Kruggel Lawton CPAs' first CFO Summit convened in 2008 at the Essenhaus Inn and Conference Center in Middlebury. The event became so popular with clients that it moved in 2024 to the Four Winds Casino Event Center in South Bend. Now the accounting firm is starting a similar event to serve business leaders in Southwest Michigan.
The first Business Leadership Summit will take place Oct. 22 at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo.
“As our annual CFO Summit in South Bend, Indiana, continues to grow, we saw a unique opportunity to create a second event geared towards finance professionals and business leaders living and working in Michigan,” said Terry Bush, director of talent acquisition, in a press release.
The deal was struck when CPA Sara Sweers joined the firm's Portage, Michigan, location. She quickly became involved with the CFO Summit and took over hosting duties when Mike Varner left the firm in May 2025.
Plans for a second event quickly took shape.
“We knew this was something our clients in the region would benefit from, and the timing was right to introduce it,” Bush said.
The half-day event will offer four hours of continuing professional education.
“Bringing the Business Leadership Summit to Southwest Michigan is a big undertaking, but one our clients and local professionals will benefit from greatly,” Sweers said. “Sharing knowledge only makes us a stronger community.”
This year's CFO Summit will take place Nov. 12. Topics over the years have included artificial intelligence, benefits and human resources, estate planning, ethics and an annual tax update.
Registration for both events begins in August.
Kruggel, Lawton & Co. employs 170 professionals in seven offices in Indiana, Michigan and Tennessee.
