one of the Most Recommended Consultants in the “Annual Survey of Firms” conducted by INSIDE Public Accounting. For the past decade, Allan has been named by CPA Practice Advisor as one of the Top 25 Thought Leaders in the profession and, in 2016, they also inducted Allan into the Accounting Hall of Fame. Allan was one of the first to be inducted into the Accounting Marketing Hall of Fame by the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM). He has also been a recipient of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analyst’s Instructor of the Year Award and winner of the Journal of Accountancy Literacy Award. Previously, he was recognized by the Illinois CPA Society with the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service and commitment to the profession.

A nationally recognized speaker and industry analyst, he has appeared on CNN, WGN and FOX TV and has been quoted frequently in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and New York Post, as well as Bloomberg News, BBC World Service, Business Week, Forbes and Reuters. He has also spoken nationally and internationally at hundreds of conferences, including those held by the AICPA, international CPA associations and state CPA societies.

Previously, Allan was the CEO of PDI Global, which was the largest provider of marketing products and services for CPA firms. Allan sold PDI Global to H&R Block in 1998, buying it back in 2008, and then selling it to Thomson Reuters in 2011. Prior to that, Allan was a partner in the Chicago-based CPA firm of FERS, where he served as leader of the Investment Banking and Law Firm Services Groups. At age 27, Allan had the distinction of being named the youngest partner in the history of the firm and was also a member of the Fim’s Executive Committee. FERS was acquired by H&R Block in 1998.

He is a founding member of The Advisory Board, a think tank for the accounting profession. For 20 years, The Advisory Board hosted the Winning Is Everything Conference. Allan has served on various advisory boards, including SS&G, Outsource Partners International (OPI), the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), The National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA), and H&R Block (HRB Business Services).

Koltin is the author-editor of three books for professional services firms: CPA Firm Merger Strategies That Work, CPAs That Sell and the AICPA’s Marketing a Consulting Niche. He serves or has served on the editorial advisory boards of CPA Practice Advisor, the Journal of Accountancy, Accounting Today, Inside Public Accounting and Law Firm Management.

Allan attended both the University of Wisconsin – Madison and – Milwaukee and received degrees in accounting and marketing. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Sharon, his three children, Jack, Brian and Julia, and his two dogs, Bucky and Cody. His hobbies include travel, chess and all sports.

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.

Dubbed a "pop entrepreneur" by New York magazine, Patrick J. McGinnis is a venture capitalist, bestselling author, and creator of the hit podcast FOMO Sapiens whose works centers on the intersection of decision-making, influence, and entrepreneurship.

He coined the term FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and its lesser-known twin, FOBO (Fear of a Better Option), in a 2004 article at Harvard Business School. FOMO has since been added to the dictionary, and FOBO was the subject of Patrick's popular TED Talk "How to Make Faster Decisions." The New York Times, Le Monde, FT, and El País have covered his work on FOMO, FOBO, and decision-making.

The author of The 10% Entrepreneur: Live Your Startup Dream Without Quitting Your Day Job and Fear of Missing Out: Practical Decision-Making in a World of Overwhelming Choice, Patrick is the brand ambassador for Latin American tech titan MercadoLibre's award-winning "Fear of Missing Audience" campaign.

Additionally, Patrick appears in the cautionary crypto documentary This is Not Financial Advice, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. With a passion for harnessing the power of words to elevate humanity, Patrick he serves on the boards of Bridge USA, a campus-based youth movement fighting political division through dialogue, the Leadership Now Project, and the Planet World Museum in Washington, DC.

A graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Business School, Patrick has visited more than 115 countries and is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and French.

With 40 years of experience in the accounting industry, Suzanne specializes in accounting, tax and business consulting services. In addition to her client work, Suzanne is the managing partner for the firm, which provides her with a business owner’s understanding of day-to-day responsibilities that she leverages for her clients. Suzanne advises in areas such business acquisitions, mergers or dispositions, profit enhancement, cash flow analysis, cash management, business forecasts and projections, financing and investor options, and accounting systems design and controls. She is also a member of our Real Estate Services Team, which focuses on developers, assets managers, lessors and real estate operations.

Suzanne’s passion lies in nurturing economic development and using her creative side to help businesses grow. Her consulting work has included fostering employment opportunities, retaining professionals in the community and finding supportive resources for companies. In one instance, she helped a client find and obtain over $100,000 in economic incentives.

