Discussion Leaders
AHI discussion leaders teach participants accounting tasks and skills in additional to the foundational “why” the procedures are done. Participants are actively engaged with each other for most of the day, not sitting and listening to a lecture or watching a computer. They discuss and solve problems while being guided by experienced discussion leaders to maximize learning. This results in a deeper level of training.
At AHI Associates, we believe that there are no shortcuts to true education.
Anthony A. Cuozzo, Jr., CPA, CGFM
Anthony “Tony” A. Cuozzo, Jr. is Senior Advisor to Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell, P.C. (CBM). He has over 40 years of experience including specialties in not–for–profit organizations and local governments. Tony has served as principal in charge of both 501(c)(3) and 6) organizations. Additionally, Tony is a nationally recognized discussion leader for various accounting and auditing courses for CPA firms and state CPA organizations. Tony conducts peer reviews of CPA firms across the country, and is a current member of the Maryland Association of CPAs Peer Review Committee. Certified Public Accountant, Maryland. Certified Government Financial Manager. Licensed Insurance Agent, Life & Health Insurance, Maryland. Registered Investment Advisor. Graduate, Strayer University. American Institute of CPAs. Maryland Association of CPAs.
Bruce Dunn, CPA
Bruce retired in 2017 from Maner Costerisan, a firm he joined in 1979. He has held many roles at the firm, including Director of Audit Services, Director of Quality Control, Vice President, Treasurer, Director of Education Practice Group, Director of the CPA Firm Practice Group and Immediate Past President.
Beyond his leadership roles, he works closely with a diverse group of clients including school districts, colleges, governmental entities, trade associations, nonprofit organizations, CPA firms and closely-held businesses. He is known throughout the firm, and by his clients and colleagues, as the go-to expert for matters regarding education entities, peer reviews and CPA advisory services.
Rich Ferdinand, CPA, MBA
Rich Ferdinand specializes in providing financial and general management services to the small and medium sized business market (SMBs). Mr. Ferdinand has served as Chief Financial Officer ranging from full time, interim or on a consulting basis for companies in various industries that are either early stage or mature, as well as requiring turnaround assistance. He is a past recipient of the Outstanding Instructor Award from the AICPA and a recipient of the Education Foundation’s Award for Instructor Excellence and the Meritorious Service Award. He has previously taught part time at UCLA in the undergraduate and graduate business programs. Mr. Ferdinand is a licensed CPA in California and was formerly with Deloitte & Touche in Los Angeles. A native of NJ, Mr. Ferdinand graduated from Colgate University and received his MBA from the University of Chicago. He currently resides in New Hampshire with his wife and two daughters.
Steve Garrett, MBA, CPA
Steve is an independent consultant providing contract training services in the areas of financial auditing, supervisory skills, career planning and leadership development. He resides in Chicago. After obtaining his graduate degree in Human Resource Management from Indiana University in 1986, he served for two years as Professional Recruiting Coordinator for the Amoco Corporation Controller’s Department in Chicago. Steve also spent four years on the audit staff of a national CPA firm in Cleveland, Ohio. His undergraduate degree is in Accounting from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Bonnie Kennedy, CPA
Bonnie has nearly 20 years of experience in the accounting profession in public and private industry. She began in public practice with a regional accounting firm in New England before taking a position as the Controller and CFO of a manufacturing firm. Bonnie is now a full-time faculty member at an accredited university. With the regional CPA firm, Bonnie was involved in recruiting, interviewing, and mentoring new staff. She also designed and conducted CPE programs for the firm. After initial exposure to taxation and attestation work, Bonnie specialized in audits of manufacturing companies and not-for-profit entities. She has taught accounting and auditing courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, published articles in scholarly journals, and presented at national conferences. Bonnie is a member of the AICPA and the Rhode Island Society of CPAs.
Steven D. Masur, CPA
Steven “Steve” D. Masur is a retired partner in the accounting firm of Warady & Davis LLP., a Deerfield, Illinois firm with over 65 professionals and administrative staff. Formerly, Steve was partner and later a sole practitioner with Friedman & Masur, Ltd. He began his career with a national CPA firm and has been, until his retirement, in the practice of public accounting for over 43 years.
He received his BS and MAS in Accountancy from the University of Illinois. While with the national firm, he taught in–house training courses for new employees. He has also taught staff level training programs for the AICPA. Steve is a member of the Illinois CPA Society, served as chairman of Managing an Accounting Practice committee and served as membership chairman.He is also active in several community organizations.
Sonny Walker Morris, CPA
Sonny is a Director with the firm of Shelton & Company, CPAs P.C., specializing in serving solely construction contractor clients within the Mid-Atlantic. Previously he was the interim CFO for Lynchburg Steel & Specialty Company for four years while also growing a private practice in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has over twenty-five years of experience in public accounting with a focus in construction consulting, assurance and tax services for small business, as well as forensic examination and expert witness as a certified fraud examiner. He also has experience auditing employee benefit plans and not–for–profit entities. Sonny has been instructing AHI Staff Training courses since 1997.
Carol Borsum Sohn, CPA, MBA
Carol received her BA and MBA from Michigan State University in 1985. She spent eight years on the audit staff of Plante Moran in Southfield, Michigan. Since leaving public accounting Carol has been active in the profession working as a technical writer and editor with Al Arens. She is currently the Director of Operations for Armond Dalton Publishers, Inc., in Okemos, Michigan, which specializes in supplements for university-level financial, auditing, and accounting and information systems courses. Carol is also a coauthor of two of Armond Dalton’s textbooks: Computerized Accounting using QuickBooks Pro 2020, 6th Edition (with Al Arens and Dewey Ward), and Computerized Auditing using ACL Data Analytics, 4th edition (with Al Arens and Randal Elder). Carol has been extensively involved in the revisions of Arens’ bestselling auditing textbook as well as all of AHI Associates’ staff training courses. Carol has been an AHI discussion leader for over 25 years. Carol is also a member of the AICPA and the MICPA.
Garrett Wagner, CPA/CITP
Garrett is an industry thought leader on a mission, to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit and passion within the industry. With his ability to break free from the traditional CPA box, Garrett has embraced the entrepreneurial mindset and is on a mission to help others embrace the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. Garrett focuses on monitoring the evolving technologies and best practices in the industry to achieve the highest degree of success without being afraid to break free from traditional methods. Garrett’s background includes working inside successful CPA firms, speaking at conferences and events, and consulting for CPA firms across the country helping them to ignite lasting change by understanding the unique needs of each firm organization. Garrett believes that the public accounting landscape is undergoing a tremendous change and that by focusing on developing the next generation of leaders through education and leveraging technology any sized firm can be successful.