28 Jun 2024

Looking Back on the 2024 North American Regional Conference

On June 9 – 12, 2024, LEA Global held its 2024 North American Regional Conference in Dallas, Texas. We continued expanding on our global theme of “Reimagine Now” while celebrating our association’s 25^th anniversary.

We were delighted to bring more than 160 members together, from young professionals to managing partners, from North America and beyond, to create a space that fosters connection, knowledge sharing, and growth.

Our agenda was packed with inspiring keynotes and highlights of member collaboration. Tony Szczepaniak challenged members with one task: strike up a conversation with one other firm with the goal of learning about each other and identifying opportunities for organic partnership. This could be the foundation of a meaningful strategic alliance, as seen between Bennett Thrasher and Miller Kaplan.

Gary Shamis of Winding River Consulting kicked off our first day with winning strategies and necessary practices members should deploy to remain independent.

Paul Jan Zdunek of Miller Kaplan gave a lively presentation on change management. Using personal experiences and his musical background, he showed members how he has used GREY LEADERSHIP to influence change in personal and professional spheres. He walked through the stages of effectuating change, where progress stalls, and how to overcome these challenges to move organizations forward.

Danielle Berg of Evolve Partners demonstrated how important it is for accounting firms to differentiate themselves. Her presentation featured eye-opening testimonials from clients who indicated they are more open to changing firms than the industry expects.

Paul Jan Zdunek's session on Grey Leadership Earl Pierce helps paint the mural The mural before The mural after Members painting during a break Welcome to Gilley's! Dee Green accepting her prize at Gilley's

Plus, several collaboration groups joined together to deliver impactful sessions:

Our Young Professional working groups presented solutions for integrating client success managers into firm processes, exploring and integrating AI into various practice areas, and improving cross-selling within firms.
SALT members held interactive, table discussions to talk through experiences and answer pressing questions.
HR and Marketing shared the importance of aligning your internal and external brand to create a unified voice and experience for employees and clients.

All collaboration groups had dedicated time to meet on the last day of the conference – setting their own agendas and learning objectives.

To celebrate 25 years of LEA and member collaboration, we brought in a paint-by-numbers mural by Paintillio. We enjoyed seeing members bring the mural to life while evaluating their artistic vision. It turned out beautifully!

Members gathered for a western-inspired night of line dancing, karaoke, and music at Gilley’s. We were impressed by the vocal stylings of several brave partygoers and Dee Green’s hard-fought efforts to win the conference challenge. Well done Dee and thank you to our prize sponsor, Datasnipper!

We’d like to thank all the groups and individuals who presented, led collaboration groups, crafted the agenda, painted, networked, asked questions, etc. Small or large, your involvement helps make our events a success for all.