Albuquerque, N.M. and Phoenix, Ariz. – January 5, 2021 REDW LLC, one of the Southwest’s largest and fastest growing certified public accounting and business advisory firms, is proud to announce the promotion of six team members to Principal, effective January 1, 2021.
The list includes: Rochelle Alcon, Christopher Bitakis and Cristin M. Heyns-Bousliman in REDW’s Albuquerque office; Cheryl Folkerth and Barbara Rohwedder in the firm’s Phoenix office, and Adam Smith, who is a remote team member located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I am very proud to welcome these outstanding professionals to the Principal group,†said Steve Cogan, REDW’s Managing Principal. “A diverse class representing a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, their promotion recognizes both their individual achievements and their collective commitment to our clients, our profession and the high standards of excellence that have characterized our firm for more than 60 years.”
“That dedication deserves credit at any time, but especially so following a highly disruptive year as REDW stepped up to help our clients navigate the challenges of a global pandemic.â€
Cogan noted that the promotion of six professionals to REDW’s leadership team underscores a pledge to provide growth and career opportunities as the firm continues to expand. “As our industry continues to undergo consolidation, we are committed to our long-term strategy to remain independent, which, in turn, enables us to maintain personal and genuine connections with our clients while making meaningful contributions to the local economies,†he said. “Our succession plan enables us to ensure business continuity for both our talented team and our clients.â€
Rochelle Alcon, CPA has more than 15 years of public accounting experience, and she provides a broad range of audit, accounting and consulting services to government entities and other organizations. She was instrumental in forming, and now oversees, a team of REDW accounting specialists who provide audit preparation and other accounting services to a wide range of governmental entities, from cities, counties, educational institutions and government agencies to tribal governments and housing authorities. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New Mexico, Rochelle is a member of both the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and New Mexico Society of CPAs (NMSCPA). She has a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from New Mexico Highlands University.
Christopher Bitakis, CPA, CGFM, CGMA, has more than 12 years of public accounting experience and specializes in serving the financial and compliance needs of Native American tribes. He provides comprehensive financial and compliance assurance services for tribal casinos and other tribal enterprises, as well as financial and federal program compliance audit services for tribal governments. Chris speaks often at seminars, conferences and training events, including the National Indian Gaming Association Tradeshow and Convention and REDW’s annual Tribal Finance & Leadership Conferences. He regularly conducts training classes for tribal gaming commission personnel on improving internal controls and complying with National Indian Gaming Commission Minimum Internal Control Standards (MICS). A CPA in New Mexico and member of the AICPA and NMSCPA, he is also a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) and Chartered Global Management Accountant ICGMA). Chris has a B.S. in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of New Mexico.
Cheryl Folkerth, CPA, has more than 30 years of public accounting experience, working primarily with privately held businesses on all facets of their accounting and financial reporting. She is skilled at helping clients utilize leading-edge, cloud-based software to gain online access to crucial accounting and financial data in real time. Cheryl has been instrumental in developing the Management Advisory and Accounting Services team in REDW’s Phoenix office. A CPA licensed to practice in both Arizona and Colorado, Cheryl is a member of the AICPA and the Arizona Society of CPAs. She has a B.S. from Arizona State University.
Cristin M. Heyns-Bousliman, Esq., is REDW’s Practice Leader for Human Resources Consulting, where she provides a wealth of resources and entrepreneurial skills to REDW’s HR Consulting group. Her background includes human resources management and strategy, employee relations and engagement, and compensation and benefits. In addition, as a former litigation attorney specializing in employment law, Cristin has an in-depth legal understanding of federal and state employment laws. In early 2020, Cristin merged Human Resources Experience LLC, an HR consulting and proactive legal practice she had started in 2018, with REDW. In a previous role, she was Vice President of HR and General Counsel for a regional restaurant franchise with more than 1,700 employees. In 2014, Cristin was recognized as one of Albuquerque Business First’s “Top 40 Under Forty†and in 2015 as a “Woman of Influence.†She was honored with a UNM Anderson School of Management Hall of Fame Young Alumni award in 2017. She holds a BBA from UNM and obtained her Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
Barbara Rohwedder, CPA, joined REDW in early 2018 as a result of merging her firm, Mack & Rohwedder P.C., into REDW. With many years of experience in individual and business tax planning, she specializes in closely held business taxation, small business accounting systems consulting, and individual taxation. A certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor, Barbara has assisted many small business owners with their internal accounting needs. A CPA in Arizona, she is a member of the AICPA and the Arizona Society of CPAs. Barbara has a B.S. in Business Administration with a major in Accounting and minor in Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Adam Smith, CPA, MBA, has provided audit and consulting services to dozens of tribal gaming operations nationwide for more than a decade, and is a valued member of REDW’s tribal gaming practice team. In addition to conducting and overseeing casino audits, MICS agreed-upon procedures engagements, and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) Title 31 testing procedures, he applies his wide-ranging experience to state compact negotiations and complex data analytics for casinos aimed at better operational and strategic decision-making. Before joining REDW, he was a Partner in Smith Harrison LLP, a leading audit firm that merged with REDW in 2019. He regularly contributes casino thought leadership articles in Indian Gaming, the magazine of the American Indian gaming industry, has spoken at conferences on casino internal control testing, and has provided specialized training, including on the BSA, for clients. Adam is a CPA licensed to practice in Nevada, and is a member of the AICPA and Nevada Society of CPAs. He has a B.S. in Accounting from Portland State University and an MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno.
