People: Two prominent practitioners in the business valuation discipline of the American Society of Appraisers are the recipients of the 2023 ASA Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes the long and outstanding efforts of members to the ASA and the profession: Roger Grabowski, FASA (Kroll), and Robert C. Schlegel, FASA (Houlihan Valuation Advisors). Several individuals in other valuation disciplines were also named for the award: Jack Beckwith, ASA (Equipment Appraisal Group)—machinery and technical specialties; Charles Carmona, ASA (Guild Laboratories)—gems and jewelry; and Nancy Stacy, ASA, MGA® (awarded posthumously)—gems and jewelry.

Firms: Accounting firms Bennett Thrasher, HoganTaylor, LBMC, Plante Moran, and Rehmann have signed on to beta test Propense.ai, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify new revenue streams for professional service businesses … J.S. Held (Jericho, N.Y.) has made several acquisitions: economic damages and valuations firm AEA Group, based in Birmingham, Ala.; Aquila Forensics, a London-based consultancy providing construction dispute, advisory, and investigatory services to clients in the UK and abroad; and Failure Analysis & Prevention, an engineering firm based in Rhode Island … Fort Worth, Texas-based Whitley Penn LLP is acquiring San Francisco-based Cogenics Consulting, which provides technology consulting for a variety of clients, utilizing data analytics to offer new perspectives on financial forecasting, analysis, and strategic planning.

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