WISZCO - Key Persons
David Ross joined WiszCo, LLC in 2015 after enjoying 33 years in Accounting & Finance, IT consulting, and Residential Real Estate investment. He possesses a broad set of skills in financial management, controls & analysis, data gathering and compilation, and systems analysis.
David began his career in the San Francisco Bay Area in accounting, leading to Controller positions for global service and custom-build manufacturing companies. Along with responsibility for financial oversight, internal controls and satellite office audits, he gained vast experience reviewing financials and accounting & project cost data. In addition, David selected and oversaw implementation of computerized accounting systems in each of these roles.
In 1996, David relocated to his hometown of Houston, TX and for the next 11 years, partnered and managed an IT Consulting practice implementing ERP solutions for mid-size companies. These solutions provided for in-house management of accounting, finance, payroll, distribution, manufacturing, and construction and project management functions. Mr. Ross and his team helped their clients to master data analysis, custom reporting, system internal controls, and data auditing techniques, all in the course of maximizing the productivity of their business software.
David formed a closely-held company in 2007 in order to acquire, remodel/rehab, and sell or rent residential single family homes in Houston, Texas at a time when the market was particularly favorable for this. Over the next 7 years, he encountered firsthand the nuances found in construction management, working with general contractors, subcontractors, city building / planning departments, suppliers, casual labor. Additionally, he personally managed the commitments, contracts, retention, payments and cost accounting.
Mr. Ross first worked with John Wisz in the early 1980's when they were both part of a project team that was responsible for cost control and audit of behalf of an Atlantic Richfield subsidiary (ARCO Oil & Gas Co). ARCO contracted with Bechtel Corporation (one of the nation's largest construction and engineering firms) to construct a massive seawater treatment plant for flooding of Alaska's North Slope to increase oil production and maintain throughput of the Trans-Alaska pipeline. The contract audit principles in today's environment are rooted historically in large capital projects such as those that occur on Alaska's North Slope.
Mr. Ross is a graduate of Rice University, receiving a B.A. degree in Economics and Business Management. He currently resides in Houston, TX and travels extensively for business & pleasure.
Job Titles:
- Consultant / Technology Officer
Derek Schorsch joined R. L. Townsend & Associates, Inc. in October 2007 and transitioned to WiszCo on January 1, 2008 when WiszCo was spun off from Townsend. Since 2007, he has been instrumental in the performance of several construction contract compliance audits. Derek possesses a broad range of business skills with a heavy emphasis on information technology, data collection and data management. He also has an in-depth understanding of operations through his experience at both large and small organizations, which includes exposure to diverse functions in both accounting and information technology.
In addition to providing data compilation, data manipulation and data management in the performance of contract audits, Mr. Schorsch also serves as the information technology officer for WiszCo and is responsible for managing and maintaining all data for both WiszCo and their clients.
Prior to WiszCo, Mr. Schorsch worked for Countrywide Financial as a Manager where he was responsible for all enhancements, break/fix objects, data updates and user cases in the PeopleSoft environment. Mr. Schorsch supervised documentation and approvals for all production changes and was responsible for quarterly SOX audits. In addition, he had the ultimate determination of severity and category of fixes, and developed technical and management reports relating to same.
Prior to Countrywide Financial, Mr. Schorsch began his career at TXU as a client support technician providing technical support to the executive management team while maintaining a 99.3% superior client satisfaction rating. Derek was responsible for all software and hardware needs for the executive management team.
Derek also worked for Capgemini Energy as a Systems Administrator Lead where he was responsible for the development and deployment of application and security patches for the entire company which consisted of over 12,000 workstations. After stream lining the software security update process, Mr. Schorsch took on the responsibility as a Project Technical Manager where he managed 20 technicians performing PC operating system upgrades along with new system replacements. All of the upgrades were done remotely to minimize client work disruption.
Derek attended both Louisiana State University and Louisiana Tech University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems with an emphasis on Computer Science.
John Hall has partnered with John Wisz since 1990 (through both WiszCo and R. L. Townsend & Associates, Inc.) in the performance of specific contract compliance audits of construction projects and has provided other general audit and consulting services to our clients.
John Hall is the owner of his own firm (Hall Consulting, Inc.), where he spends the bulk of his time. On an as-needed or as-requested basis, Mr. Hall continues to provide services to WiszCo, LLC. Mr. Hall is a highly seasoned industry veteran who possesses great business acumen and an abundance of audit and consulting skills. He is an outstanding resource and one who we are fortunate to have enjoyed a strategic relationship with since 1990.
Mr. Hall has over 30 years of auditing and business management experience. He is a nationally known professional speaker, trainer and consultant on fraud risk awareness, internal controls, contract auditing, internal auditing strategy, and professional and personal effectiveness. In addition, to his work in auditing construction and related contract services, Mr. Hall has a specialty in the deterrence, early detection and effective handling of fraud, misconduct and wrongdoing.
