Frank Sands

President

Frank Sands, CPA has 41 years’ experience as a CPA. He is the managing principal of Sands Gililland & Company PC, a licensed CPA firm. He moved to Texas in 1978 from Minnesota to take advantage of the positive business climate. He has presented seminars on taxation and has taught accounting at Richland College and done litigation support.

Frank is a member of the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs, the Texas Society of CPAs, the National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP), serves as President of the Texas Association of CPAs, and serves on the Board of NCCPAP. Frank is also a member of the AICPA and the AICPA Tax Section. He is a member of the North Texas Crime Commission. He served as the Committee Chairman of BSA Troop 714 and is active in his community. He enjoys family travel, sailing, fishing, photography, black powder guns, and tinkering in his shop.

Norman Fleischer

Executive Vice President

Norman Fleischer, CPA has dedicated the past 41 years to the field of public accounting.  Since 2001, he has been a sole practitioner in Fair Lawn, NJ servicing individuals and small and medium sized corporations in a variety of fields.

Norman is a currently a member of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners serving as the New Jersey Chapter President.  Norman is also a member of the New Jersey Society of CPA’s where he is a past president of the Bergen County Chapter and the current treasurer of the Passaic County Chapter.  He is the founder of the CPA Practitioner Forum, a weekly meeting of sole practitioners.

Norman graduated cum laude in 1980 from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ. He is an avid NJ Devils fan and resides in Fair Lawn with his wife and son.

Gary R Brown

Vice President

Gary R Brown CMA, CPA, CITP, CGMA, PFS is Managing Director of a boutique Georgetown CPA practice that has been recognized by the AICPA as one of the best small firm users of human capital. His firm is a member of the PCPS Section of the AICPA. He was previously CFO and VP Finance for Astec International LTD (now part of Emerson Electric) in Manila, Philippines, International CFO based in Mexico City and Seoul, Korea for Ralston Purina, and held senior financial positions with Ford Motor Company, Honeywell, and Texas Instruments. He holds a BS in Accounting from Montana State University and MBA from Texas Tech University plus has advanced training from Stanford University, University of Michigan, and University of Chicago.

His business experience includes corporate finance, strategic planning, operations, production planning, information systems, SEC reporting, and accounting plus has served as interim CFO and COO and/or provided financial and operational consulting services for various startup and emerging organizations. As a CPA, he provides business development, tax, accounting, and estate planning services for various businesses and individuals. He is multilingual in Spanish and holds various insurance and securities licenses.

He has held numerous positions with various professional organizations including global board member of the Institute of Management Accountants as well as former National President of the Stuart Cameron McLeod Society, a leading group of individuals serving at the national level for the IMA and recently finished a six-year term on the IMA Board of Regents. In addition, he has served on various AICPA committees and is a former chair of an AICPA MAP group. He is a recognized speaker for various national organizations and has been recognized in the Wall Street Journal as Financial Executive of the Year by the IMA and Robert Half International, was an outstanding member of the Texas Council of IMA, recognized by NATP as Chapter Person of Year for Relationships with Other Taxing Bodies.  Two-time Georgetown Chamber Ambassador of the Year, he is an alumni of Leadership Georgetown and Round Rock. He is and has served in various officer positions for the following boards – Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center, Georgetown Palace Theatre, Georgetown Rotary Club, Texas Chapter of National Association of Tax Professionals, and a number of other boards. Was also previously a member of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy Constructive Enforcement Committee. His wife, Peggy works with him in his business and his daughter is a Program Manager with Rockwell International in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In his spare time, he shows his two Model A Fords and enjoys his three rescue Siamese Cats.

Sanford Zinman

Vice President

Sanford Zinman, CPA is president of Sanford E. Zinman, CPA PC in White Plains, New York.  He graduated from Iona College with a Master of Business Administration in Public Accounting and started his own practice in 1983.  He has been in public account­ing for more than thirty years, with expertise in compilations and tax.  He is licensed in New York and Connecticut and has a diversified clientele including architectural firms, attorneys, authors, child care providers, interior designers, construction and real estate developers, insurance professionals, medical/ dental professionals, restaurants, and retail operations.  He provides business and individual tax services and compilation services and well as individual and corporate tax planning and payroll and payroll tax services.

Sanford is a member of the AICPA and on the Board of Directors of NCCPAP.   Sanford also serves as immediate past president of the Westchester/ Rockland Chapter. He has testified before the Senate Finance Committee and the House Committee on the Judiciary on various tax and identity theft issues.

Kenneth Hauptman

Secretary

Kenneth Hauptman, CPA obtained his Bachelor of Science in Economics, with a specialization in Accounting, in 1972 from Brooklyn College, and a Master of Science in Taxation from Long Island University–C.W. Post Center in 1979.

