Sandra A. Abalos, CPA is managing partner of Abalos & Associates, PLLC. She brings more than 25 years of successful public accounting experience to the firm. Sandy earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting followed by a Master of Accountancy from Arizona State University. As a delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business and through her continuing efforts, she has become nationally acknowledged in the area of taxation, independent contractor status and estate tax reform. She has taken this message to Washington, D.C., where her voice has been heard. Sandy has testified before Congress on several occasions and advises congressional officials about the impact of tax legislation. While serving as the Small Business Adminstration’s Region IX Tax Chair of the White House Conference on Small Business, she was credited with playing an instrumental part in the passage of the Small Business Jobs Protection Act.
Active in her profession, Sandy is the vice chair of the advisory committee of CPAConnect, the leading association for small CPA firms and a companion association to CPAmerica International. She serves on the board of directors of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW) and on the Small Business Leadership Council of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. Sandy is a former member of the SBA National Advisory Council, IRS Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Council and past director of both the Phoenix Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and Western National Bank. She has received numerous awards, including the Small Business Administration’s National Accountant Advocate, Arizona Small Business Person of the Year and the National Association of Women Business Owners Business Owner of the Year. For a list of Sandra’s many awards and honors, see the Achievements section.
A sought-after speaker on issues impacting the business community, Sandy has a record of public policy leadership, business excellence and community effectiveness that is recognized on a local and national level.
As tax partner at Abalos & Associates, Barry brings nearly three decades of successful public accounting experience. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in accountancy from the University of Illinois and became a CPA after passing all parts of the CPA exam in one sitting. At Abalos & Associates, he specializes in providing tax and business planning, including preparation and review of individual and business tax returns, as well as technology planning for clients. His services encompass process improvement strategies, customer relationship strategies, software evaluation and implementation services for Microsoft Dynamics enterprise software. He was named a certified financial applications specialist (CFAS) for Microsoft Dynamics software in 1999.
A Chicago native, Barry is active in a number of civic, charitable and professional organizations. He is a member of the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants, a former treasurer of The Presidents Club, and former treasurer and board member of the Maricopa County Bar Foundation. He was a Paul Harris Fellow for Rotary International Award recipient and is actively involved in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Barry has authored articles that have appeared in Taxation for Accountants and Arizona Business Magazine.
Partner Cheryl Folkerth manages the firm’s large client engagements. Her responsibilities include tax planning and preparation, directing financial statement preparation, project management, software consulting and management of network maintenance. Additionally, she has developed the firm’s knowledge management system and its conversion to a near paperless office, which has enabled staff to work from remote locations and provide expanded services to clients.
Cheryl earned a Bachelor of Science in general business from Arizona State University. She is a board member of the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants and is the author of several published articles for that organization. She is also active with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, participating in the organization’s Information Technology Committee.
