Professionals on the Move is a periodic round-up of recent hiring, promotion and other staffing announcements from around the accounting space.
Steve Rudnik Joins Wipfli as Head of Corporate Development
Wipfli recently announced that Steve Rudnik has joined the firm as head of corporate development, where he will lead Wipfli’s M&A strategy and execution.
M&A is a cornerstone of Wipfli’s growth strategy, and the firm’s partnership with New Mountain Capital provided an opportunity to ramp up acquisition activities. In this role, Steve will help advance the firm’s strategic plan by supporting growth and client objectives and continuing to optimize how the firm leads and operates.
Steve brings deep M&A experience to Wipfli. Prior to Wipfli, Steve was the co-head of M&A at Hightower Advisors, one of the largest wealth management firms in the country. While at Hightower, he oversaw more than 50 M&A deals and helped build a 15+ person team to support a lasting, scalable M&A engine. Prior to Hightower, Steve spent a decade at Ernst & Young in their audit practice.
Steve will be based in Wipfli’s Chicago‑Lincolnshire office.
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Riveron Appoints Herb Engert as Senior Advisor
Riveron, a leading advisory firm providing critical services to the office of the CFO, private equity firms, and other capital providers, recently announced that Herb Engert has joined the firm as a Senior Advisor, based in New York.
Engert brings decades of leadership experience and deep relationships across the New York business, corporate finance, and private equity communities. Most recently, he served as Managing Partner for EY’s New York Office, where he was responsible for client service and brand strategy across offices with nearly $2 billion in combined revenue. During his career at EY, Engert also held global and regional leadership roles focused on private equity and strategic growth markets.
At Riveron, Engert will serve in a senior advisory capacity, supporting the firm’s continued expansion in New York through relationship development, market engagement, and client connectivity across the corporate finance and private equity ecosystem. His appointment supports Riveron’s broader New York growth strategy, which includes the opening of a new office at 10 Grand Central, recent senior leadership relocations into the area, and targeted hiring over the past year.
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LBMC Names Four New Shareholders and Two Managing Directors Across Audit, Tax, and Valuation
LBMC, a top accounting and business consulting firm in the nation, recently announced the promotion of six professionals to key leadership roles, reflecting the firm’s continued growth and the evolving needs of its clients across its core industries. Four leaders have been named Shareholders in LBMC’s Audit practice, while two have been promoted to Managing Director roles in the firm’s Tax and Valuation practices.
These appointments represent LBMC’s strategic growth and commitment to developing future leaders who bring technical expertise, a collaborative mindset, and deep industry knowledge to serve the increasingly complex needs of clients across healthcare, nonprofit, manufacturing, construction, and other key sectors.
Newly Appointed Shareholders
Lawrence Alexander, CPA – Shareholder, Audit, Knoxville
Lawrence Alexander has more than 15 years of public accounting experience with specialized expertise in audits for healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit, employee benefit plans, captive insurance companies, and Department of Energy (DOE) compliance. Active in firm leadership, she serves on the LBMC Cares Foundation Board. Her community involvement includes roles as Treasurer for the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee and Chair of A Step Ahead Foundation of East Tennessee.
Kristen Hicks, CPA – Shareholder, Audit, Knoxville
Kristen Hicks has over two decades of audit experience supporting privately held businesses across industries, including construction, services, and manufacturing. She serves on the leadership team of LBMC’s Employee Benefit Plan Audit group, guiding clients through complex regulatory changes and reporting requirements. Hicks serves on the TSCPA Employee Benefit Plans Conference Planning Committee and regularly attends national conferences to stay current on benefit plan guidelines.
Steve Thomason, CPA – Shareholder, Audit, Chattanooga
Steve Thomason has more than 25 years of experience serving clients across the manufacturing, distribution, and service sectors, with expertise in both audit and technical advisory services. His work includes complex financial reporting, equity-based compensation, and post-transaction accounting. He is a key contributor to LBMC’s audit quality control initiatives for middle-market businesses. He serves on the Boards of the Chattanooga Autism Center and the Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga.
Kurt Zollner, CPA – Shareholder, Audit, Nashville
With more than 13 years of experience focused on healthcare organizations, Kurt Zollner leads financial audits and benefit plan engagements for a wide range of healthcare organizations. He is instrumental in developing LBMC’s healthcare audit team members, providing technical training and leadership across the firm. He is a member of the Leadership Healthcare Council, the Tennessee Technological University Accounting Advisory Board, and the Tennessee Society of Public Accountants (TSCPA).
