Elected ACFE President, Collaborative Training, Presented on Family Law Financial Matters
TBC has expanded the role of Pamela D. Wickes, CPA, CFE, CFF, ABV, Director of Forensic Accounting to include the oversight of the Business Advisory Services team. In speaking about this structural shift, Managing Partner James Drislane said, “Elevating Pam to coordinate both the forensic and valuation work is a strategic move, especially because having these divisions led by a CPA of her caliber, with all of her designations and experience in these niche services, adds significant value to TBC and its clients.”
Wickes was brought on board a couple years ago to lead the forensic accounting services, which last year included nearly 20 engagements in the areas of fraud investigations, matrimonial matters, economic damage calculations for litigation, internal control consulting, and shareholder/partner disputes.
“I’m humbled by this opportunity to oversee both of these niche service divisions at TBC. Because I have valuation experience and I worked closely with our valuation team when cases had both valuation and forensic accounting aspects, I anticipate a smooth transition. We aim to grow the practice by exceeding clients’ expectations and delivering a quality end product that meets their needs at competitive fees,” Wickes said.
Under Wickes’ tutelage, Drislane said that the Firm anticipates that the valuation staff, which provided services on over 70 engagements last year, will continue to provide high quality valuation and advisory services to its clients.
Wickes, a 2014 “40 Under Forty” award recipient from the Albany Business Review, has nearly 20 years of diversified experience in the areas of private and public accounting, various fraud and forensic accounting investigations, internal control consulting, asset tracing, economic damages, family law related services, business valuations, and other litigation support services. She provides consulting and expert witness services, including testimony, to assist attorneys and clients prior to and throughout lawsuits, as well as during settlement negotiations. She is also qualified to serve as the Financial Professional on collaborative divorce teams.
Elected President of Albany Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
In addition, outside of the office, Wickes was elected President of the Albany Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). The incoming officers and board members were introduced at a half day Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program that Wickes helped plan on behalf of the Chapter, which was held at the New York State Policy Academy. The ACFE is the world’s largest anti-fraud organization and premier provider of anti-fraud training and education. The mission of the ACFE is to reduce the incidence of fraud and white-collar crime and to assist its members in fraud detection and deterrence. Wickes has served the Albany Area Chapter of ACFEs since 2011 as Vice-President, Secretary, and At-Large Board member.
Collaborative Training
On May 2, 2015, Wickes completed Collaborative Practice Training, which was sponsored by the Albany County Bar Association and presented by members of The Collaborative Divorce Association of the Capital District, Inc. As a CPA with the collaborative training, Wickes is now qualified to serve as the Financial Professional on collaborative divorce teams. Collaborative Divorce is an alternative to the traditional litigation model, wherein the participants have a team of professionals to help them come to a mutually agreeable divorce settlement. Wickes will utilize her nearly 20 years of accounting experience and 10 years of experience providing a variety of forensic accounting and valuation services in matrimonial matters to assist clients in the collaborative model. For more information on collaborative divorce, please visit www.cdacd.org.
Albany County Bar Association CLE Program
On April 16, 2015, Wickes presented to local attorneys on the topics of financial matters in family law. In the 2 hour CLE presentation sponsored by the Albany County Bar Association “Forensic Accounting Tips & Tales Of Resolving Financial Disputes In Matrimonial Matters,” Wickes and her co-presenter, Michelle Haskin, Esq. of McNamee, Lochner, Titus and Williams, provided examples of potential financial matters of concern, as well as techniques utilized to conduct forensic accounting investigations and tips to resolve these financial issues that commonly arise in divorces.