People: Samar Obaid, transaction advisory services partner at Ernst & Young in Jordan, has been named as the winner of this year’s “Best Global Initiative for Women’s Economic Empowerment Award” at the Global Women in Leadership Achievement Awards 2015 in Dubai … Dave Stende has been unanimously re-elected as managing partner/CEO of Eide Bailly, and Laura Srisch and Brian Callahan were elected as the newest members of the firm's board of directors.

Firms: Anton Collins Mitchell of Denver is merging with the 35-year old Laramie, Wyo., firm Mader Tschacher Peterson on Jan. 1, 2016 ... BDO Canada acquired H&A Forensic Accounting, a Toronto-based advisory and professional forensic accounting firm. Additionally, BDO Canada has merged with Majewski Shaler & Co., a Vancouver-based accounting practice that services small and midsize enterprises, particularly medical, engineering, commercial real estate, and technology businesses … BDO USA has expanded its San Diego-area practice by adding CEA LLP in Carlsbad, Calif. … Eide Bailly announced it is acquiring the Billings, Mont., firm Schafer & Associates PC, on Dec. 14, expanding Eide Bailly to 1,600 staff members across 12 states working out of 27 offices ... Elliott Davis Decosimo and the Franklin, Tenn., firm Crowell & Crowell will merge their firms effective Jan. 1, 2016.