5 CLOUD ACCOUNTING, MARKETING VISIONARIES TO PRESENT KEYNOTES AT CLOUD SUMMIT 2014

April 28, 2014 - The co-sponsors of Cloud Summit 2014 – Cloud9 Real Time, BMRG LLC and CloudSway – have announced their selection of keynote speakers for this fall's 3-day exploration of implementing and marketing cloud-based accounting.

"Today's accounting professionals and small businesses need help making the transition to the cloud," said Kacee Johnson, Executive Vice President at Cloud9 Real Time. "Our keynote speakers — leading voices in today's technology and tomorrow's vision – will provide the insight, tools and marketing expertise that are needed to advance to this critical next step."

Five of the industry's most prominent cloud-based accounting and marketing experts will address attendees in keynote speeches September 17-19, 2014, in San Diego:

Guerilla marketing guru Orvel Ray Wilson. Wilson is a marketing media giant. Author of six books in the best-selling Guerilla Marketing series, he's an energetic, inspirational, humorous sales keynote speaker who has addressed audiences on every continent except Antarctica over the last 33 years. Wilson's unconventional – but highly effective – sales tactics and coaching strategies have earned him a slot on the internet's Top 5 Sales and Marketing Speakers poll for the last five years.

Greg LaFollette, Vice President of Product Strategy at CPA2biz. Anyone who has traveled in accounting technology circles for the last three decades knows Greg LaFollette's name, as well as his reputation as a leader in the evolving field. He's served as a CPA in his own firm and as Senior Manager of Tax and Technology Consulting with the Top 25 firm of Eide Bailly, LLP. He's also been a consultant to public accounting firms and to technology vendors, as well a highly-respected writer and editor. At CPA2biz, he leads product strategy and development.

Jim McGinnis, Vice President for the Intuit Accountant and Advisor Group. McGinnis is vice president for Intuit's Accountant and Advisor Group, where he is responsible for mentoring and managing accountant teams around the globe. Prior to that, his extensive marketing, general management and global experience was a tremendous asset at Activision's $400M Licensed Products Division, where he served as Vice President and General Manager. During his tenure there, he was responsible for videogames associated with blockbuster movies franchises.

Doug Sleeter, Founder of The Sleeter Group. One of the country's leading small business accounting technology specialists, Sleeter is a sought-after speaker and high-level consultant, a reputation he earned from three decades of solving accounting problems for the SMB market. He was one of the early architects of QuickBooks, and has consulted with dozens of other developers. CPA Practice Advisor has placed Sleeter on the list of the Top 25 Thought Leaders. The Sleeter Group helps accounting professionals find, understand and implement the best technology.

Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software. Under Parsons' exceptional leadership, Palo Alto Software moved its desktop application, Business Plan Pro, to the cloud. Used in 180 countries, it was the longtime gold standard for the creation of comprehensive, effective business plans. Today, cloud-based LivePlan is the company's flagship solution, helping small businesses pitch, plan and manage their companies. CEO since 2007, Parsons is a staunch supporter of entrepreneurs and community involvement.

There will be numerous opportunities for one-on-one and group learning and networking, and CPE credit will be available at Cloud Summit 2014, according to Jennifer Katrulya, founder and CEO of BMRG LLC.

"There are many ways for small businesses and accounting professionals to explore and implement the cloud," Katrulya said. "Cloud Summit 2014, though, will provide in three days what would take them much longer to piece together, if they even could: access to hundreds of their peers, and insight from keynote speakers and session leaders who will share their considerable wisdom about today's best technology and marketing strategies."

Cloud Summit 2014 will be held September 17-19, 2014, at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, located in the heart of downtown San Diego's historic and vibrant Gaslamp Quarter. For more information and registration, please visit the conference website.