(248) 357-9000Southfield, MI
There’s just a few months left of 2024, and at MRPR, we’re still celebrating every day of our 50th anniversary!
One of the founding principles at MRPR is to focus on people, and as a business, we could not have made it this far without our team!
In our previous blog, we sat down with several members of our team to talk about their experience, workplace memories, and what they expect for the future. This month, we’re adding nine more team members to the conversation!
Keep reading to meet more of our team, and learn more about our past, present, and future!
Cooper Daniels
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
I do a lot of assurance work. This includes audits, reviews, compilations, as well as some business tax work.
Q: What about MRPR motivated you to join the company and when did you join?
The firm culture and work opportunities I experienced as an intern were my motivators to join the company full time. I interned for all of 2021 and have been working full time since 2022.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement during your time with the company?
Traveling to clients around the state and getting to see how a variety of businesses operate has
been a very interesting opportunity.
Q: What strategies do you think the firm should adopt to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving business landscape?
AI & Technology add-ons, Alteryx/VBA add-ons for Excel, and maybe an LLM to assist with client communications.
Jordan Grant, EA, MST
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
I am a tax manager who works on complex tax issues in a variety of industries including start-ups, manufacturing, transportation, and hospitality. I also head up our R&D team.
Q: What about MRPR motivated you to join the company and when did you join?
I joined in February of 2018. The culture and type of work the firm was involved was and still is a big draw for me.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement during your time with the company?
When I passed my EA exams, the support from the firm was great.
Q: What are the key areas where you believe the firm should focus its efforts in the next 10 years?
Continuing in the world of start-ups and looking to be a third-party CFO/Controllerships
Travis Kersten
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
My role at MRPR is a staff accountant and learner. I’m applying what I know to the various jobs that I work on and expanding my knowledge every day.
Q: What about MRPR motivated you to join the company and when did you join?
I have the ability to explore the different areas of accounting and not be stuck doing one aspect of it.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working here?
How open everyone is. If I have questions, there’s at least one person I can reach out to and get help.
Q: How do you see your role evolving?
As I progress and learn more, I’ll be able to take on more responsibilities and become a better accountant.
Peter Matz, CPA
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
My role is a senior manager on the audit and attest team, completing audits and reviews. My expertise is financial statement preparation and analysis, including budgeting, projections, forecasting, cash flow management, financial model building, and accounting process change management.
Q: What about MRPR motivated you to join the company and when did you join?
I really enjoy accounting and looking to make a change in my career and there was a mutual fit. I really enjoyed the vision for the firm and meeting with the principals and what the firm is about. I joined in December 2023.
Q: How do you see your role evolving?
Just growing as a manager, helping to mentor staff and developing relationships with clients
and others in the business community.
Q: What are the key areas where you believe the firm should focus its efforts in the next 10 years?
Continuing the balance of staff development, developing client relationships and technology
development, as well as finding niches that allows our firm standout.
Balsam Sheena
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
I am a staff accountant mainly working on SBG items as well as reviews and compilations.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working here?
Everyone is always so helpful & available to answer questions.
Q: What strategies do you think the firm should adopt to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving business landscape?
I think it’s always important to invest in the latest technology to keep up with everything. Also, we should continue engaging with our clients on a more personal level to keep the bond.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences or insights working here?
It has been great working at MRPR. Our drive to provide the best for our clients is so important and I think we do a great job at that.
Kirk Shefferly, CPA
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
I’m a manager working both in tax and attest.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working here?
I enjoy the people I work the most. The work we do is interesting, but being a part of the team we have makes my job enjoyable.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement during your time with the company?
A memorable moment with the company have been the annual Tigers game we’ve gone to and getting the chance to spend time with coworkers outside of the office
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences or insights working here?
Being around good people and part of a good team is what separates firms and that is what MRPR has.
Maureen Strahan
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
I am a Principal, founding member of “The Lunch Club,” and initiated the morning “Music with Maureen.” I love to assist clients in setting up and straightening out their accounting, in an effort to produce complete accurate and timely financials for internal use.
Q: What about MRPR motivated you to join the company and when did you join?
My former employer joined forces with MRPR in 2017 in an effort to become the Business Advisory firm of choice in the next decade. I came along for the ride. I assisted a client going through an IRS audit to reduce their bill from almost $90K to less than $30K by disproving the fraud charges.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement during your time with the company?
Song and Dance tribute we gave to Debbie at her retirement party. Dressing up for annual Halloween lunch. The day I received a 5 pound Hershey bar from a client that I saved some money!
Q: What strategies do you think the firm should adopt to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving business landscape?
Keep up with technology and training to stay on top.
William Rittinger, CPA, CGMA
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
I have been working in tax and business advisory services for almost 25 years. I oversee the Operations team and Strategic Business Group, reporting their activities to the Executive Committee. My client work is diverse, but in recent years I have been involved in guiding many clients through purchase and sale transactions.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement during your time with the company?
I have enjoyed many successes along the way, but the one that stands out to me is helping a widow through the loss of her spouse and helping her, her son and the business continue on in his absence. My previous relationship with him helped me to guide them in a way that honored his memory.
Q: What are the key areas where you believe the firm should focus its efforts in the next 10 years?
As the landscape changes, keeping frequent contact with your clients is so important. They
rely on us and a strong relationship is what will build our brand into the future.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences or insights working here?
I labored for over two decades with two men who I greatly admire. We had a great run
together, they preceded me in retirement and I miss them.
Amy Rohlman, SHRM-CP
Q: Describe what your role at MRPR looks like, including any expertise, etc?
I am the HR Director, SHRM- CP certified. I am a HR generalist involved in many aspects of the profession including compliance, performance management, employee relations/communications, training and development, talent acquisition, benefits, and compensation. I am also involved in our marketing team.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working here?
As many will say, the people! It’s a welcoming place to be and everyone is great and supportive – even during the stress times of the year for our professional staff.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement during your time with the company?
Helping the firm through COVID and keeping our offices and employees safe and healthy. Similar to all employers, it was unlike anything we have experienced before amidst all the uncertainty.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences or insights working here?
In a HR role, I have the privilege of connecting with every single person at our firm in some capacity. I really enjoy that and hope I help make their experience at MRPR as memorable too.
Cheers to 50 Years!
In 1974, post-it notes were invented, bar codes transformed the retail industry, and Stephen King published his first novel, all while Jim Mathews and Ron Nightingale founded MRPR to make a difference in the accounting world.
We are so proud to achieve this huge milestone and are excited to continue Jim and Ron’s legacy of putting people first.