Employee Benefits
Employee benefits are essential to attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. At the same time, your business must take the appropriate steps in employee benefits accounting: following relevant laws, assessing risk, setting up internal controls, and planning for the tax implications.
Invest in your employees and the success of your business with Brown Edwards. Our employee benefits accounting team can:
- Assess your existing benefits.
- Recommend ways to improve your programs for employees.
- Limit risk, reduce costs, and mitigate your tax burden.
- Ensure that your business is in compliance with the law.
Companies like yours choose Brown Edwards’ employee benefits accounting team because of our…
Experience.
Brown Edwards offers almost fifty years of auditing and tax experience to clients. Our expertise covers defined contribution plans (ESOPs and KSOPs), defined benefits, and welfare benefits plans. We can perform audits according to U.S. GAAP and accounting guidelines for specialized employee benefit areas, and we can make recommendations based on the unique needs and goals of your organization.
Expertise.
We are part of the AICPA Employee Benefit Audit Quality Center, which assists members the performance of their benefit plan audit practice. As a result, your business will receive the knowledge and resources it requires for a comprehensive review.
Commitment to clients.
Brown Edwards’ employee benefits accounting team provides ongoing communication to clients. Our priority is providing excellent professional services while ensuring that your business receives solutions targeted to its needs. It’s one of the reasons we conduct yearly client satisfaction surveys.
Typical projects include:
Future Benefit Planning
Retirement Planning
Planning and Compliance
Audit and financial reporting
Talk with Brown Edwards about employee benefits accounting for your businessContact Our Team
Practice Leader
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Mark E. Wiseman, CPAPartner
(540) 345-0936mwiseman@becpas.com
319 McClanahan St SW • Roanoke, VA, 24014-7705
Mark is a partner in the audit and accounting area of the firm and is the firms’ quality control partner. He is licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia and has twenty years of public accounting experience. Mark is a member of the firm’s Peer Review Services Team, providing quality reviews to regional public accounting firms across the country. He was recently named by Virginia Business magazine as one of Virginia’s Super CPAs in the area of employee benefits.
Mark graduated in 1986 from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Institute of Management Accountants.
Team Members
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Valerie R. Ellis, CPA, CGMAPartner -
Melissa A. Price, CPAPartner -
James R. Fries, CPA, MSAPartner -
C. Stanley Bowles II, CPAPartner -
Melissa C. Stanley, CPAPartner
(304) 343-4188
vellis@becpas.com
300 Chase Building, 707 Virginia Street East • Charleston, WV 25301
Valerie is a partner in the Charleston office with over 30 years of professional experience in a wide variety of areas. Valerie has directed audits of many closely held businesses, employee benefit plans, and nonprofit organizations. She has consulted with clients on matters ranging from regulatory compliance to operational issues and internal control. Her clients include professional firms, retailers, wholesalers, contractors, colleges and universities, foundations, and religious organizations.
Valerie has been a contributing author and technical reviewer for nationally distributed publications and a featured speaker at industry conferences.
Valerie graduated summa cum laude from Marshall University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Valerie is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the West Virginia Society of CPAs where she has served as chair of various committees, and the Charleston Chapter of the West Virginia Society of CPAs. She is also a member and past treasurer of the Rotary Club of Charleston; a member of the Marshall University Division of Accountancy and Legal Environment Advisory Board, and a member of the cultivation committee for Women in Economic and Leadership Development. She also teaches financial literacy to teenage parents through a program at her church.
Valerie was honored as the AICPA 2012 Woman to Watch–Experienced Leader by the West Virginia Society of CPAs.
(304) 343-4188
mprice@becpas.com
300 Chase Building, 707 Virginia Street East • Charleston, WV 25301
Melissa has 20 years of professional experience providing accounting, tax, consulting and attest services for a variety of closely-held businesses, nonprofit organizations, and employee benefit plans. Her industry experience includes multi-state retailers, dealerships, not-for-profit organizations, professional service firms, construction, and physician practices. In addition, Melissa is a Certified Quickbooks ProAdvisor.
Melissa graduated cum laude from Marshall University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the West Virginia Society of CPAs where she serves on the Recruiting and Opportunity project group, and the Charleston Chapter of the West Virginia Society of CPAs. Melissa is a member of the 2012 class of Generation Next: 40 Under 40, a statewide awards program sponsored by The State Journal. She serves as board member and treasurer for the Children’s Therapy Clinic, secretary/treasurer for the Charleston Vandalia Rotary Club, past treasurer of the West Teays Elementary PTO and is a member of the Marshall University Division of Accountancy and Legal Environment Advisory Board. She also serves as program director for the West Virginia Futbol Club TOPSoccer program and has volunteered for Junior Achievement.
