People: William A. Johnston, ASA, IA/BV, will assume the role of CEO of Empire Valuation Consultants from co-founder Terry Griswold, who will step down as CEO later this year but will maintain full-time status at the firm; Johnston currently leads the firm’s financial reporting practice and is the office managing partner for the firm’s New York City office.

Firms: The existing shareholder group at New York City-based Empire Valuation Consultants transferred 100% of the firm’s shares to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP); this new structure of employee ownership “will ensure the firm’s independence, preserve our culture, and position us to continue serving our valued clients at the highest level,” the firm says … Long Beach, Calif.-based Windes has joined Allinial Global, an association of independent accounting and consulting firms … Cincinnati-based Clark Schaefer Hackett has acquired strategic HR inc., which is also in Cincinnati; the firm provides human resources support to organizations that need additional HR resources or do not have their own HR department.

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