JAMES B. YARD CPA CIA CISA

Jim serves as the practice leader for the firm’s Risk Advisory Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit and internal control consulting services.

Jim serves as the practice leader for the firm’s Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, Sarbanes-Oxley, business process optimization and internal control consulting services. In addition, he has directed numerous process and control improvement projects at several financial service companies. During the past 25 years, 19 of those in internal audit and risk management, Jim has directed the internal audit and governance aspects for several large public and private companies. In his current role, Jim is responsible for the delivery of internal audit and risk advisory services to several of Western Pennsylvania’s and Central Ohio’s largest public and private companies. In serving these organizations, he has provided services to clients in both a full internal audit outsource capacity, as well as in a co-source relationship. Jim’s client portfolio consists of a high concentration of financial service companies for which he was responsible for planning, coordinating and managing internal audits and delivering services in the areas of enterprise-wide risk assessment, 404 Sarbanes-Oxley support, business process improvement and compliance reviews. Jim also held a position in internal audit with a large publicly held specialty metals company.

Education

B.S. – Business Administration, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Professional and Community Involvement

Member—American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants

Board Member—The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA), Pittsburgh Chapter

Past International Committee Member—The Institute of Internal Auditors

Member—The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)

Chairman of the Executive Board—Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania
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Who is your role model? 
My father

What is the best advice you ever received?
Work hard. Nothing in life is given, it is earned.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your college self?
Don’t be in such a rush to get into the real world. Enjoy every moment.

What was your first job?
I was a produce clerk for a local grocery store.

Do you have advice for young professionals?
Ask questions – you don’t know all of the answers. Don’t be afraid to seek the insight of those around you.

Our Thoughts On

FEATURED

Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls.


Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices.

Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services.
 One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global - one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world - and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service.

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