BKR International Annual Worldwide Meeting

Eric Mulchaey and Bill Vasil attended BKR International’s Annual Worldwide Meeting in San Francisco, California, from October 18-21. ARM is a member of BKR International, a leading association of independent accounting and business advisory firms. This year, BKR celebrated 25 years of connecting members and their clients with global experts and resources.

Business sessions were relevant and timely…with a touch of the unusual. Kicking off was Dr. Jason Selk, a leading performance coach and former director of mental training for the St. Louis Cardinals. Selk discussed the importance of developing “mental toughness,” which he says is a crucial and oftentimes missing component in achieving high-level success. BKR also welcomed Michael Platt, publisher of INSIDE Public Accounting, who highlighted the top behaviors and best leadership practices found among the top 100 accounting firms in the U.S. International media moguls, Daniel Hood, editor-in-chief of Accounting Today, Reporter Vincent Huck from International Accounting Bulletin, and Jim Knafo, director of international affairs at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, participated on an international panel and shared their differing views on how the accounting firm of the future will look. As for the unusual, Mac Fulfer, former attorney-turned-face-reader, demonstrated his uncanny methodology of reading faces to establish an instant connection to anyone anywhere. Being the “cutting edge” organization that BKR is, sessions also covered trending topics in our expanding virtual world, from digital currency to the increasingly crowded “cloud,” as well as ways in which members can protect their online landscape from constant threats and scams.

Richard Ary said, “BKR’s policy of permitting only one firm in each market area allows us to discuss confidential issues that we wouldn’t dream of sharing with other accounting firm partners at our local conferences. At BKR events, we can be sure we are sharing ideas and information with our peers, not our competitors.” Our BKR colleagues are very open and willing to discuss their successful ideas, as well as those that failed, and tell us the how and why of each.” “Add to that a mix of professional education and social opportunities – from golf and wine country excursions to a Haight Ashbury Party complete with hippie-clothed accountants – BKR’s events provided ample opportunity to connect with fellow accounting leaders around the globe, all of whom share the same commitment to achieving excellence in managing their firms and providing outstanding client service,” added BKR Worldwide Executive Director Maureen Schwartz. “BKR supports ARM’s technical, management, and leadership development requirements to insure that they remain a top public accounting firm, yet also provides opportunities to have fun.”

Making his international debut as World Chair, Howard Rosen presided over the meeting’s business sessions and facilitated the various media and regional panels. Rosen had previously served as Americas Regional Chair and in other leadership roles. “I am honored to serve as a leader and spokesperson for BKR International. My firm, Conner Ash, has been a member for 11 years, and has benefited exponentially from all of the services and benefits offered by BKR. “Our celebration of 25 years of bringing the world to our members and their clients has been truly phenomenal. I look forward to the next 25 and can only imagine the success that BKR and all of our member firms around the world will achieve along the way.”

BKR International is a leading global association of independent accounting and business advisory firms representing the expertise of more than 150 member firms with over 300 offices in over 70 countries around the world. For more information visit: www.bkr.com