Sikich grows employee benefit plan audit team with two senior hires

CHICAGO — March 11, 2020 – Sikich recently announced the addition of Lara Stanton and Amber Williams to the company’s employee benefits plan audit team. Stanton and Williams bring to Sikich considerable experience performing employee benefit plan audits and SOC examinations for clients across a range of industries.

“Lara and Amber have impressive technical knowledge and client experience that will benefit our team and the organizations we serve,” said Karen Sanchez, partner-in-charge of Sikich’s employee benefit plan audit team. ““Their addition to Sikich allows us to continue to strategically and efficiently serve clients and expand on our educational services to help clients improve processes and prepare for ever-changing regulations.”

Stanton, director of audit and assurance in the employee benefit plan audit practice, has more than 25 years of experience performing employee benefit plan audits and SOC examinations. She previously led the employee benefit plan audit practice for BDO’s Chicago office, and was a member of BDO’s National Employee Benefit Plan team. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Aurora University.

Williams, a senior audit manager, has more than 10 years of experience conducting employee benefit plan audits. She formerly served as an assurance senior manager at BDO, where she assisted in leading the Chicago office employee benefit plan practice. Williams earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Illinois State University.

These new hires come at the heels of additional growth of the employee benefits plan audit practice. In October, Sikich acquired Freyberg, Hinkle, Ashland, Powers & Stowell, an accounting firm with specialized experience conducting Taft-Hartley multiemployer and other employee benefit plan audits. In January, Sikich hired Sylesh Babu, who has nearly 30 years of experience providing accounting and audit solutions, including employee benefit plan audits, to clients.