"I feel it is important for the Partnership to continue to invest in our firm's future by supporting this valuable Rainmaker program. Meaningful change occurs as a process, not as an event. We will reap the benefits of this program for years to come."
Ken Davidson
BDO Dunwoody, LLP
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The Rainmaker Academy / The APA / The Rainmaker Consulting Group
Chief Executive Officer
troy@therainmakeracademy.com
Troy Waugh, author of two books and selected as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the Accounting Profession" by Accounting Today Magazine, is one of the most sought after leadership and sales consultants to the accounting industry. Troy helps public accounting firms grow. He and his experienced team of consultants have helped firms add more than $500 million in new business through their consulting, training and alliance services.
As CEO of Five Star3, LLC, Troy is the founder of The Rainmaker Academy, The Rainmaker Consulting Group and Enterprise Network Worldwide. The Rainmaker Academy is a two-year intensive leadership and sales training program exclusively for accountants. Rainmaker Consulting Group helps accounting firms grow through a Marketing Partner Relationship. And, Enterprise Network Worldwide is an alliance of 125 accounting firms in 35 countries.
Troy’s highly acclaimed books, “Power Up Your Profits” and “101 Marketing Strategies” have received praise throughout the world and have been translated into German and Spanish. Troy’s articles have been published in Accounting Today, The Practical Accountant and numerous state society monthly newsletters. He has been publishing a Marketing Moment since 1992.
He received an MBA in marketing from the University of Southern California in 1973, and obtained a BS in accounting from the University of Tennessee in 1969. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1970.
Troy joined Price Waterhouse in April 1969. He served several of the largest clients of the firm and became an audit manager in 1974. During his years with Price Waterhouse, Troy was active in the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce and many other activities.
In 1975, Troy became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Advantage Companies, Inc. During his eight years with Advantage, Troy guided a complete repositioning of the company’s focus away from the budget motel business into magazine publishing. During this period, Troy negotiated over 40 acquisitions or divestitures of businesses.
In 1984, Troy became a Vice President with Jacques Miller, Inc., a real estate investment firm. He was promoted to Senior Vice President and National Sales Manager during his years with Jacques Miller, Inc. Due to the tax reform act of 1986, Troy was instrumental in repositioning the company away from tax-advantaged real estate in 1987 into high yielding healthcare real estate and again in 1989 into real estate management.
He is a member of the National Speakers Association, The American Institute of CPAs and The Tennessee Society of CPAs
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The Rainmaker Academy
Vice President and Director of Training
scott@therainmakeracademy.com
Scott is responsible for the development and customization of Rainmaker Academy courses and training programs on behalf of clients. He combines his extensive experience in coaching and teaching with excellent facilitation skills, helping enable professionals to implement their learning. Scott is a key driver in our firm's "It's not what you know about practice development that does you any good; it is what you do that matters" philosophy.
A member of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), Scott holds a Bachelor's Degree from LaGrange College, Master's Degree from the University of Georgia, and has taken advanced graduate courses in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.
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The Rainmaker Consulting Group
Vice President of Consulting
angie@therainmakeracademy.com
Angie Grissom is the Vice President and Director of Consulting for Five Star³’s The Rainmaker Consulting Group. She specializes in a broad spectrum of marketing, communications and strategic planning skills.
She has consulted with dozens of small, mid-sized and regional accounting firms on projects such as: New business development, public relations, internal communication improvement, recruiting and retention initiatives, email marketing, advertising, referral development, various training initiatives, cultural improvement, partner retreat facilitation, branding, partner compensation, strategic planning, client and employee loyalty research.
Angie has overseen the production of numerous re-branding projects nationally and produces the quarterly newsletter―A Marketing Moment. Grissom authors practice management articles for industry publications such as The Topline, Shortform, AAM’s MarkeTrends and has co-authored articles with Troy Waugh for Accounting Today and PM Forum.
Angie is an experienced speaker and frequently presents at meetings and conferences on topics such as: Strategic Planning, Conducting Internal Assessments of Your Firm, Holding Partners Accountable, Referral Source Development, Five Star Client Service and many more. She is also a graduate of The Rainmaker Academy.
Angie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and an AS in Pre-law from Middle Tennessee State University. Angie can be reached at 888-797-7246 or angie@therainmakeracademy.com.
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The APA / Enterprise Worldwide
APA President and EW Executive Director
patrick@the-apa.com
As Executive Director of the Alliance of Professional Associations and Enterprise Network Worldwide, Patrick is dedicated to providing and developing solutions that fit members’ needs. Patrick is particularly focused on growing the niche associations, developing long-term relationships with members and connecting them to resources that will help them provide the best service possible to their clients. Patrick is a Nashville native with a background that includes executive management roles in the domestic US and overseas in Australia and New Zealand. He is a graduate of The University of Tennessee and received his MBA Degree from Massey University in New Zealand.
