Business & Industry Fall Conference Livestream

Rebecca Greis

Rebecca Gries is Executive Director of the Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership (M7), where she leads economic development efforts across southeast Wisconsin’s seven-county region. Since joining M7 in December 2018, she has helped companies, including Microsoft, Generac, and Lilly, expand to or within the region, while advancing initiatives that strengthen the region’s economy. Known for building strong partnerships between businesses, government, and community organizations, Rebecca has positioned Milwaukee as a premier destination for business growth and innovation.

Her leadership and impact have been recognized through numerous honors, including Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 (2024) and North American Top 50 Economic Developer (2022). She serves on the boards of Northwest Side CDC and Literacy Services of Wisconsin, reflecting her commitment to connecting economic development with community empowerment. Rebecca holds an MA in Global Politics from Loyola University Chicago and a BA in Political Science from St. Norbert College.

Steve Szymanski

Steve Szymanski is a Shareholder in the Business Practice Group where he Co-Chairs the Business and Corporate Law and the Mergers and Acquisitions Sections. Steve is a trusted advisor to his clients. Steve draws upon his background in tax, finance and the law to help his clients identify legal and business issues, and work with his clients and their advisors to provide practical and effective solutions. Steve represents privately and publicly held clients in all aspects of their corporate and business needs. Steve represents clients in a wide variety of industries, including, manufacturing, transportation, construction, distribution, technology, professional services, real estate, finance and banking.

Steve is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Section. He has extensive mergers and acquisition experience having represented buyers, sellers, lenders and investors in transactions of various sizes (e.g., $100,000 to $250,000,000) and complexities. His experience includes transactions involving private equity, strategic purchasers and sellers, and management buy-outs. Steve brings years of experience to his clients’ advantage with his main objective being to find solutions that achieve a successful closing.

Prior to starting his legal career, Steve was a member of the tax department in the Milwaukee office of Arthur Andersen. He uses his background in tax, finance and accounting to understand his clients’ finances, build a rapport with their advisors, and structure transactions in a favorable manner.

Daniel Welytok

Daniel S. Welytok is a shareholder in the Milwaukee office of von Briesen & Roper, s.c., where he serves as chair of the firm’s tax section and its opinion review committee. Dan assists clients with tax issues, acquisitions and divestments, capital structuring, financing, corporate governance, licensing and distribution, regulatory and compliance issues, labor and employee benefits matters, and dispute resolution. Dan was appointed in 2018 by the U.S. Department of Treasury to serve on the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities, and has served on the American Bar Association’s Advisory Committee, articles editor for The Tax Lawyer and chair of the ABA?Tax Law Committee, Young Lawyers Division. He is also a past member of the State Bar of Wisconsin Tax Section Board of Directors and past chair of the TE/GE?Council for the Great Lakes Area liaison with the Internal Revenue Service. Dan is an editorial board member of the TAXFAX column of The Cooperative Accountant. He has authored and edited various tax and law-related books, including the 2018 National Income Tax Workbook, Nonprofit Law & Governance for Dummies, Sarbanes-Oxley for Dummies and The Wisconsin Guide to Nonprofits.

Brad Otto

Brad Otto started out teaching people how to use computers at age 11. He founded P3C Technologies at age 14 and began building custom computers for his clients. Before P3C Technologies became his full time gig in 2012, he worked for a global technology consulting company traveling the world to help businesses implement new and exciting technologies to support their operations. Today, he operates P3C as a Managed IT Provider for small and mid-size businesses. P3C’s cybersecurity plans are built on proactive care, featuring robust protection, regular updates, and continuous staff education. Brad continues to leverage his years of experience to guide owners through the complex world of modern IT.

James Brandenburg

Jim Brandenburg, CPA, MST, is a director with extensive experience and knowledge in corporate and partnership tax law, mergers and acquisitions, and tax legislation. His expertise includes working with owners of closely held businesses to identify tax planning opportunities and assist them in implementing these strategies. Jim assists clients in areas such as: • Tax planning and reporting for manufacturers, distributors and contractors • International tax consulting and compliance • Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) planning • LIFO inventory planning, analysis and implementation • Interest charge DISCs planning, analysis and reporting • Tax controversies including IRS and state tax notices and audits • Foreign bank and investment account reporting and compliance • Health care surtax on net investment income planning, analysis and reporting

SERVICE AREAS • Tax Planning • Construction Services • Manufacturing and Distribution Services • Automotive Dealership Services • Health Care Services • Research Tax Credit Analysis and Planning

AFFILIATIONS • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants • Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants Member, Past Committee Chair, Federal Tax Committee

EDUCATION • Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration - Accounting, University of Wisconsin – Madison • Master’s Degree in Taxation, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee

Brent Bowden

Brent Bowden is a Director in KPMG’s Technology Assurance practice, based in Atlanta, Georgia, with over 13 years of experience advising organizations on audit, risk, and controls in complex, technology-enabled environments. He is a recognized leader in AI governance and assurance, with a focus on integrating artificial intelligence into internal controls over financial reporting.

