Congratulations to the 60 accounting firms named the 2008 Best Accounting Firms to Work for in the first annual program created by The Accountants Media Group, publishers of Accounting Today, Accounting Technology, CPA Wealth Provider, Practical Accountant and host of WebCPA.com and Best Companies Group.

2008 Best Accounting Firms to Work for (alphabetical order, no ranking)

· Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP
· BARFIELD MURPHY SHANK & SMITH
· Bartolomei Pucciarelli, LLC
· Berlin, Ramos & Company, P.A.
· Bernard Robinson & Company, LLP
· Berntson Porter & Company, PLLC
· Biscotti, Toback & Company, CPA’s P.C.
· BKD, LLP
· Bland, Garvey, Eads, Medlock + Deppe, PC
· Bond Beebe
· Boyer & Ritter, CPAs and Consultants
· Briggs & Veselka Co.
· Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz
· Brown Smith Wallace, LLC
· Burr, Pilger and Mayer, LLP
· Citrin Cooperman & Co.
· Clifton Gunderson LLP
· Cohen & Company
· Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A.
· Daszkal Bolton LLP
· DiCicco, Gulman & Company LLP
· DiGiovine Hnilo Jordan + Johnson Ltd.
· Ernst & Young
· Frazier & Deeter, LLC
· Friedman LLP
· GALLINA LLP
· Garcia, Espinosa, Miyares & Company, LLP
· Glenn M. Gelman & Associates, Certified Public Accountants and Business Consultants
· Heinfeld, Meech & Co., P.C.
· Henry & Horne, LLP
· Johnson Lambert & Co. LLP
· Kaufman, Rossin & Co.
· KPMG LLP
· KraftCPAs PLLC
· Kreinces Rollins & Shanker, LLC
· Lanigan, Ryan, Malcolm & Doyle, P.C.
· LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand
· Mahoney, Ulbrich, Christiansen & Russ PA
· Mark Bailey & Company
· Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs, P.A.
· McKonly & Asbury, LLP
· PETRINOVICH PUGH & CO, LLP
· PKF Texas
· Porter Keadle Moore, LLP
· Presser, Lahnen & Edelman, PA
· Rothstein Kass
· RSM McGladrey/McGladrey & Pullen
· SAS 70 Solutions
· Sharrard, McGee & Co., P.A.
· SingerLewak
· Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd, LLC
· The Rehmann Group
· Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C.
· Whitley Penn LLP
· WHITLOCK, SELIM & KEEHN, LLP
· Wilkin & Guttenplan, P.C.
· William Vaughan Company
· Windham Brannon
· Wipfli LLP
· WithumSmith+Brown, P.C.

The ranking of the Best Accounting Firms to Work for will be unveiled and published in the January 5, 2009 issue of Accounting Today.

This survey and award program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in the accounting industry, benefiting the nation’s economy, its workforce and businesses. The Best Accounting Firms to Work for list is made up of 60 companies split into three groups: 5 small-sized companies (15-24 employees), 40 medium-sized companies (25-249 employees) 15 large-sized companies (more than 250 employees).

Firms from across the country entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Accounting Firms to Work for. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration, survey and analysis process and determined the final rankings.

For more information on the Best Accounting Firms to Work for program, visit www.BestAccountingFirmstoWorkfor.com.

I am proud to brag about one of my clients, Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C., winners (for the second year in a row) of a Practice Innovation Award sponsored by Practical Accountant. Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C. formed its Revenue Enhancement Committee (REC) about 18 months ago to focus client retention and acceptance, and on pricing. The REC meets monthly as well as communicates via e-mail between meetings.

Activities of the REC include:
· Establishing client acceptance criteria.
· Strategizing pricing options for clients and new business prospects.
· Evaluating the lowest realization clients (largest write-offs) for each partner and manager and brainstorming ideas to improve work efficiency and job profitability.
· Developing a Client Evaluation Form (and process) for use by managers to identify problem clients and solutions.
· Reviewing WIP adjustments.

The REC’s efforts have resulted in 10% improvement in realization. This is attributable to many factors initiated by the REC including better pricing, more discussions with clients regarding preparation they can complete to make our work more efficient, more up front discussions with clients about fees, and better management of fees incurred while work is ongoing.

The benefits of the REC’s efforts also include:
· More input from managers on client billing and about clients, in general.
· Many procedural features that improved WEC’s own quality control.
· Identifying additional service opportunities that were communicated to clients resulting in better client service and extra fees.

What I’ve learned so far is that marketing plays a role in enhancing a CPA firm’s revenue. Understand how your firm works and how it makes money. Know your firm’s client base. Assist your firm’s partners and managers with revenue-enhancing ideas and implementation.

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