(taken from the Mar/Apr 2006 issue of On Balance magazine)

Technology trailblazer

By Amy E. Gaeth

 

Jeffrey Lemmermann climbs into his sleek black Ford Mustang and cruises across town to perform a reconnaissance mission. He scans the perimeter: Are cameras aimed on the entrance doors? Is the reception desk occupied? He checks the door locks on the side entrances. Then, he peers into a Dumpster to see if the company’s shredding system is secure. Inside the office, he inspects the computer network to determine its weaknesses with regard to the company’s most important asset: information.

Intrigue precedes this CPA. But it’s just business as usual for Lemmermann, who is practice manager of Clifton Gunderson’s Wisconsin IT Security Consulting Practice. When Clifton takes on a new client, Lemmermann assesses the company’s systems and assigns security ratings in five critical areas: network security, application security, external access, planning and governance, and physical security. In a detailed report, he outlines the company’s vulnerabilities and suggests security solutions.

Safeguards
Lemmermann develops IT infrastructures and assists companies with regulatory compliance. He also creates safeguards to protect confidential information.

Many times, however, clients want customers to have electronic access to information. “There’s a constant tug of war between the good guys and the bad guys,” said Lemmermann. “Our clients want to make their networks as open as possible to their customers. However, there are people who want to exploit those holes.”

Protecting clients against internal fraud is also part of Lemmermann’s job. Companies must present policies and procedures to employees so that they know their boundaries.

Sharing passwords and user names is taboo, Lemmermann said. “If you don’t have good password and log-in protection, who’s to say your most trusted employee in the next cubicle isn’t committing fraud and making it look like someone else is the culprit,” he explained.

In addition, computer access should be secured when employees are away from their work areas. “A user might have to type in their password when they get back from lunch and a few more times during the day because they weren’t active on the computer. But I don’t think that’s asking too much to get that level of security,” Lemmermann said.

Lemmermann offers these tips for computer security:

• Employees should protect their passwords and change them often.
• Computers should be locked when users are out. Some systems shut down computers that are inactive for a period. Screensavers can also be used.
• The company should establish an IT steering committee including department and IT leaders. The group should meet quarterly to discuss the direction of IT and technology performance.

Tech trends
Lemmermann predicts that the technology revolution goes on in new areas, and will continue to impact the bottom line. “Customer relationship management software will be hot,” he said. “It reminds companies to call their important clients, allows clients to take a look at their past orders, and enables customers to manage their own information in a secure environment.”

Supply chain management is another growing trend. This system gets supplies to companies so they can turn out products faster with less inventory and greater reliability. “Small companies will be able to implement what only large companies were able to afford in the past,” Lemmermann said.

Wireless will also be a big change. “Cabled systems will go by the way of the dinosaur,” Lemmermann added. “I think eventually everything will be wireless, but security will be a big hurdle.”

CPAs will be in high demand as businesses continue to face technology challenges.

“CPAs are in a good position to help companies with their physical security as well as their IT security. They also can help clients navigate the complexity of government regulation,” said Lemmermann.

Skill sets
Lemmermann’s career in technology began 15 years ago when he was learning the ropes as a tax preparer and auditor at Clifton Gunderson LLP. He set up his own computer and helped create the first computer network at the Racine office in 1994. Partners then asked whether he would be interested in setting up networks for clients. “Some of our audit clients were getting their first non-mainframe computer systems, figuring out how to network them,” Lemmermann explained.

In a roundabout way, Lemmermann’s audit skills have come in handy now that he does security consulting and IT audits. He assesses the computer portion of financial audits and provides IT consulting to new clients, providing assurance that their networks are secure.

Lemmermann credits his success to his professional credentials: “The CPA is the credential I value the most because of the high distinction that it holds in the business community.” He also holds the AICPA’s certified information technology professional designation and the certified information security auditor credential.

Lemmermann’s diverse expertise offers a valuable asset to clients. He understands their businesses as well as their information technology needs. Oftentimes, however, he finds a communication gap between management and technology personnel. IT experts understand technology, but they don’t understand the business, he said. “I can usually ‘translate’ tech-speak into their terms and help them understand their own IT systems’ strengths and weaknesses,” Lemmermann said.

Lemmermann also shares his technology tips with others. He speaks to local associations on IT security and is a contributor to this magazine.

Lemmermann has proven his leadership skills among clients and colleagues and in his community. When the work day is done, he exercises his skills on the basketball court as first assistant coach of the girl’s varsity basketball team at Pius High School in Milwaukee. He has held the position at his alma mater for seven years.

Playing baseball is another pastime. In fact, Lemmermann started playing the game at age 6 in the MPS Playground Leagues. He went on to play in the Northwest Little League, and then played high school baseball at Pius and college baseball at UW-Parkside. Today, Lemmermann pitches for the Brookfield Blue Sox in the Land ‘O Lakes League. Last summer, his team took its first title as league grand champions.

“I really enjoy the competitive nature of sports, and try to bring that level of energy into everything that I do in life,” Lemmermann quipped.

 

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