Members News & Updates

Elinor Litwack, CPA joins a growing list of women partners and principals at GRF

Bethesda, MD, January 6, 2020 – GRF CPAs & Advisors (GRF), a full-service professional services firm providing clients with audit, tax, outsourced accounting and advisory solutions, announced today the firm has promoted Senior Manager Elinor Litwack, CPA to Partner. Ms. Litwack becomes the third partner in the firm’s Outsourced Accounting & Advisory group, and she joins six other women partners and principals at GRF. She is also one of an expanding roster of team members age 40 and under who are preparing the firm for the next decade.

“The firm is so pleased to promote Elinor in recognition of her tremendous client service focus in addition to her technical expertise and dedication to staff development,” said GRF’s President and Managing Partner, Jackie Cardello, CPA. “Working her way up through senior leadership positions so early in her career while also opening up new market opportunities for the firm was no small accomplishment.” She added, “Elinor’s promotion also underscores our strong commitment to women pursuing positions in leadership and the firm’s flexible work arrangements to retain the best talent.”

Ms. Litwack was instrumental in launching GRF’s first office location in New York, and she provides leadership for adopting new technology to help the firm deliver improved client service. She joined the firm in 2007 as an accountant in GRF’s Outsourced Accounting & Advisory Services group and later relocated to the Greater New York City area while continuing to manage her team remotely. During her 12-year tenure with the firm, the outsourced accounting team grew from only seven team members to 25. Ms. Litwack is a member of the firm’s technology committee charged with identifying and testing new software and applications to increase efficiency for both the firm and its clients. To accompany these new technologies, she helped the firm develop policies and procedures for effective client service and managing remote team members in the digital age. Her innovative and transformative work landed Ms. Litwack on the advisory board for the AICPA’s annual Digital CPA Conference, which focuses on driving innovation across the accounting profession.

Ms. Litwack’s commitment to her community is evident through several current and past board positions. She currently serves as treasurer of I Support the Girls, a national organization providing basic personal necessities to homeless women. Additionally, Ms. Litwack is chair of the audit committee at Ben Porat Yosef, a private school in the New York area, and a finance committee member of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. Ms. Litwack is a member of several state CPA societies including the New York State Society of CPAs where she participates on the Chief Financial Officers Committee. Previously, Ms. Litwack served as a board member for Sulam and Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, Mid-Atlantic Region.

Ms. Litwack is a founding member of GRF’s women’s initiative, Women on the Move, created to educate, connect and empower women with the goal of developing women leaders at every level in the firm. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Accounting from George Washington University in Washington, DC. Ms. Litwack lives in the Greater New York City area with her husband and four children.

About GRF CPAs & Advisors

Headquartered in the Washington, DC metropolitan region with locations in Baltimore, MD and New York, GRF CPAs & Advisors (GRF) is a full-service professional services firm providing clients with accounting, tax and advisory solutions. For over 38 years, the firm has supported the financial and operational success of for-profit and tax-exempt organizations locally, nationally and around the world.

GRF is one of the last remaining privately held accounting firms specialized in serving the nonprofit industry. Formed in 1981 through the merger of the practices of Michael C. Gelman and Jerrold Rosenberg, the firm expanded in 1988 with the addition of Michael A. Freedman and became Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs. Now GRF CPAs & Advisors, the firm employs over 115 staff including partners, principals, and staff accountants as well as paraprofessional and administrative personnel. GRF is consistently recognized among Inside Public Accounting’s Top 200 Firms, Accounting Today’s Best Accounting Firms to Work For and the Washington Business Journal’s Top 25 Accounting Firms. Accounting Today also honored the firm among their Firms to Watch and Top Firms in the Capital Region.

The firm is a member of CPAmerica, Inc., one of the largest associations of CPA firms in the United States. Our membership guarantees clients access to the expertise and resources of more than 4,000 accounting and advisory professionals at 78 member firms throughout the country. CPAmerica is a member of Crowe Global, providing our firm with access to the eighth largest accounting network in the world with over 200 independent firms in more than 130 countries.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6619965961070014464

In her own words, Xiaowei thanks her TCP Executive Director, Sue A. Marshall, for her generous support when she applied to, and was accepted by, this prestigious program. Despite various difficulties, culture barriers and challenges as an immigrant to the US at the age of 30, she says she has been very fortunate to have had the opportunities to learn and work with phenomenal leaders and professionals, especially at FAR.

The Harvard SEF on site program, led by renowned Harvard faculty and expert practitioners, further strengthened her overall skillsets as a company leader and expanded her knowledge and understanding of effective leadership. The program allowed her to explore a variety of comprehensive subjects including Decision Science, Policy Development, Negotiation and Persuasion, Performance Measurement, Authentic Leadership, Rick Control, Cross-Sector Collaboration, etc. This was also a great opportunity to network with successful executives from different agencies around the world. “Leadership is a journey, not a destination (quoting John Donahoe )”.

