HBK’s Ledford and Veres Earn Certified Exit Planning Advisor Designation

Date December 9, 2019
Authors Patricia A. Kimerer, PWE & Director of Communications

Canfield, Ohio – Two HBK CPAs & Consultants (HBK) Joseph C. Ledford, CPA/ABV, CVA, CEPA and Keith A. Veres, CPA, CGMA, CEPA have earned the Exit Planning Institute’s Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation. The designations were awarded upon their successful completion of the Institute’s executive MBA-style program, which involves approximately 100 hours of pre-course study, 30 hours of classroom instruction and a three-hour proctored exam.

Mr. Ledford is the Principal-in-Charge of the Northwest Pennsylvania Region and works from HBK’s Meadville office location. He has been with the firm since 1986. Mr. Veres is a Principal in the Fort Myers, Florida office of HBK and also serves as the firm’s Director of Corporate Finance. He began his accounting career with HBK in 1991.

“Both Principals are well-known throughout the firm for leading by example,” noted HBK CEO and Managing Principal Christopher M. Allegretti, CPA.”In Joe’s role as a regional Principal-in-Charge and Keith’s as Corporate Finance Director, they’ve established a pattern of assuming extra responsibilities to grow the firm in terms of both revenue and mentoring future leaders.”

Allegretti called their efforts to secure the CEPA designation a “further testament to their dedication to active client management and team building. Joe and Keith personify one of our core tenets: sustained and continuous learning to better our team and the client experience,” Allegretti said.

About the CEPA Program
The Certified Exit Planning Advisor program was specifically designed for business advisors who work closely with owners of privately held companies. The organizing principle of the program is Master Planning, the alignment of the three legs of the stool (business, personal, financial), which is executed through the implementation of a process called the Value Acceleration Methodology™. Using an executive MBA-style format, the program includes a combination of lectures, group discussions, case studies and individual exercises to introduce participants to these concepts and to reinforce skills. The program is taught by the Exit Planning Institute’s faculty of advisors, who are all sought after subject matter experts and authors.

About the Exit Planning Institute
The Exit Planning Institute delivers interactive education and training, performance-enhancing resources, and strategic tools designed to enhance the exit planning profession. Formed in 2005 to serve the educational and resource needs of wealth managers, financial planners, accountants, management consultants, attorneys, M&A advisors, commercial lenders, and other business advisors, the Institute is considered the standard trendsetter in the field of exit planning. It is the only organization that offers the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) program which qualifies for continuing educational credits with twelve major professional associations, making it the most widely accepted and endorsed professional exit planning program in the world. The Exit Planning Institute serves as a platform for creating awareness, advisor collaboration, innovative learning, continuing education, defining methodology, research, thought leadership, and practice development. Certified Exit Planning Advisors help to identify, protect, build, harvest and manage wealth to assist business owners and their families through an ownership transition.

To learn more about the Exit Planning Institute, please visit www.exit-planning-institute.org

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