BDO has served the apparel and textile markets since 1910, and understands the fashion business, how it works, how it changes overnight, and the need to move quickly or be left behind. This in-depth experience, together with sound relationships with the financial institutions that serve this industry, result in an extensive client list of apparel, textiles and jewelry companies, ranging from well-known designers to growing apparel manufacturers. Regardless of size, clients all receive the same high quality, professional service designed to match their business needs.

Urish Popeck's clients include construction, extraction, engineering, and architectural firms. In support of these clients, our professionals interact with their counterparts at BDO, which has more than 500 clients nationwide in the construction industry. Clients are provided a range of auditing, accounting, tax, and management consulting services. Our national practice in Engineering Business Services, staffed with Professional Engineers, provides significant support to construction, engineering, architectural, and real estate industry engagements. The construction and engineering experience and capabilities of this group place it among the leaders in the accounting profession.

Our firm can serve the investor, developer or manager of hospitality and leisure facilities with professionals who thoroughly understand the industry. Our organization is experienced with:

• Management and operations
• Organization and human resources issues
• Financial services
• Hospitality-related technology solutions

To enhance these services, professionals from the real estate group work alongside our hospitality consulting professionals, helping to provide creative alternatives to tax, accounting and operating challenges. For audits as diverse as a multi-city luxury hotel operator or your local country club, and for demands as complex as those involved in the securitization through a Real Estate Investment Trust of an operator of hotel properties throughout the United States, we have the professionals with experience to serve you.

Providing services to the insurance industry is a national focus of the BDO Seidman organization. BDO provides national resources to serve the insurance industry through the substantial insurance experience of approximately 15 partners and senior managers across the nation. In addition to insurance industry knowledge, BDO partners and managers have experience working with insurance accounting and reporting matters, litigation assistance, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence assistance, demutualizations, and absent independence conflicts, representing clients at various State Insurance Departments.

The insurance practice includes a growing number of insurance companies throughout the United States. The BDO organization is proud of its experiences and the rewarding relationships that have been developed with these insurance companies nationwide.

We are proud of our services to the nonprofit community, including government entities, higher education, national trade associations, vocational schools, professional societies, advocacy groups, research organizations and foundations. Through years of working in this sector, we've developed a significant capability and fluency in the general business issues that may face these organizations. With more than 2,000 clients in the nonprofit sector firm wide, our team of professionals offers the hands-on experience and technical skill to serve the distinctive needs of our not-for-profit clients. We reach beyond a technical approach to analyze and advise our clients on the many elements of running a successful not-for-profit organization.

Beyond consulting on accounting methods, financial reporting, and taxes, we regularly advise our nonprofit clients on issues relating to, among other matters, cost savings, unrelated business income tax matters, employee benefits, real estate, information technology systems and operations efficiencies.

Working in close cooperation with our clients, our partners and staff can help resolve issues for not-for-profit organizations, and suggest approaches designed to yield more productive operations. Some of the services we provide to the industry include:

• Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and related grant budgets
• Strategic planning and organizational development for not-for-profit organizations
• Budget preparation and training of client staff in preparing budgets
• Computer installation and design of custom systems, with emphasis on the utilization of personal computers
• Development of accounting and compliance manuals
• Program, contract and financial compliance reviews and reporting to Federal, state and city funding sources
• Compliance reviews of fund-raising reporting and allocation procedures
• Tax preparation of Form 990 and Form 4970 Charities' Registration
• Timely updates on issues affecting not-for-profit organizations
• Tailored workshops and presentations

The HQ of the National Practice, BDO's Institute for Nonprofit Excellence SM has the skills and knowledge to best serve the needs of the nation's not-for-profit sector. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, The Institute supports and collaborates with BDO and Alliance offices around the country to develop innovative and practical accounting and operational strategies for the tax-exempt organizations they serve. The Institute also serves as a resource, studying and disseminating information pertaining to not-for-profit accounting and business management.

