Press Releases

VIBATO Announces CPE Event: Bay Area Accounting Professionals Mixer 8/24/2013

Vibato is pleased to announce the Bay Area Accounting Professionals Mixer, a continuing professional education (CPE) event, to be held on Saturday, August 24, 2013 from 12:00pm-6:00pm at the Sheraton Sonoma County Hotel in beautiful Petaluma, California.

Keynote speaker Sam Antar, from Crazy Eddie Inc., will be flying in from New York to discuss his experience at the helm of one of the biggest securities frauds of the 1980’s. His discussion, “The Black Arts of White Collar Crime,” will touch on the details of his case and how white-collar criminals lure their victims such as attorneys, accountants, investors, and creditors by taking advantage of their psychological and cognitive vulnerabilities. As Antar states, “it takes one to know one.” Antar now works closely with the FBI, IRS, SEC, & DOJ and will be discussing his work as an independent whistleblower and what you can do to spot and protect yourself from white-collar fraud.

In addition to Antar, there will be several one-hour learning stations including: 

    •     HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS: Teresa Bockwoldt, CIO & Co-Founder of Vibato, LLC, will be hosting two hands-on workshops where attendees will be led through documenting an actual financial risk assessment for a Sarbanes-Oxley, financial, or internal controls audit and a 930-point segregation of duties analysis using their own data.
    •     IT WORKSHOPS: Trevor Hicks from the cast of the reality series, ‘Dell Battle IT,’ will be discussing “Strategic IT for Small Business” and “Info Security for the Small Business.”
    •     NON-PROFIT WORKSHOPS: Christina Hollingsworth, CPA, from Dillwood Burkel & Millar, LLP will be discussing “One Step Ahead of Creative Fundraising” and the “Value of Financial Statements in the Non-Profit World.”
    •     AUDIT WORKSHOPS: Audit Partners Paul Skeen & Mark Anderson from Hansen, Barnett & Maxwell P.C., will be flying in from Utah to discuss “Surviving your First Financial Audit” and “Seasoned Auditee? How to make the Audit Less Painful and more Affordable.”

There will also be an area available for networking, with hors d'oeuvres and wine, where recent graduates, industry professionals, and prospective employers can connect in a relaxed social environment.

CIO & Co-Founder of Vibato, Teresa Bockwoldt, explains the goal of the event, “We are ecstatic to have assembled such a dynamic and engaging group of professionals who are eager to share their wealth of knowledge. With the incredible speakers, amazing food, and delicious wine, this will truly be a unique networking and learning event that is sure to become an annual favorite. We are expecting a large crowd so reserve your space early.”

The event offers up to five hours of CPE for an early bird registration price of $59.00. 

About Vibato: Vibato, LLC is dedicated to providing the most efficient compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit and compliance fees, improve financial transparency, and run your business more efficiently. For more information, please visit us at http://www.vibato.com, 1-888-4-VIBATO, or mail(at)vibato(dot)com.

Vibato Launches New Website AccountingTemplates.com

Accountingtemplates.comBrowse through hundreds of Sarbanes-Oxley, ISO, PCI, and external audit compliance-ready accounting and information technology (IT) related policies, procedures, checklists, and templates.

Vibato is pleased to announce the launch of a new sister website, http://www.AccountingTemplates.com. This site allows users to browse through hundreds of pre-drafted Sarbanes-Oxley, ISO, PCI, and external-audit-compliance-ready accounting and information technology related policies, procedures, checklists, and templates. Each document is built using established best practice accounting methods and compliance standards, many of which are translated from English to Mandarin. Template prices range from $19.99 to $399.99 and are designed to help companies of any size.

"Our goal is to revolutionize the typical time-and-materials accounting and consulting industry by allowing customers to leverage pre-existing accounting knowledge within ready to use templates,” said Teresa Bockwoldt, CIO and Co-Founder, Vibato. “The feedback so far has been tremendous. Some of our bestsellers include a ready to use period-end close checklist and a SAS 70 / SSAE 16 step-by-step review guide. We are excited to see the international potential of this site and we look forward to expanding beyond English and Mandarin in the future.”

AccountingTemplates.com is an extension of Vibato LLC, which has revolutionized internal control and Sarbanes-Oxley processes and procedures. Vibato's Internal Control Suite® and the SOX Compliance Made Simple® solutions were developed over 15 years, 1000's of hours, and 100's of implementations at public, private, and non-profit companies worldwide. The Vibato approach has been diligently refined through each implementation and turned into hundreds of practical and useful templates based on best practice standards used throughout the world.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Teresa Bockwoldt at 1-888-4-VIBATO or visit http://www.AccountingTemplates.com or http://www.Vibato.com.

Vibato Starts Petition for Victims of ex-Enron CEO, Jeff Skilling

Vibato has started a petition to Judge Simeon Lake, who will make the final decision on Skilling's early release.

Vibato, the only provider of the fixed-price, best-practice approach to meeting Sarbanes-Oxley and SAS-related compliance requirements, has launched a petition against the early release of former Enron CEO, Jeffrey Skilling. The US Department of Justice released information to the public regarding the possibility of an early release on April 4, 2013 (Court Docket Number: 4:04-cr-25-2). Skilling has served six of a 24-year prison sentence related to a 19-count conviction of fraud, conspiracy, insider trading, and lying to auditors (case no. 4:04-cr-00025 U.S. vs. Jeffrey K. Skilling US District Court for the Southern District of Texas Houston Division.)

The petition is intended to provide a platform for the public to voice their opinion about Skilling’s early release efforts. The petition results will be delivered to the Honorable Judge Simeon Lake who presided over the original sentencing and who will be presiding over Skilling’s most recent appeal.

CIO & Co-Founder of Vibato, Teresa Bockwoldt, explains the purpose of this campaign, “As internal auditors, we strongly believe in the requirement that public companies must be held accountable for providing accurate financial information to the investing public. There has been very little press about his efforts and we are hopeful this petition will bring comfort to the victims and information to the masses.”

About Vibato: Vibato delivers a comprehensive audit methodology that helps public, private, and non-profit organizations efficiently and cost-effectively identify and mitigate business risks in order to meet financial reporting requirements and improve their financial operations. The Vibato Internal Control Suite™ is scalable, affordable, rapidly deployed, and highly effective. The Vibato Solution has been tested across hundreds of organization of all sizes and industry profiles with the same results: successful implementation and standardization of all internal controls, optimized control counts, and ongoing cost savings.

