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In the Wake of the Big Five
Trust and proactivity help restore faith in accounting.
Richmond, Virginia; Piascik & Associates, P.C.; Contact Terri N. Kuhn 804-527-1815
In the wake of the Big Five, Piascik & Associates, P.C. is rebuilding faith in accounting by instilling trust
and proactively providing a high level of service and value to the clients they serve. Steven M. Piascik awoke
the morning of September 15th, 2001, realizing the enormity of his decision. The day before, Piascik left a secure
position with one of the world’s largest international accounting firms, KPMG LLP. And at the front end of a
recession and after the tragedy of September 11th! Was he crazy?
In the aftermath of such high-profile corporate accounting debacles, Steven M. Piascik, CPA, MT, had a strong desire
to do something different. What he envisioned was a successful accounting and financial management practice built
on common sense values of customer service and great attention to detail, but what truly set him apart was his
focus on trust and being proactive. This vision has become a refreshing reality. “My accountant didn’t tell me
that…” is a common refrain which Piascik has heard all too often.
Such was the case at a recent medical conference where Piascik was speaking. Nearly 20% of the attendees approached
him in response to his message for the day, “Proactive.” Again and again, the frustration with their current CPAs
was apparent. Not enough was currently being done for proactive tax planning and tax minimization. This message
cannot be stressed enough, as proactively working for the clients’ best interests is what sets good CPAs apart
from the rest. Piascik’s most recent proactive foray just saved a client over $75,000 dollars by employing the
new changes in depreciation regulations and other various tax consulting. This is not unusual. “All too often,
new clients are amazed at the savings we bring them, simply by considering all aspects of their financial picture.
A CPA should not just be a tax preparer, entering numbers into a form. If that is the case, then there is a strong
likelihood that the Internal Revenue Code is not being properly utilized to the taxpayer’s benefit,” notes Piascik.
Piascik & Associates, P.C. takes advantage of the principles developed at a Big Four firm, but adds a very unique
perspective. One key decision was made early on that would separate Piascik from the Big Four firms--auditing.
Many of the high profile accounting scandals resulted from Big Four firms providing auditing for the same clients
they provided consulting. The objectivity necessary in auditing was compromised. Piascik & Associates, P.C. refers
out all auditing work for their consulting clients. According to Piascik, “this decision has instilled trust in our
clients and given us the objectivity we need to do the best job for our clients.” Being a “trusted advisor” is at
the center of everything for Piascik.
Dick Strauss, of Dick Strauss Ford, named one of Virginia’s top dealerships before its sale, states “the services
provided by Steve Piascik in the area of finance and tax over the years have been invaluable. I have an extremely
high level of confidence in his ability to provide me with the right advice and counsel in every instance.” Clients
who have been with Big Four firms consistently give Piascik high marks for service and competence.
Though a small emerging company, Piascik & Associates, P.C. has all the services of the current Big Four accounting
firms. The primary way this is accomplished is through its talented staff. Piascik’s international practice is
managed by Dixie Osteen, CPA, MT, who joined the firm in October. Dixie is a former Senior Manager of International
Tax Services from Deloitte & Touche LLP. Tracey Ceol, CPA, MT, a former Senior Tax Manager with Ernst & Young,
focuses on high-level domestic corporate and partnership tax issues and estate planning. Kim Nemr is a CPA, CFP
and former Senior Tax Consultant with Deloitte & Touche LLP. Kim focuses on Tax Strategy and Financial Management
for high-net-wealth clients. Jennifer Cunningham, CPA, MT, also a former Senior Tax Consultant with Deloitte &
Touche LLP, specializes in corporate taxation matters, but deals with individuals and non-profits as well.
Additionally, Robert Madison and other staff team up to provide tax and financial management services to many
professional athletes. The Piascik & Associates, P.C. website, www.piascik.com, has been transformed into a
multi-national tax and financial planning resource. This is due to the efforts of Terri Kuhn, Piascik’s
International Specialist, who speaks six languages. These are a few examples of how Piascik’s staff delivers
Big Four services at regional practice rates. Value is the strategic advantage Piascik brings to his clients.
For more information on Steven M. Piascik and Piascik & Associates, P.C., please visit them on the web or call 866-527-1815.
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