NASBP is fortunate indeed to have an Attorney Advisory Council (AAC) and a Certified Public Accountant Advisory Council (CPAAC), to serve as NASBP’s outstanding “resource teams.” Each Council is comprised of ten experts in their field, on such critical topics as contract surety, construction, commercial surety, government contracts, accounting, tax, and financial issues, among others. Collectively, they provide hot topic articles for Surety Bond Quarterly and Pipeline; content for blogs; presentations for Virtual Seminars and podcasts; and in-person seminars (when there is no pandemic).

Each year a few participants decide to roll off the Councils, and this year is no different, at least in that perspective.  Armen Shahinian, pictured right, of the law firm Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi in West Orange, NJ, is leaving the AAC. Kevin Doyle, pictured far right, of the CPA firm of Lanigan, Ryan, Malcolm & Doyle in Gaithersburg, MD, is leaving the CPAAC. Each is leaving a big gap to fill, as they have been stalwarts in providing fine, in-depth articles and excellent virtual seminars and presentations; and NASBP’s educational offerings have been enhanced by their robust participation on the Councils. We stress that neither Shahinian nor Doyle is retiring from practice; each is just rolling off NASBP Councils. We at NASBP thank them profusely for sharing their experience, knowledge, time, and expertise for the benefit of our members and of the public.

Happily, the big gaps created by their departures from the AAC and the CPAAC have been well filled by two new Council participants: Jonathan Bondy, pictured far left, of the law firm of Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi in West Orange, NJ, and Bob Biehl, pictured left, of the CPA firm of GBQ Partners, in Columbus, OH. Bondy’s practice is concentrated in the field of commercial litigation, with a focus on construction, surety, and contract issues in New York and New Jersey. Bondy has already, over the past several years, been a valuable resource for NASBP, with his accomplished articles and virtual seminars. Bob Biehl, CPA and CCIFP, is the Director of Construction Industry Services at GBQ Partners.

NASBP gratefully wishes Shahinian and Doyle well in their next adventures and warmly welcomes Jonathon Bondy to the Attorney Advisory Council and Bob Biehl to the CPA Advisory Council.