If you would like more information about this topic or if you are interested in holding an interview with Teresa Bockwoldt, please call 888-4-VIBATO or visit http://www.Vibato.com.

VIBATO Founder Issues Open Sarbanes-Oxley Letter to Republican Presidential Candidates

Vibato believes repeal of Sarbanes-Oxley legislation would be a mistake.

Petaluma, CA (PRWEB) March 23, 2012

Vibato, the only provider of the fixed-price, best-practice approach to meeting Sarbanes-Oxley and SAS-related compliance requirements, has published an open letter to Republican Presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, in defense of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its benefits on the stability and security of U.S. public financial markets. The letter can be viewed on the Vibato blog site here.

Vibato believes this letter is important to highlight the inaccurate statements being made about the effects of Sarbanes-Oxley legislative requirements on U.S. public companies, including how repealing the legislation would somehow directly produce jobs and increase the number of initial public offerings in the U.S.

Teresa Bockwoldt, CIO and co-founder of Vibato stated, "I have personally implemented thousands of internal controls across many industries and in many countries, and I have never seen evidence of the supposed damage caused by Sarbanes-Oxley compliance being cited by Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Romney. To repeal Sarbanes-Oxley and send us back to the days of reckless financial reporting would undermine the credibility and safety of all U.S. public markets, a position that our country has worked very hard to achieve."

A video blog regarding this topic can be found here.

About Vibato 
Vibato, LLC is dedicated to providing the most efficient compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit and compliance fees, improve financial transparency and run your business more efficiently. For more information, please visit us at http://www.vibato.com or contact us directly at mail(at)vibato(dot)com.

Vibato is a trademark of Vibato, LLC.

Vibato Hires New Vice President of Sales!

Vibato Hires New Vice President of Sales Expands Sales and Business Development Activities Nationwide

vibato logo

Petaluma, CA (PRWEB) August 15, 2011

Vibato, provider of the Vibato Internal Control Suite™– the only best-practice-based, modular software approach to delivering a robust system of internal controls for meeting Sarbanes-Oxley and SAS-related financial reporting requirements, today announced that Ted Drass has joined as the new Vice President of Sales and Business Development. Mr. Drass brings a substantial industry network and strong accounting and audit background to Vibato.

Mr. Drass has over 20 years of financial and consulting experience in the areas of accounting, tax, audit, international finance and business development for both public and private companies. He has extensive international business experience having served large multi-national customers in Europe and Asia in the competitive electronics manufacturing space. In this regard he is Vibato’s leader in spearheading the company’s current and future domestic and international channel development and customer acquisition efforts. Mr. Drass previously worked as an external auditor for Grant Thornton and served as a senior member of the finance team of Memec Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Avnet Inc. (AVT).

Mr. Drass is currently a board member and Treasurer of the Utah chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and is a Certified Public Accountant in the states of California and Pennsylvania.

“We look forward to Ted’s contribution to our growing customer base and strategic partner acquisition activities,” said Bill Bockwoldt, chief executive officer, Vibato. “Ted has demonstrated his strong belief in our unique approach and commitment to our ongoing success through previous and current business engagements, and we are excited to benefit from his strong sales and business development acumen.”

Colombia Clean Power & Fuels Strengthens Internal Controls and Investor Communications Functions: Hires External Experts Vibato and CCG Investor Relations

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Colombia Clean Power & Fuels, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CCPF, "Colombia Clean Power & Fuels" or the "Company"), an exploration-stage coal mining and clean energy technology company with headquarters in California, and operations in Colombia, today announced that it has strengthened its internal controls and investor relations and strategic communications functions by hiring two professional services firms, Vibato and CCG Investor Relations.

Colombia Clean Power & Fuels has enhanced management and corporate procedures since adopting its current operating strategy last year. Working with experienced professional services firms helps the Company to implement best-practice financial and internal controls and investor communication to support its anticipated growth.

"We chose Vibato and CCG as partners because of their respective cost-effective and efficient solutions and solid track record and expect both partners to help us cultivate our corporate infrastructure during this critical development stage," said Daniel Carlson, Chief Financial Officer of Colombia Clean Power & Fuels.

"Vibato offers an ideal solution for establishing comprehensive internal control procedures as they deliver everything needed for quick implementation and smooth operation. We highly value CCG's experience and are confident that this cooperation will enhance our visibility in the investment community and with financial media, while helping us develop our shareholder base."

Vibato implements the Vibato Internal Controls Suite™ (VICS), an integrated, standardized internal controls solution based upon the external audit and risk analysis methodologies of the Big Four and large regional CPA firms. Vibato performed an on-site implementation at the Company's California headquarters that included a risk assessment, best-practice controls implementation and risk mitigation, segregation of duties analysis, and complete supplemental documentation to execute each control. This modular, scalable approach provides standardized controls across locations, and support for corporate-level controls at the Company's headquarters.

"Public, private, and non-profit organizations can all benefit from our comprehensive and scalable offerings," said Bill Bockwoldt, Chief Executive Officer of Vibato. "Delivering an all-inclusive package allows our clients to hit the ground running and begin benefitting immediately from the integration and efficiency we provide."

At CCG, investor relations and strategic communications are the primary focus, and the agency has developed customized solutions to address the needs of companies ranging from start-ups to established industry leaders and Fortune 500 companies. Communicating effectively with the capital market requires creativity, discipline, an understanding of legal and accounting issues and most importantly, daily interaction with Wall Street. CCG has started to implement an investor and media relations campaign for Colombia Clean Power & Fuels in sync with the broader strategic goals that support growing shareholder value.

"We are excited to design and apply a comprehensive communications campaign for Colombia Clean Power & Fuels and look forward to experiencing the advancement of this growth story. Colombia is one of the largest producers and exporters of coal in the world and has the largest known coal reserves in Latin America," said Crocker Coulson, the President of CCG Investor Relations. "We believe Colombia Clean Power & Fuels is in a prominent position to exploit these high quality coal reserves given its top-quality management team and the improved logistical infrastructure in the northern inland area where Colombia Clean Power & Fuels' efforts are focused."

About Vibato
Vibato delivers a comprehensive audit methodology that helps public, private, and non-profit organizations efficiently and cost-effectively identify and mitigate business risks in order to meet financial reporting requirements and improve their financial operations. The Vibato Internal Control Suite™ is scalable, affordable, rapidly deployed, and highly effective. It has been tested across organization of all sizes and industry profiles with the same results: successful implementation and standardization of all internal controls; optimized control counts; and ongoing cost savings.

