Business & Industry Fall Conference

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.

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.

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.