withum celebrates 45 years in business

Withum celebrates 45 years in business "The secret behind the cpa firm's longevity and success"

By: lou sandor III, Partner, cpa, ccifp & alanna denauski, marketing coordinator

Since Withum’s inception, its team of expert accountants and advisors has witnessed record success. In 2019, the public accounting firm celebrated 45 years of providing world-class advisory, tax and audit solutions. Withum attributes this milestone to its commitment to strong relationships with clients, team members, and the communities it serves.

Withum’s story began in 1974 when Frederick Withum, Leonard Smith, and Ivan Brown started with just six employees in a small New Jersey office. Today, Withum is proud to have nearly 1,200 team members across multiple offices in eight states. Notwithstanding this broad geographic reach, the “Withum Way” culture is ubiquitous across every office. This unique culture cultivates innovation, passion, and a work hard/play hard attitude to grow and strengthen client success, applying the highest level of professional and ethical standards.

Lou Sandor III Partner, CPA, CCIFP is credited as one of the first leaders to help define Withum’s Construction Services Team (CST). This past January, Lou recently celebrated his 30-year work anniversary. He is known for his love of fishing and he used his passion to create the Annual CST fishing trip, which is a big hit every summer. At this event, various construction professionals are invited out for a day of fishing, good food, and networking.

Pictured from left to right at the Red Bank office, Ron Martino, Diane McNulty, Lou Sandor III and Joe Malfettano

“My experience at Withum has been a 30-year successful journey since leaving my first employer, a ‘Big 8’ accounting firm. Passionate about the construction industry and its bricks and mortars history, the firm and my partners embraced my desire to create a new path of being an accounting & tax professional specific to those doing business within and around the construction industry. The firm gave me the tools, equipment, and resources to design and build CST. This team has been encased in a culture of passionate, hardworking, trustworthy, and honest team members, destined to grow while having fun doing it. Now at a top advisory, tax, and accounting firm celebrating its 45th year in business, much of my time is spent leading, mentoring, and advising team members and clients. Today, while we operate in many states, I am traveling more, raising 4 teenagers with my beautiful wife of 20 years, and feeling like one of the older folks.”

Withum’s Construction Services Team serves many UTCA members, among others, and has since its inception. Led by Lou Sandor III, the CST is fueled by over 40 construction members, five

tunities, stories, and expertise to serve its clients better in overlapping industries. Withum’s Triple Play team is active in many industry organizations aiming to improve, protect, and educate the construction, real estate, architecture, and engineering community. The Triple Play team also sponsors many trade organization events, conferences, and dinners to promote industry growth.

In addition to supporting various industry association endeavors, volunteerism and community outreach are an integral part of Withum’s culture. During the firm’s annual “Withum Week of Caring,” for the 2019 year, more than 700 team members gave

Pictured from left to right: Diane McNulty, Alanna Denauski, Lou Sandor III, Andrea Anderson and Stephen Antenucci at UTCA Annual Convention in 2019.

of whom are Certified Construction Industry Financial Professionals (CCIFP). This credential promotes the highest standards of construction financial management. Helping lead the team to grow market share in various geographic locations, partners Ron Martino Jr. CPA, CCIFP, Diane McNulty, CPA, and Joe Malfettano, CPA, CCIFP, are the Team Leaders for the Mid-Atlantic market; partners Ray Bastin, CPA, and Peter Hilera, CPA, are the Team Leaders for the Florida market; and partner Vinny Botta, CPA, CGMA, is the Team Leader for the Massachusetts market. In addition, Withum recently joined forces with KSJG, LLP, a public accounting and consulting firm based in Irvine, CA. Through this acquisition, Withum’s CST will grow to the west coast to deepen its impact within the construction community.

Withum’s annual fishing trip at the Atlantic Highlands Harbor.

Withum serves the needs of both small and large contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, builders, distributors, demolishers, and the like within the construction field. The CST specializes in advisory, audit, state and local tax regulations, technology-based solutions, and business process optimization, helping clients be more profitable, efficient, and productive in the modern business landscape.

Aside from providing construction-specific services, through Withum’s “Triple Play” approach, they serve other industry areas such as real estate, architecture, and engineering. Withum’s cross-trained team utilizes internal camaraderie to share oppor

Withum team members volunteering at Fulfill Food Bank.

back at various nonprofit organizations during the holiday season. This initiative benefitted more than 50 charitable organizations in each of the communities Withum serves. For example, CST members volunteered at the Salvation Army, the Holiday Express, Fulfill Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counites, the Monmouth Daycare Center, and several other organizations in their local community. In total, the firm volunteered more than 2,500 hours across seven states along the East Coast.

Over the past 45 years, Withum has seen tremendous growth and continues to rank among the best accounting firms in the country. During this past year, Withum ranked 15th on Construction Executive’s Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms list and was also named a top-15 accounting firm in the 2020 Vault Accounting 50. These accolades help bring and retain the best and brightest at the firm to expand its knowledge and service capabilities for construction-based businesses, among other industries.

Withum’s CST has been a staple in the construction community, going above traditional advisory and accounting services to act as a trusted advisor and strategic partner. The secret behind the firm’s success is its team members – hiring those with an innovative, entrepreneurial mindset who put client service above all else. Withum’s CST plans to continue to educate, coach, and mentor the construction community for many more years to come.