About CCG Investor Relations
CCG is a leading global investor relations and strategic communications consulting firm. In business for more than 30 years, the agency provides a complete range of investor communications, counseling, and IT and data solutions through our global network to over 300 clients across multiple capital markets. CCG has been awarded a number of industry honors for its handling of complex investor relations and crisis communications matters. The agency's corporate headquarters is in Los Angeles with additional offices in Hong Kong, New York, Beijing, Shanghai, Frankfurt, and Tel Aviv.

About Colombia Clean Power & Fuels, Inc.
Colombia Clean Power & Fuels, Inc. (OTCBB: CCPF.OB) is developing coal mining, coal coking and clean coal technology operations in the Republic of Colombia. The Company plans to build mines to produce both metallurgical coal and high-grade thermal coal and implement advanced coal technologies, such as coal gasification and coal-to-liquids, to produce metallurgical coke, urea, liquid fuels, power and other clean energy solutions. Colombia is the world's tenth largest producer and fourth largest exporter of coal, with an estimated 7 billion metric tons ("MT") of recoverable reserves and 17 billion MT of potential reserves.The Company's current operations are focused on coal exploration and development activities. The Company has retained leading engineering and geological services firms in the U.S. and Colombia to conduct exploration work in selected concessions already acquired and others under consideration for acquisition by the Company. The Company's team of executives, advisors and partners is comprised of experienced entrepreneurs and business professionals in the U.S., Colombia and China that have a breadth of experience in coal mining and clean coal technologies as well as substantial industry relationships.For more information please visit www.colombiacleanpower.com or www.vibato.com.

Vibato Delivers Robust Internal Control Implementation For Worldwide Energy And Manufacturing USA, Inc.

Implementation Spans Five Locations Across Two Continents

Petaluma, California – November 2, 2010 – Vibato is pleased to announce the recent implementation of a robust internal controls framework for Worldwide Energy and Manufacturing USA, Inc. (OTC BB: WEMU) at their California headquarters and four additional subsidiaries located throughout China. Vibato products were implemented at each location to establish a comprehensive, scalable set of controls and procedures to support Worldwide’s Sarbanes-Oxley, Section 404(a) and (b) compliance requirements.

Worldwide, headquartered in South San Francisco, California, is a 17-year-old engineering-oriented firm specializing in photovoltaic (PV) module, mechanical, electronics and fiber optic products manufacturing. The Company specializes in products for customers in the solar energy, aerospace, wireless telecommunications, medical equipment and automotive industries.

Vibato performed an on-site implementation at each of the five locations that included a risk assessment, best-practice controls implementation and risk mitigation, segregation of duties analysis, and complete supplemental documentation to execute each control. Training, language translation, and remediation assistance were also provided along with initial controls testing and review to ensure an effective baseline was established. This modular, scalable approach provides standardized controls across locations, localization where required, and support for corporate-level controls at Worldwide’s headquarters.

“We are very pleased with Vibato’s commitment to our success and the value they deliver through their software-based approach,” said Gerald DeCiccio, Chief Financial Officer of Worldwide Energy and Manufacturing USA, Inc. “They helped us instill the process understanding and discipline necessary to prepare us for our growth plans, in a very cost-effective manner, and performed valuable client advocacy services with our auditors on our behalf.”

“Worldwide Manufacturing is an excellent example of a fast-growing, multi-location, international company that required a rigorous foundation of internal controls to stay on top of their financial reporting compliance activities across a diverse set of locations,” said Bill Bockwoldt, Chief Executive Officer of Vibato. “The standardized but scalable approach we offer is ideal for companies with distributed organizations that need a flexible solution to adapt to their unique cultural and organizational characteristics.”

About Vibato

Vibato was founded in 2008 to leverage a proven, best-practice methodology for implementing and maintaining internal controls over financial reporting. Vibato’s unique software products identify risks, map mitigating controls, and provide complete supporting documentation to implement a complete internal control infrastructure in a matter of days. Our streamlined approach has been benchmarked against the Big Four audit plans, and deployed successfully across a diverse array of industries. Vibato solutions focus on scalability, standardization, modularity, and efficiency to deliver a compelling return-on-investment for companies of all sizes, in every industry.

About Worldwide Energy and Manufacturing USA

Worldwide Energy and Manufacturing USA, Inc. (http://www.wwmusa.com), headquartered in South San Francisco, California, is a 17-year-old engineering-oriented firm specializing in photovoltaic (PV) module, mechanical, electronics and fiber optic products manufacturing. The company's worldwide customer base includes the solar energy, wireless telecommunications, aerospace, automobile and medical equipment industries. Subsidiaries include Shanghai Intech Electro Mechanical Products Co. Ltd., Shanghai Intech Electronics Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Intech Precision Mechanical Products Manufacturing Co. Ltd., located in Shanghai, China.

Vibato Repositions For Market Growth And Sees Accelerating Revenues

New Product Positioning Expands Customer Base

Petaluma, California – October 6, 2010 – Vibato is pleased to announce significant growth in our customer base and that YTD 2010 revenues have already surpassed those 2009 revenue totals. Since the initial product launch in the spring of 2009, we have added over 20 Public Companies to our list of satisfied clients, who use our software for their internal controls infrastructure and SOX compliance needs. Every client audit to date has been successful, with no material weaknesses reported from the areas covered by our solutions. Our customer base now spans biotech, clean tech, consumer products, electronics, chemicals, energy, insurance, mining, pharmaceuticals, restaurants, banking, non-profit, software and technology. Average implementation times are 1-3 days and we continue to experience a high customer satisfaction rating.

As part of our recent expansion, we have launched a new website at www.vibato.com, and introduced new real-time dashboards and product packages designed to meet the needs of a broader, more diverse client base. The Vibato Internal Control Suite™ has been introduced in three new offerings titled Foundation, Small-Medium Business (SMB), and Enterprise, designed to address the demand for companies with internal control implementation and rationalization needs of any size.

“We continue to expand with recent wins in the banking and non-profit sectors,” said Bill Bockwoldt, Chief Executive Officer of Vibato. “This brings our first year total to over 30 locations being served on three continents, and demand continues to be strong from mezzanine-financed and pre-IPO companies wanting to start with a best-practice approach to internal controls, as well as established organizations who are seeking an efficient reengineering effort with a high return-on-investment.”

Vibato continues to expand their roster of satisfied clients, while seeking to build new relationships with consulting and services firms who offer expertise in the areas of audit, compliance and risk management.

