Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

Heather Ewing Karpawich

Philadelphia,PA

Summary

Employee benefit plan audit specialist with over 18 years of experience as a trusted provider of employee benefit plan audit services, employee benefit plan financial reporting and compliance recommendations. Highly skilled in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), ERISA reporting and managerial practices and procedures.

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience

Work History

Audit Managing Director

Grant Thornton LLP
09.2005 - Current


  • Serve clients as Engagement Managing Director/Signing Partner role exclusively in the Employee Benefit Plan audit space.
  • Direct, train, and manage multiple engagement teams in performing financial statement audits of employee benefit plans for clients across various industries including health care, not-for-profit, financial services, energy, government and commercial practices.
  • Plan and execute client engagements including budgeting, scheduling and staffing of personnel with the goal of maximizing effectiveness and efficiencies of staff workloads.
  • Active leader in audit proposals of high profile public companies leading to increased practice growth annually.
  • Participate along with my local and national managing directors and partners within the employee benefit plan practice in preparation of annual budget for the national benefit plan practice to drive both performance improvements and revenue growth annually.
  • Active members of Firm Business Resource Groups including the Women at Grant Thornton and Disability Alliance BRGs.
  • Actively participates annually in Firm internal inspection process as well as external peer review inspections. Currently my Firm performs peer review services for 3 of the Big 4 accounting firms.
  • Trusted auditor and service provider to all client management including those within the C suite.
  • Active in both University and experienced hire recruiting. Actively conducts annual interviews to attract and retain the highest caliber personnel.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Accounting -

The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pennsylvania

Skills

  • Employee benefit plan audits
  • Financial statement preparation and review
  • Strategic & business planning
  • Process improvement & implementation
  • Team leadership
  • Implementation of new/updated accounting guidance and standards
  • Staff development & training
  • Project management

Accomplishments



  • Maintained a book of business up to $2M+ on an annual basis.
  • The current Firm leader of Employee Benefit Plan annual learning and development. Responsibilities include coordinating and facilitating annual Employee Benefit Plan training to ensure both the highest level of audit quality and Firm compliance with AICPA EBPAQC requirements.
  • Managed over 16,000+ hours of accounting staff and manager time in a given audit season. Hours managed include both team members located within the United States and also those located within Bangalore, India.
  • A leader in integration and utilization of offshore personnel driving both audit efficiency and profitability year over year. Annually I am one of the top three partners/managing directors within the Firm when it comes to off shore audit integration measured by hours supervised.
  • Actively contributed in the successful growth of our employee benefit plan audit and consulting niche annually through new client wins and expansion of services.

Affiliations

  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • The Pennsylvania State University Alumni Association
  • Currently licensed as a CPA in Pennsylvania

Timeline

Audit Managing Director

Grant Thornton LLP
09.2005 - Current

Bachelor of Science in Accounting -

The Pennsylvania State University

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Heather Ewing Karpawich