Brent leads the development and go-to-market of KPMG’s AI assurance and governance offerings within the Audit practice. He has performed AI governance and assessment engagements for large, complex organizations, advising on the design, implementation, and evaluation of controls over AI-enabled processes, including those impacting financial reporting. His work focuses on helping organizations operationalize AI governance and align with emerging frameworks such as NIST AI RMF and ISO 42001.

He brings extensive experience in attestation services, including Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) integrated audits and financial statement audits, where he evaluates IT and business process controls in highly regulated environments. Brent specializes in helping organizations embed AI risk management, governance, and accountability into existing ICFR and SOX frameworks as AI adoption accelerates.

Brent is a thought leader in the rapidly evolving field of AI attestation and frequently speaks on AI governance, internal controls, and responsible AI adoption. He works with clients across industries, including retail and technology, supporting organizations as they scale AI in critical business and financial processes. A former professional athlete, Brent brings a high-performance, team-oriented mindset to his work and is known for delivering high-quality outcomes, building strong client relationships, and developing high-performing teams.

Kim Fornek

Kim Fornek is a Managing Director in KPMG’s Technology Assurance practice, based in Chicago, Illinois, and currently serves as the AI Business Unit Lead. She has over 15 years of experience advising organizations on IT risk, audit, and controls within complex, technology-enabled environments. Since joining the firm in 2008, she has specialized in supporting clients through SOX 404 compliance and SOC reporting, with a focus on designing and evaluating effective control frameworks.

Kim focuses on the planning, execution, and oversight of IT risk and assurance engagements, with deep expertise in IT general controls (ITGCs), business process controls, and automated application controls. In her role as AI Business Unit Lead, she is also focused on advancing the integration of artificial intelligence into risk and control frameworks, helping organizations address emerging risks while aligning with evolving regulatory and governance expectations. Her work centers on helping organizations strengthen their control environments through practical, risk-based approaches.

She brings extensive experience leading large-scale engagements across a range of industries, including consumer products, industrials, real estate, and asset management. She has also guided organizations through IPO readiness and SOX implementation, advising on compliance with current auditing standards and leading practices.

With a highly analytical and control-focused approach, Kim emphasizes precision, traceability, and alignment between financial risks and underlying IT controls. She plays a key role in driving consistency across engagements while helping organizations enhance governance, strengthen control environments, and respond to evolving regulatory expectations, including those introduced by emerging technologies such as AI.

Paul Krejcarek

Paul Krejcarek is a professional EOS Implementer, dedicated to teaching, facilitating, and coaching the EOS System. With a robust foundation in public accounting, Paul spent the first seven years of his career honing his skills in this field. He then transitioned into the private sector, where he held significant roles including Controller, CFO, and VP of Operations over a span of 30 years, primarily within the manufacturing industry. Paul has been a pivotal part of leadership teams that implemented EOS in several companies, building great teams and driving organizational success.

Paul’s experience expands many industries including tier 1 manufacturing, OEM manufacturing, industrial painting, music publishing, music production, logistics, auto restoration, non-profits and sports. He currently serves on the finance committee for Notre Dame School of Milwaukee.

Paul is a CPA and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Marquette University. He furthered his education with an Executive MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Outside of his professional life, Paul enjoys biking, golfing, and cherishing time with his family.

Jenny Gryniewicz

Jenny Gryniewicz serves as Director of Community Engagement for Pay It Forward Wisconsin, MMAC’s Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO). In this role, she leads efforts to increase awareness of the program, expand employer participation, strengthen community partnerships, and grow payroll deduction giving opportunities across Wisconsin. Her work is focused on connecting businesses, communities and individuals to invest in educational opportunity and the future workforce of Wisconsin. Prior to joining MMAC, Jenny served as Vice President of Statewide Philanthropy for Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, where she provided strategic leadership for statewide and multiregion philanthropic initiatives that expanded educational and economic mobility opportunities for students across the state. Jenny has extensive fundraising, relationship-building and nonprofit leadership experience, along with a deep passion for creating pathways to success for Wisconsin students. She is committed to building strong partnerships that support educational access, workforce development and long-term economic prosperity throughout Wisconsin.

Kelly Barthel

Kelly connects high-performing, experienced career interim professionals with companies having a gap need to solve problems and keep work and business moving seamlessly.

With over 25 years of deep functional experience, Kelly is a passionate mentor to consultants and an accomplished and collaborative senior leader, pairing strong strategic vision with the ability to execute. Energetic, personable, pragmatic, and analytical, she is a tactical leader and analyst.

Kelly started her career in public accounting with Ernst & Young and has also had tenures at public companies such as Abbott Laboratories and Badger Meter, as well as privately-held corporations. She is especially seasoned in the manufacturing industry and provides partnership to public and private companies as well as PE firms.

She received her CPA and is an active community volunteer and board and committee leader.

