Craig Wheaton Speaks at NCACPA Annual Symposium

Raleigh, NC (November 22) - Craig Wheaton, a Smith Anderson partner in the Employee Benefits and Compensation Group, presented a program on the transactional aspects of employee benefits at the North Carolina Association of CPA’s (NCACPA) 71st Annual Symposium in Greensboro, North Carolina on November 16, 2010. Mr. Wheaton's program was entitled: “Stay on Track - Employee Benefits in Mergers and Acquisitions" and addressed the various types of acquisitions and the related pitfalls and opportunities with respect to retirement plans, welfare plans, deferred compensation, equity compensation, and executive compensation. Planning techniques related to recent developments, including healthcare legislation and 409A deferred compensation were addressed. The Annual Symposium, designed for CPAs and attended by approximately 900 professionals, featured sessions in the areas of accounting, taxation, technology, and professional services.

Wheaton has provided benefits representation with respect to many merger and acquisition transactions and also regularly advises executives as to compensation matters incident to transactions. His experience also includes providing fiduciary representation and he has regularly advised buyers and sellers in navigating benefit compliance matters and fiduciary issues related to mergers and acquisitions. He is a Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, a North Carolina Super Lawyer in Employee Benefits/ERISA, and has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Employee Benefits Law for more than 10 years.