• How the "Great Resignation" has forced the "Great Liberation"
• Why the patchwork in place is not a sustainable fix for the profession
• What these changes mean for the firm tomorrow
• How to build an advisory arm

Heather manages strategic relationships with the Top 400 firms. Previously, Heather was an Enterprise Account Executive at XCM, where she was an integral part of XCM’s expansion into new markets. Heather has dedicated the last decade of her career to working with public accounting firms and corporations on ways to leverage technology to increase efficiency, reduce costs and minimize risk. With a focus on continuous business process improvements, Heather works with tax, accounting and finance teams to define their optimal workflow process and implement the right technology to achieve overall goals.

Pat is a veteran sales and marketing leader and startup founder. His experience includes being employee #3 at Three Ships and leading enterprise sales for Skookum, a software agency. After being recruited to Sealed Air Corporation to build the enterprise's first inside sales team and running a 9-figure portfolio of commodity products, he founded a successful direct to consumer eCommerce business, which he then sold. Thereafter, he cofounded Digitize.AI where he ran sales — after successfully exiting that business, he started Aiwyn with Justin Adams, his Digitize.AI cofounder.

One of Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People, Bob’s focus is to build the Enterprise Value of CPA Firms. He has a long history of successful CPA firm mergers and acquisitions, working on succession needs, and acting as the Advisory Officer for some firms. Bob collaborates with firms of any size including some of the largest in the country.

He speaks nationally, at local events, and in individual firms on growth through M&A. A key objective is showing firms how to build an advisory center so they can become less dependent on compliance services and the limited supply of CPAs.

Michael is the Executive Director of BDO Alliance USA, the largest association of US-based independent accounting, tax and advisory firms, comprised of over 215 CPA firms and 100 advisory firms and vendors (Business Resource Network) where he leads a team dedicated to maximizing the value of collaboration between member firms, as well as with BDO USA and BDO Global.

Prior to joining BDO in 2002, Michael was previously a tax partner with a Big Four firm, where he helped to create an Alliance with independent accounting firms. Michael is passionate about the accounting profession, and the value that the trusted advisors providing assurance, tax and consulting services deliver to the business community as well as to individuals.

Daniel Hood has been editor-in-chief of Accounting Today since 2011; he joined Accounting Today as managing editor in 1998. A graduate of Georgetown University, he has also served as a business editor for the New York Daily News, and as a production editor for The Wall Street Journal Europe. He is the author of five novels and a guidebook to New York City.