AMS

Today he focuses his energy on strategy development and overall management of AMS based on a model that employs experienced, knowledgeable professionals who can resolve clients’ critical problems and be immediately productive.

Jim's background mirrors that of many of the accounting and financial professionals who have joined AMS. He has more than 30 years of experience that included senior financial management positions in higher education and chief financial officer for a large regional real estate development firm which developed the Charlestown Navy Yard. Right out of college he was a national bank examiner with the Comptroller of the Currency, U.S. Treasury Department.

Active in the business community, Jim is a member of the Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE), which bestowed its leadership award on him in 2006. He also is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Independent Accountants and a member of the board of advisors to New Repertory Theatre. He has been active with Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEO), which AMS sponsors.

Jim earned a B.S.B.A. degree and an MBA, both from Northeastern University.

Al is an active officer and director of many professional and civic organizations, including Financial Executives International (FEI) and the Treasurers’ Club of Boston, where he serves as an advisor to management and board members. Al works in an advisory capacity with senior managers on business strategy and strategic planning, as well as operational, marketing, and staffing issues. Al is also a frequent speaker at business association and industry meetings.

Al has been a director for several major international public accounting firms, focusing on organizational and employee development and business strategy and operations. In addition, Al has served on a significant number of non-profit and private entity boards during his long and accomplished career. In 2007, he was the recipient of FEI’s Distinguished Service Award for his many contributions in advancing the organization. In 2010, he was the recipient of the F. Gorham Brigham Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Boston Business Journal’s “CFO of the Year” awards.

Most recently, Don served as General Partner and CFO of Polaris Venture Partners. Prior to Polaris, Don was the Chief Operating Officer and Administrative Partner of Atlas Venture where he was responsible for the firm’s global operations.

Before joining Atlas Venture, Don was Chief Financial Officer of the Avery Weigh-Tronix Group, a $350 million worldwide manufacturer of weighing instruments and systems. There he directed the global finance operations. Prior to Weigh-Tronix, Don served as a director in the Transaction Services Group at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston. He also held various positions in the Mergers and Acquisitions Groups of Ernst & Young in the UK and the US.

Don brings a wealth of experience in the financial industry to the AMS team, including alternative asset investing, multi-national corporate experience, and professional services. He graduated from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and is a UK Chartered Accountant.

As an expert on internal control and process improvement, including Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and SAS 115, Connie also leads the firm’s mergers, acquisition and IPO practice, having helped develop the AMS Rapid Diagnostic™, versions of which are used to prepare organizations for exit. Since she has worked with both buyers and sellers, Connie is able to help deliver an organization that is better prepared for any transaction, allowing deals to close faster and more efficiently.

Connie joined AMS in 2004 from The Resources Connection (Nasdaq: RECN), a professional services firm that she was instrumental in establishing while at Deloitte & Touche. She also opened the firm’s Boston office, where she served as the managing director and helped grow its New England practice to more than $10 million in annual sales. Previously, Connie held various positions at Deloitte & Touche, including senior manager of the company’s audit practice, and working with clients in both the United States and Germany.

Connie is also a much sought after speaker, and has addressed various groups with insightful discussion points on topics such as:

- Internal controls for small and medium-sized businesses
- Mergers, acquisitions and IPOs
- Finance process improvement

A graduate of Stanford University, Connie sits on the board of directors for the Center for Women and Enterprise, and is also involved with the Phillips Academy fundraising initiatives. She serves as both Chairperson of the Phillips Academy Parent Fund and the Co-chair of the Phillips Academy Capital Campaign Parent Committee, where she is working toward funding need-blind admission, hoping to ensure that the school will be open to all regardless of their challenges.

Leigh’s expertise includes all areas of the nonprofit arena, including higher education, health care and other 501(c)(3) organizations that receive federal and state funding in accordance with OMB Circular A-133. In addition to his public accounting experience, Leigh has been the corporate controller and CFO/COO for two privately held companies; one which provided technology and communication services to nonprofits nationally, and the other in the healthcare sector.

