Topic: The Pros and Cons of Project Consulting

Speakers: Kelly Harris, Founder & Partner, Harris & Dickey LLC and Ben J. Pinto, Jr., CPA, Partner and Managing Director​​, Thomas Edwards Group

Agenda: 
- 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm: Networking 
- 6:15 pm - 7:30 pm: Program 
- 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm: Optional Networking 

Presentation:
This program is presented by two executives who have based their careers on placing accounting and financial professionals on an interim, contract, and project basis in North Texas, regionally, and on a national basis. These two are company leaders – one a company Founder and one a working Partner in two Dallas based professional service companies.  They are going to help the audience understand (1) the benefits of doing project work; (2) how to locate and price project and interim services; (3) what companies are looking for when they need a financial professional for a project; (4) how best to work with a project company; and (5) how best to project a professional image and approach at companies that use these services.
 
Speakers' bios:

Ms. Kelly Harris:
Kelly has over 25 years of corporate and consulting business experience. She is an entrepreneurial executive, financial expert and strategist.  She is an expert in finding ways to save millions through tax planning and accounting analysis. As a founding partner in Harris & Dickey, a women owned financial professional services firm, Kelly partners with C-level executives of Fortune 1000 companies to help enhance shareholder value and achieve corporate objectives.  In addition to founding Harris & Dickey, Kelly was a founder and market leader in a successful Deloitte spin-off, Resources Global Professionals that went public in 2000. Kelly joined Deloitte to open the Dallas office of Resources and helped build  a multinational  professional services firm with over 3,000 professionals around the world from 80 practice offices. Ten years prior to founding Harris & Dickey she spent consulting with Titus, Resources Global Professionals (a Deloitte spin-off) and PricewaterhouseCoopers. She was responsible for overseeing delivery of services, operations, growth, business development, resource management and provided strategic direction and leadership. At Titus and Resources, Kelly was the Dallas Managing. The beginning of her career was spent in tax departments at ClubCorp and Donrey Media Group. She is a graduate of Texas Woman’s University with a Bachelor in Business Administration majoring in accounting. She has been a Certified Public Accountant for over 30 years with expertise in corporate governance, accounting, tax, business development, talent development and management.  She is a member of the Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance (IECG), Institute of Internal Auditors, and the Association for Corporate Growth. She is on the Advisory Board for FENG and IECG and also has served on non-profit boards. She has been an Angel Investor, and has experience with Trinity Private Equity Group, Texas Women Ventures Fund and Concert Golf.

Mr. Ben Pinto, Jr.
Ben brings 20+ years of accounting and finance experience working with companies of various sizes and industries including insurance, manufacturing, oil & gas, professional services, real estate and retail. He currently serves as Director of the Contract Services Division for the firm. Prior to joining Thomas, Edwards Group, Ben was a Business Development Manager and an Executive Search Recruiter with a professional services firm for 12 years. He also served as a Regional Manager and VP for a national, privately-held company in the automotive industry. He began his career in Big 4 audit with Ernst & Young and is a Texas CPA and member of the Dallas Chapter of CPAs. A proud Aggie, Ben graduated from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Accounting.
 
He is a longtime member of Watermark Community Church and serves with several not-for-profit organizations including Water is Basic, The Marcella Project and New Friends New Life.

If you have any questions about the chapter, please contact:
Bob Walker
Dallas Chapter Chair
[email protected]
(214) 532-1152
 

If you have any questions about the meeting, please contact:
Jackie Dunn
FEI Dallas Chapter Manager
[email protected] | www.feidallas.org