As a professional services firm, Urish Popeck understands the challenges facing organizations of this type and has a long history of serving clients who provide professional services. Clients in this industry appreciate the degree to which partners and staff are involved and that they are responsive and service-driven.

Clients in this industry rely on Urish Popeck / BDO Seidman for assistance with:

• Accounting and auditing
• Internal control reviews
• Design and implementation of accounting systems
• Compliance and audits of trusts and escrow accounts
• Tax planning and return preparation
• Management and business planning
• Litigation support and consulting
• Risk management
• Budgeting
• Cash management
• Billing and collection assistance
• Work flow and work assignment analysis
• Data management
• Strategic planning and marketing
• Client retention programs
• Compensation and benefits planning
• MIS selection, design and evaluation

The retail professionals in our organization understand the constant changes affecting the retail marketplace: increased competition, changing trends and growing inventory problems, to name just a few. In this volatile industry, success is dependent upon swift management decisions, accurate prediction of future trends, and the guidance of a sound business advisor. For many organizations, Urish Popeck / BDO Seidman is this advisor.

From supermarket, department and specialty stores to discount chains, mail order companies, and industry service providers, our professionals help clients implement strategies to thrive in this dynamic environment.

BDO's New York practice serves as the hub of the national retail industry experience. This practice provides professional services to a variety of local entities and provides valuable resources nationally. Two partners in the New York office serve as national retail industry leaders for our organization. They have over 60 years combined experienced in public accounting, many of those years spent servicing clients in the retail industry.

In our local Urish Popeck offices and throughout the BDO organization, a substantial commitment has been made to serving the banking and financial services industry. Collectively, the organization serves approximately 400 banks, savings and loans, credit unions, and financial service arms of large corporations, providing a full range of audit, tax, and risk advisory services, including internal audit and assistance with Sarbanes compliance. The organization's experience with all sizes of financial institutions provides a significant resource to our clients and is testimony to our ability to offer scaleable, on demand services.

Other industry clients include broker dealers, investment partnerships, and investment advisors, and the BDO hedge fund practice services over 300 fund managers. SAS 70 services are also provided. Funds audited by BDO represent a wide variety of alternative investment strategies including long-short equity, market neutral, fixed income, distressed securities, asset-backed securities, convertible arbitrage, mortgage backed securities, commodity pools, off-shore funds, master-feeder structures and fund-of-funds.

For information on our Banking and Financial Institution Practice, contact:

Gary Walesch

The healthcare specialists in our organization are skillfully positioned to help healthcare clients thrive and prosper in challenging times. We have a national team of highly experienced healthcare professionals dedicated exclusively to the healthcare industry. This, together with a dedication to client service unparalleled in our industry, enables us to support client objectives in an effective and efficient manner. Our experienced professionals not only provide the accounting, audit and tax services our clients need, but also deliver a wide range of consulting services such as compliance, strategic planning, financial management, not-for-profit services and government reimbursement.

Manufacturers are subject to constant, rapid change as the result of technological advances, customer demands and changes in tax and accounting regulations. We can help manufacturers foster quality, accelerate time to market, break down organizational barriers and measure time-based competitive capabilities.

Fast growing manufacturing companies represent an important segment of both the local and national client base. Because we are recognized for our experience and commitment to this market segment, clients often seek advice from us on operational and financial business issues. In addition to our professionals in the accounting and tax areas, many of o ur organization's consultants have industry experience as plant managers, industrial engineers, CFOs, information systems managers, controllers and other business professions.

The organization serves a broad range of manufacturing clients both privately held and public, including various industrial manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, furniture and apparel manufacturers. Our professionals understand the challenges manufacturing companies face. Whether you are looking to Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Best Practices, Operational Efficiencies or New Technologies to help address today's challenges; advice and guidance from a firm with the financial, operational and technological experience and resources can help you realize your goals.

Our organization has significant experience working with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We strive to not only to meet our clients' financial reporting needs, but also to provide value through innovative identification of trends and market opportunities.