Jason Glisczynski

Jason Glisczynski, CPWA®, CFP®, is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Silvertree, a private wealth advisory firm focused on delivering clarity, confidence, and tax-efficient strategies to executives and business owners in manufacturing. With over two decades of experience across financial planning, tax mitigation, and strategic advisory, Jason specializes in helping senior financial leaders—particularly in manufacturing and professional services—solve complex challenges that go beyond the numbers. A Certified Private Wealth Advisor® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Jason brings a systems-oriented approach to scaling operations, managing team capacity, and improving profitability within finance departments and advisory teams. He is a recognized speaker for WICPA and a frequent contributor to thought leadership publications on leadership burnout, tax strategy, and organizational efficiency. Jason also serves on multiple nonprofit finance committees and draws from his own experience as a high-net-worth individual and business owner to offer actionable insight. His mission is simple: to help professionals move from overworked and reactive to empowered and strategic—without sacrificing wellbeing, growth, or integrity.

Ellen Butler

Ellen Butler is passionate about helping organizations navigate complex financial and operational challenges by connecting them with exceptional interim talent and strategic solutions. As a leader within Korn Ferry’s Interim Finance and Accounting practice, she partners closely with clients to deliver flexible, high-impact talent strategies that drive performance, accelerate growth, and strengthen organizational agility.

Ellen brings a strong foundation in finance, operations, and strategic advisory, shaped by her early career in investment banking and honed through leadership roles in corporate strategy. Her background enables her to understand the unique needs of private equity, venture capital, and family office clients—both at the fund and portfolio company levels. She also works extensively with privately held, publicly traded, and nonprofit organizations, helping them address critical initiatives such as financial transformation, post-transaction integration, and operational optimization.

Before joining Korn Ferry in 2021, Ellen spent three years in strategy and operations at a publicly traded healthcare technology company, where she was responsible for enterprise workforce planning and spearheaded the establishment of a new customer service center to support national expansion. She began her career in investment banking, advising clients on buy- and sell-side mergers and acquisitions within the lower middle market. Her specialization in manufacturing exposed her to a wide range of multigenerational, family-owned businesses, where she guided owners through their first experiences with institutional capital.

Ellen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Lake Forest College, where she was also a member of the women’s soccer team. She resides in Shorewood, Illinois, with her husband and two children.

Mary Cook

Mary leads the North America Midwest/East Teams for the Finance and Accounting Interim practice at Korn Ferry. She is passionate about advising organizations on accelerating change by placing accomplished consultants in senior level finance and accounting interim roles; she and her team deliver flexible, high-impact talent solutions that drive performance, accelerate growth and strengthen organizational agility, allowing people and businesses to evolve and succeed.

Prior to Korn Ferry and Salo, Mary held CFO positions at Pampered Chef and Sears Holdings Corporation. She also held senior finance/executive roles at Chrysler and Spherion Technology. Mary began her career at Andersen Consulting in their Change Management practice. These diverse roles gave her experience in finance, operations, change management, and information technology within the retail, multilevel marketing (MLM), and automotive industries. She has worked in high-growth, turnaround, public, private and PE companies.

Mary is the immediate past President of Financial Executives International (FEI) Chicago, and a National FEI Board Member. She is a Board Member of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), an Advisory Board Member of The Executives Club of Chicago, and a Board Member of ELITE. Mary is a Member of The Chicago Network, and the Economic Club of Chicago. Mary was a 2025 BOMA honoree of the American Lung Association.

Mary supports and lends her time to several community organizations, including the American Lung Association, Second City Canine Rescue, Barrington’s Children’s Charities, Gigi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, Parkinson’s Foundation, and the Barrington Chinese Immersion Council.

Mary has a BA from Michigan State University, and an MBA from the University of Michigan. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, peloton, waterskiing and boating with her family. She lives in North Barrington with her husband and two boys.

J Bradley Sargent

Brad is the Founder and Managing Member of The Sargent Consulting Group. Brad assesses clients’ challenges and identifies solutions quickly and cost-effectively. Brad focuses clients on “defining a win” in every situation and working towards that goal. Those wins have ranged from $100m+ judgments in federal court to reduced jail time for criminal convictions. Brad’s candor and competency creates relationships with clients that endure and he is frequently sought at times of great crisis, when a truly trusted advisor can make the most impact. Brad loves distilling complicated financial information into a compelling, simple story and he has been recognized as an expert witness in multiple venues and is a highly sought guest lecturer and speaker. Brad has created a firm culture that treats every matter the same regardless of size, does not take itself too seriously (the work is serious enough) and looks to laugh out loud every day.

Grant Wackerman

Grant Wackerman is a Senior Consultant at The Sargent Consulting Group, LLC. Grant received his Master of Science in Accountancy from Western Michigan University and is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner. Grant received numerous Dean’s List Awards, was inducted into the school’s International Business Honors Society, Beta Gamma Sigma, and served as President and Secretary for the Honors co-ed organization for Accounting, Finance, and Information Systems students, Beta Alpha Psi-Gamma Rho Chapter. In his spare time, Grant enjoys sports, travel, fishing, and scuba diving.