About Vibato

Vibato was founded in 2008 to leverage a proven, best-practice methodology for implementing and maintaining internal controls over financial reporting. Vibato’s unique software products identify risks, map mitigating controls, and provide complete supporting documentation to implement a complete internal control infrastructure in a matter of days. Our streamlined approach has been benchmarked against the Big Four audit plans, and deployed successfully across a diverse array of industries. Vibato solutions focus on scalability, standardization, modularity, and efficiency to deliver a compelling return-on-investment for companies of all sizes, in every industry.

Mr. Drass is currently a board member and Treasurer of the Utah chapter of ACG (Association for Corporate Growth. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the states of California and Pennsylvania and holds a bachelor's degree in finance.

 

Vibato Implements Robust Internal Control Environment For Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc.

One Day SOX Implementation for Expanding Gold Mining Company

PETALUMA, California - August 24, 2010 - Vibato recently completed a SOX implementation for Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: GPXM). They are a Nevada-based mining company (www.Golden-Phoenix.com) whose focus is Royalty Mining in the Americas, who engaged Vibato to re-engineer their SOX environment to establish a strong internal control infrastructure for their future growth plans. Vibato delivered a product suite consisting of a risk assessment, segregation of duties analysis, control matrix with complete supplemental documentation, and fully-integrated testing plans, in just one day on-site.

“Our previous experience with SOX had been a disappointment, with six consultants providing an onerous set of documentation that was designed for manufacturing and not mining,” said J. Roland Vetter, chief financial officer of Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc. “But our experience with Vibato could not have been better. They actually got our accounting staff to look forward to working on SOX-related activities again, and we are counting on them to support our SOX testing and expansion efforts as we grow.”

“We never like to hear SOX implementation horror stories, but we are always excited when the real value of our approach is recognized,” said Bill Bockwoldt, chief executive officer of Vibato. “Companies like Golden Phoenix, who are beginning to experience rapid growth, must be able to rely on their internal controls automation and scalability to facilitate their expansion."

Vibato continues to expand their roster of satisfied clients, while seeking to build stronger relationships with consulting and services firms who offer expertise in the areas of audit, compliance and risk management. Vibato’s unique approach has been benchmarked against the Big Four audit plans and has been deployed successfully across a diverse array of industries and companies. Vibato solutions focus on scalability, standardization, modularity, and efficiency to deliver the most compelling compliance tools available for companies of all sizes, across any type of industry.

About Vibato

Vibato, LLC is dedicated to providing the most cost-effective compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit and compliance fees, improve financial transparency, and run your business more efficiently. For more information, please visit us at www.vibato.com or contact us directly at mail@vibato.com.

Vibato Achieves 69% Control Count Reduction For iMergent Through Process Reengineering Effort.

One Week Implementation Effort Produced a One-Year ROI

PETALUMA, Calif. - August 11, 2010 - Vibato announces the completion of a recent process reengineering project for iMergent, Inc. (AMEX: IIG), a leading provider of proprietary e-commerce software platforms and portfolio services with multiple subsidiaries. iMergent engaged Vibato to reengineer their internal control infrastructure, implement best-practice controls, and provide a fully-integrated testing environment. Vibato implemented a high level risk assessment, six process control cycles and a segregation of duties analysis to give iMergent an improved internal control environment for their 2011 fiscal year, ready for testing work, and reviewed the transition for completeness and accuracy with their external auditors. The process was completed in four days, with active participation by iMergent’s finance organization.

“We wanted a revamp of our internal control environment with a focus on controls reduction and an integrated environment by having more direct and precise controls. We were very impressed with the efficiency and scalability of Vibato’s approach, especially considering our business complexity,” said Jonathan Erickson, Chief Financial Officer of iMergent, Inc. “The significant reduction in controls from 339 down to 107, combined with the integrated testing capabilities, will allow us to be more efficient in our processes and testing. This is a great example of Vibato’s value-driven focus and commitment to customer success.”

“Our tools are designed specifically for this type of implementation project, even for complexities in such areas as software revenue recognition” said Bill Bockwoldt, Chief Executive Officer of Vibato. “I believe our success with iMergent is a clear indication that our unique approach to managing internal controls for financial reporting continues to position us as the most cost-effective compliance provider in this area today.”

iMergent, Inc. (AMEX: IIG) provides proprietary e-commerce software platforms and portfolio services, through their StoresOnline and Crexendo subsidiaries, including web design and development, custom programming, SEO services and internet marketing and training to entrepreneurs and businesses, enabling them to sell and market their products or services over the Internet. For more information, please visit www.imergentinc.com.

Vibato, LLC is dedicated to providing the most cost-effective compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit and compliance fees, improve financial transparency and run your business more efficiently. For more information, please visit www.vibato.com.

Vibato Successfully Delivers Small-Scale Sarbanes-Oxley Implementation For ORIGINOIL, INC.

Adoption of SOX BASIC® Meets SOX Compliance Needs for Smaller Public Companies

PETALUMA, Calif. - June 24, 2010 - Vibato, the only provider of the fixed-price, best-practice, modular approach to meeting Sarbanes-Oxley and SAS-related compliance requirements, today announced OriginOil's success using SOX BASIC®. A full implementation was completed in less than one day, and Vibato's efficient remote testing approach achieved successful year-end audit results and SEC reporting requirements for OriginOil's fiscal year ending December 31, 2009.

Vibato used the integrated SOX BASIC® toolset to complete the risk assessment, set up the best-practice internal controls based on the specific risks mapped across each business process cycle, and identify the segregation conflicts in less than one day. All supplemental documentation to perform each control, as written, was supplied during the implementation process. Remote testing and online document storage were used in combination to complete the testing and review requirements efficiently and off-site, eliminating travel and on-site expenses. This unique approach resulted in the successful completion of OriginOil's first Sarbanes-Oxley, Section 404(b) audit.

OriginOil, Inc. (OTCBB: OOIL) is developing a breakthrough technology that will transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum. OriginOil's patent-pending, breakthrough technology can provide the world with an endless supply of cost-competitive and environment-friendly oil to displace petroleum. As a non-accelerated filer with a $37MM market cap, and with limited internal resources and no formal budget for compliance activities, OriginOil needed a cost-effective solution that could be scaled for the Company's business needs and was maintainable with limited outside expense.

