45th Annual Accounting & Auditing Conference (In-Person Only)

Jaclyn Veno is a licensed CPA and holds both a bachelor's and a master's degree in Accounting from Clemson University. Before joining, Galasso Learning Solutions, she was an auditor for two top-10 CPA firms. Jaclyn has extensive experience developing both staff and interns including the onboarding of overseas staff. She has fond memories of her time spent completing dozens of acquisition audits for one growing client. Jaclyn holds certificates in adult learning, instructional design, and training & facilitation from the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

Dr. Phillip McClure is a keynote speaker and expert facilitator who specializes in building teams and developing leaders for businesses and nonprofits. Phillip has been married to his college sweetheart, Theresa, for more than 35 years and they are partners in McClure Professional Services. They are parents of seven adult children, born and adopted, who all have jobs, cars, and homes of their own now! Phillip’s first degree was a bachelor’s in vocal music and conducting from Berea College in Berea, KY. During his career he completed Masters and Doctoral degrees in theology from Christian Bible College and Seminary as well as several certificates in leadership development and facilitative skills. He has spoken to nearly half a million people in his career in a dozen US states and nine nations in Europe and Central and South America. Their clients include large corporations like Gerdau Steel, Rheem Manufacturing, ABB, Entergy, and Arvest Bank, as well as numerous small businesses and nonprofits. The mission of McClure Professional Services is helping people get better at people skills!

Tim joined the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy as an investigator in 2013. He became Executive Director in May 2023. Tim graduated from the University of Houston – Downtown with a BBA in Accounting in 1992 and passed the CPA exam in 1993. Before joining the State Board, Tim spent most of his career in internal auditing, including Internal Audit Director for USAble Life and Dyersburg State Community College. He lives in Jacksonville, AR with his wife Charlotte. They have four children (ages 30, 29, 24, and 15), three daughters-in-law, and 2.6 perfect grandsons.

Ethny Ashcraft is a manager of Landmark PLC. Ethny has 6 years of experience in public accounting, most of which has been devoted to serving for-profit entities. Ethny is a key member of the firm’s training team and has recently completed the AICPA’s COSO Internal Control – Integrated Framework Certification Program.

Pattie Davidson is a member (partner) of Landmark PLC. Pattie has over 30 years of experience in public accounting, and has focused the majority of her efforts over the past 20 years developing an industry expertise in 529 education savings plans, ABLE plans and state facilitated retirement plans. In addition to her work in the government savings industry, Pattie regularly consults with our clients on risk assessment, risk management practices, business process design and internal controls.

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Dave has enjoyed practicing in the field of employee benefits for the last 40 years. He is currently the Managing Director in Retirement Plan Consulting at Forvis Mazars. Dave has extensive experience in the design, implementation and maintenance of qualified retirement plans. This includes 401(k) Plans, Profit Sharing Plans, Defined Benefit Pension Plans and ESOPs. Dave also has experience in consulting and drafting nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements which includes both 457(b) Plans and 457(f) Plans.

Aaron Earned his Master of Accountancy, with minors in Information Systems and Japanese, from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in 2009. He became a CPA in 2012 and a CISA in 2013. Since joining Little, Shaneyfelt, Marshall & Co. in 2010, he's advanced in his current role as a director.

Dr. David Ashby worked as an accountant and even taught accounting classes before becoming a professor at SAU. His accumulated degrees took him to Ole Miss and eventually LA Tech, where he earned his doctorate. He later became a Certified Financial Planner professional and launched the first financial planning curriculum in AR at SAU. After teaching finance for many years, he co-founded Mustard Seed Wealth Management alongside former student Darla Williams in 2002. Now with nine employees and three locations, David is the Sr Advisor & Partner at our Magnolia Branch. David has built a team of advisors as passionate and dedicated as he is about guiding clients not only to retirement but through it. Though retired from SAU as a professor, David continues to teach at continuing education seminars and writes for several publications. David has always been fascinated with people's financial behaviors and enjoys seeing people exceed their goals. David continues to serve on area boards and committees while spending many volunteer hours working in the community. David works in the Magnolia office and his home Hot Springs. He enjoys spending his free time with his nine grandchildren and watching them play ball.

Sherry Chesser is a member of Landmark PLC in their Little Rock, Arkansas office and serves on the firm-wide management team. She focuses most of her time in the assurance and bond arbitrage practice areas, with industry experience in tax exempt debt compliance, employee benefit plans and nonprofit organizations. In addition, she conducts numerous peer reviews throughout the year. Sherry has over 30 years of experience in public accounting providing tax and audit services to a broad base of clients and served as a controller for a nonprofit organization. In 2015, she was appointed to the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy for a five-year term serving as the president in 2020. In addition, she is a committee member of NASBA's Peer Review Compliance Committee, a committee member for the Partners in Peer Review with Alabama and a member of the AICPA's Auditing Standards Board.

Mr. Will leverages his more than 40 years of experience in accounting, including public accounting, forensic accounting, consulting, and audit and tax compliance, to deliver to policyholders the high-touch, high-quality CAMICO experience. He works closely with the Loss Prevention Specialists to manage the department’s efforts to deliver policyholder service. Duncan’s specialties are accounting and auditing and business valuation-related risk management. He advises policyholders through the CAMICO Loss Prevention Hotline, speaks to CPA groups, and writes articles on a wide range of accounting risk management and ethics topics. Topics of particular interest include complying with the AICPA’s Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services, doubts about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, cyber-security, and serving clients in the cannabis industry.

Mr. Will began his accounting career in 1979 as a staff accountant in the Washington, D.C. area and spent most of his public accounting career in California and Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Maryland and is Accredited in Business Valuation and Certified in Financial Forensics. A Certified Fraud Examiner, Duncan is an active member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners; has supplemented his education with college courses at the University of Baltimore, Golden Gate University, and Florida Atlantic University; and welcomes opportunities to expand his knowledge over a broad spectrum of accounting-related curricula.