2026 Digital Evolution Summit (DES)

Brendan Roberts, Founder

Gary Forster, Managing Partner, ForsterBoughman

Gary's practice includes domestic and international corporate law, asset protection, tax, and estate planning. Gary handles a wide variety of corporate and personal planning matters.

Gary spent the first decade of his career structuring and closing some of the largest corporate transactions in the region.  The mergers and acquisitions Gary consummated range from the national consolidation of regional US construction and transportation interests to real estate investment trusts, hospitals and surgical centers.  Gary is one of the few attorneys in Central Florida with experience in cross-border corporate transactions, including a variety of industries ranging from intellectual property concerns to international distribution and manufacturing interests.

Gary's corporate work, with some of the most prominent companies and entrepreneurs in Florida and abroad, led him to expand his practice fifteen years ago. Successful clients require substantial tax, estate and asset protection planning.  Gary recognized that certain wealthy clients require a single partner contact, familiar with both business law and tax planning and structuring.  Gary serves that purpose. Gary has designed and drafted hundreds of corporate documents and asset protection plans.

Gary is the author of two books.  In 2013, he wrote Asset Protection for Professionals, Entrepreneurs and Investors, a guide to asset protection strategies for clients and their financial advisors, now in its second edition.  In 2016, Gary finished the first edition of The U.S. Estate and Gift Tax and the Non-Citizen, which explains how resident and non-resident foreign nationals are impacted by the U.S. Estate and Gift Tax.

Gary writes and lectures nationally to state bar and CPA groups on the topics of asset protection, international tax and corporate law.  He has also instructed classes at the University of Florida (Levin College of Law) and Rollins College (Crummer Graduate School of Business).  Gary's articles can be found in such publications as the Florida Bar Journal and the American Bar Association's Probate and Property Magazine.  For a listing of Gary's recent speaking engagements, see below.

Gary's legislative amendments were adopted as Section 43A of the Nevis LLC Ordinance - Nevis Limited Liability Company (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015.

Ian Vacin, Co Founder, Karbon

Jason Harrell, Chief External Affairs Officer, Florida Institute of CPAs

Jason Harrell is the FICPA Chief External Affairs Officer responsible for leading all aspects of the Institute’s public policy, advocacy, governmental affairs and regulatory affairs. He serves as the liaison to the DBPR and Board of Accountancy and is responsible for all advocacy-related external communications and campaigns to increase the value of the CPA license. Jason brings numerous years of experience to this role, previously serving as director of government relations for Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers Association and budget and communications director for the Clerks of Court Operations Corporation, serving in key roles under two Speakers in the Florida House, and serving in the Executive Office of the Governor in the Office of Policy and Budget and Chief Inspector General’s Office.

Kevin McElgunn, Team Leader Digital Audit Solutions, WithumSmith+Brown, PC

Kevin McElgunn is an audit partner with over 12 years of public accounting experience. He helps clients achieve transparency and confidence in their financial reporting, developing innovative solutions for effective and efficient audits and providing in-depth and concise industry insight. 
Kevin's expertise is in serving multinational private and publicly-held companies, primarily in the manufacturing, distribution, and technology sectors. Kevin's extensive knowledge encompasses public offerings, SEC filings, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), ERISA, private placements, and mergers and acquisitions. 
In his capacity as the team leader for cloud-based technology solutions, Kevin is at the forefront of innovation at Withum. He oversees the implementation of these solutions and is instrumental in developing cutting-edge, client-centric solutions. As a senior member of Withum's Accounting and Auditing Fellowship Program, Kevin plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Firm. He is entrusted with the responsibility of instructing and training new staff members, as well as conducting numerous in-house Continuing Professional Education (CPE) certified courses.

Paul Brown, Vice President, Professional and Technical Standards, Florida Institute of CPAs

Paul Brown joined the FICPA in November 1992 and is the Vice President of Professional and Technical Standards for the Florida Institute of CPAs (FICPA). One of Paul’s main duties is to serve as the technical reviewer in Florida for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Peer Review Program. The program administers approximately 300 reviews annually in Florida and oversees approximately 85 peer reviewers. Paul also assists members in the areas of professional ethics and professional standards. As part of his role with the FICPA Paul has instructed and authored continuing education programs for the AICPA and FICPA, for which he has received several outstanding discussion leader and author awards. Paul is serving on the AICPA’s Peer Review Standards Task Force, Technical Reviewers Advisory Task Force to the Peer Review Board, and former chair of the Audit Committee for the City of Tallahassee.
Prior to joining the FICPA, Paul was an audit manager with the regional firm of Williams, Cox, Weidner & Cox (now Carr, Riggs & Ingram) in Tallahassee, Florida. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance from Florida State University and has been licensed as a CPA since 1988.

Shelly Weir, President & CEO, Florida Institute of CPAs