Using SOX BASIC, OriginOil has already experienced significant benefits, including:

• Successful Results - Fiscal year-end audit review completed. All SEC reporting requirements were satisfied.
• Time Savings - Implementation was performed in less than one day.
• Standardization - Minimized ongoing testing efforts, performed remotely, using Vibato's highly-integrated framework.
• Reduced Effort - Leveraged Vibato remote testing services, and an online document management service to transfer documentation, review results, and provide remote access for audit review.
• Cost Savings - Initial implementation was less than $6,000.

"As a technology company focused on revolutionizing the energy industry, we are always striving to minimize our ongoing business costs while maintaining all necessary compliance requirements as a public company with outside investors," said Riggs Eckelberry, CEO & President of OriginOil, Inc. "We found Vibato's approach to be revolutionary in its own right, and the Company's insistent focus on cost-effective value delivery really impressed us. I would highly recommend them to anyone who needs to put solid internal controls in place quickly, and for a fraction of the cost and time of alternative methods."

"We developed SOX BASIC® specifically for companies like OriginOil, who have limited resources and internal controls needs," said Bill Bockwoldt, chief executive officer, Vibato. "Our belief is that having a comprehensive, solid, best-practice approach, where you can start very small and scale as you grow, is ideal for any public or private company that wants a simple, proven approach to establishing and maintaining its internal controls. Our unique approach of delivering what you need, including an integrated framework and complete supplemental documentation, rather than simply providing tools for you to figure it out yourself, is what really drives the cost and effort out of establishing your controls infrastructure."

About Vibato
Vibato, LLC is dedicated to providing the most cost-effective compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit and compliance fees, improve financial transparency and run your business more efficiently. For more information, please visit us at www.vibato.com or contact us directly at mail@vibato.com.

Vibato and SOX BASIC are trademarks of Vibato, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Vibato to Participate In High Street Partners' 2010 Webinar Series

What Pre-IPO Companies Need To Know About International Compliance

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - February 24, 2010 - Vibato, the only provider of the fixed-price, best-practice, modular approach to meeting Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and SAS-related compliance requirements, today announced its participation in a webinar focused on pre-IPO compliance issues. The event is part of a series hosted by High Street Partners, the international business services provider.

Planning a Public Offering? Stay on Top of International Compliance will be an interactive discussion about planning for public offerings, with an international perspective on compliance considerations. Speakers and panelists include Larry Harding, President of High Street Partners, Teresa Bockwoldt, CEO of Vibato, and Jim Anderson, President of SVB Analytics.

This webinar is scheduled for March 4, 2010 from 1:00 - 2:00 pm (EST). Register here.

"This webinar series brings together thought-leaders who are focused on issues of high importance to anyone operating overseas," said Larry Harding, president of High Street Partners, Inc. "We're kicking off with a discussion of pre-IPO compliance because we believe in an "ounce of prevention" approach when it comes to proper internal controls, having seen too often what can happen when companies don't get off on the right foot when operating internationally."

"We are thrilled to get in front of an audience that needs to understand compliance from a pre-IPO perspective," said Teresa Bockwoldt, chief executive officer, Vibato. "Our belief is that having a solid best-practice approach to use as a guide while a company expands internationally will provide an advantage from the start. And Pre-IPO companies especially need to be cognizant of compliance issues as they make the transition to publicly traded firms."

Subsequent events in the HSP series include European VAT recovery and EU employment contract discussions. Additional sponsors and panelists include Bowne, Osborne-Clark, Silicon Valley Bank and Global Tax Network. For more information, visit www.hsp.com.

About Vibato
Vibato, LLC is dedicated to providing the most cost-effective compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit and compliance fees, improve financial transparency and run your business more efficiently. For more information, please visit us at www.vibato.com or contact us directly at mail@vibato.com.

About High Street Partners, Inc.
High Street Partners provides international business services, including accounting, tax, compliance, HR, payroll, and bookkeeping, to public and private companies, top-tier universities, non-profits, and government contractors operating in foreign markets. Named #78 on the 2009 Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies in America, HSP is headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, with offices in Boston, Atlanta, San Jose, San Diego, San Francisco, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and London. For more information, call 1-888-881-6576 or visit http://www.hsp.com.

Vibato Introduces SOX BASIC® For Small Public Companies

Small Non-Accelerated Filers Now Have a Cost-Effective Option for Sarbanes-Oxley, Section 404(b) Compliance

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - February 17, 2010 - Vibato, the only provider of the fixed-price, best-practice, modular approach to meeting Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and SAS-related compliance requirements, today announced the release of SOX BASIC®. This revolutionary approach to SOX compliance delivers a size-specific SOX implementation to smaller reporting companies in just one day, and for less than $6,000; a fraction of the cost of competing alternatives and a compelling solution for this under-served segment of the market.

The latest SEC report, "Study of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Section 404 Internal Control over Financial Reporting Requirements," estimates the average cost of outside vendor assistance for companies with less than $75M market capitalization for their 2008 fiscal year to be approximately $82,000 for initial implementation (table 8, pg. 44). This is the result of the traditional time-and-materials approach to scoping and implementing a SOX engagement, but does not align with the budget and resource constraints faced by many smaller public companies today.

With the rapidly approaching deadline of June 15, 2010 for the auditor attestation of internal controls or SOX Section 404(b), non-accelerated filers need a reasonable solution that fits their budget, level of resource availability and ongoing maintenance requirements.

For the first time, a fully-integrated, best-practice approach to establishing and documenting internal controls for smaller public companies, as well as startups or larger companies with smaller initial requirements, is available in the form of a comprehensive toolset that can be implemented in one day and for a fixed price.

"We were impressed with the rapid implementation, thorough integration and cost-effective approach delivered in the SOX BASIC toolset from Vibato," said Rod Meisel, corporate controller, Cereplast, Inc. "The initial implementation was a very straightforward process. It got us on the right track for our year-end audit and met our budget constraints."

SOX BASIC is built on the same proven, integrated framework originally introduced in SOX Compliance Made Simple® (SCMS), but designed specifically for companies with fewer than 25 employees, or who need fewer than 20 internal controls to meet their compliance requirements. SOX BASIC includes the features listed below in a unique integration of the industry-proven, best-practice approach offered in the SCMS framework:

  • Support - Includes consulting time to perform the implementation and help set up a controls testing plan.
  • Risk Assessment - Measures both quantitative and qualitative factors for determining in-scope processes and identifying the high-risk areas of the business.
  • Control Matrix - Supports up to 20 predefined best-practice controls available from the 17 process cycles currently offered by Vibato, covering all key areas of the business in addition to the following fully-integrated items:
  • Dashboard to track initial results and ongoing updates
  • Internal controls sub-certification for the 302 Attestation
  • Automatic change control tracking
  • Project plan with milestone deliverables
  • Recommended testing sample sizes based on auditor selection
  • PBC listing and summary
  • Summary of aggregated deficiencies
  • One-click roll-forward functionality that saves relevant historical data and prepares the tool for the next year
  • Segregation of Duties Analysis - Analyzes 304 unique segregation conflicts, and identifies the specific resources affected along with suggested remediation strategies.
  • Integrated Testing and Documentation - Includes test plans and every policy, checklist, form, and other documents necessary to execute each control as written.

