P ROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRMS overseeing distribution of the $20 - PDF document

ACCOUNTING AND LAW Special Skill Sets Allow Accounting Firms and Law Firms to Deliver Added Value A “dream team” of professionals with valuable and unexpected expertise can be found at C OMPILED BY M ILES Z. E PSTEIN New Jersey’s top accounting firms and law firms. E DITOR , COMMERCE and FEMA grant officer charged with egy and program design, incident P ROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRMS overseeing distribution of the $20 billion response, threat intelligence and finan- bring a lot of added value to 9/11 fund. Clients benefit from his broad cial crimes, including anti-money laun- clients by employing experts government experience that translates dering and combatting terrorist financ- with non-traditional skills and training. into a deep understanding of the inves- ing. At the FBI, I served as the section Accounting firms and law firms, for tigatory regulatory and enforcement chief for the Cyber Division Outreach example, have engagement teams that issues that they face. The team also Section, where I led the development include former CIA officers, judges, includes Pat Fitzgerald, who previously of mission-critical partnerships with the pharmacists, police officers, FBI agents, worked for the Department of Defense private sector for the investigation and economists, government agency leaders (DoD) as the Defense Contract Audit exchange of information related to and computer experts. These skill sets Agency (DCAA) director. In that role, national security and criminal cyber are valuable to businesses that need Fitzgerald oversaw the agency’s $600 threats. I also held a national strategic the very best advice across disciplines million budget and the 5,000 profession- leadership role to develop private and industries. COMMERCE asked als providing contract audit and advisory sector outreach initiatives such as the accounting firms and law firms to services. Before that, Fitzgerald advised Presidential Policy Directive on U.S. discuss their unique expertise, and soldiers on effective and efficient mis- public-private cyber incident coordina- how specially trained members of sion completion practices and made tion. At BDO, one of my areas of focus their teams deliver for their clients. recommendations to army leaders for is helping private entities better navi- resolving varied issues as the U.S. Army’s gate government relations so that it’s ACCOUNTING auditor general. His background as a a true mutually beneficial partnership. leader of two large oversight organiza- I'm also well-positioned to leverage my tions under the DoD comes as an advan- investigative skills and depth of experi- Baker Tilly Virchow tage to clients seeking guidance on ence in threat intelligence, while work- Krause, LLP cost-effective business operations, com- ing with private sector clients to under- By Ed Offterdinger, pliance challenge resolutions, business stand and mitigate their cyber threats. Executive Managing system improvements and relationship Partner, Consulting management between stakeholders. CohnReznick LLP Baker Tilly’s cross-disciplinary Consult- By Joy Matak, J.D., LLM, ing team includes Brian P. Sanvidge, BDO USA, LLP Director, Trusts & Estates a 25-year veteran of state and local By John Riggi, Managing government service, who is at the helm CohnReznick’s national Director, Technology of the practice’s fraud and forensic Trust & Estates Practice Advisory Services, Head, investigations team, as well as the regu- offers concierge attention to our firm’s Cybersecurity and Financial latory compliance and monitorships clients, providing value-add services in Crimes Unit team. Sanvidge spent 10 years as a New design, implementation and ongoing York State Labor Department Inspector I bring 28 years of FBI experience to administration of individualized plans General overseeing more than 5,000 civil my role as managing director in BDO’s aimed at minimizing the impact of gift, and criminal investigations. His resume Technology Advisory Services practice estate and generation-skipping taxes. also includes New York State Welfare and head of its Cybersecurity and Our dedicated team of sophisticated Inspector General, NYC Department of Financial Crimes Unit. I provide strategic wealth transfer strategists serves as the Investigation director; Rensselaer County ccconsulting services and advise organi- “architect” in planning meetings with Board of Elections deputy commissioner; zations on cyber risk management strat- attorneys, wealth managers and clients. COMMERCE • www.commercemagnj.com 54