Nationally, BDO Seidman professionals serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries regularly share "best practices" as an industry team. Knowledge gained from working with other similar companies often allows us to provide insightful suggestions on issues. We draw on the experience of our professionals who have substantial knowledge of the dynamics specific to this industry.

To the extent permitted by the independence rules, some of the specific ways we work with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies include:

• Resolving the complexities of research and development agreements, licensing agreements and compensation agreements
• Exploring opportunities for tax credits associated with research and development
• Addressing audit issues related to revenue recognition, intellectual property royalties, and debt transactions
• Merger and acquisition related services including due diligence, capitalization requirements for drugs purchased, accounting for goodwill and valuation services.
• Financial and operational consulting relating to the challenges of a continuous cycle of product development, combined with expanding distribution
• Strategic and business applications relating to organizational systems and operating requirements, including operations and logistics, site planning and development, systems and information technology, and EDI Quick Response Systems.
• Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 Compliance

Developers, merchant builders, financial institutions and operators of real estate must rely on sophisticated advice to guide them through new and more complex methods of financing, management and operations. Our organization's Real Estate Services practice consists of multi-disciplined specialists, well versed in compliance and consulting matters. Our professionals have many years of experience in financial reporting and accounting, tax and auditing issues and are continually updating their knowledge and therefore, are in a position to give timely and accurate advice.

Our organization has a varied array of industry-specific services to assist real estate entities. These services include:

• Audit and accounting
• Tax compliance
• Consulting regarding efficient tax strategies and planning for dispositions of real estate and other proposed real estate transactions
• Analysis and due diligence of proposed real estate transactions
• Internal audit services and risk consulting, including internal control evaluation and reporting in connection with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
• Cost segregation studies to increase tax depreciation through identification of assets with shorter recovery periods
• Cash flow modeling utilizing ARGUS software for real estate entities and in connection with property acquisitions, financings or budgeting
• Business and real estate valuations
• Consultation and plan preparation regarding distressed property refinancing or disposition
• Assistance in preparation of cash flow and operational budgets
• Special auditing of construction expenditures of projects under development
• Lease audits and CAM revenue reviews

The real estate practice derives its experience from a strong client base and extensive service capabilities. We serve all types of real estate clients, including REITs and real estate operating companies, in major real estate markets throughout the country. We continually exchange information and ideas between our offices and with the owners, operators and developers of real estate. Through its comprehensive network of offices, our organization is able to leverage national experience where necessary to help assure added, in-depth coverage of your needs. Additionally, we share real estate industry issues and updates with our clients in our electronic newsletter, Real Estate Monitor .

Economic predictions indicate that technology, a leading growth and export industry, will continue on a growth track over the long-term. Technology continues to be one of the most promising areas of investment due to the attractive long-term return to investors and technology users. Among other factors, an increase in supply chains, distribution channels and new markets as an outgrowth of new technologies, and continued expansion into overseas markets will help fuel this continued growth.

In today's environment, a technology growth company still has many hurdles to overcome. The financial and human capital resources a technology company needs to grow continue to be difficult to obtain. And, through the whole process, financial reporting continues to be increasingly complex. Technology growth companies require professional advisors who can assist in all aspects of the business. That is why growing technology companies, whether domestic or international, should seek financial advice and guidance from firms with the technological and global resources.

Absent independence conflicts, our organization has the resources and experience to provide this comprehensive guidance and advice. We have assisted a variety of emerging technology companies with growth issues ranging from business plan development and formation, to raising capital and public offerings. Our experience serving companies in all aspects of the technology industry includes:

• Hardware - Experienced professionals can help advise on a variety of issues for hardware designers and manufacturers including the handling of inventory.
• Software - We understand the nuances of sales and service agreements and how to properly report the results of operations for software companies.
• Games – We can help address financial reporting issues that may result from the relationships between game software developers and publishers.
• Internet and New Technologies – We have assisted a variety of emerging technology companies with growth issues ranging from business plan development and formation, to raising capital and public offerings.