SOX BASIC is also available for licensing by financial services and public accounting and consulting firms looking for a different approach to assisting their existing and potential clients with their compliance objectives.

"We developed SOX BASIC specifically for smaller public companies who have limited resources and internal controls needs," said Teresa Bockwoldt, chief executive officer, Vibato. "Our belief is that having a solid best-practice approach to use as a guide while a company grows will give companies an advantage from the start. SOX BASIC allows a company to start very small and scale as they grow."

To download the SOX BASIC product flyer, please click here.

Vibato Inks Partnership Agreement with HJ Associates & Consultants, L.L.P. For SOX Compliance Made Simple® Representation

Company Engages with a member of the RSM McGladrey Network to represent and implement Vibato solutions.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – December 16, 2009 – Vibato, the only provider of the fixed-price, best-practice, modular approach to meeting Sarbanes-Oxley and SAS-related compliance requirements, today announced that HJ Associates & Consultants, L.L.P., an independently-owned member of the RSM McGladrey Network, executed an agreement to represent and implement Vibato solutions, including SOX Compliance Made Simple (SCMS) which is part of the Vibato Internal Control Suite line of products. HJ Associates & Consultants intends to expand its business by attracting and engaging new clients, in part through representation of Vibato’s unique offerings.

After seeing a demonstration of the SCMS approach, HJ Associates & Consultants referred several SEC audit clients to Vibato. Because of the high quality, cost-effective results of those implementations, HJ Associates & Consultants determined that offering Vibato’s solutions could add value to its existing array of services and contribute to additional growth. Under the agreement, HJ Associates & Consultants will represent Vibato solutions to existing and prospective clients and provide implementation services on behalf of Vibato. HJ Associates & Consultants will be able to leverage the benefits of the SCMS approach while maintaining the client relationship directly to provide any other ongoing services the client might need.

“We have been very impressed with the value and efficiency delivered to some of our existing clients through Vibato’s solutions,” said Bruce Kartchner, partner at HJ Associates & Consultants, L.L.P. “By leveraging the capabilities and cost-effectiveness of SCMS with our firm’s expertise, we can more effectively attract new client business. We can enhance our existing offerings to better serve companies that are public, private and venture-backed, pre-IPOs who need to complete their internal control development and documentation, and any other organizations that understand the management benefits of properly developed and documented internal controls.”

“Partnering with firms such as HJ Associates & Consultants, who share the same commitment to value and excellence as we do, is a natural fit for us,” said Teresa Bockwoldt, chief executive officer, Vibato. “We are delighted to see audit firms recognize the benefits of our unique approach, for both themselves and their clients. Our expanding client and partner base supports our confidence that the market is ready for our unique approach to taking much of the cost out of financial reporting compliance activities, whether a company is just getting started or already has an implementation in place. We look forward to supporting HJ Associates & Consultants as they introduce more clients to the benefits of the SCMS methodology.”

Vibato continues to expand its client roster and sees growing interest from potential partners for inclusion of the SCMS toolset in its portfolio of service offerings. Vibato clients and its audit partners benefit from the strong value delivered through the best-practice, fully-integrated, SCMS approach for establishing and documenting internal controls, or reducing existing control counts. This approach has been benchmarked against the Big Four audit plans and has been deployed successfully across a diverse array of industries and companies.

HJ Associates & Consultants, L.L.P. is a full-service locally owned certified public accounting firm located in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Their objective is to provide high quality audit, tax, accounting, and advisory services to their clients in a cost effective and timely manner. HJ Associates & Consultants, L.L.P is an independently owned member of the RSM McGladrey Network. The RSM McGladrey Network is the premier affiliation of independent accounting firms in the nation. They are members of the AICPA and CAQ, and are enrolled with CPCAF and registered with the PCAOB. For more information, please visit www.hjcpafirm.com

The SCMS suite is currently available for companies of all sizes and industries. For more information please click here or call (888) 4VIBATO.

About Vibato
Vibato, LLC is dedicated to providing the most cost-effective compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit and compliance fees, improve financial transparency and run your business more efficiently. For more information, please visit us at www.vibato.com or contact us directly at mail@vibato.com

Vibato Highlights SOX Success Story with ZAGG, Inc.

Company completes a full Sarbanes-Oxley implementation in less than one week and for less than $45K for a $150M market cap company

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - December 2, 2009 - Vibato, a leading provider of innovative, efficient solutions helping companies of all sizes and industries minimize the costs associated with Sarbanes-Oxley and SAS-related compliance requirements, today announced that Zagg, Inc implemented Sox Compliance Made Simple (SCMS) in less than a week for less than $45K. With companies like Zagg and a consistently growing customer roster, Vibato continues to see rapid adoption of the SCMS toolset. Vibato customers and partners benefit from the rapid implementation time, integrated controls testing procedures, supplemental documentation to ensure proper control understanding and execution, and standardized approach based on best-practice methodologies.

Zagg, Inc., a $150 million market cap company and the innovative consumer products manufacturer of the invisibleSHIELDTM clear protective film, has experienced rapid growth leading to a transition to accelerated public filer status for 2009. This transition required an accelerated Sarbanes-Oxley implementation project that could be completed in a short time period and would not interfere with their rapid growth and demanding resource constraints. Vibato was able to complete the initial implementation at Zagg in just two days which included a risk assessment, documentation of eight process cycles and a segregation of duties analysis, and will complete all required initial testing in just a few weeks.

"I was surprised and very satisfied that Vibato was able to complete the implementation and testing so quickly," said Brandon O'Brien, chief financial officer at Zagg, Inc. "This really reduced our own anticipated internal resource effort, while keeping the costs down and still allowing us to be prepared for our year-end audit."

