Laura A. Billingsley, CPA, MS Acc, MEd Related seminars and products: 3

Laura A. Billingsley, CPA, MS Acc, MEd, is an executive editor of PPC products for the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters in Carrollton, Texas, where she is responsible for the technical content and annual update of several PPC products. She is a coauthor of PPC’s Guide to SSARS Preparation Engagements, PPC’s Guide to PCAOB Audits, PPC’s Guide to Religious Organizations, PPC’s Practice Aids for Audits of Oil and Gas Entities, and PPC’s Guide to Fraud Risk Assessments; and a contributing author to PPC’s Guide to Compilation and Review Engagements, PPC’s Guide to Managing an Accounting Practice, PPC’s Guide to Write-up Services, PPC’s Guide to GAAS, PPC’s Guide to Audits of Financial Institutions, PPC’s Guide to Dealerships, and The PPC Accounting and Auditing Update newsletter. She has been an observer at the AICPA Accounting and Review Services Committee meetings for over 17 years. Before joining Thomson Reuters, she was a senior audit manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where she managed attest, business assurance, and consulting engagements for both small business and public company clients. Ms. Billingsley is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

James A. Smith, CPA, CGMA Related seminars and products: 7

Managing Director

Smith, Jackson, Boyer & Bovard, PLLC

JAMES A. SMITH, CPA, CGMA serves as Managing Director of Smith, Jackson, Boyer & Bovard, PLLC, a Dallas based, full service Certified Public Accounting firm. Mr. Smith began his career with a major international accounting firm where he served in both the audit and tax divisions. In his thirty-eight years of professional experience, he has performed audit engagements in real estate development and construction, investment partnerships, manufacturing, utilities, health care and transportation. He has worked with companies ranging in size from large, multinational corporations to small, closely held companies. He has also been engaged extensively in tax and financial planning consultations for closely held corporations and their owners.

Mr. Smith has appeared as a featured commentator on all four Dallas/Ft. Worth network news stations, including three and one-half years as a featured business commentator on KXAS, TV5; on the TSCPA “CPAs on Call” state wide tax television program; and on various radio news programs. He has conducted seminars on tax and financial planning for the Dallas Chapter of the TSCPA and stock brokerage firms and life insurance companies, and on marketing and practice management for the TSCPA, the North Carolina Association of CPAs, the Arkansas Society of CPAs, the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs, and the American Institute of CPAs.

Mr. Smith served as Chair of the Texas Society of CPAs (TSCPA)for the 2007-2008 year, as Treasurer and as a member of its Executive Board and its Board of Directors. He is currently serving a three year term as an elected member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) Council and is an appointed member of the AICPA Accounting and Review Services Committee. He has also served the TSCPA as an elected member or its Executive Board, as Chairman of the External Relations Steering Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Management of Accounting Practice Future Issues Committee, Sub-Committee Chairman of the Quality Review Committee, and Chairman of the Public Practice Association. He has served as Chairman of the Dallas Chapter of the TSCPA for the 2002-2003 year and a member of its Board of Directors. He has also served on its Strategic Planning Committee and as Chairman of its Young CPAs Committee. In recognition of his service, Mr. Smith has been named by the TSCPA as Outstanding Steering Committee Chairman for the year 1999-2000, Outstanding Committee Chairman for the year 1995-1996, and Outstanding Committee Member for the Years 1992-1993 and 1995-96. The Dallas Chapter of the TSCPA also named him CPA of the Year for 1999-2000.

Mr. Smith is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with a BBA in Accounting and Economics. He is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant by the State of Texas and is a licensed Registered Investment Advisor.

Michael L. Brand, CPA, CGMA Related seminars and products: 1

Johnson, Feigley, Newton & Brand, LLP, Athens, AL

Michael L. Brand is a partner in the firm of Johnson, Feigley, Newton & Brand in Athens, Alabama. For the past 23 years, he has been involved in all aspects of public accounting with in emphasis in accounting, auditing, and review services. He also teaches continuing education classes and has been a speaker at several conferences nationwide. He is the current chair of the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants Peer Review Committee and the Accounting and Review Services Committee.

Brand’s experience involves audits, reviews, and compilations of various for-profit industries, not-for-profits, and governmental entities. He was formally on the Peer Review Board, Joint Trial Board, and the Quality Control Standards Task Force. In 2010 and 2011 he received the Outstanding Discussion Leader Award.

Brand received his BS in accounting from the University of North Alabama.