Each significant adversity presents the greatest opportunity for your leadership growth. Be fearless and embrace the challenges! Gentle but bold, she will follow her True North onward and upward as a leader to better serve both the organization and the communities.

Xiaowei with Dana Born, faculty Chair at Harvard SEF (left) & Frank Hartmann, Professor at HKS (right)

The newly rebranded GRF CPAs & Advisors continues to serve a diverse client base with expanded advisory services.

Bethesda, MD, August 19, 2019 – Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs, a full-service professional services firm providing clients with audit, tax, outsourced accounting and advisory solutions, announced today the firm has relocated its Metro Washington, DC-area office and rebranded as GRF CPAs & Advisors (GRF). The new name reflects the firm’s growing advisory services practice and signals an increasingly diverse client base of nonprofits and associations, private businesses, government contractors, and individuals. The rollout of the updated brand identity coincides with the firm’s move to a new office suite at 4550 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 800 North, Bethesda, MD 20814.

“We’re excited about our modern, sustainable office space as well as a significant update to our firm’s corporate branding,” said GRF’s President and Managing Partner, Jackie Cardello, CPA. “While these changes punctuate an exciting new chapter for our firm, our leadership is still committed to GRF’s legacy of exceptional client service supported by a unique firm culture where employees are valued and celebrated. Our mission and values are unchanged.” She added, “True to the firm’s values, GRF has several community service projects planned in the coming months.” (To read more, click here...)

I’m writing to share some exciting news.—news that means that we have taken steps to affirm our role as The Leader in Nonprofit Insurance…on a greater scale and for many years to come.

We have announced today that we are combining our operations with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), one of the world’s largest and most respected insurance brokerage and risk management firms. It is no small factor in my decision that I find the corporate values, that have been so important to me throughout my career, are both (evident) clear and sincere - at the very highest levels of corporate management.

Looking ahead, we will indeed be a different company. Novick Group, in our thirty fourth year of operation, will now, proudly, be known as Gallagher. We will deliver a range of products and services that only the added resources and talent that an organization with Gallagher’s depth and experience can provide.

Some things won’t change. With our new partner’s enthusiastic support, we will hold fast to our commitment… to the association community, to our heritage of unmatched expertise and to a gold standard of client service - the foundations upon which our reputation has been built.

This isn’t the end of Novick Group, it’s a new chapter. And you can be sure it’s not the end for me personally. I am excited about what this means for my employees, clients, colleagues and community. We are stronger than ever, with long term financial stability and an improved ability to attract and train quality talent and expanded internal resources. You can learn more about our new partnership here.

One last time, as president of The Novick Group, I extend to you my most sincere thanks, for teaching me so many things, for your friendship and your support.

Thank you,

Lou Novick
President and CEO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2019

Early, Cassidy & Schilling LLC (EC&S) announces the hiring of Matarie Broom as Principal, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Matarie Broom has joined Early, Cassidy & Schilling LLC (EC&S) as Principal, Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO, Matarie will lead EC&S day-to-day operations, guide strategic engagements, drive operational efficiency, facilitate innovation and foster the vibrant EC&S customer-focused culture.

“Matarie joins us from a high-growth, client-centric model. She is a dynamic and talented professional. Her experiences to date will be a tremendous asset to the Early, Cassidy & Schilling, LLC platform. I have had the benefit of working with Matarie in the past and look forward to integrating her leadership into EC&S” says Jason Richardson, EC&S CEO and Managing Principal.

"I know that I speak for everyone at EC&S in thanking Jason Richardson, Tim Schilling and Andy Cassidy for their leadership and tireless dedication to the company. I am truly honored and excited to be joining the EC&S family. I want to thank the EC&S team for their warm welcome and entrusting me with the COO baton. EC&S has a rich culture with a seasoned team of professionals. I look forward to collaborating with our leadership team to deliver on our long-term vision and offering guidance for the strategic action items essential for our bright future and continued growth.” said Matarie.

Before joining EC&S, Matarie spent the last twelve (12) years, most recently as a Vice President – Unit Manager, with the Lockton Southeast Series in Atlanta. During her time with Lockton, she led a team of professionals in the Commercial Insurance Department overseeing and driving the risk management strategies for numerous clients. Throughout her time, she developed an in-depth knowledge in the areas of Multinational Manufacturing, Real Estate, Construction and Restaurants; and, also represented the Southeast Series for Lockton’s National Food & Beverage Practice. Additionally, she leveraged her industry expertise and network to form and spearhead the Southeast Series “Women in Leadership” initiatives. As a first of its kind for women in insurance in the Southeast, she was most notably known for annually hosting the successful Women in Leadership Forum and Networking event.

Prior to Lockton, Matarie worked at Marsh for five (5) years. Matarie graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She has relocated with her family from Atlanta to the DMV area.

Matarie can be reached at 301-948-5800 or broommm@ecsinsure.com.

