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Christopher Lovasz

A managing director at Deloitte, Lovasz has had a 30-year career with the firm, including 24 years in the audit & assurance practice delivering services to various private and public companies in sectors such as manufacturing, service, distribution and construction. Throughout his three-decade career, Lovasz has served large, multinational clients as well as smaller, private companies with a variety of different services. He is passionate about the industry, especially on a critical issue of talent. At Deloitte, he established the Mentor Program that was responsible for hiring 50% of new audit recruits each year for 20 years. Lovasz is a longtime NJCPA volunteer who led the NJCPA Scholarship Fund through significant changes and just completed his three-year term as an NJCPA Trustee and is currently serving as a member of the Professional Conduct Committee. Since 2009, he has been active in the NJCPA Student Programs and Scholarship Committee. In the community, he also serves as co-president of the Wall Business and Finance Academy, an advisory group for Wall High School students who are interested in a business major in college – and a future career in business.

Jerry Maginnis

After retiring as a managing partner of KPMG’s Philadelphia office in 2015, Maginnis remains active in the industry. Since 2016, he’s been an accounting executive in residence at Rowan University, where he works closely with the dean of the business school and chair of the accounting department to help prepare students with their transition from academia into the workforce. He’s also an independent director and chair of the audit committee for global investment manager Cohen & Steers Mutual Fund Complex, as well as a board member and audit chair of inTEST Corporation, a publicly traded company based in Mount Laurel. Additionally, Maginnis serves as senior advisor of strategy and growth to the leadership team at Centri Consulting LLC. His resume also includes an entry as a published author. In 2021, he released “Advice for a Successful Career in the Accounting Profession: How to Make Your Assets Greatly Exceed Your Liabilities,” which has become a resource for college and university students, early career professionals and accountants of all ages.

Bryan Merrigan

Since 2020, Merrigan has been managing principal of tax, audit and advisory services firm Grant Thorton’s MetroPark office in Iselin. In this position, Merrigan has overseen growth in some of the firm’s key industries, including finance, technology and healthcare, as well as implemented a hybrid work model for his office. Additionally, he has developed and delivered numerous training courses locally and nationally on accounting, auditing and SEC-related matters. Merrigan’s tenure at Grant Thornton also includes involvement with numerous committees and task forces, like the global professional services’ steering committee, as well as serving as a mentor for the firm’s career development program designed to prepare senior managers pursuing the path to partner or principal. The Rider University alumni joined Grant Thornton in 2002 and went on to gain public accounting experience in a variety of industries, like professional service, life sciences and technology. Merrigan is also a member of Rider University’s Ac-counting Advisory Board and has appeared on NJBIZ’s Power Accounting list in 2020 and 2022.

Shawn Panson

At Florham Park-based PwC, Panson leads the professional services company’s private practice serving families, high net worth individuals, private equity portfolios and U.S. inbounds. Panson heads up a team of more than 250 partners and 2,400 audit and tax professionals dedicated to serving private companies and their owners. He was also elected to serve on PwC’s board of partners, effective July 2023. Before becoming U.S. private leader at PwC in 2015, Panson served as head of the company’s risk assurance cybersecurity, privacy and IT risk practice, helping clients manage the ever-changing risk landscape to build digital trust with their stakeholders. He’s also served as the risk assurance emerging services leader. Altogether, Panson has more than 30 years of experience providing growing private and public companies with audit and business advisory services across a range of industries including technology, entertainment, media, professional sports, telecommunications and retail.

Maria Rollins

As managing partner at Paramus-based full-service accounting firm KRS CPAs LLC, Rollins oversees client accounting services, assurance and advisory practices. She also leads handling of regulatory and compliance matters stemming from state, federal and industry oversight. Throughout her 30+ years of public accounting firm experience, Rollins has worked primarily with multi-generational family-owned, woman-owned and closely held businesses and their owners. Besides offering tax and financial advice to help clients maximize wealth, lower costs and develop tax planning strategies, Rollins also advises on back-office procedures and financial reporting systems that deliver real-time results and increased profitability. KRS CPAs – which Rollins helped found in 2005 – has been a repeat honoree of NJBIZ’s Best Places to Work program. It’s also known for making it as easy as possible for clients across numerous industries, like food & beverage, real estate, healthcare and manufacturing & distribution, to get advice and counsel needed so they can focus on their businesses and lives.

