South Florida Accounting Conference A La Carte(SFACALC)

Michael Kridel, Principal, Michael S. Kridel, CPA, PA

Principal
Michael S. Kridel, CPA, PA

Michael Kridel has practiced public accounting in South Florida since graduation from George Washington University in 1974. He reestablished his solo practice in being a principal and litigation services practice leader of Rehmann Robson, a Top 100 national accounting firm, from 2013 to 2018. Previously, Mr. Kridel was a partner in Daszkal Bolton from 1996 to 2013. He was a sole practitioner between 1977 and 1996 while providing consulting services to other firms. 

Since 1974, Mr. Kridel has provided litigation, management consulting, tax, accounting, planning and educational services to a broad spectrum of individuals, enterprises and fiduciaries, including probate accounting. The litigation services include both plaintiffs and defendants in a range of matters including family law, shareholder/partner actions, financial damages, fraud detection, criminal and civil tax matters, breach of fiduciary duty, wrongful employment discharge and accountant malpractice defense. Additionally, he has provided consulting and training services to large and small companies and professional practices. Mr. Kridel has testified in deposition, hearings, trial and alternative dispute resolution proceedings as an expert in numerous jurisdictions.

Mr. Kridel is a member of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) and Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Accounting and Certified Forensic Consultant of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute. He is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and is an associate member of the American Bar Association and the South Palm Beach County Bar. He chaired the Valuation, Forensic Accounting and Litigation Services Section of the FICPA. In 2001, Mr. Kridel was one of the first CPAs to achieve the Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) designation offered by the AICPA. He was also among the original CPAs in 2008 to be Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) by the AICPA. He has served on the Top Technologies Task Force of the AICPA. He has been included as a leading forensic accountant in the South Florida Legal Guide each year since 2009 as a Top CPA and Litigation Support Professional. He also received the South Florida Business Leader Magazine’s 2010 IMPACT Leaders Award. Mr. Kridel has received the FICPA Outstanding Discussion Leader each year since 2004.

Mr. Kridel is a frequent speaker, garnering numerous awards, at national and local conferences for accountants and attorneys on topics such as litigation services, professional ethics, fraud investigation, eDiscovery, investigation techniques, practice management, information technology and human resources. He is a certified CPA ethics instructor in Florida. Mr. Kridel is also a frequent speaker to at-risk teenagers participating in Judge Luis Delgado’s juvenile justice intervention program in Florida’s 15th Judicial Circuit. He is an online instructor in forensic accounting for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a facilitator for courses offered by the Corporate Training Department of Florida Atlantic University as well as a visiting instructor in business law classes. He was a Facilitator in the Professional Training Department at the Florida campus of Johnson & Wales University for several years. Mr. Kridel is a longtime member of the Editorial Review Panels of the Journal of Accountancy and Florida CPA Today. He is active in several community service organizations, serves on the board of directors for a charter school serving students with autism spectrum disorders. Mr. Kridel has created and facilitated an award-winning seminar, Ethical Decision Making in the Workplace and Society, for Broward County high schools, positively influencing more than 15,000 students since 1992. He is also the profession’s representative on the Education Advisory Committee of the Florida Board of Accountancy. Mr. Kridel has served as a Commissioner on the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics since 2013.

Rebecca Santos, Shield IT Networks, Inc.

Rebecca Santos supports CPA firms in understanding and improving their cybersecurity posture through practical, easy-to-follow guidance. At Shield IT Networks, she serves as the bridge between firms and the technical team, walking professionals through assessment findings and helping them take the right steps to reduce risk and meet evolving compliance requirements. Over the past year, Rebecca has become a familiar face at FICPA events, where she continues to provide members with valuable resources, industry insights, and one-on-one support tailored to the unique cybersecurity challenges of the accounting industry.

Reginald Andre, CEO, ARK Solvers Cybersecurity & AI

Reginald "Andre" Andre is the founder and CEO of ARK Solvers, a leading cybersecurity, IT, and AI consulting firm in South Florida. With nearly two decades of experience, he is recognized as a trusted advisor to businesses navigating the evolving landscape of technology, regulatory compliance, and digital transformation. Under his leadership, ARK Solvers has been named one of the region's fastest-growing IT firms and is known for its white-glove service, rapid response, and strategic approach.