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The Rainmaker Academy / The Rainmaker Consulting Group
Senior Vice President
john@therainmakeracademy.com
John has 20 years experience leading and managing people in both business and the military. He has been called in to build departments and programs from scratch and turned around failing ones. He doubled sales and increased profits dramatically as the owner of a manufacturing plant. In Afghanistan, he built an effective intelligence team and worked with all military services and over 30 international coalition partners, and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service as a result of his efforts.
John received his BA majoring in Political Science at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has been certified as an instructor for the High Performance training series by 360 Solutions, Inc. and the Center for Organizational Design, Inc. John speaks throughout the country on a variety of professional, geopolitical, and personal development topics.
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The Rainmaker Academy
Senior Consultant
julie@therainmakeracademy.com
Over her 12 year training career, Julie has demonstrated extraordinary breadth in classroom delivery and inspiring performance improvement. Julie’s background features delivering training in a Big 4 firm, as well as the Internal Revenue Service. Her expertise extends to online training in virtual classrooms. Additionally, she is certified to deliver well-known time management programs and personality profiles.
Her dynamic style promotes clarity and action in incorporating course material to accomplish measurable results. From her experiences instructing accountants, lawyers, and Fortune 500 executives, Julie exudes professionalism and success which she immediately transfers to her participants.
Julie graduated Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee with a B.A. in Hotel Restaurant Administration and a minor in Business Administration.
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The Rainmaker Academy
Senior Consultant
burt@therainmakeracademy.com
Burt Bierman, CPA, has been instrumental in growing a small CPA practice into a multi-office firm with revenue in excess of $20 million. His firm, The Videre Group, merged with J.H. Cohn in 2002 to become the largest regional accounting firm on the East Coast.
Burt Brings to The Rainmaker Academy his unique experience combining technical and business consulting skills with his vast experience in marketing and selling accounting services.
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The Rainmaker Academy
Consultant
joe@therainmakeracademy.com
Joe has over 20 years of experience in leadership development, teambuilding, strategic planning, human resource planning and organizational change. In addition to his experience, Joe is the Chapter Board President of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and is involved in the Organization Development Network and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), where he serves as a Chapter Board Member. Joe is also a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). His academic credentials include a B.S. degree in Education from Kansas Newman College and a M.E. degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Wichita State University.
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The Rainmaker Academy
Senior Consultant
rick@therainmakeracademy.com
Rick’s passion to assist others in realizing their talent and maximizing their leadership ability while exceeding employer expectations shines through when coaching participants of The Rainmaker Academy.
Rick’s history includes 23 years motivational speaking and 20 years personal counseling. During sessions, he assists participants in creating new habits, building team dynamics, and increasing productivity, as well as aiding them in discovering their significance both individually and toward the goals of the organization they serve.
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The Rainmaker Academy
Consultant
tom@therainmakeracademy.com
Tom Heinselman coaches participants on talent development, executive coaching and team building. He holds the Master Coach Certification from the Alliance for Strategic Leadership and a Masters Degree in Mathematics and Educational Psychology from Ohio University. Tom is the co-author of an article “Executive Coaching Defined,” appearing in the March 1999 issue of ASTD’s Training & Development magazine. He is also the contributing author in the book Coaching For Leadership.
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The Rainmaker Academy
Consultant
van@therainmakeracademy.com
Van specializes in helping participants develop their ability to effectively interact with and influence others, while also moving beyond their technical proficiency into becoming truly effective leaders. His high energy during sessions is contagious and participants are inspired by his enthusiasm.
Van has 25 years experience in adult education and training, and his expertise lies in the areas of leadership and management, communication skills, time management and organization and customer service. He retired from the United States Air Force as a Chief Master Sergeant, where he founded and served as Director of the Air National Guard Airman Leadership School. In addition, Van has written leadership development columns and articles for newspapers, newsletters and magazines.
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The Rainmaker Academy / The APA / The Rainmaker Consulting Group
Director of First Impressions
alice@therainmakeracademy.com
As Director of First Impressions, Alice is the first point of contact for our clients and guests. Alice’s primary role is to provide “Five Star” assistance to all who seek our services both over the phone and in-person. She also provides administrative support to all three divisions of the company.
A graduate of Carson-Newman College, Alice holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and has more than 25 years experience in business management.
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The Rainmaker Academy / The APA / The Rainmaker Consulting Group
Controller
Bob@therainmakeracademy.com
Bob works as the controller for The Rainmaker Academy, The APA and Enterprise Network Worldwide and The Rainmaker Consulting Group. His experience comes from working thirty years in operations with the securities and stocks business and three years in property management accounting. He manages the day-to-day accounts receivable, accounts payable and oversees the payroll process for all three divisions of FiveStar3. Bob also handles client billing and employee expenses.
Bob is a graduate from The University of Tennessee School of Business. If he’s not on the golf course, you can find him at University of Tennessee football games or Tennessee Titans games.