David Roth

Since becoming managing partner at Somerset-based RRBB Advisors LLC 16 years ago, Roth has increased employee headcount to over 135 and tripled revenue. RRBB was named in March 2024 as the second fastest growing accounting firm in the nation, with $36.53 million in revenue in 2023 – an 86.38% growth rate. The 36-year industry veteran was instrumental in four successful mergers that brought RRBB new service lines. With a focus on modernization, Roth encourages and implements new technology and services at RRBB, as well as prioritizes professional development and mentorship at the firm. His background includes consulting, accounting, auditing and tax services, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions to privately and publicly held companies in the U.S. and internationally. Roth has also been a member of RRBB’s executive committee since 1996 and was named as one of NJBIZ’s 2023 Leaders in Finance.

Lori Roth

Since 2021, Roth has been global managing partner of Top 50 accounting and advisory firm Prager Metis, a member of Prager Metis International Group. In her role, Roth oversees daily operations, as well as provides guidance and oversight to office managing partners and service line leaders across all 23 offices. As part of the firm’s leadership team, Roth plays a key role in developing strategic goals and policies, monitoring performance and driving business growth. A 40-year veteran of the accounting industry, Roth, who is based in the firm’s Basking Ridge office, has been included on several NJBIZ Accounting Power 50 lists, including No. 5 in 2023 and No. 7 in 2020. Over the course of her career, Roth has focused on audit and assurance services, litigation support and business valuations and worked with clients across a variety of industries, including closely held businesses, real estate, and the U.S. subsidiaries of foreign banks and corporations. In addition to working closely with business owners in a collaborative approach, Roth also acts as a caring mentor who genuinely wants every team member to succeed.

Michael Saccomanno

Saccomanno is the Partner-In-Charge, Valuation, Forensic & Litigation Services, New York Region, at Marcum LLP, primarily working out of the firm’s Marlton, Northfield, and Tinton Falls offices. Marcum has been serving the accounting, tax and business consulting needs of public and private companies for more than 100 years. Marcum’s industry-focused practice features concentrated areas of expertise and understanding of the economic environment. Marcum’s clients have the advantage of working with a large-size accounting firm that combines the staff and resources of a large firm with a philosophy of personal responsibility for clients. Saccomanno has dedicated his career to the forensic accounting field, with a concentration in business valuations, dispute resolutions, economic mediations, and fraud investigations. He is routinely engaged by the area’s top attorneys, and appointed by courts to analyze, investigate, report on, and/or mediate financial disputes involving individuals and corporations. Saccomanno is a frequent speaker and author on topics within the forensic accounting field and has testified in various counties throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania on issues regarding valuations of business, equitable distribution proceedings (marital dissolution), shareholder disputes, loss of income and/or economic damages, and white-collar crime.

Steven Schinella

A CPA with nearly 30 years of experience, Schinella is the office managing partner – New Jersey for the advisory, assurance, and tax firm CohnReznick. Based in Parsippany, Schinella is a member of the firm’s Consumer and Manufacturing & Distribution practices and its Public Company Audit practice. Much of his work has focused on interpreting and implementing technical accounting issues, SEC rules and regulations, and such complex reporting requirements as those related to Sarbanes-Oxley. As Office Managing Partner for two large New Jersey offices, Schinella’s approach to leadership is grounded in CohnReznick’s purpose: creating opportunities for the firm’s people; making a difference for clients; and strengthening the firm’s communities. Team members benefit from CohnReznick’s hybrid workplace strategy — CR Together with Purpose – which gives them the option to work from one of the firm’s offices, a client location or virtually.

Jennifer Shimek

Shimek serves as the office managing partner for KPMG’s Short Hills office. She specializes in regulatory enforcement and compliance in the healthcare and life sciences industries. With over 26 years of sector experience, she provides clients with a unique blend of industry, business, and compliance skills. Jennifer’s global experience includes FCPA process assessments, distributor and other third-party intermediary audits, due diligence and compliance services. Additionally, Shimek supports and delivers the coding/compliance components of M&A projects in the healthcare sector. Her clients include pharmaceutical and medical device companies as well as providers, payors and hospitals. Shimek holds a Certified Professional Coder designation from the American Academy of Professional Coders. She earned an undergraduate degree from Florida State University and an MBA from the University of South Florida.