Ken has been practicing public accounting for over 45 years, initially with Lutz and Carr, CPAs and later as a partner with the firms of Weinick, Sanders & Co., CPAs and Hauptman, Elsner & Co., CPAs, prior to establishing his own CPA practice. After 25 years in his own practice, he merged with the firm Wild, Maney & Resnick, LLP on January 1, 2013.

Ken is well versed as a general practitioner; he has been involved in performing a variety of services for a diverse base of clientele: Audit, Review or Compilation of Financial State­ments; Tax consultation, representation or preparation.

He is a member in good standing of the American Institute of CPAs and the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA), and NCCPAP.

Ken is currently a member of the Board of Directors of NCCPAP National; the NCCPAP Education Foundation and the Nassau Chapter of the New York State Society CPAs, as well as Co-chairperson of the NYSSCPA Nassau Chapter Small Firm MAP Committee and a member of the NCCPAP National MAP Committee.

During the years 2009–2019, Ken has served as Vice President, Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of NCCPAP National; from 2003 to 2008, Ken served as Secretary, a member of the Board of Directors and Co-chaired the MAP Committee of the Nassau/Suffolk Chapter.

Ken resides in Old Bethpage, NY, with his wife Robyn.

Robert Brown

Robert Brown, CPA is the owner of Robert N. Brown, C.P.A., in Jericho, NY. He has spent more than 40 years in public practice serving small to middle market companies, and individuals in the areas of tax preparation, tax planning, tax controversy, estate planning, multi-state taxation, tax representation, financial statement preparation and management advisory services. He is a frequent lecturer to accountant’s and other professionals on tax, accounting and management matters.

Mr. Brown currently serves as president of the Nassau Suffolk Chapter, and previously served as president of the Education Foundation of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, president of Nassau Suffolk Chapter, and various board positions at the national and local level.  He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts, the AICPA Private Companies Practice Section, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the National Conference of CPA Practitioners.

Michael Seidenberg

Michael Seidenberg, CPA is President of Michael D. Seidenberg CPA, P.C, a public accounting firm located in Rockland County, NY, that serves small business and individual clients. Michael’s clientele includes artists, art galleries, architects, designers, photographers, and musicians.

Clients live in Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany.

Michael has been practicing as a CPA since 1996. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from SUNY New Paltz in Economics. The firm provides tax preparation services for Corporate, Partnership, Individual and Estates.

Michael is Past President of the New York Society of CPA’s Rockland Chapter, former board member of the Estate Planning Council of Rockland County, former board member of the Arts Council of Rockland County and Edward Hopper House Museum and Study Center. He is a member of the Westchester/Rockland Chapter of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, the New York State Society of CPA’s, AICPA, and Arts Council of Rockland County.

He enjoys fishing, gardening, and stamp collecting. Michael is also an avid fan of the New York Yankees, Mets, NY Giants, Jets, NY Rangers, Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Knicks.

Irene Wachsler

Irene Wachsler, CPA, MBA is a sole practitioner in the Greater Boston area providing customized accounting and tax services to both businesses and individuals.  Irene has assisted 200+ productions in obtaining $36 million in film tax credits in Massachusetts and New York. 

Irene received her BS in Mathematics with a minor in computer science from University of Lowell and her MBA from Babson College.  Irene’s experience also includes audit work at Deloitte.

Irene is an Advanced QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and has been the Coordinator of the Massachusetts Society of CPA’s South Shore Breakfast Forum for at least 15 years.  She is also a published author in the Massachusetts Sum News and Missouri CPA as well as a podcast with the Pennsylvania CPA Society.

Michael S. Hymes

Michael S. Hymes, CPA, CGMA , was up until January 1st of this year, sole owner of his own Public Accounting Firm located in Bronxville, N.Y. specializing in tax compliance and business consulting for high-net-worth families and closely held businesses. His clientele is located in 26 States and 6 Foreign Countries. On January 1st of 2022, the Firm changed its name to Hymes, Barrera and Kim CPA, LLP with the acceptance of two new partners – Steve Barrera, CPA and Haram Kim, CPA.

Mr. Hymes has been in practice for over 35 years and has worked for other NCCPAP Firms Marshall Granger & Company in Harrison N.Y. and Finkle & Ross CPA’s in Cedarhurst N.Y. He is a member of the AICPA, NYSSCPA and NCCPAP while his Firm is a member of the PCPS Section of the AICPA. Michael has also served as the Program’s Chair for the Westchester/Rockland Chapter of NCCPAP and was responsible for the development and coordination of the Chapter’s Continuing Education seminars.

Over the past two decades, Mr. Hymes has taught in the role of adjunct Professor with classes in undergraduate Accounting at both Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and Concordia College – Bronxville. He has also served as the Accounting Education Program Director at Concordia College – Bronxville with responsibilities relating to the overall curriculum development for students pursuing a specialization in accounting.

