Wipfli announces changes to leadership team

Wipfli LLP, a top 20 national accounting and consulting firm, announced several changes to its leadership team.

Seven of the firm's senior partners are taking on expanded leadership roles as Wipfli welcomes Kurt Gresens as its new managing partner and 12 new partners from within the firm's ranks. These changes are a result of Wipfli's continued growth and ongoing focus on preparing the firm for the future and the fast-paced changes within the industry that impact its clients.

Partners with new roles are:

• Kelly Arduino, Health Care Industry Leader: Arduino has over 18 years of experience in health care, with an emphasis in health care finance and strategy. She functions as a business adviser and facilitator for her clients and is often the liaison between and among health care organizations as they develop "partnerships" or other joint planning efforts.

• Stephanie Cavadeas, Audit and Accounting Quality Control Partner: Cavadeas has more than 16 years of experience working in the Nonprofit and Governmental Practice group overseeing audits of grant- funded nonprofits, community-based organizations, and associations/membership organizations. For the past several years, she has been in charge of Wipfli's internal inspection program and has been highly involved with our triannual outside peer review.

• Kelly Fisher, Practice Partner: Fisher has more than 17 years of public accounting experience in manufacturing, technology, professional services and international operations, including experience with a Big Four accounting firm. Most recently, she focused on leadership and management of the firm's tax practice. In her new role, innovation and strategic transformation will be a primary focus.

• Ken Kortas, Business Solutions Group Leader: Kortas has more than 25 years of management and information technology consulting experience. He is a specialist in identifying business requirements and defining and implementing management plans. Business processes, organizational designs and information technology strategies are integral parts of his skill set.

• Scott Nelson, Audit and Accounting Leader: Nelson has more than 30 years of experience serving clients in the manufacturing, wholesale, broadcasting, relocation and service industries. As a client relationship executive, he focuses on gaining an understanding of the client's goals and managing Wipfli's client service team to assist in achieving those goals.

• Scott Schumacher, Tax Practice Leader: Schumacher has more than 20 years of experience working with businesses to claim and substantiate a tax incentive for research and development activities. In addition, he works with closely held and family-owned businesses in the manufacturing and distribution sectors, providing them and their ownership group with tax compliance and planning services.

• Dan Szidon, Core Services Leader: Szidon has nearly 30 years of professional experience at Wipfli, working in audit and accounting services, as well as consulting on various business issues. More recently, he has focused the practice on providing financial and consulting services and firmwide management.

Wipfli also promoted 11 new partners. The newly promoted partners are based in the firm's various offices across Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin.

The firm's new partners include Jaili Fajardo, Brian Gaumont, Casey Kretz, Chris Lockhart, Anita Mahamed, Kevin Scully, Nick Smith, Dana Springer, Ryan Swiderski, Michelle Swoboda and Mike Vaccarella.