SERVICES AND INDUSTRIES

• Benefits Consulting
• Energy

EDUCATION

• Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of New Mexico.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

• New Mexico Business Weekly "Power Broker", 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.
• New Mexico Society of CPAs Community Service Award, 2005 and 2009.
• New Mexico Small Business Administration Accountant Advocate of The Year, 1995 and 2009.

Direct: 505-998-3208
Email: ccochran@redw.com
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Carol has 27 years of experience in the accounting industry, 25 of which are in the employee benefits field. She has significant expertise in employee benefits, retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, and compensation planning.

As head of the benefits consulting department, Carol oversees the design and administration of all forms of retirement and welfare benefit plans, including age-weighted and cross-tested pension arrangements. She has an extensive background in retirement plan administration, retirement and per capita plan design, problem plan resolution, and client representation before the IRS and Department of Labor. Carol also consults with clients on compensation strategy, job definition and evaluation, salary ranking, and position classification.

Carol also has more than two decades of oil and gas experience, both in public accounting and private industry. From 1984 to 1987, she provided tax and consulting services almost exclusively to the natural resource industry while working for an international public accounting firm in southeastern New Mexico. In 1986, she was part of the team responsible for helping a newly formed oil and gas company acquire $175,000,000 in oil and gas properties, perform the due diligence required for this acquisition, and place the financing needed to support the purchase.

From 1987 to 1992, Carol served as the Corporate Tax Manager and Assistant Treasurer for Hondo Oil and Gas Company. In this position, she oversaw the collection and payment of severance and ad valorem taxes, as well as federal and state royalties imposed on oil and gas properties in 11 different states. She also managed the income tax reporting for Hondo and helped structure many tax advantaged joint venture arrangements with investors and drilling partners.

In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant, Carol is also a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist, Personal Financial Specialist, Certified Management Accountant and Compensation Management Specialist.

Carol was designated one of New Mexico’s “Power Brokers” in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. In 2008, Carol was named a “Woman Who Means Business” by the New Mexico Business Weekly and was inducted into the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management Hall of Fame in 2009.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS

Carol is a Certified Public Accountant and holds the following additional certifications:

• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist and Fellow
• Personal Financial Specialist
• Certified Management Accountant
• Compensation Management Specialist

She is a member of the following professional associations:

• New Mexico Society of Certified Public Accountants (NMSCPA)
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• Institute of Management Accountants
• International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists
• Albuquerque Petroleum Association (Secretary)
• New Mexico Independent Petroleum Association

PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Carol has been published widely, including the following publications:

• “Overcoming the Boggs Dilemma in Community Property States (Parts I and II),” The Tax Adviser, September/October 1999
• “Key LLC Issues and Answers,” The Tax Advisor, July, 1996
• “The Cost of Converting a Partnership to a LLC,” The Tax Adviser, August, 1995

She is also a regular speaker on oil and gas issues.

Community Involvement

In 1995 and 2009, Carol received the New Mexico Society of CPAs Community Service Award, and in 2002, Carol was designated Accountant Advocate of the Year by the New Mexico Small Business Administration.

Carol is the board chair of New Mexico First and Sandia Prep, the past National Treasurer of the Girl Scouts of the USA, as well as Past Chair and member of the Executive Committee of ACCION New Mexico.  Carol is a Distinguished Toastmaster, past District Governor of District 23 Toastmasters, and past president of Musical Theater Southwest.