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The Rainmaker Academy
Business Development Director
robin@therainmakeracademy.com
As Business Development Director for The Rainmaker Academy, Robin assists clients with sales and marketing training needs. She has been with the company since 2001 and has in-depth knowledge of our programs and experience in working with our clients and participants in the program. Robin also works with senior management to develop growth strategies for the company. She also coordinates all advertising; direct mail, prize and marketing materials, as well as web resources.
Robin holds a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences from the University of Georgia in Speech Communications
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The Rainmaker Academy
Director of Business Development
cindy@therainmakeracademy.com
Cindy develops relationships with existing and future clients and accounting associations. As Director of Business Development, she seeks to understand each firm’s strategic direction and then assists them in identifying training solutions that will generate measurable results.
Cindy’s background includes 26 years in commercial banking as well as two years with Arthur Anderson’s consulting division. She earned her BA in Psychology from Emory University and her MBA in Finance from The University of Tennessee. Cindy also completed the Stonier Graduate School of Banking.
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The Rainmaker Academy
Client Relations Coordinator
lindsey@therainmakeracademy.com
Lindsey is the direct point of contact for all of our Rainmaker Academy, Leadership Academy and Advanced Rainmaker Academy participants. She handles all logistics for each class from start to finish over the two year program. She oversees class materials, edits to workbooks and CPE for each training session.
Lindsey received her Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication, concentrating on Public Relations, from Middle Tennessee State University. She also holds a Marketing and Political Science minor and has experience working as a publicist in the country music arena.
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The APA / Enterprise Worldwide
Marketing and Sales Consultant
stephanie@the-apa.com
Stephanie facilitates communication with prospects and clients for The Rainmaker Consulting Group, The Rainmaker Academy and Enterprise Network Worldwide. As a marketing and sales consultant, Stephanie qualifies contacts and set appointments for The Rainmaker Consulting Group’s Permission Marketing Clients. She also assists Consulting clients with marketing and strategic plan development and maintains communication with them by assisting with their quarterly electronic newsletter “A Marketing Moment”. Stephanie’s ability to connect with prospects in order to determine their marketing, sales and networking needs adds tremendous value and facilitates the growth of The Rainmaker Consulting Group, The Rainmaker Academy and Enterprise Network Worldwide.
Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Science in Electronic Media Communications from Middle Tennessee State University and has almost completed her Master of Business Administration from Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business.
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The Rainmaker Consulting Group
Consultant
bryan@therainmakeracademy.com
Bryan assists our Rainmaker Consulting Group clients with strategic planning, as well as the development and implementation of process improvement, employee incentive and performance measurement initiatives that align employee performance with the organization’s strategic vision. Bryan also manages our Permission Marketing campaigns and writes articles for A Marketing Moment newsletter.
While pursuing his graduate degree, Bryan directed a performance consulting group, where he worked with a large Dallas-based accounting firm on employee incentive and accounts receivable projects. An experienced speaker, Bryan taught college courses for three years and has presented at an international conference.
Bryan earned his BS in Psychology with an emphasis in Performance Management at Florida State University and his MS in Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in Organizational Behavior Management from the University of North Texas.
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Enterprise Worldwide
International Service Director
adelaide@enterprisenetworkworldwide.com
Adélaïde proactively serves our international members and facilitates with more connectivity around the globe. She speaks fluent French and has studied Spanish throughout her school years; she is also versed in Russian. She uses her language and verbal skills to write and produce The ShortForm and the International Chairman’s Newsletter. She is also the main contact for all of the Firm Administrators of Enterprise Network and facilitates their conference calls and annual meeting. As the Five Star Client Survey Administrator, Adélaïde puts the survey together and helps the trainers and clients understand the results.
Adélaïde graduated from Vanderbilt University with an interdisciplinary degree in French, Spanish, Communications and Russian.
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The APA / Enterprise Worldwide
Member Services Coordinator
glenn@the-apa.com
Glenn focuses on connecting accountants to resources and other professionals to get the most out of their membership in their specific associations. His responsibilities include delivering content and solutions through various media resulting in members’ practice improvement. Also, he develops relationships with future members to contribute to and benefit from the associations.
Glenn holds a BA in Social Science from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Additionally, Glenn teaches both business and leadership courses at a local Nashville college.
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The APA / Enterprise Worldwide
Conference Coordinator
holly@the-apa.com
Holly is the member services contact for The Alliance of Professional Associations (APA), which includes Enterprise Network Worldwide and five niche associations of accounting firms. She welcomes new members to the various groups by introducing them to available resources and ensuring they receive all important member documents and communication. Holly manages all of the network websites and the enwcommunity.com list serves for network groups within ENW, as well as assisting with conferences. In addition, Holly produces all e-communications including the ENW monthly newsletter The ShortForm and the ENW Notebook.
Holly graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations, Business Communications and French.
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