Since joining AMS in 2003, Leigh has overseen the company’s rapid expansion in the nonprofit market and is responsible for ensuring client satisfaction in addition to coordinating all business development activities relevant to the nonprofit industry.

In addition to heading a nonprofit networking group, Leigh has also served as member, treasurer, and fundraising chairman on several boards of directors. He is a sought after speaker on various nonprofit topics and spoken at the Merrill Lynch Philanthropic Advisory Council’s annual symposium, the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, and The Hartford Foundation. Most recently Leigh was invited to join Charity Navigator’s Advisory Panel.

Leigh holds a B.B.A. degree from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst and is a member of both the American Institute and Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

She is also the founder of Mass Innovation Nights, a well-known monthly Boston-area product launch party and networking event. She teaches classes in social media marketing and consults with a number of businesses and individuals on integrating their marketing and social media strategies. She blogs regularly on marketing, social media and innovation.

Until 2008, Bobbie led the marketing efforts at B*tween Productions, home of the Beacon Street Girls, a startup social network and book series for preteen girls. She spent more than a decade working with various Boston-area technology-focused PR and marketing agencies. On the corporate side, she headed global public relations at Parametric Technology Corporation and Cognos (now IBM).

Bobbie holds a Bachelor degree from Ithaca College.

Specifically, Dan has led sales efforts to successfully enter new vertical market segments, negotiated agreements with strategic partners in the United States and abroad, as well as managed private placements, mergers, and a highly successful initial public offering.

Prior to joining AMS, Dan was CEO of Change Dynamics, a venture-backed enterprise software company with a best practice, change management solution. He has also been the Vice President of Business Development and CFO at several venture-backed companies, including Biopure Corporation, where he led the company’s IPO.

Dan earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University and holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

His expertise includes planning and performing integrated financial statement audits and SOX 404 compliance, reporting on internal controls at service organizations (SAS70), and reporting on internal controls and subject matter other than financial statements.

Most recently, Emil worked as an Audit Partner in the Ernst and Young National Office Professional Practice Assurance and Advisory Business Services (AABS) group until his retirement in June 2007. Emil was responsible for the reporting standards and methodologies for performing various assurance engagements other than financial statement audits (e.g., SAS 70, Trust Services, Reg. AB), consulting on performance and reporting matters with engagement teams and providing independent partner reviews of the assurance reports. In addition, Emil participated in the development of the firm’s guidance on planning and performing an integrated audit, led several internal firm training programs on subject, and regularly consulted with engagement teams on integrated audit and reporting issues.

Prior to his National Office position, Emil worked at Ernst & Young’s Boston office where he developed and led the New England Area Technology, Security and Risk Services practice. His New England area clients included financial services, consumer products, retail and technology, companies.

Emil is a certified public accountant and certified information systems auditor; a member of the Massachusetts Society, Ohio Society and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; and a member of the Information Systems and Control Association. He received a B.S.B.A. in Accounting from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Most recently, Heather served as Senior Sales Consultant for Morse Technologies Network Consulting, and also held the position of Regional Sales Consultant at TriNet Group, Inc. Heather worked for ADP’s Total Source Division as a District Manager, and served as Account Manager at Aztech Technology Partners.

Heather is also involved with BNI, ACG and SBANE. She was selected to serve on the panel of judges for SBANE’s 2010 New England Innovation awards, and also volunteers with March of Dimes, Chester Congressional Church, and the Parent Teacher’s Association.

Heather has served on various panels for the HR industry and has won several top performer awards. Heather has a B.S. in Marketing from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire

Prior to joining the company, Stash worked with other accounting consulting firms in the business development and Managing Director roles, including PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he specialized in high-growth technology companies.

Prior to his work at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Stash spent ten years as the assistant vice president for Economic Development and executive director of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Enterprise Development Center, a small business incubator. During his tenure there he provided core business and financial consultation to high-tech entrepreneurial firms ranging in size from start-ups to $5 million companies. Stash has also worked as a corporate controller and CPA, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Albright College.

As Director, Kevin works throughout the Northeast with various hospitals, physician groups, and payors to deliver financial management and accounting solutions for organizational improvement and increased profitability.

