Bildner & Donahue PC - Vanessa Donahue

by Elyse Apel

For nearly two decades, Vanessa Donahue has served the tri-state areas of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio as a public accountant.

Starting her career in 2007, she now is the owner of Bildner & Donahue PC. The firm has served the community for over 60 years, always prioritizing professionalism, integrity, and accuracy.

“I started at the firm when it was still Lambert & Bildner PC,” Vanessa explains. “I’ve been with the firm for 18 years. My role has evolved over time progressing from staff accountant to partner with Pete Bildner in 2022 and now owner in 2025. It’s been a long road, but I love what I do.”

Pete is still working at the firm, which currently staffs ten members with offices in Hillsdale, Michigan, and Angola, Indiana.

“I am grateful for the opportunity that Pete gave me as I started my public accounting career,” Vanessa says. “His mentorship, support and guidance made a significant impact on my career path. He built a strong foundation for the firm that I plan to continue into the future.”

Vanessa’s journey to becoming a CPA began in high school.

“I really loved my accounting class in high school,” she says. “I loved the teacher and that class really stuck with me as I headed to college.”

Vanessa went on to attend Siena Heights University, graduating from there with a bachelor’s degree in business administration majoring in accounting. She continued her education at Spring Arbor University, where she received a master’s degree in business administration. She then completed the licensing requirements to become a certified public accountant.

Vanessa found her calling in public accounting, with experience that has now spanned 18 different tax seasons.

“We see a lot of tax returns in our office,” she says. “Beyond that, we handle services including payroll, bookkeeping, compilations and reviews for small businesses and much more. Working in a small public accounting firm, we are able to assist businesses in a variety of ways, probably more than people realize.”

Bildner and Donahue PC provides individual and small business tax and accounting services, specializing in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing, health care, hospitality, retail and construction.

Vanessa is licensed in both Michigan and Indiana. She specializes in working with small businesses and individual clients, going above and beyond in assisting with both their accounting and tax needs. She explains that one of her favorite parts of her job is building trust with her clients, all while saving them hassle and money.

“Especially for small business owners, having a CPA can make a big difference,” she says. “There is value in working with a professional as we commit every day to what we do, staying up to date is just part of the job.”

This time of year— early fall—the firm is working to complete tax returns for clients on extensions and monthly accounting services for business clients. But Vanessa is also deep into planning mode for the next tax season, which is right around the corner.

At Bildner and Donahue PC, Vanessa and the whole team make it their job to provide clients with expert guidance and timely advice to ensure they can save money, all while making informed financial decisions for their long-term business goals and continued financial success.

“We’re doing a lot of tax projections and planning right now,” she says. “I’m meeting with clients, helping them prepare for the end of the year.”

Part of preparing is also making sure the firm stays up on all the intricate details of ever-changing tax laws.

“With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, there’s going to be some tax law changes,” Vanessa says. “So, throughout the fall, I’ll be taking classes to fine tune my understanding of the tax law changes, making sure that we’re all ready for tax season in January.”

This isn’t unique to this year though, as tax law, and accounting, are constantly evolving. But that’s part of the fun for Vanessa.

“I really like being able to help clients navigate those challenges, because it can be difficult to stay current,” she says. “Especially because tax law is always changing.”

She explains that there’s always more to tax law changes than what the headlines say.

“It’s not just about what you see in the headlines— like no taxes on overtime or tips,” she says. “There are thresholds, limitations, and exceptions, meaning that often fewer people qualify than you would expect.”

When she’s not at her desk or in a client meeting, Vanessa says she enjoys spending time with her family.

“I work a lot,” she says, laughing. “But outside of work, I’m usually at the soccer field or in the gym watching my son and daughter playing basketball and/or volleyball. In the summer, we live on a lake, so we spend a lot of time boating and enjoying the outdoors.”

For more information or to book a free consultation, visit www.bildneranddonahue.com. You can also call the Hillsdale office at (517) 439-1585, or the Angola office at (260) 665-5100.