November 16 | 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
SHIP LANTERN INN
1725 RT 9W, MILTON, NY United States

Additional Information

Join us with Guest Speaker Tom Weddell, CPA, Managing Partner RBT CPAs LLP, which has been honored as a top 10 company to work for for in New York State!

They are one of the largest public accounting firms in the Valley with offices in Newburgh, Middletown and Wappingers Falls, New York. Our highly qualified team of 68 including 31 CPAs and 14 partners, serves a variety of clients and our size, strength, and resources allow us to provide them with the personal attention they deserve.

Tom joined the firm in September 1978 and became a Partner in January 1984. His dedication to his clients and his outstanding mentoring ability to his team led Tom to become a Partner in the firm just 6 short years after he was hired. Tom has been serving as the Managing Partner since July 1996 and has 30 years of significant auditing, accounting, tax, and business development experience.

In addition to being the Managing Partner of the Firm, Tom is also the partner-in-charge of the Audit Department and is ultimately responsible for every audit performed by the Firm. Tom’s industry experience includes, but is not limited to, transportation, manufacturing, non-profit, and wholesale, retail, and distribution.

Professional/Industry/Community Affiliations:

Mid Hudson Chapter of the New York State Society of CPAs – Past President
New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA) – Chapter Representative
SUNY New Paltz School of Business Advisory Board – Board Member – Chair of Governance Nominating Committee
Orange County Citizens Foundation – Past Chairman of the Board, Board of Directors
Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce – Past Chairman of the Board
Mid Hudson Pattern for Progress – Board of Directors
Orange County Community Foundation – Founding Member – Past Board of Directors – Finance Committee
United Way of Orange County – Board of Directors, Campaign Chair 2007 & 2008
The Chamber Foundation – Past Chairmen
The Powelton Club, Newburgh – Chairman Elect, Board Member, Treasurer
Empire State Bank – Board of Directors, Audit Committee Chair
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) – Member
Town of Newburgh Volunteer Ambulance Corp. – Treasurer
Leadership Dutchess – Past Chairman of Committee – Current Committee Member
United Way of Dutchess & Orange County – Campaign Committee Member
Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce – Board Member, Consolidation Committee Chairmen
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor – Board Member, Treasurer
Education:

SUNY Albany – Bachelor of Science in Accounting

University of Chicago – Graduate School of Business Program

Results Accountants Systems School of Business Development – Graduate

Dale Carnegie Training – Graduate

Leadership Orange – Graduate

Practice Emphasis:

Business development consulting
Financial statements and tax returns
Tax planning
Auditing
Internal controls and procedures advice
Best practices ideas
Industry benchmarking
Board development and governance
Development of alternative revenue sources
Proven Results:

There are many examples of Tom’s influence as a board leader to build stronger non-profits
and the communities they serve. A recent example of this was the merger of the two Dutchess County Chambers. Tom was the key board leader and visionary for the merger of the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as the two 501(c)(3) Foundations, which proved to be a major and important step for the community. It was not an easy affiliation as there was real estate debt involved that many thought were insurmountable, membership issues, and; of course, plenty of parochial politics. Tom personally put his good name and reputation on the line to tackle the toughest of issues. As Chair of two of the boards, Tom very effectively carried out his fiduciary obligations to those organizations during the intense and complicated multi-level negotiating process while maintaining an unwavering vision as to what needed to be done in the community’s interest. He was the leader, the driver of and linchpin of the process, who worked closely with NYCON’s professional team to not only ensure that the two sets of mergers happen but that stronger and more sustainable organizations emerged.

Orange County Citizens Foundation – Tom oversaw the financial aspects of certain changes and developed a clear financial reporting and budgeting guideline, which are still in place today. This has helped the Orange County Citizens Foundation remain solvent. In 2007 Tom was instrumental in publishing a well-researched and complete Quality of Life Report for Orange County.

SUNY New Paltz School of Business – Tom has recruited student interns and graduates from regional colleges, keeping educated and talented individuals in our community, and leading them in their career growth. As a result of his financial support, educational opportunities are now being offered to students that would have not been possible otherwise.

The Chamber Foundation, Inc. (founded by the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce – Leadership Dutchess) has been a community institution since it’s inception in 1989. Its goal is to give participants a better understanding of community needs and ultimately to play an important role in the growth and development of their home county. Tom devised a friendly competition between two other 10 month leadership classes – Leadership Orange and Leadership Sullivan. The goal was to see which class could raise the most money. The three competitors raised over $42,000 and the monies were shared by not-for-profit organizations in the Leadership classes’ respective communities..

Leadership Orange Award 2008.
2009 United Way of Orange County Marion S. Murphy, Neighbors Helping Neighbors Award recipient.

2011 Michael H. Urbach Community Builder Award

2012 Ruth & James Ottaway Medal Recipient