Accounting M&A is the New Black

It feels like there is a new accounting firm merger announcement every week, or at least every month! If you're a marketer in an acquiring firm, what have you learned about integrating new firms? If you're a marketer from a firm who has been acquired, how has it affected you, your teams and career path? We hope AAM members who have been heavily involved in transactions over the past couple years will join and share their war stories. 

SME

Alex Drost

Alex Drost is the founder & CEO of Connection Builders, a purpose-built platform designed to accelerate career development for individuals and drive sustained growth for firms.

Mr. Drost began his career in middle-market investment banking, most recently as a Vice President of Cascade Partners, a private investment and investment banking firm serving middle-market companies in the manufacturing, healthcare, and business services industries.

During Mr. Drost’s tenure at Cascade, he led capital raise, buy-side & sell-side transactions in the consumer-healthcare, multi-site retail, and manufacturing industries that totaled nearly $1Bn in transaction value.

Alex is also the host of the Branch Out Podcast, where he interviews thought leaders from the accounting, legal, and other consulting professions, who share their unique insights and real-life lessons learned throughout their careers.

Alex holds a B.B.A. from Northwood University and is a registered CPA in the State of Michigan.

Facilitators

Raissa Evans

Raissa joined Weaver as head of digital and lead gen in 2020, a full-service national CPA and advisory firm. She began her early career in the technology industry, then spent 12 years as head of marketing at PKF Texas, a firm recognized as a market-leader by its peers due to many industry firsts, winning more than 120 awards along the way. She founded her consultancy Running Reload LLC in 2015 where she works with clients on social optimization and Guided Marketing. 

As a pioneer of digital strategy for professional services for more than 20 years, Raissa’s led digital transformations in marketing technology, web and content strategy and lead generation customer journeys. She speaks regularly on growth strategy, marketing operations, digital performance and the like.  

She hosts AAM’s monthly Virtual Campfire video conference and was AAM Marketer of the Year 2011, was named "One to Watch" by Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential in Accounting, is Past President of Houston's Interactive Marketing Association, and founder of non-profit Celtic Valor, which awards scholarships to veterans.

Amanda Sturdevant

Amanda is a marketing strategist and project manager with more than fifteen years of experience in accounting marketing. In late 2022, she joined the Enterprise Marketing team at Baker Tilly, an IPA Top 10 firm, through a merger and is still feeling her way around. Prior to the merger, she spent seven years as Marketing Director at True Partners Consulting (TPC), a national tax-only accounting firm with nine offices across the U.S. At TPC, Amanda provided strategic marketing counsel to the firm’s management team, managed all forms of marketing communications, planned conferences and events, and trained firm professionals on marketing and business development topics. Prior to her role at TPC, Amanda was the Marketing Director at MorrisAnderson, a restructuring and turnaround consulting firm. She strongly believes that the most important thing an accounting marketer can do is build trust with the partners and professional staff by learning and understanding their business.

Amanda earned her MBA in Marketing Strategy & Planning and Brand Management from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business in Chicago. She is also a proud alumna of the University of Wisconsin – Go Badgers! She works remotely from her home in Connecticut which she shares with her husband and two sons.

Amanda is the co-host of AAM’s Virtual Campfire video conference series and looks forward to facilitating conversations on topics that help AAM members contribute to the growth of their firms. She also serves at co-chair of AAM’s Virtual Education Committee.  Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn.   

Register