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Leadership appointments offer more client value to credit unions facing tougher accounting standards and business climate

MINNEAPOLIS – (August 13, 2008) – McGladrey & Pullen’s National Credit Union Audit Practice, the country’s largest provider of audit services to credit unions, announces the addition of two new partners to further strengthen the group’s audit and assurance capabilities while providing easier access to the firm’s national and local credit union specialists.

“The addition of Sherry McCoy and Tracy Whetstone to our audit and assurance team is part of our long-term strategy to add even greater depth and expertise for better client service and responsiveness. These additions add value to our clients which include more than 750 credit unions nationwide,” said Gene O’Rourke, co-founder of McGladrey & Pullen’s National Credit Union Practice. “This is critical as credit union audit needs change to address the increasing complexity of accounting standards.”

McCoy has been providing audit services for a broad range of financial services companies with the firm’s Southern California practice since 1997, and has been with the firm since 1990. In her new role, McCoy will serve as the group’s Audit and Accounting Specialist, and will coordinate and deliver audit and accounting services to credit unions of all sizes.

Based in Chicago, Whetstone serves as the assurance leader for the firm’s credit union practice. She is responsible for implementing the firm’s assurance strategy and leading the practice’s quality assurance efforts. Whetstone began her career in public accounting in 1989, having provided audit, internal audit and regulatory consulting services to financial services firms, most recently with a Big Four firm.

“New risk assessment standards combined with very difficult economic conditions have left credit unions with strained internal resources,” said Jeff Johnson, executive leader of the firm’s National Practices Group, based in Minneapolis. As part of his role with National Practices, Johnson oversees the National Credit Union Practice.

McGladrey & Pullen’s National Credit Union Audit Practice works closely with RSM McGladrey’s National Credit Union Consulting Practice led by Wade Painter, managing director. RSM McGladrey’s specialized consulting services for credit unions include internal audit, enterprise risk management, regulatory compliance, information security, performance improvement, and mergers and acquisition consulting. Together, the two firms offer the widest range of credit union focused professional services in the nation.

Michael Sacher, with the National Credit Union Practice’s Los Angeles office, will work closely with McCoy and Whetstone as they take on their new roles, and will continue to provide services to credit union supervisory committees.

About McGladrey & Pullen LLP
McGladrey & Pullen LLP (a partner-owned CPA firm) delivers audit and attest services. It operates in an alternative practice structure with RSM McGladrey, a leading professional services firm providing accounting, tax and business consulting services to middle-market businesses. Through separate and independent legal entities, they work together to serve clients’ business needs. Together the companies rank as the fifth largest U.S. provider of accounting, tax and business consulting services (source: Accounting Today), with 8,000 employees in nearly 100 offices. McGladrey & Pullen LLP and RSM McGladrey Inc. are member firms of RSM International, an affiliation of independent accounting and consulting firms.