Employee Benefit Plan Audit Conference: April 30 in Columbus: significant deterioration in investment values ... sponsors struggling to make retirement contributions ... accountability concerns for 403(b) plan management--there are plenty of reasons why regulatory oversight of employee benefit plan audits is increasing.

• Position: Education - Conference news

That's certainly more than enough reason for The Ohio Society of CPAs to launch its first-ever Employee Benefit Plan Audit Conference on April 30 in Columbus.

"It's such a highly specialized area that you need to hear what's important from a regulatory perspective," said Jim Haubrock, CPA, a shareholder with Clark, Schaefer, Hackett & Co. and a member of the conference advisory committee. "There's a lot of financial exposure with these audits and it's important that you know how to reduce your risk."

"The Ohio Society has developed a tremendous conference to help members get up to speed on employee benefit plan audits," said Jim Merklin, CPA, CFF, CFE, partner and director, Employee Benefit Plan Audit Services, Bober Markey Fedorovich. Merklin is a member of the conference advisory committee and the AICPA Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center Executive Committee. He is also leading the conference's Investment Valuation Issues session.

Also among the presenters is nationally recognized expert Ian Dingwall, chief accountant at the U.S. Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. Dingwall is participating in the 90-minute Ask the Experts panel session that concludes the conference. Merkiin expects that session, which also includes Marilee Lau, CPA, chair of the Executive Committee of the AICPA Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center, to be as popular as it is at the AICPA's national conference.

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Lau is also leading the special Basic Audit Workshop, which is designed for smaller firms that audit five or fewer plans. "It's great for staff needing to know more about employee benefit plan audits," Haubrock said. "That scope of training in one conference is a bargain, that's for sure."

OTHER SESSIONS AND LEADERS IN THE EIGHT-HOUR PROGRAM ARE:

* Risk Assessment Standards Best Practices for Benefit Plan Audits, Deborah Lopilo, CPA, associate director...