South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Bringing new perspective to firm’s leadership
Laura Clark was recently named a tax shareholder at Caler, Donten, Levine, Cohen, Porter & Veil, P.A., Certified Public Accountants in West Palm
Beach, from her previous position of senior tax manager. Clark says about her job, that no two days are ever the same. Tax laws and clients’ needs are constantly changing, which keeps things dynamic and interesting, says Clark, who enjoys advising clients and helping them solve problems.
Why my role is important: As the youngest shareholder and a working wife and mother, I bring a new perspective to the Firm’s leadership. Accounting is an amazing profession and work to promote it both internally, and externally, with clients, the community and young people interested in this career path.
Resume
I started my career with one of the Big Four accounting firms in West Palm Beach. After that, I worked for an estate planning attorney, doing tax compliance work. This made me interested in specializing in taxation of trusts and estates. After several years, I decided it was time to get back to working in a CPA firm, where I could really grow my career and become a wellrounded professional.
University of Florida, Master of Accounting 2005, concurrent with Bachelor’s degree.
On the job
I provide tax compliance and planning services to closely held companies, trusts and estates, and high net worth individuals.
To develop our younger team members and help them to advance in their accounting careers.
Accounting is very people-focused. Having trust and good relationships are essential.
Strategies
I’ve learned a tremendous amount by taking their advice to heart.
Don’t shy away from challenges: This is a way to gain experience in new areas.
Focus on client service: Our clients are what drive our practice.
You can’t expect your team members to work hard and be committed if you don’t demonstrate those same traits.
Continue to develop professionally: I obtained my Certified Specialist in Estate Planning certification. I’m also on the board of the Palm Beach Tax Institute, which has been a great way to meet other professionals.
Volunteer, financially support, or get on Boards of charities that you are passionate about.
ckent@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4662 or Twitter @mindingyourbiz for governor. Prior to that, he was deputy director of legislative affairs in Commissioner Putnam’s Capitol office.
Law
Construction law firm Smith, Currie and Hancock LLP announced that Lauren R. Van Buren has joined the firm in Fort Lauderdale, focusing her practice on all aspects of construction law, including the representation of owners, general contractors, subcontractors, architects, and engineers. Prior to joining the firm,
Van Buren worked as a law clerk at MasTec, Inc. in Coral Gables.
West Palm Beach-based board certified civil trial attorney Hampton Keen announced the formation of Keen Law Group, a legal practice focused on personal injury, wrongful death, and product liability cases. Carlton Fields announced that
has joined the firm as a shareholder in the business litigation section of the national trial practice group. Stapleton will also practice in the firm’s white collar crime and government investigations practice group.
Community
president and chief executive officer of TooJay’s Deli, has joined the board of directors of Feeding South Florida, a Feeding America food bank serving Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties for a term, 2018-2020.
The YMCA of The Palm Beaches has announced that Ret. Army Colonel
has joined its board of directors. Additionally, Baumer is first vice president of the Military Working Dog Team Support Association and is an advisory board member of GEOS Foundation, a non-profit that supports wildlife Counter Poaching Operations in Southern Africa.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum announced that and
will serve as chair and vice-chair of the 2019 “What You Do Matters,” South Florida Dinner alongside their husbands, Craig Menin and Steve Garchik. The upcoming event, scheduled for Jan. 29, 2019, will honor Holocaust survivors from South Florida with the Elie Wiesel Award, a distinction recognizing their individual contributions to Holocaust memory and education. It is the highest honor given by the Museum.
joined Pompano Beachbased MonarchCare as the community and care management specialist. MonarchCare is a non-profit social service agency that offers professional care management, personalized financial services, trust and guardianship services to vulnerable individuals ranging in age from 1-100. In the past, Rapkin has worked in journalism, real estate, entrepreneurship, and has been in senior care in Broward and Palm Beach Counties since 2009. She serves on a number of community organization boards including Elder Services Resource Network, Partnership for Aging and Palm Beach County Guardianship Association. Rapkin has been a member of Aging Life Care Association since 2009 and is a volunteer for both Alzheimer’s Community Care and the Alzheimer’s Association.
ckent@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4662 or Twitter @mindingyourbiz