Before joining AMS, Kevin was a vice president with Bank of America, providing private banking services to New England-based physicians and executives at both local and national healthcare organizations.

As an entrepreneur, Kevin founded a healthcare company in Indianapolis that he later sold to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. In addition, he lead business development as part of Ernst & Young’s healthcare group and was involved in strategic planning for large integrated healthcare delivery systems throughout the Midwest.

Kevin also enjoys writing and is the author of the book, “7 Steps to Financial Serenity.” He is an active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the Medical Group Management Association. Kevin continues his post-graduate education at Harvard University and has received his masters from Ball State University and his bachelor’s degree from Millikin University.

Before joining AMS, Patrick served as vice president of business development for GW + Wade, an independent, fee-based financial advisory firm where he was responsible for the firm’s business development activities.

Previously, Patrick served as a regional vice president for Fidelity Investments Charitable Services, working closely with CPAs, lawyers, investment advisors, and financial planners. He also served as a vice president for BNY Mellon Wealth Management.

Patrick is also involved with the Eastern Association of College and University Business Office, the Association of Independent Schools of New England, and the Academic Relations Committee for Financial Executives International.

Patrick earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from Boston College and an M.S. in taxation from Northeastern University.

Rebeka actively manages all aspects of clients’ finances, including evaluating current accounting practices and making recommendations based on those evaluations. When needed, she also serves as an interim chief financial officer or controller.

Prior to joining AMS, Rebeka served as a manager for KPMG’s higher education, research and other not-for-profit practice where her clients included Cornell University, Howard University and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

In 2009, Rebeka joined the Rhode Island Society Board and has been a longtime active member of the Society, particularly on behalf of RISCPA's Non Profit Committee, for which she serves as co-chair. She is also a frequent speaker, and often serves in an instructional capacity as a lecturer and trainer of clients. Her various upcoming engagements can be found in the events section of the AMS website.

Rebeka is also a member of the American Society of Women Accountants, the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting, and the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers. She’s also a member of the Fund Development Committee of the West Bay YMCA, who bestowed their 2009 Volunteer of the Year Award upon her.

Rebeka earned her B.S. degree in accounting from St. John Fisher College and is licensed as a CPA in New York. She is a member of the AICPA and RISCPA Non-profit Committee, and is C4P - Tax Credit Compliance Certified.

Before joining AMS, Stephen worked for nearly two decades in recruiting, operations management, and human resources. Most recently, he served with Resource Global Professionals, a former subsidiary of Deloitte and Touche, where he directed efforts to source talent for national and global accounts. Prior to that, Stephen was senior human resources manager at AT&T, formerly Cingular Wireless.

Stephen holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.

Greg’s clients have included publicly traded and privately held companies, large, medium, and small. He has worked with companies in the financial, health care, manufacturing, service, retail, real estate, technology, life sciences and construction industries, as well as with nonprofit organizations.

Currently, Greg is responsible for the delivery of accounting, financial management and specialty transaction consulting services, project management and oversight to ensure quality service and client satisfaction. Specific areas of focus have included Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, carve-outs, post acquisition support, Rapid DiagnosticsTM, interim CFO support, due diligence, audit preparation and SEC reporting.

Previously, Greg served as a regional officer for one of the world’s largest permanent and temporary employment companies, specializing in finance, accounting, banking, and IT placement. Greg also managed his own recruiting firm, and was a consultant for an international human resources consulting firm. He started his career as an auditor for a Big 4 public accounting firm.

Greg holds a B.S. degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut.

Her expertise includes significant work in the nonprofit sector, retail and manufacturing industries and higher education, as well as state and local government. Prior to joining AMS, she served as assistant controller for Dunkin’ Brands.

Barb began her career in public accounting with KPMG and was a senior audit manager within the audit practice. Additionally, she has taught intermediate accounting at Northeastern University in Boston for many years.

Barb holds a bachelor’s degree in management, with a concentration in accounting, from Boston College, where she graduated cum laude. She is a member of the American Institute and Massachusetts Societies of Certified Public Accountants. She has served on several nonprofit boards of directors as a board member, treasurer, and vice president for community development.