(540) 434-6736jfries@becpas.com
1909 Financial Drive • Harrisonburg, VA, 22801
Jim is an assurance partner based in our Harrisonburg office. He specializes in working with employee benefit plans and not-for-profit organizations, including foundations, healthcare entities, community action agencies, and other social service organizations. Jim also has experience in a wide range of other industries, including manufacturers, utilities, cooperatives, construction contractors, and physician practices. He is a member of the firm’s peer review services team, providing quality reviews to regional public accounting firms around the country.
A 1999 magna cum laude graduate of Virginia Tech, Jim has a B.S. Degree in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy degree. Jim is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), and the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives (NSAC). He holds board positions on his local chapter of the IMA and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Association of Young Professionals. He also serves on the finance committee of his local church and has board positions on several other not-for-profit organizations.
(276) 466-5248sbowles@becpas.com
513 State Street • Bristol, VA, 24201
Stan has over twenty years experience in public accounting with audit and tax experience in employee benefit plans, construction, energy, real estate, retail, country clubs, financial institutions, manufacturing and healthcare. In addition, he served for three years as a corporate controller in the mining industry. His other client responsibilities include business consulting and overseeing numerous monthly accounting engagements. In addition, he is part of our peer review team performing inspections of other firms. Stan serves as area coordinator for our Bristol office, region leader for the western region of our firm, and a member of our firm leadership committee.
Education and Professional Registration
Stan received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise (formerly Clinch Valley College) in 1994. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Medical Group Management Association.
Expertise and Experience
- Audits of employee benefit plans
- Benefit plan design and consulting
- Preparation of Form 5500
- Accounting and assurance services in a variety of industries
- Internal control design and testing
- Management consultations
- Form of entity selection
- Individual, partnership and corporate income tax services
- Multistate taxation
- Member of the firm’s peer review team
- Member of the firm’s accounting and auditing committee
(540) 345-0936mstanley@becpas.com
319 McClanahan St SW • Roanoke, VA, 24014-7705
Melissa is an assurance partner in the Roanoke office and has almost 25 years of accounting experience. Prior to joining Brown Edwards, Melissa was a partner in one of the top 20 firms in the nation where her practice concentrations were in not-for-profit organizations, employee benefit plan audits, and a variety of closely held businesses, including manufacturers, distributors and service organizations.
Melissa’s expertise includes assistance in applying accounting standards in a multitude of situations – from everyday transactions to complex, multi-faceted arrangements. This includes assistance in evaluating and complying with new accounting pronouncements, with particular attention to the organizations’ circumstances and industry. In addition, Melissa is routinely called upon to consult on internal control related matters and is well known for her responsible, team-oriented approach.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Lynchburg College. She is a licensed CPA in the Virginia Commonwealth and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Virginia Society of CPA’s.
What Clients SayAbout Our Accounting Services for Employee Benefit Plans
" I have had the pleasure of working with Brown Edwards for several years on annual compliance testing and ERISA audits. The staff is professional, responsive, and friendly. I would recommend them without hesitation to anyone who has need of their services. "
Robin Meade - Human Resources Division Manager, Virginia Tech Services, Inc.
" Randolph College engaged Brown Edwards to conduct the College’s 403(b) retirement audit in the spring of 2010, after putting out an RFP. Brown Edwards was selected because of their experience. We are very pleased with the overall scope of the work and their response to the College’s needs. We also appreciate their pre-visit work and planning.."
Sharon M. Saunders - Director of Human Resources Randolph College
" Jessica White is an exemplary auditor for Brown Edwards. Jessica manages the audit in ways that are instructional and helpful, as we prepare the reports and information needed to complete the audit work for our plan. Jessica is organized, efficient and her preparation process is clear and easy to understand. She is thorough and is always willing to answer questions or explain any part of the audit or clarify requirements. Jessica is a competent professional and a pleasure to work with and is always ready to assist us and facilitate an understanding of different aspects of the audit. This in turn helps us be more efficient in the work we do in preparation for the plan audit. I have worked with many auditing firms in my career and the Brown Edwards Team is one of the very best. I would recommend this firm, without reservation to any of my colleagues in higher education. "
