Layne Simmons Becomes Chair of ASCPA 2007-08 Board of Directors
Layne Simmons
Chair
Layne Simmons, CPA, is a manager and co-owner of Jaffa Simmons, PLLC. He was the Society’s chair-elect this past year and previously served as secretary/treasurer on the Society’s Board of Directors. Simmons is a former chair of the Society’s Tax Legislation Committee, where as committee chair, he spoke before the Arizona Senate Finance Committee, the Arizona House Ways and Means Committee and Arizona House Commerce Committee explaining the Society’s proposed tax legislation. He is a former president of the Arizona Chapter of Tax Executives Institute, the nation’s preeminent association of corporate tax professionals. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors of Arizona Tax Research Association. Previously, Simmons was the vice president of tax at Waste Services, Inc. He also served as the executive director of tax at Viad Corp., and prior to his association with Viad, he was with the Phoenix office of Deloitte & Touche.
Rick Goldenson
Chair Elect
Richard Goldenson, CPA, is the managing partner of Clifton Gunderson’s Southwest Client Service Center, which includes Arizona offices located in Phoenix and Tucson. He provides various services to clients in the commercial and non-profit industries in addition to his administrative duties as managing partner. He is also currently a member of the Clifton Gunderson Partnership Board of Directors. Goldenson served as secretary/treasurer of the Society.
James Buhr
Secretary/Treasurer
James J. Buhr, CPA, is the chief financial officer of Bashas’ Inc., a family-owned Arizona supermarket chain of 152-plus stores, that is still growing rapidly. He began his career with the company in 1986 as controller. Prior to coming to Arizona, Buhr served in many managerial positions in computer systems, finance and auditing with the Dayton Hudson Corporation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is an avid golfer and participates in as many charitable tournaments as time will allow. Buhr is committed to the integrity and improvement of everything in which he is involved.
George Cohen
Immediate Past Chair
George M. Cohen, CPA, is a managing director in the Desert Southwest practice of RSM McGladrey in Phoenix, Arizona. He has more than 30 years of experience providing accounting, business and tax services in various industries and professions with a specialty in healthcare. He served as chair of the ASCPA this past year. Cohen is very active in the community and has served the profession as chair, chair-elect and secretary/treasurer for the ASCPA Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Phoenix Art Museum and Actors Theatre of Phoenix. Cohen has served on the Phoenix Arts Commission as a Commissioner (1992-1994) and was a recipient of the Arts Advocate of the Year Award from Business Volunteers for the Arts (1993). He served as the chair of the Jewish Commission on Continuity from 1999-2003.
Corey Kennedy
Director 2006-2008
Corey Kennedy, CPA, is a senior audit associate with Schmidt Westergard & Company, PLLC, where he provides audit, review, compilation, and consulting services to clients in a variety of industries, including not-for-profit organizations. He has served two terms as chair of the ASCPA’s Accounting and Assurance Section. He has also served as a volunteer for Valley of the Sun United Way in their financial statement review process. Kennedy graduated summa cum laude from ASU with a B.S. degree in accountancy.
Julie Klewer
Director 2006-2008
Julie S. Klewer, CPA, MBA is a partner with Ludwig, Schacht & Klewer, PLLC in Tucson. She began her career in public accounting in 1988 with Coopers & Lybrand and has worked in both national and local public accounting firms. In addition, Klewer co-founded a Tucson-based marketing research and strategic consulting business. She returned to the public accounting profession in 2002, and became a partner with Ludwig Schacht & Klewer, PLLC in 2003. Her practice areas include a focus on assurance services with specific concentrations in nonprofit, construction contractor and religious organizations. She has taught undergraduate courses in marketing and business administration and has participated in several panel discussions for accounting students at the University of Arizona. Klewer is also active in the community, having served on various Tucson community boards. She recently served as Chair of the 2006 Tucson Heart Ball benefiting the American Heart Association.