Mr. Hall began his career in public accounting with a Big 8 firm and moved to internal audit national leadership positions in a Fortune 50 company and at another international public accounting and consulting firm. John has over 17 years of experience as a business owner in his own consulting firm, Hall Consulting Inc. where he serves clients in fraud risk management, contract auditing, internal control effectiveness, and internal auditing strategy and leadership.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Founder and Principal of Wisz
John L. Wisz is the founder and principal of WiszCo, LLC., a firm that specializes in providing financial consulting services to the construction industry. On January 1, 2008, WiszCo was "spun off" from R. L. Townsend & Associates, Inc. where John served as a Senior Consultant/Senior Project Manager for over 21 years.
Since 1986, Mr. Wisz has managed, directed and performed a wide variety contract compliance audits relating to design and construction contracts. Such projects have encompassed virtually all types of commercial construction including high rise office buildings, interior renovations, corporate headquarter buildings, university buildings, hospitals, office complexes, hotels, convention centers, manufacturing facilities, airport facilities and land development projects. This includes audits of contractors, construction managers, consultants, architects and engineers.
Through his wide range of experience, John has gained a thorough understanding of the entire construction and contracting processes and his expertise has been instrumental in identifying and developing overcharges, overcharge exposures and other weaknesses throughout the entire process. He has provided practical recommendations to clients on all aspects of the construction and contracting process. Mr. Wisz has also been actively involved in developing processes and controls designed to prevent overcharges and minimize overcharge exposures. Such recommendations include contract language enhancements, contracting strategies and methodologies, change order management, cost control and contract administration.
Mr. Wisz also possesses an excellent working knowledge of federal contracting laws, regulations and guidelines including those prescribed by the Department of Defense (DoD). Such knowledge includes a thorough understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), U.S. Statutes, Public Laws and other federal policies, procedures and guidelines. Consequently, John understands the differences, similarities and subtleties of contracting in both the public and private sectors.
John also has extensive experience in public speaking and professional development relating to construction. He has served as a seminar instructor and conference presenter for construction audit related topics that have been taught nationwide through The Institute of Internal Auditors, Inc. Mr. Wisz has also presented these seminars on an in-house basis for various organizations. Additionally, John has presented construction related topics at national conferences for the National Retail Merchants Associates, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and The Institute of Internal Auditors, Inc.
Prior to forming his own consulting firm and the 21+ years he spent with R. L. Townsend & Associates, Inc., Mr. Wisz spent four and one-half years with a large oil and gas firm, Atlantic Richfield Company. During that time, he gained valuable experience in contract compliance while working as a project cost control staff accountant on a major construction project. He also spent two and one-half years working as a land administrative analyst gaining additional experience in contracts, leases and various other legal documents.
Mr. Wisz is a 1981 graduate of the University of Oklahoma where he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in accounting. Though John does not practice public accounting, he has passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination.
Kristina Sampson joined R. L. Townsend & Associates, Inc. in April 2005 and transitioned to WiszCo on January 1, 2008 when WiszCo was spun off from Townsend. Since 2005, she has been instrumental in the performance of several construction contract compliance audits. Ms. Sampson possesses a broad range of accounting and auditing skills encompassing a wide variety on organizations and industries. She possesses proven accounting and auditing skills as well as being proficient in data gathering, data management and technical analysis.
Over the course of her career, she has worked as a finance and business development professional with considerable international experience. She possesses an in-depth understanding of operations of both large and small organizations through exposure to diverse functions including sales, external and internal audit, SEC financial reporting, and budgeting.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- R.L. Townsend & Associates, Inc. As a Consultant
Steve South joined R.L. Townsend & Associates, Inc. as a consultant in 1998 after a 28 year career in Finance, Accounting and Capital Projects Auditing with Eli Lilly & Co., an Indianapolis-based global pharmaceutical company. Mr. South transitioned to WiszCo on January 1, 2008 when WiszCo was spun off from Townsend. Since 1998, Steve has been instrumental in the performance of numerous construction contract compliance audits. Steve is the most experienced member of WiszCo's staff and he possesses a wide range of contract audit skills including data compilation and data analysis, financial analysis and technical analysis.
Mr. South is a graduate of Ohio State receiving a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Accounting, and, an MBA majoring in Finance.
Sue Van Patten retired from Eli Lilly and Company in 2007 after a career of 27 years where she held a wide variety of positions including pharmaceutical manufacturing engineering, information technology, quality control management, and clinical research project management, auditing and data analysis.
Shortly thereafter, Sue joined R. L. Townsend, Inc. on a part-time basis to provide data gathering, data compilation, organizational and technical analysis. Ms. Van Patten possesses excellent computer skills with a strong emphasis in the Microsoft Excel platform.
Sue transitioned from R. L. Townsend & Associates, Inc. to WiszCo on January 1, 2008 when WiszCo was spun off from Townsend. She is a reliable resource and is readily available on an as-needed or as requested basis.
Sue received a B. S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Iowa in 1977.