Chris Smith

Smith, a partner at Marcum, is also an office managing partner at the national top 12 accounting firm’s East Hanover location, as well as New Jersey leader for capital markets. With more than 30 years working in the private and public sectors, Smith provides audit, compliance and advisory services to publicly traded companies with specialized emphasis in software, telecommunications, and manufacturing and distribution. Some of his practice areas include SEC compliance, financial reporting and internal controls. He engages with companies at all stages of development and his clients have raised more than $1 billion of capital in various debt and equity instruments. In addition to being involved with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New Jersey Society of CPAs, Smith was included on NJBIZ’s Power 50 Accounting lists in 2022 and 2021.

Alan Sobel

Sobel, a former president of the New Jersey Society of CPAs, is one of the most prominent members of the New Jersey Accounting profession. Formerly running SobelCo, the firm founded by his father, Sobel is now managing principal for New Jersey of CLA, following its acquisition.  In a discussion with NJBIZ after NJCPA celebrated its 125th anniversary last year, Sobel talked about the future of the profession – especially attracting and retaining talent. He said that the problem is an old one but has now morphed into something more serious. “And I think the numbers are a little bit more dire than they have always been,” he explained. “But there has always been an issue within the accounting profession of not only attracting people but retaining them – getting them to stay within the profession. There are so many different paths with which to take. So, the Society, over its – I don’t know about 125 years, but the 30-some-odd years that I have been involved, has always been there to support the industry and the firms in attracting people to this business. We just have a unique challenge right now – probably unlike we have had in a long time because accounting graduates are way, way down.” Recognizing his historic role – and his new responsibilities – Sobel earned the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 NJBIZ Leaders in Finance event.

Sandy Suchoff

When Suchoff saw how cannabis helped improve a family member’s medical condition, she decided to combine her love of tax and accounting with a passion for cannabis to launch a firm in 1997 specializing in the cannabis and hemp space. Catering to all verticals – from cultivators to processors to retailers – The Canna CPAs (Lefstein-Suchoff CPA & Associates LLC) guides 100-plus businesses through the complicated industry, providing strategic tax planning, proper cost accounting, budgets and rolling cash forecasts. As partner of the Fair Lawn-based firm, Suchoff has led The Canna CPAs to receive numerous recognitions for its expertise in cannabusiness accounting. Additionally, Suchoff, a past honoree of NJBIZ’s Accounting Power 50 list, is a renowned national speaker on cannabis tax, appearing at industry conferences and on major media networks, as well as written her own articles for industry specific-publications and co-authored a book. Last year, she published “How to Run a Profitable Cannabis Business,” which has become an Amazon bestseller.

Andrej Suskavcevic

Suskavcevic was named president and CEO of Financial Executives International and Financial Education & Research Foundation in August 2015. FEI is the professional association of choice for corporate financial executives and the leading organization dedicated to advancing ethical, responsible financial management. Having begun his association management career with FEI where he was responsible for membership and Chapter relations, administrative services, and new business development, Suskavcevic brings more than 20 years of extensive association experience to his current role. Before FEI, he was president and CEO of the Craft & Hobby Association and chief executive officer of the Commercial Finance Association, an organization for the asset-based lending and factoring community. Suskavcevic serves on the Board of Directors for the Virtual Association Network, is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and holds the designation of Certified Association Executive. He earned a B.S. in Finance from Montclair University and an M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Karen Taylor-Burke

Taylor-Burke is a partner in the Cranford office at PKF O’Connor Davies, a top 100 Accounting Firm with more than 22 offices and 1,500 professionals. Committed to the firm’s diversity equity and inclusion culture, she has led the firm’s Women’s Initiative Network since 2019. In 2021, Taylor-Burke was chosen to serve a one-year term on the firm’s Governance Committee where she identified and mentored future partners and, in 2022, became a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. With more than 25 years of experience in public accounting, Taylor-Burke has dedicated her career to servicing clients in the firm’s Non-Profit Practice where she delivers a wide variety of accounting, audit and advisory services to charitable organizations and labor unions. A trusted advisor, she works with Board members and management making recommendations to improve Internal Controls and provide information on Accounting Best Practices and Board Governance. Taylor-Burke also offers accounting and audit services to clients in the real estate and construction sectors, specializing in preparing Cost Certification Audits in compliance with NJHMFA and HUD rules, as well as in assisting clients with additional analysis to meet compliance regulations and funding rules.