Cathy Laganosky
Director 2006-2008
Catherine M. Laganosky, CPA, MBA, is currently a practitioner for her firm, Catherine M. Laganosky, CPA, PLLC. Her firm has been operating in Sierra Vista since 2004. She assists individuals and small businesses with their tax and accounting needs. She is a member of the Buena High School Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee where she voluteers and assists with the accounting teacher and students. She also is a cantor for her church choir. Laganosky’s previous experience includes being a trading analyst for a natural gas brokerage firm, the junior accountant at the Sierra Vista Hospital and a controller for a construction company. She is very excited about working on the ASCPA board and being involved in its worthy projects.
Robert Lunny
Director 2006-2008
Robert Lunny, CPA/ABV, MBA, an experienced software executive, is the chief financial officer for Carefx in Scottsdale. Previously he was CFO for FTR PTY, Ltd. and vice president of finance for Intesource, Inc., and was a financial analyst with PricewaterhouseCooper’s Corporate Value Consulting Group. Lunny has a strong interest in nonprofit work and volunteerism. In addition to donating time to committees of the ASCPA, he has been active in Junior Achievement and was recently the treasurer for the City of Mesa Martin Luther King Celebration. He is a member of the Arizona Chapter of Finance Executives International (FEI).
Bayo Ogundele
Director 2006-2008
Bayo O. Ogundele, CPA, MBA, is a principal of Adams & Ogundele, CPAs. His experience includes serving as director of finance for the Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, serving as auditor of the City of Seattle, Washington and serving as senior auditor of Francis & Co., CPAs, Deloitte & Touche, and Arthur Andersen, in Seattle, Washington. His volunteer service includes serving on the Board of Directors for Chicanos Por La Causa Federal Credit Union and he was a member of the Finance Committee of Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of Valley Leadership, the National Association of Black Accountants, Phoenix Chapter, and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He was nominated for 2001 Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award by the 100 Black Men of Phoenix.
Chuck Wagner
Director 2006-2008
Chuck Wagner, CPA, has 26 years of senior financial management experience and five years of public accounting with a major international firm. He recently retired as senior vice president and CFO for the Arizona State University Foundation. Before joining ASU, he served in volunteer officer positions for several not-for-profits in the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. His skills and experience in financial management includes accounting, audit, budget, gift processing, human resources, investments, regulatory compliance and reporting, strategic planning and taxes.
David Covert
Director 2007-2009
David G. Covert, CPA, is president and chief executive officer of the East Valley Service Area and Chandler Regional Hospital, a division of Catholic Healthcare West. Most recently, Covert was instrumental in securing land and obtaining approvals from the Town of Gilbert, Maricopa County and Catholic Healthcare West Corporate Office to build a new full-service hospital, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, in Gilbert, Arizona. Covert has also served as senior vice president and chief financial officer for the East Valley Regional Health System. He serves on various committees and boards in the East Valley.
Nona Donahue
Director 2007-2009
Nona Donahue, CPA, has more than 20 years of experience in financial and tax consulting, both in the public accounting arena and in private industry. She is currently director of tax at UniSource Energy, the publicly traded parent of Tucson Electric Power Company, UES Gas Company and UES Electric Company. Donahue was previously employed with the international accounting firm of Arthur Andersen LLP in both the Phoenix and Tucson offices. She is a member of the AICPA, and serves on the Edison Electric Institute Taxation Committee, a national utility industry organization. She is active in the community, serving on the Tempe Aviation Comission, as a Board member of the Amphitheatre Foundation, Desert Doula and Tucson Symphony Board. She was treasurer of Harelson Elementary and Cross Middle School PTOs. Donahue is a frequent speaker and mentor at the University of Arizona Eller College – Department of Accounting.
