Dean Zerbe Highlights Mission Critical Risk Management Flags for Southeast Nonprofit Leaders

ATLANTA, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- At a roundtable hosted this week by Frazier & Deeter, LLC, the FD Alliance, and the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, nationally recognized nonprofit expert Dean Zerbe warned CEOs of the city's largest nonprofits that in a world of watchdogs, tight oversight, whistleblowers and aggressive journalism, failure to pass "stress tests" of transparency and financial reporting in their organizations could draw the unwanted scrutiny of government regulators and damaging news headlines.  He gave his remarks on the first of a four city round robin on critical risk management issues facing the industry today.  

Zerbe, former Senior Counsel and Tax Counsel on the Senate Finance Committee for Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa),and current National Managing Director for alliantgroup's Washington D.C. office, also outlined mission critical risk management red flags for which nonprofits should monitor. He serves on the board of advisors of Frazier & Deeter's national joint venture, the FD Alliance, and will make similar presentations to charitable and nonprofit leaders in Chicago, Phoenix and Pittsburgh, the major cities served by the FD Alliance national nonprofit accounting service team. Accounting Today has recognized the Alliance as a new model for public accounting service.

"Leaders of nonprofit organizations across the country often need assistance to understand the potential disastrous impact of failing to stress test their organization in a way that ensures their policies and disclosures are consistent with their charter and will stand the scrutiny of oversight regulators, and other interested third parties; particularly the press," said Randy Shrum, national nonprofit leader of FD Alliance. "We are indeed pleased to bring this important guidance and message from Mr. Zerbe to our clients and associates in our market and across the country."

"Understanding industry best practices in reporting, operations and general risk management is critically important to our organization," said Deborah Reeder, Chief Operating Officer, Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. "Mr. Zerbe's experience, guidance and recommendations were right on point and relevant for any leader concerned with managing their operations in a proper manner."

"I am very pleased that Frazier & Deeter, LLC and the FD Alliance have provided me the forum to connect with the industry leaders in the southeastern market," said Dean Zerbe. "I am convinced that the lack of prudent and practical policies can have severe negative consequences to charities and nonprofits whose missions are so critically important in our society.   I believe the leaders in our industry are ethical and competent professionals and they are truly seeking to operate in a best practice environment.   It gratifies me to know there are professionals in the market such as the FD Alliance team that are intentional in the way they serve the market to understand and guide their clients on these important risk management issues."

About Dean Zerbe: Zerbe has been active in Congressional investigations of government waste, fraud and abuse. He left Congress in 2008 after serving as Senior Counsel and Tax Counsel on the Senate Finance Committee for Senator Grassley.  He also served as Senator Grassley's Chief Investigative Counsel on the Finance Committee.  Today Mr. Zerbe is the National Managing Director of the alliantgroup's Washington D.C. office.

Zerbe is widely recognized by the press, having appeared on CBS Evening News and been quoted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Financial Times, USA Today and the National Journal; as well as in Tax Notes and The Practical Accountant. In addition, he is a columnist for Forbes.com and the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

SOURCE FD Alliance