The RTP CFO Forum (www.rtpcfos.com) will hold its monthly meeting on Friday, September 2, 2011. The organization serves as a peer-to-peer networking and discussion opportunity for more than 200 senior financial executives in the Triangle area. The meeting will focus on mergers and acquisitions transactions.

Amy Smith, a senior tax manager, and Cathy Patton audit manager, both from Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP, (www.hpg.com), will discuss the accounting and tax requirements of completing a successful M&A transaction. HPG is one of the largest CPA firms headquartered and staffed in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina.

Discussion topics include:

• Pre-transaction planning for a merger or acquisition

• Preparation for due diligence

• Considerations in choosing the right structure for an M&A transaction

• Accounting for acquisitions

“When planning for mergers and acquisitions, it is imperative to understand the tax implications and GAAP requirements in addition to the due diligence hot spots such as revenue recognition and tax exposure,” says Brooks Malone, RTP CFO board member and HPG partner. “Amy and Cathy’s thoughts on this topic will be helpful to our forum members, and we are looking forward to hearing them speak.”

Smith has 16 years of experience working in both the public and private accounting sectors. She has been with HPG since 2008, primarily focusing on tax compliance and consulting services for companies in various industries. Patton is a 20-year industry veteran with 15 years in public accounting. She has been with HPG since 2004 and works with clients in many industries including CRO, pharmaceutical and technology.

The RTP CFO Forum meets the first Friday of every month, from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., at the Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP office on 1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 300, Raleigh, North Carolina. Membership in the forum is free and by invitation only. To request to join the group, please email join@rtpcfos.com.

About RTP CFO Forum:

The RTP CFO Forum serves the greater Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill region, supporting more than 200 senior financial executives. The forum is designed to provide interactive networking and discussion of technical and strategic topics in an environment created exclusively for senior-level peers. CPE is provided on select topics. To learn more, visit www.rtpcfos.com.