Amanda Gibbs
Director 2007-2009
Amanda Gibbs, CPA, received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Northern Arizona University in 1998. That same year, she joined KPMG, LLP in the assurance department. While at KPMG, Amanda was involved in college recruiting, mentoring programs, the KPMG National Training Program and a variety of other activities. After the birth of their first son, she and her family relocated to their home town of Flagstaff. Gibbs began working at Nordstrom & Associates, P.C. in 2004 and became a shareholder this year. She has continued to be involved in the activities at Northern Arizona University and is currently a member of the NAU Accounting Area Advisory Council. Gibbs also serves as a mentor to accounting students by participating in NAU’s E-Mentor program.
Candace Tooke
Director 2007-2009
Candace Berg Tooke, CPA, is a partner in the Scottsdale office of Henry & Horne and works with high net worth individuals and business owners. Prior to joining Henry & Horne in 1999, she spent eight years with an estate and trust law firm. She began her career at Arthur Andersen in their Phoenix office and worked at several local CPA firms, including having her own practice. She is a frequent speaker on business succession, estate and income tax issues, and has given presentations for estate planning councils, client groups, the State Bar of Arizona, Maricopa County Bar Association and professional education providers. Tooke currently serves on the Professional Advisory Board of the Arizona Community Foundation and the Board of Central Arizona Estate Planning Council. She has an Accredited Estate Planner designation from the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils in 1996.
Janice Washington
Director 2007-2009
In September 2006, Janice C. Washington, CPA, took over as state director, Arizona Small Business Development Center Network, a state-wide partnership between the Small Business Administration and Arizona’s community colleges. Washington has more than 30 years of broad-based experience working with large corporations and small businesses. As principal of J.C. Washington CPA for more than 20 years, she obtained extensive experience consulting with small businesses and nonprofit organizations helping them achieve success. She has held various positions at Honeywell Information Systems and Intel Corporation. In 1998, she was appointed by the Governor to serve as an administrative hearing officer for the Arizona Board of Tax Appeals and currently serves as chair. Additionally, she was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Accountancy and served in various leadership positions from 1989 through 1995. In 1995, she was appointed to the Accountancy Board’s Law Review Committee and served as chair for more than six years. She has participated in various leadership capacities on numerous community and City of Phoenix boards, commissions, and task forces.
Melinda Xanthos
Director 2007-2009
Melinda Xanthos, CPA, is an audit partner in the Phoenix office of KPMG. Xanthos serves both private and public, local and international clients. Over the course of her career, she has concentrated on retail, manufacturing and technology based clients. In addition to audit services, she has experience with acquisitions, dispositions, financing transactions and SEC matters. Xanthos recently served as the engagement partner for the carve-out and initial public offering of an international semiconductor company. While in KPMG’s Orange County office, She served Taco Bell as the engagement manager for several years. She is a member of the AICPA and received a BS degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame.
Douglas Haywood
AICPA Council Member
Doug Haywood, CPA, is financial audit manager for the State of Arizona — Office of the Auditor General, where he is responsible for directing activities of staff in performing financial and compliance audits of state agencies, colleges, universities, counties and public health providers. Haywood was the national president of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) in 1997-1998. Haywood has been an active member of the ASCPA since 1980 and served as chair in 2003-04. He chaired the Governmental Accounting Conference Committee and was awarded the Society’s Outstanding Chairperson Award. In addition to his professional activities, Haywood is active in community service. He is a former treasurer and member of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Senior Olympics.
Ken Husband
AICPA Council Member
Ken Husband, CPA, is currently a sole practitioner specializing in tax and financial planning for family and family-owned corp-oration. Husband was previously associated with Arthur Andersen for 30 years before retiring as a senior tax partner. He was chair of the ASCPA during 2002-2003 and was a board member for several terms. He is currently involved with various tax and financial planning committees. Husband has been involved with the Arizona Tax Institute since its inception 20 years ago. In addition to his professional activities, Husband is actively involved with Phoenix Rotary 100 and the Phoenix Art Museum.
AZ CPA – May 2007
