Accounting Today - 100 Most Influential People of 2010

Jack
Weisbaum

CEO, BDO

In addition to leading his firm to ever-higher revenue and numbers of SEC clients, Weisbaum has overseen a raft of human capital initiatives that have made BDO one of the best places to work in accounting.

Career Highlights: CEO, BDO USA, 2004-present; chairman and acting CEO, 2003-2004; partner and executive director of specialized services, 1982-2003 ... Partner, Benjamin Nadel & Co., 1968-1982; staff accountant, 1958-1968.

Other Affiliations: American Jewish Congress ... New York Institute of Credit … B’nai Brith … Brandeis University … Hofstra University.

Education: Hofstra University, 1964, BBA. Personal: Born 1940, Bronx, N. Y. ... Married to Mary ... Three children, two grandchildren.

Geni
Whitehouse
Owner, Even a Nerd
Can Be Heard

A self-described “nerd,” Whitehouse is extremely comfortable with accounting technology and does all she can to ensure that other CPAs are as well. A long-time partner to accounting software vendors, more

recently she has emerged as a consultant and educator for the profession through her books, seminars and speaking engagements. Career Highlights: Founder and chief communications officer, Even a Nerd Can Be Heard, 2007-pres- ent … Instructor, WISE Academy, 2009-present …VP, Sage Software, 2004-2007 … VP, Accpac, 2002-2004 … COO, Accounting Software Advisor, 2002 … COO, Elliott Davis Technology Solutions, 2001-2002 … Director of product marketing and strategic alliances, Navision US, 1999-2002; manager, CPA Alliances, 1998-1999 … Trainer and software implementer, 1995-1998 … Partner, Gross Duke & Nelson, 1991- 1995 … Software consultant, Software Management, 1990-1991 … Contract controller, Touch Industries and PHP Inc., 1989-1990 … Corporate tax director, Dental Research Corp., 1988-1989 … Corporate tax manager, Super Valu, 1986-1988 … To senior accountant, Deloitte, Haskins and Sells, 1982-1986. Other Affiliations: Author, How to Make a Boring Subject Interesting … Consulting Accountants Roundtable … Mentor Plus … XBRL steering committees … Girl Scouts. Education: University of North Carolina, 1981, BSBA Acctg. Personal: Born 1959, Atlanta … Married to Charles … Two children.

Sandra Wiley
Partner, senior
consultant and COO,
Boomer Consulting
Wiley advises firms on
team-building, managing
conflict and bringing on

staff. She’s a regular at industry events and well-known for her engaging sessions on the conference circuit.

Career Highlights: Partner, COO and senior consultant, Boomer Consulting Inc., 1995-present … VP of human resources, FirstBank, 1989-1994 … Financial analyst, First Interstate Bank, 1979-1988. Other Affiliations: Member, AT Advisory Group… Team member, The Advisory Board … Past committee member and marketing leader, Tech+ Conference Committee, AICPA … Guest lecturer, Kansas State University … Co-publisher, Performance3 … Board president and campaign chair, United Way of Riley County … Executive board member, Manhattan High School Site Council … Board, Manhattan Crisis Center … Youth director, Trinity Presbyterian Church. Education: Friends University, 1990, BS HR. Personal: Born 1960, Stafford, Kan. … Married to Doug … Three children. Blog/Twitter: www.ThinkPlanGrow.net / @san-drawiley

Seidman, 1997-1999 ... VP of sales and customer services, State of the Art Inc., 1989-1995 ... Regional sales manager, Pro Systems Inc., 1984-1988. Other Affiliations: Advisory Board, Bill.com … New Horizon Group … Education Committee, AAM ... Association for Accounting Administration … Past chair, Tech Committee, AICPA; Workload Compression Task Force ... International Coach Federation ... American Marketing Association ... Founding member and board member, I TA ... Board and youth leader, Episcopal Church. Education: University of Nebraska, 2002, BS Marketing ... Landmark Education, Curriculum for Living (Leadership/Communications), 1995-1996. Personal: Born 1964, Hahn Air Force Base, Germany ... Married to Brian ... Three daughters. Blog/Twitter: www.blog.convergencecoaching.com / @JenLee Wilson

David Williams
Executive lead for
return preparer
regulation
implementation, IRS
To his role as director of
Electronic Tax Adminis-
tration (including e-filing) for the IRS, this
year Williams added responsibility for one
of the agency’s highest-profile initiatives: tax
preparer registration. Not the least of his tasks
will be explaining to accountants exactly how
it will affect them.

Career Highlights: Executive leader, return preparer regulation implementation, Internal Revenue Service, 2010-present; director, Electronic Tax Administration and Refundable Credits, 2007-present; director, EI TC, Health Coverage Tax Credit and Telephone Excise Tax Refund programs; chief of communications and liaison, 1998-2003 … Deputy assistant secretary for tax and legislative affairs, U.S. Treasury, 1997-1998 … Legislative director and tax policy advisor, Sen. Bill Bradley, 1996-1997 … Assistant staff director, Senate Committee on the Budget, 1990-1996. Education: John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, MPP … Colorado State University, BS BA.

Donny Woods
President, NSA

As president of the National Society of Accountants, Woods represents 30,000 accountants at mostly small and midsized firms, offering them a wealth of resources on the issues that affect them most, from tax preparer registration to developing their professional skills.

Career Highlights: Partner, Woods & Woods, 1980- present … General accounting supervisor, International Paper Co., 1973-1980 … Instructor, Southern Arkansas University, 1969-1973 … Public school teacher, 1968-1971.

Other Affiliations: President, National Society of Accountants … Past president, Arkansas Society of Accountants … Past member, IRS Commissioner’s Advisory Group … Nashville, Ark., Chamber of Commerce … Nashville Rotary Club … Past Board chair, Howard Memorial Hospital … Deacon, Immanuel Baptist Church.

Education: University of Houston, 1969, postgraduate work … Southern Arkansas University, 1968, BA Acctg.

Personal: Born 1946, Nashville, Ark. … Married to Lynda Sue … Two daughters, six grandchildren.

Barry M elancon

M ary Schapiro

R o b e rt H erz

Doug Shulman

Sir D avid T w e e die

Tim othy Geithner

B arack O ba m a

Ja m es Kroeker

Ji m M etzler

Allan Koltin

Jennifer Wilson Co-founder and owner, ConvergenceCoaching

It’s been a busy year for
Wilson as she continues
to inspire ideas in her consulting and writ-
ing. Her firm launched four soft skills train-
ing programs and she’s been instrumental in
teaching social media to firm leaders.
Career Highlights: Co-founder and owner, Con-
vergenceCoaching, 2000-present ... Co-founder and
principal, Success Strategists, 1999-2000; 1995-1997
... National director, Financial Solutions Group, BDO

David Wyle
President and CEO,
SurePrep

Everyone complains about the insane hours and ridiculous workload of the busy season, but Wyle — as one of the leaders in developing tools that automate and streamline the tax prep process — is actually doing something about it.

Career Highlights: President and CEO, SurePrep, 2002-present … President and CEO, ePace Software, 1997-2002 … Senior tax associate, Coopers & Lybrand, 1994-1997.