Newly Appointed Managing Directors
Abigail Campbell, CPA – Managing Director, Nonprofit Tax, Nashville
Abigail Campbell leads LBMC’s Nonprofit Tax Practice, advising nonprofit clients on complex federal and state tax matters, compliance requirements, and strategic planning. With over 12 years of experience serving tax-exempt organizations, she works closely with nonprofit boards and leadership teams to align tax strategy with mission and sustainability goals. Active in the community, Campbell serves on the Board of St. Luke’s Community House.
Elisabeth Harper Rood, J.D., CPA/ABV – Managing Director, Healthcare Valuation, Nashville
Elisabeth Harper Rood provides valuation and consulting services to healthcare organizations, specializing in fair market value assessments for physician compensation and professional service arrangements. With 11 years of valuation experience, she supports clients in navigating complex regulatory, transactional, and compensation structures. She is a member of the TSCPA Healthcare Conference Committee, AHLA, AICPA, TBA, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Discovery Center of Murfree Spring.
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CohnReznick names Scott G. Sachs Private Equity Practice leader
CohnReznick, a leading professional services firm, recently announced an expansion of its Private Equity practice, reflecting continued investment in supporting larger, more complex private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Scott G. Sachs has been named Private Equity Practice Leader.
Grounded in a deep understanding of the full private equity ecosystem, the practice is investing in best-in-class technology, deepening its expertise with professional development plans at all levels of the team, and expanding its practitioner bench.
The Private Equity practice is complemented by CohnReznick’s newly launched Value Creation practice, which works closely with financial sponsors and management teams to maximize the value of acquisitions. Led by Ryan Paskin, the Value Creation practice focuses on developing and executing strategies across commercial, operational, financial, and technology functions to drive performance and maximize returns for investors.
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Jim Gray named Texas forensics practice leader at Forvis Mazars
Forvis Mazars LLP, one of the largest public accounting and consulting firms in the United States, recently announced the appointment of Jim Gray as the new leader of its forensics practice in the state of Texas. The firm has office locations across Texas in Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston.
A managing director based in Houston, Gray will lead teams of forensic accountants, compliance professionals and financial analysts, oversee complex engagements, and advise clients on the financial implications of disputes, misconduct, and unexpected events.
Gray has nearly 25 years of experience, and his work has focused on commercial damages and accounting investigations. His industry experience spans oil and gas, insurance, manufacturing, retail, real estate, and construction. His matters have been heard in federal and state courts, in arbitrations, and before regulatory agencies.
Previously, Gray was a partner at a regional accounting and economics services firm. Earlier in his career, he practiced with various global professional services firms.
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Aprio Announces Leadership Appointments to Support Continued Growth
Aprio, the 20th largest business advisory and accounting firm in the U.S.,recently announced several leadership appointments designed to deepen industry capabilities, expand market reach, and deliver greater value to clients as the firm continues to grow across the U.S. and globally.
Aprio’s newly announced leadership appointments include:
Adam Venokur, CPA/PFS, CFP™ – Global M&A Growth Leader
Adam Venokur, Tax Partner, has been appointed Global M&A Growth Leader, a newly created role, transitioning from Northeast Regional Leader. In his new role, Adam will guide newly joined firms through Aprio’s integration program and support first-year growth objectives, helping clients benefit from faster access to expanded services, cross-functional experience, and a consistent One Aprio experience.
Adam Beckerman, CPA, CGMA – Northeast Regional Leader, Manufacturing, Distribution & Consumer Products National Leader
Adam Beckerman, Manufacturing, Distribution & Consumer Products National Leader and Audit Partner, has been named Northeast Regional Leader and will guide the region’s next phase of growth. With more than 30 years of industry leadership, Adam brings deep operational insight and a proven ability to scale teams and services. In this role, he will help clients across the Northeast benefit from expanded industry specialization and closer alignment between local teams and Aprio’s global resources.
Alan Langelli, CPA – Midwest Regional Leader
Alan Langelli, Mid-Atlantic Technology Leader and Audit Partner, now serves as Midwest Regional Leader. Alan will focus on expanding Aprio’s specialized capabilities across the Midwest, while developing the next generation of talent, enhancing the client experience, and the delivery of scalable solutions as our clients grow.
Jon Segal, CPA – Chicago Office Leader
Jon Segal, Tax Partner, will assume the role of Chicago Office Leader, sharpening his focus on Aprio’s Chicago market. In this role, Jon will strengthen Aprio’s local leadership and community presence, ensuring clients benefit from continuity, trusted relationships, and seamless access to Aprio’s broader capabilities across accounting, tax, audit, advisory, talent, wealth, and legal services.
David Siegel, CPA – Technology Industry Leader
David Siegel, Audit Partner, has been named Technology Industry Leader. David will guide Aprio’s Technology Practice into its next phase of growth, helping technology companies navigate rapid innovation, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance, and emerging trends while benefiting from integrated accounting, tax, advisory, talent, wealth, and legal solutions designed for the technology lifecycle.
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