In 2025, Andre expanded ARK Solvers' services to include AI consulting, equipping clients to safely adopt automation, machine learning, and intelligent tools to reduce inefficiencies and accelerate growth. His work bridges the critical gap between cybersecurity protection and AI innovation, helping organizations scale securely in today's digital-first economy.

A sought-after speaker at industry panels, schools, and business events, Andre delivers practical insights on cybersecurity, AI adoption, and smart business growth. His clients span financial services and other professional service industries where CPAs are trusted to safeguard data, ensure compliance, and drive growth.. Beyond business, he is dedicated to service—mentoring first-generation students, serving on nonprofit boards, and leading global initiatives that raise awareness about human trafficking and online safety.

Rolando Aedo, Chief Operating Officer, Greater Miami Convention & Vistor Bureau

Rolando Aedo has been a senior member of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) since 1994 and was appointed as Chief Operating Officer in December 2017. He works closely with the President and CEO in the day-to-day operation of all aspects of the organization and helps maintain and strengthen external stakeholder relationships. He leads GMCVB’s high-priority initiatives and establishes strategic programs and partnerships to ensure the organization continues to remain at the forefront of the Destination Marketing Organization industry.


Mr. Aedo is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has degrees from Miami-Dade College, Florida International University, and an MBA in International Business from the University of Miami. He is also a Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) and was recognized as one of the top 25 “extraordinary minds” in sales and marketing by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.


He serves on the Miami Bayside Foundation which provides minority scholarships and loans, the Education Fund for Excellence in Miami-Dade County Public Schools and several other community and civic groups.

Shelly Weir, President & CEO, Florida Institute of CPAs

Thomas Ruggie, Founder and CEO, Destiny Family Office

Tom Ruggie, ChFC®, CFP® is a visionary wealth manager, executive, entrepreneur, author, and speaker, who spent 34 years building one of the country’s pre-eminent wealth management organizations, including an independent RIA, multiple wealth management firms, alternative investment fund, and co-investment fund.  In 2017, he founded Destiny Family Office to help individuals - and their families - navigate the challenges and complexities of managing significant wealth.  He facilitates seamless collaboration and communication among trusted advisory teams for his client families, ensuring they work in concert to serve those clients’ best interests.
Ruggie focuses on providing privileged access to institutional-caliber alternative investments, including pre-IPO direct/private investments. As an avid collector of sports memorabilia and an advisor on collectibles as an asset class, he helps clients turn personal interests into powerful investments.
With entrepreneurial skills honed by Strategic Coach®, Vistage®, and most recently Tiger21, in 2024 Ruggie earned his ranking as the #1 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor (North Florida), as a Barron’s Top 1200 Wealth Advisors (for the 13th time), and among InvestmentNews’ Hot List of 100 financial professionals shaping the industry. His firm was also named InvestmentNews’ RIA Team of the Year and one of America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms by Newsweek.

Timothy Naddy, VP of Finance, The Savannah Bananas

Wait…he’s a CPA?!? Oh, you better believe it…and then some ;-) An entrepreneur, college professor, financial professional and author (EDYM, available early 2026!), this guy’s looking to start another Renaissance! Simply, whether in the boardroom, classroom, or locker room, his passion is to help others make better decisions by translating tedious technical topics into tangible intelligence useful for personal and professional success. And if you thought THAT was a mouthful, check out his personal formula for success: (Big 4 + Private equity + Franchising + Internet startups + Fraud Examiner + CFO Consulting + 18.5“ Biceps) / (Humility + Faith + Family) = Accounting Badassery in motion.  I mean, it’s just math, right?!? Living his personal mantra of Integrate, Educate, Elevate…and Entertain, Dr. Tim Naddy abhors complacency and doesn’t believe in settling for less because a good day consists of helping folks understand their value (and yes, you’re worth it). An alchemist of precision, professionalism, and panache, his secret sauce is using storytelling to mix all the things he loves…entertaining, speaking, writing, sumif functions, and jazz hands…into the wonderful world of Accounting and Phinance. Shadow Ops is his domain, but he ain’t shy of the spotlight either, so if you’re down to collab, he’s ready to rock n roll! Connect with him on LinkedIn and tune in to him on his Business Biceps & BS podcast (LI: Business Biceps & BS | IG: @bizbisnbs ) #cpaevolved #respectthegrind