Suzanne’s work with the community is also borne out of this passion. She serves on the Board of the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce, is a former Chair of the Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce and is currently on that organization’s economic development committee. She is also active with the Daytona Beach Community Foundation and previously served on the Daytona Beach Checkered Flag Committee. Throughout her career she has also authored articles on accounting and income tax issues and has conducted numerous courses on these topics.

Her accomplishments have led to several recognitions over the years. Florida Trend has twice named her one of the top 500 influential business leaders in the state (in 2021 and 2023), and the Daytona Beach News Journal named her its Private Sector Woman of the Year in 2020.

As National Managing Principal of Tax, Matt is responsible for the strategy and operations of 
BDO’s tax practice in the United States, leading more than 3,500 tax professionals and serving 
as a member of BDO’s Executive Leadership Team. Matt is also a member of BDO 
International’s Global Tax Advisory Committee, working with BDO tax leaders from around the 
globe to direct the strategy of BDO International’s tax function.

As a BDO tax principal since 2005, Matt has helped large multinational organizations in 
diverse industries and high-net-worth individuals from around the world address their 
complex tax needs. Matt also has vast experience leading the strategic direction and 
operations of tax practices.

In addition to his roles within BDO’s tax practice, Matt served as the Chairperson of the Board 
of Directors of BDO USA, serving for the maximum term allowed. His NACD (National 
Association of Corporate Directors) Fellowship and Board experience have provided him with 
a unique ability to advise on long-term value-creation strategies for companies. Matt serves 
BDO clients in a business advisory capacity as well, often serving on advisory boards for some 
of BDO’s most significant clients.

Outside of his role at BDO, Matt is part of various community organizations including roles on 
the Boards of Directors of John Ball Zoo, The Right Place, Junior Achievement of the Michigan 
Great Lakes, Literacy Center of West Michigan, and Indian Trails Camp

Focusing on the future has always been important to Chris’ leadership style — whether that 
means helping individuals at the firm grow in their roles or identifying market opportunities 
to better serve clients. He places great value on learning from others and remaining humble and 
flexible in his approach to guiding the strategic direction of a diverse group of professionals. 

Chris began his career with Cohen & Company in 1999 and initially focused on providing audit and 
tax services to privately held business. In 2004, he helped establish the firm’s investment industry 
practice and played an important role in its growth, including the expansion into the Milwaukee, Chicago, New York City and Baltimore markets. Chris also served as a lead audit partner for many of the 
firm’s largest mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, private equity fund and alternative investment 
fund clients up until his appointment as CEO in 2022.

As CEO, Chris is always looking at the bigger picture, evaluating new ways to position the firm for 
long-term success. He is responsible for strategic direction, growth and development of the firm 
against three key areas: being the employer of choice, driving operational efficiency in client engagements, and serving as a premium provider in priority markets and industries. 

Chris lives in Avon Lake, Ohio, with his wife and three children, and is an avid golfer and Cleveland 
sports fan. Chris has visited more than half of the Major League Baseball stadiums with his two sons 
with a goal of seeing them all before his youngest son turns 18.

As Managing Shareholder, Anita oversees the firm’s strategic direction and day-to-day operations. Her leadership is focused on integrating all facets of the firm to be focused as one firm, instilling the firm’s mission vision, and values across all offices. Her dedication to driving Brady Ware into its next chapter underscores her commitment to both the firm’s success and the long-term vision that defines Brady Ware’s unique position in the industry and to its clients.

 Additionally, Anita brings over 15 years of comprehensive tax experience to the firm helping clients with international, federal, state, and local tax issues. Her expertise extends to quality control across all aspects of the firm’s tax services, ensuring the highest standards in client service and strategic tax planning. With a focus on domestic and international companies, Anita collaborates with businesses spanning various industries, including real estate, technology, manufacturing, and renewable energy.

 Attributes & Approach

• Client-Centric Tax Consulting: Anita’s approach centers around providing quarterback-style service to clients. She ensures timely responses, serving as a trusted advisor who navigates complex tax scenarios and other tax-related issues.
• Research: Researching intricate tax matters to help clients find the best possible outcome, she remains dedicated to delivering answers.
• Communication Excellence: Anita’s ability to distill complex tax concepts into understandable language helps facilitate a clear understanding for the path forward.

Anita’s professional background includes a significant tenure at CohnReznick, where she honed her technical tax research skills over a decade, eventually becoming a senior manager. Her commitment to excellence and strategic mindset led her to Brady Ware, where she has been instrumental in driving the international tax practice, renewable energy, and, as managing director, helping the firm position for growth and success.

