Bert T. Edwards

Bert T. Edwards is recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Pinnacle Professional of the Year for 2017 as a result of his contributions and accomplishments in the Public Sector. Edwards’ professional title is Public Sector Practice Technical Advisor at SB & Company, LLC (SBC). The company specializes in accounting and financial services. “SBC is a certified public accounting and business advisory firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board,” the firm’s website states. “We serve clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the U.S. and have offices in Baltimore, MD; Washington, DC; Philadelphia, PA; Richmond, VA; and Fort Lauderdale, FL.” With regard to its work in the public sector: “State and local government agencies face the challenge of improving operational performance, keeping the public’s costs down and maintaining government reliability,” the firm’s website continues.

“SBC utilizes proven, best practices, to help identify and respond to challenges in the execution of major operational and financial initiatives.” Additionally, “Members of SBC have testified to standard setter bodies and through the process have developed relationships with policy makers that allow us real time access to have discussions and deepen the core understanding of the literature. ”Edwards has worked in his field since 1961, when he began his career as the 13th employee at Arthur Andersen, LLC. He was employed by Arthur Andersen until 1994 and his clients included Newport News Shipbuilding, Ringling Brothers Circus and Smithfield Foods. Following his time at Arthur Andersen, Edwards worked as a Certified Public Accountant in his own practice from 1994 – 1998.

The practice offered “AICPA professional courses for state C.P.A. societies and individual C.P.A. firms, and overseas consulting in Vietnam, Palestine, Moldova and East Germany for World Bank and USAID,” Edwards said. Additionally, he served as an “expert witness in tax court cases and arbitration and mediation issues.” Edwards went on from his own practice to serve as an Assistant Secretary/Chief Financial Officer for the U.S. Department of State. His job duties included “all accounting activities of $15 billion USG agency, budget matters, financial statement preparation, and audits of State, its pension fund, its cost sharing activity at embassies and consulates (“ICASS”), and American Institute at Taiwan (“AIT”).” Immediately prior to joining the team at SBC, Edwards continued working for the U.S. Government as Executive Director — Interior Office of Historical Trust Accounting.

He specifically worked on the case that ended in the “resolution of 15-year old individual Indian trust class action litigation (Cobell v. Several Interior Secretaries during the time period).” Additionally, Edwards served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee for the U.S. Air Force from 2004 – 2010. In his role at SBC, Edwards utilizes his extensive expertise in accounting and finance, as well as technical advisory related topics. Edwards earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Chemistry from Wesleyan University in 1959. He then went on to Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he completed his Master of Business Administration degree in 1961, and was named a Royal Victor Fellow. To further his professional development, Edwards is a member of AICPA, the Greater Washington Society of C.P.A.s, and the Virginia and Delaware Society of Public Accountants.

 

He is also a Board Member of the Ocean View Historical Society. In recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in the field, Edwards received the Einhorn-Gary Award from the Washington Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants in 2012; a Public Service Award from the Greater Washington Society of C.P.A.s in 2015; and Leadership Awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2007 and 2008. Additionally, Edwards has been featured in the 44th through 70th editions of Who’s Who in America, as well as Who’s Who in Finance and Business, Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in the East and Marquis Who’s Who. When not working, Edwards enjoys gardening as well as helping non-profit organizations and spending time with his family. He dedicates this recognition to Everett Parkinson. For more information, please visit www.sbandcompany.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/bert-edwards-90a25429/.