A Bronxville Rotarian for the last 27 years, Michael has also served as Treasurer of the Club from July of 2003 through June of 2020. He has also served on other charity and local program Boards including Lawrence Hospital Finance Committee, Bronxville Derby Foundation, The Bronxville Chamber of Commerce, as well as Meals on Wheels 10708. As regular volunteer for the Midnight Run charity in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., he has helped deliver clothing and food to high risk and homeless individuals in NYC.

Michael and his wife of 30 years, Kathleen, live on the Upper West Side of NYC after relocating from Westchester County in 2017. They are both Tennis and Golf enthusiasts.

Sandra G. Johnson

Sandra G. Johnson, CPA, EA, CFE is widely recognized as a national leader in the public accounting field and has twice been named as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by the highly regarded trade publication Accounting Today. With more than 35 years of accounting and tax experience, Sandy has long dedicated herself to providing premier client service and to sharing her knowledge with young accountants and colleagues.

Sandy is CEO of Johnson CPA located in Bellmore, NY. In addition to running a successful CPA firm, Sandy is an Instructor at the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative and LaGuardia Community College. Sandy has lectured around the country on various business, tax and accounting topics at NY Small Business Development Center, SUNY Old Westbury, Hofstra University, National Conference of CPA Practitioners, Texas Association of CPAs and many, many more.
An active volunteer in the community, Sandy has served as president of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce and the Long Island Center for Business and Professional Women.

Sandy is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in the state of New York, an Enrolled Agent with the Internal Revenue Service and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

Often recognized by her peers for her involvement in business, Sandy is the recipient of the Town of Hempstead Pathfinder Award, the NYS Assembly Women of Distinction Award, winner of the LI Press Best of Long Island and the recipient of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce Small Businessperson of the Year award.

Sandy has been published in Accounting Today, The Practicing CPA and the Journal of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners.

Varun Kathait, CPA, Esq.

Varun Kathait is a highly skilled CPA and Attorney based in Long Island, NY, known for his practical and client-first approach in tax, accounting, and legal matters. He currently works with Dalal Associates CPAs P.C. and operates his own legal practice catering to a diverse range of client needs. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Varun serves as a trusted advisor, guiding sophisticated taxpayers through the complexities of both their business and personal lives.

In recognition of his leadership, expertise, and commitment to continued education, Varun serves as the President of the Education Foundation of the National Association of CPA Practitioners – N/S Chapter. Additionally, he holds the position of Chair of the Business Law, Tax, and Accounting Committee at the Nassau County Bar Association.

Varun's professional focus lies in providing top-tier tax, accounting, and advisory services. He excels in handling all stages of Federal and State criminal and civil tax matters, offering comprehensive counsel on audits, tax controversies, penalty issues, and foreign and domestic voluntary disclosures. With a deep understanding of corporate, partnership, estate, and gift taxation matters, Varun assists clients in navigating the intricate tax consequences associated with these areas.

As a licensed CPA and Attorney, Varun boasts a strong multi-disciplinary accounting background that enables him to effectively serve both corporate and individual tax clients. He has gained valuable experience throughout his career, having worked as an Associate at a Tax Law firm and later as an Tax Manager in the International Private Client Services Group at RSM US LLP.

Furthermore, Varun's experience extends to the realm of estate tax and trust, where he honed his skills as a Fellow with the Surrogate's Court of Nassau County. Collaborating closely with Hon. Edward W. McCarty, III, he gained invaluable insight into the intricacies of Surrogate's Court proceedings, including estate tax filings and procedural aspects.
Varun's professional journey began as a legal intern at Katz, Bernstein & Katz, LLP while pursuing his college education in Atlanta. After earning his B.A. in Economics from Emory University, he returned to New York to attend Hofstra University Law School. During his time at Hofstra, Varun demonstrated his commitment to the field by serving as the Treasurer of the Hofstra Business Law Society and as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Coordinator. He also actively contributed to the Community and Economic Development Clinic, providing transactional assistance to nonprofits, community-based organizations, and microenterprises in low-income communities in and around Nassau County.
With his extensive expertise, dedication to his clients, and leadership roles within professional organizations, Varun Kathait continues to make significant contributions to the fields of tax, accounting, and law. His comprehensive approach and wealth of experience make him a sought-after professional for individuals and businesses seeking trusted guidance and solutions in complex financial and legal matters.

Joseph Calamia II, CPA

Joseph Calamia II, CPA  is a Partner with Sales Tax Defense LLC. The firm specializes in sales, use, and transaction taxes. Joseph is a Certified Public Accountant and has over 16 years of experience in multiple areas of tax representation.  Some of his areas of practice include Multi-state sales and use tax consulting, Sales and use tax audit defense, Sales and use tax audit defense, and Sales tax planning and research.  

Joseph received his Master’s Degree in Taxation from SUNY Old Westbury, and a Bachelor of Science Cum Laude in Accounting from Briarcliffe College.

Joseph is a member of the Long Island Elite non-profit organization which raises funds for local causes. He serves on numerous committees within the organization.