Pritpal Kalsi, the Chief Executive Officer of SC&H, succeeded the firm’s co-founder Ron Causey as CEO on January 1, 2021. In this role, he is focused on building upon SC&H’s people mission by nurturing our existing colleagues and clients while looking for growth opportunities through expansion into new services and geographies.

Whether it’s a quick chat or dropping into a happy hour, his efforts to be present are appreciated by everyone, and his simple acts of kindness have become well-known throughout each of SC&H’s offices. Not to mention, you can always count on Pritpal to be up for a team lunch which is his preferred method to keep a pulse on the state of the firm through engaging with various team members.

Prior to his promotion to CEO, Pritpal helped lead organizations in the pursuit of financial transformation and the deployment of innovative solutions that optimize the monthly close, improve forecasting accuracy, and transform an organization’s reporting and analysis capabilities. Kalsi had a particular focus in the following industries:

• Government Contracting
• Manufacturing
• Financial Services
• Hospitality
• Healthcare, et al.

As he continues the tradition of service to clients, colleagues, and community, Pritpal brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership, and passion to the role of CEO. For nearly 15 years, Kalsi’s strategic insight has helped SC&H plan for the next generation of services to provide the marketplace—in all areas of finance, accounting, and technology. He took the early initiative to spearhead the firm’s corporate-wide leadership and training programs by sourcing our professional development program, SC&H University.

In addition to partaking in the firm’s community outreach and service projects, Pritpal also serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for Make-A-Wish® Mid Atlantic.

In 2020, he was recognized on the Baltimore Business Journal’s top 40 under 40 list as well as making The Daily Record’s VIP list – Very Important Professionals Successful by 40 awards. In 2024, Pritpal was named an Influential Marylander by The Daily Record for his significant contributions to the finance field and his leadership in Maryland.

Pritpal holds a B.S. degree in Decision and Information Sciences from the R.H. Smith School of Business at University of Maryland, College Park. He also serves on the Smith School’s Business Advisory Board.

Outside the office, Pritpal enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, and collecting and using vintage film cameras dating back to the early 1900s.

With experience that spans investment management, advisory, and capital markets, Michael Bannon has a deep understanding of the financial and practical needs of private businesses. From high growth founder-run companies to multinational enterprises, Michael has partnered with key stakeholders to craft unique transaction structures, utilized across dynamic macroeconomic environments.

Since joining CSG in 2017, he has advised middle market clients on shareholder liquidity options, including ESOP M&A transactions and recapitalizations. Michael has structured transactions, secured financing, and led extensive due diligence and valuation exercises for closely-held healthcare, consumer goods, and industrial firms, among others. 

Michael previously worked with an independent, private equity fund of funds, deploying and managing $2.3 billion across private companies. As part of a Shanghai and Munich-based investment team, he managed growth capital and leveraged buyout-oriented investments across Europe and Asia. 

A native of Rochester, Minnesota, Mike anchors CSG's ESOP investment banking efforts throughout the Midwest. 

With more than 20 years of research experience in client and employee satisfaction for professional service firms, Eric and his tea­m have analyzed more than 7 million surveys with the goal of determining what drives client and employee engagement for the world’s top accounting, AEC, legal, recruiting and insurance firms.  ClearlyRated’s popular Best of Accounting® program turns actionable client and employee satisfaction surveys into credible online ratings and testimonials for many top accounting firms in North America, recognizing the top firms on ClearlyRated.com.

Eric has served as an adjunct faculty member in Portland State University’s marketing program, and has published numerous articles, business cases, and technical notes in the field of marketing, client loyalty and employee satisfaction.  Since its founding, ClearlyRated has been recognized on the Inc 5000 list of fastest growing companies in the United States, while earning recognition as a top workplace in Oregon by Oregon Business Magazine.

Eric received his MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business in 2003, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing, with a Statistics minor in Spring of 1998 from Montana State University.  He is a past President of the American Marketing Association’s Oregon Chapter.  In his free time, Eric’s passions turn to his family and two rambunctious children, and the outdoors, where he enjoys hiking, camping and cycling.

• BA, Communications, John Carroll University
• Former Member, U.S. Martial Arts Team
• United States Federal Law Enforcement Academy (FLETC)
• Certified, International Sports Science Association (ISSA)