Zagg was referred to Vibato by their audit partner, Paul Skeen, at Hansen, Barnett, & Maxwell P.C. (HBM). Based on a belief in Vibato's unique approach with SCMS®, HBM has referred several clients who need a truly cost-effective approach comprised of a comprehensive set of tools and documentation that can be completed in as little as one day.

"We are very supportive of Vibato because they really understand how to deliver value in their approach and we believe this provides the highest level of service to our clients," said Paul Skeen, partner at Hansen, Barnett, & Maxwell P.C. "We are continually looking for ways to assist our clients in meeting their compliance needs and Vibato's unique approach is the best we have seen for helping our clients establish or refine a strong internal control infrastructure quickly and cost-effectively."

"We were delighted to work with a great growth company like Zagg; we really feel like we get what our customers need just like they do," said Teresa Bockwoldt, chief executive officer, Vibato. "I am confident our approach can serve non-accelerated and accelerated filers of all sizes and needs, as well as those companies who have already completed their Sarbanes-Oxley work and are looking for a more efficient approach that reduces both cost and effort. We share a common vision with HBM for delivering excellent customer service and value to our clients and our clients' shareholders. This effort, combined with the great service provided by HBM, makes Sarbanes-Oxley implementations useful for clients."

ZAGG, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZAGG) is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the mobile experience. ZAGG designs, manufactures and distributes protective clear coverings and accessories for consumer electronic and hand-held devices worldwide under the brand names invisibleSHIELD(TM) and ZAGGaudio(TM). ZAGG continues to increase its product lines to offer additional electronic accessories and services to its tech-savvy customer base, including upcoming technologies like ZAGGbox, to be introduced at CES 2010, and HzO, a breakthrough gadget waterproofing technology. The invisibleSHIELD is a protective, high-tech patented film covering designed for iPods, laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, PDAs, watch faces, GPS systems, gaming devices and other items. The patent-pending invisibleSHIELD application of clear protective film covering a device is the first scratch protection solution of its kind on the market and has sold millions of units. For more product or investor information, please visit the company's web site here.

HBM has provided quality client service for more than 40 years and has built a solid understanding of businesses. HBM's experience gives them the edge to help their clients grow and succeed. Whether for traditional CPA services such as audit, tax and write-up, or for more specialized services such as SEC filings, profit enhancement, benefits consulting, litigation support and more, HBM's expert staff is ready to customize a portfolio of services designed to meet customer needs and exceed their expectations. For more information, please visit http://www.hbmcpas.com/.

Vibato's game-changing modular approach allows scalability while also minimizing implementation and ongoing testing costs. In addition, the integrated and standardized approach helps streamline the external audit effort, resulting in both cost and time savings for Vibato partners such as HBM and their clients.

The SCMS suite is currently available for companies of all sizes and industries. For more information please visit this link or call (888) 4VIBATO.

About Vibato

Vibato, LLC is dedicated to providing the most cost-effective compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit and compliance fees, improve financial transparency and run your business more efficiently. For more information, please visit us at www.vibato.com or contact us directly at mail@vibato.com.

SOX Professionals becomes Vibato, LLC

SOX Professionals into Vibato, LLC

Company delivers scalable solutions to meet compliance for internal controls, reduce audit costs as Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 deadline approaches

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - November 3, 2009 - SOX Professionals, a leading provider of innovative, efficient solutions helping companies of all sizes and industries minimize the costs associated with Sarbanes-Oxley and SAS-related compliance requirements, has changed its name to Vibato and has seen rapid adoption of its SOX Compliance Made Simple (SCMS) toolset. In the last two quarters, more than 10 new implementations have been successfully performed with both accelerated and non-accelerated public company filers representing the bio-technology, clean energy, consumer products and medical devices industries. Vibato offers a product-based approach with its SCMS Suite, allowing public and private companies of all sizes to save money, reduce existing internal control counts and decrease audit-related fees.

Designed to meet the needs of both public filers and audited private companies, SCMS helps scope and document the compliance requirements for SOX Section 404 and SAS 104-111 regulations. With the recent SEC announcement of the final June 15, 2010 deadline for achieving section 404 compliance for non-accelerated public filers, the demand for an affordable and simplified solution is more timely than ever.

The game-changing SCMS tool suite is built on a foundation of proven, best-practice methodologies enabling companies to easily reduce their cost burden associated with implementing and maintaining their internal control infrastructure. Smaller companies now have a solution that fits their budget and larger companies can significantly reduce the ongoing costs associated with maintaining compliance.

Traditionally, companies have had to opt for costly time-and-materials-based solutions for compliance. However, SCMS delivers a comprehensive and integrated software solution based on industry best practices, Six Sigma guidelines, and Fortune 20 procedures benchmarked against the Big Four external audit plans.

The SCMS family of tools includes the following modules:

  • Risk Assessment
  • Up to 14 unique Process Cycles
  • Segregation of Duties Analysis

Companies utilizing SCMS will experience benefits such as:

  • Modular Software - supports scalability and you only pay for what you need
  • Fixed-Pricing - includes consulting time and you know your costs before you start
  • Rapid Implementation - up and running in days versus months
  • Standardized Approach - based on best practices, meaning less testing and audit review time
  • Supplemental Documentation - complete documentation provided to avoid wasted time creating policies, checklists, and procedures
  • Strong Integration - all control matrices and testing procedures are fully integrated to ensure version control and minimal document handling efforts

Solar Power Inc. (OTCBB: SOPW) a leading designer, manufacturer and installer of photovoltaic solar power systems, implemented SCMS to handle internal controls for five of their business divisions in their California and Shenzhen, China locations.

"When we used SCMS I was very impressed by how painless and effective the process was," said Jeff Winzeler, chief financial officer, Solar Power Inc. "We were up and running in a few days, and expect to save more than $100K per year on our ongoing compliance costs through reductions in audit fees. Our internal control infrastructure was documented cost-effectively and efficiently, allowing for greater transparency while streamlining internal activities. Vibato has really delivered a strong ROI for us by making a complex, time-consuming process a simple and effective one."

"For years companies have associated meeting compliance regulations with an arduous and painful review process, but we knew we could deliver a solution that would provide an entirely different experience," said Teresa Bockwoldt, chief executive officer, Vibato. "Why recreate the wheel when there are tried and true best practices that consistently deliver results? We are empowering customers by providing them with a completely different methodology that simplifies the process, gets them up and running quickly, and most importantly saves them time and money."

The SCMS suite is currently available for companies of all sizes and industries. For more information please visit www.vibato.com or call (415) 240-4867.

Burr Pilger Mayer and SOX Professionals to Host Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Seminars in San Francisco and San Jose.

05/01/2009 - 01:22 SAN FRANCISCO & SAN JOSE, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Burr Pilger Mayer (BPM), the largest non-national accounting and consulting firm in the Bay Area and SOX Professionals, LLC, a leader in innovative and cost-effective Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance solutions, are offering two, one-day seminars to identify and address compliance needs.

The seminars will be held Thursday, June 11 in San Francisco and Tuesday, June 16 in San Jose at the regional BPM offices.

By participating in the seminar, each attendee will leave with a completed risk assessment which is a critical first step in developing or updating a compliance strategy.

The seminars qualify for 8 hours of CPE credit. To register online, go to our seminars page.

"We believe in this unique approach to addressing the demands of SOX compliance," said Stephen D. Mayer, managing partner of BPM. "We are working with SOX Professionals to deliver this cost-effective solution to our clients in an effort to meet their compliance goals."

In February, SOX Professionals announced the release of the SOX Compliance Made Simple product suite designed for non-accelerated filers needing to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley act of 2002. This new offering allows companies to establish and manage effective internal controls, reduce audit costs, and mitigate business risk for a fraction of the cost and effort of traditional approaches.

Teresa Bockwoldt, co-founder of SOX Professionals, said, "We recognize and appreciate the cost and complexity of meeting Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and our objective is to help our clients do it successfully as quickly and cost-effectively as possible without losing sight of the fact that having strong internal controls can further improve the financial transparency and operating efficiency of their company. The recent predictions that non-accelerated filers may need to comply this year means that now is the time to put their compliance strategy in place. Providing the Risk Assessment as part of the seminar already puts the participating companies ahead in scoping their compliance initiatives. They walk away with a map showing them where to start, the cost and effort required, and a timeline for completion using SOX Compliance Made Simple, the simplest approach available today."

SOX Compliance Made Simple takes the ambiguity and inefficiency out of SOX compliance and replaces it with clear step-by-step instructions and standardized controls based on industry best practice, Six Sigma guidelines, and Fortune 20procedures benchmarked against the Big 4 external audit plans, objectives and risks.

This approach has been tested hundreds of times across organizations of all sizes and industry profiles with the same results - successful assessment, documentation, and remediation of all internal controls, reduced control counts, and reductions in audit fees and durations.

Seminar Locations: BPM San Francisco 600 California Street, Suite 1300 San Francisco, CA 94108

BPM San Jose60 S. Market Street, 8th Floor San Jose, CA 95113

About SOX Professionals
SOX Professionals, LLC is an organization of accounting, audit, tax, and IT professionals dedicated to providing the most cost-effective compliance solutions available. Our mission is to help you reduce audit fees, improve financial transparency, and run your business more efficiently. SOX Professionals, the SOX Professionals logo, SOX Compliance Made Simple are registered trademarks of SOX Professionals, LLC. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. For more information, please visit www.soxprofessionals.com.

About Burr Pilger
Mayer Burr Pilger Mayer (BPM) is the 5th largest accounting and business consulting firm in Northern California, with offices in San Francisco, San Jose, Palo Alto, Walnut Creek, Santa Rosa and Novato. BPM offers tax, business consulting, wealth management and audit services across a wide spectrum of industries. The 400-person firm is locally owned, with a strong foundation of environmental, social and philanthropic stewardship. For more information, please visit www.bpmllp.com.

SOX Professionals Announces Release of SOX Compliance Made Simple® Product Designed to Help Non-Accelerated Filers Reduce Audit Fees and Meet Anticipated 2009 Compliance Deadline.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 24, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SOX Professionals, LLC, a leader in innovative and cost-effective Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance solutions, announces the release of the SOX Compliance Made Simple product suite designed for non-accelerated filers needing to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley act of 2002. This revolutionary new approach allows you to establish and manage effective internal controls, reduce audit costs, and mitigate business risk for a fraction of the cost and effort of traditional approaches.

The traditional consultative approach to SOX implementations, requiring months of effort and more than $100,000 in cost, is no longer necessary. A broad range of implementation experiences has shown that these timeframes and costs relate to the non-standardized documentation and testing methods used today and the lack of "best practice" knowledge being applied. The SOX Made Simple approach is an integrated, fixed-price, solution used to establish a set of benchmarked controls and test plans which can save up to 50% of the audit budget and be completed in weeks instead of months.

A recent article from CFO.com cited comments related to SOX compliance from Mary Schapiro, the new SEC chairwoman, which included the following; "For example, she plans to require that small publicly traded companies comply with the auditor-attestation requirement of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act - which they've been able to avoid since the law was passed nearly seven years ago. "Right now, we have a system where some issuers are complying with 404 and others are still exempt from it," Schapiro said in written responses to several questions by Sen. Carl Levin. "It's time we bring uniformity to the system."

SOX Compliance Made Simple takes the ambiguity and inefficiency out of SOX compliance and replaces it with clear step-by-step instructions and standardized controls based on industry best practice, Six Sigma guidelines, and Fortune 20 procedures benchmarked against the Big 4 external audit plans, objectives and risks. This approach has been tested hundreds of times across organizations of all sizes and industry profiles with the same results - successful assessment, documentation, and remediation of all internal controls, reduced control counts, and reductions in audit fees and durations.

SOX Professionals, in conjunction with Tatum(tm), LLC and NASDAQ OMX®, is offering four one-day seminars to identify compliance needs in Salt Lake City, Utah during the week of April 6-10th. "We believe in this unique approach to addressing the demands of SOX compliance for smaller reporting companies, and we are working with SOX Professionals to deliver this cost-effective solution to our clients in an effort to meet their compliance goals. By participating in the seminar, each attendee will leave with a completed risk assessment which is a critical first step in developing or updating your compliance strategy," stated Bob Bench, Managing Partner of the Salt Lake City office of Tatum LLC.

Teresa Bockwoldt, Co-founder of SOX Professionals, said, "We recognize and appreciate the cost and complexity of meeting Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and our objective is to help our clients do it successfully as quickly and cost-effectively as possible without losing sight of the fact that having strong internal controls can further improve the financial transparency and operating efficiency of their company. The recent predictions that non-accelerated filers may need to comply this year means that now is the time to put their compliance strategy in place. Providing the Risk Assessment as part of the seminar already puts the participating companies ahead in scoping their compliance initiatives. They walk away with a map showing them where to start, the cost and effort required, and a timeline for completion using SOX Compliance Made Simple, the simplest approach available today."