About Early, Cassidy & Schilling, LLC

EC&S is a regional insurance agency based in Rockville, Maryland, and has been serving the Mid-Atlantic Region for 90 years. EC&S offers services in property & casualty insurance, employee benefits, surety, executive benefits, personal lines insurance, and captive consulting. The company was originally incorporated in 1927 subscribing to the core value of services and dedication to our clientele which remains a key tenet of our culture. For more information please visit our website at www.ecsinsure.com.

Contact: Courtney H. DeCroes
Client Manager
Phone: 301-948-5800 x 116
Email: decroesch@ecsinsure.com

December 10, 2018

Bethesda, MD: Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs (GRF) announced today that the firm has added two new principals to supplement rapidly growing practice areas. Melissa Musser, CPA, CITP, CISA has joined the firm as a Principal in the firm’s Risk & Advisory Services practice, and Paul H. Calabrese has been named a Principal in GRF’s Outsourced Accounting and Advisory Services Group. Both Musser and Calabrese are based in GRF’s Bethesda, MD office in Metropolitan Washington, DC.

“GRF continues to diversify our service offering because we recognize an escalating need for risk advisory and outsourced accounting services in the market,” said Jackie Cardello, CPA, Managing Partner. “Both Melissa and Paul bring valuable consulting experience that will be a huge asset for our nonprofit, government contracting and business clients.”

Melissa Musser comes to GRF from Aronson LLC where she served as a Director in the firm’s Risk Advisory practice. As the newest addition to GRF’s Advisory practice, Musser will be responsible for delivering comprehensive risk-based assessments to help organizations respond to strategic, financial, compliance, operational and IT risks. Her expertise includes establishing, maintaining and optimizing internal controls, compliance, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), and cybersecurity programs. Prior to joining GRF, Musser spent 10 years in public accounting focusing largely on nonprofit organizations. Her background also includes 4 years in risk management roles for global SEC companies where she led major transformation initiatives such as transitions to shared service centers, cybersecurity, SOX optimization, and the development of an ERM council. Additionally, Musser spent 2 years at the University Of Akron where she was responsible for ERP system upgrades and system integrations while also working as an adjunct faculty member teaching microcomputer business applications.

Musser earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from University of Akron with majors in both Professional Accounting and Accounting Information Systems as well as a certificate in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Her certifications include the designation of Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) where she also serves as a member of the Information Management and Technology Assurance Section. Musser also received IT certification through her membership in ISACA (previously known as the Information Systems Audit and Control Association), achieving the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designation. She is a frequent speaker on privacy and cybersecurity topics at conferences hosted by the Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPAs), the University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Musser is a recipient of the 2018 AICPA Information Management and Technology Assurance (IMTA) Standing Ovation Recognition Award honoring young CPAs in information management and technology assurance and exhibit exemplary professional achievement. She is also an officer of the Institute of Internal Auditors, DC chapter where she serves as the Associate Vice President of Programming. Musser lives in Rockville, MD with her husband and two children.

Paul Calabrese brings a successful track record of working with both nonprofits and businesses in the public accounting industry since 1997. Most recently serving as a Senior Manager at Rubino & Company, his remarkable career also includes positions with the Air Force Audit Agency, DCAA, government contractors, and DOD audit agencies in addition to 20+ years in public accounting. Calabrese’s extensive experience with the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) and CAS disclosure statements, Federal Acquisition Regulation Cost Principals (FAR), Department of Defense FAR Supplement, and Uniform Guidance for federal grants and cooperative agreements positions him as a sought-after resource. He consults clients in all facets of federal government contract and federal grant cost accounting, GSA multiple award contracts and environmental recovery, and provides litigation support.

Calabrese earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from George Mason University. He is a member of the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA), the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), and the GWSCPAs where he is a Fellow and the past chair of the Not For Profit Committee. He is a prolific speaker on Uniform Guidance and other government contracting topics, making frequent presentations at seminars and conferences for IMA, MACPA, the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, GWSCPAs and firm-sponsored events. Calabrese lives in Falls Church, VA with his wife and he has a grown son.

Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs (GRF) has been honored once again among Accounting Today’s Best Firms to Work For. GRF’s 2018 national ranking among midsized firms soared to #12 from #17 the previous year.

“Our firm culture is very unique,” said GRF Managing Partner, Jackie Cardello. “GRF strives to maintain a workplace that fosters opportunity for its employees while also providing the work-life balance that promotes personal well-being. As Managing Partner, I am particularly proud of the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. It not only creates an environment where differences are appreciated and embraced, it allows us to attract top talent.”

Mike O’Connor recently joined Early, Cassidy & Schilling, LLC (EC&S) as Vice President of our Premier Client Group. This practice serves the personal insurance needs of prosperous individuals, families, and professional athletes. Mike joins us from McGriff Insurance Services, a subsidiary of BB&T Insurance Holdings. Prior to his insurance career, Mike played professional baseball for 12 seasons, representing the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets.

Jason Richardson, CEO of EC&S states, “Mike will greatly help us drive business development to our Premier Client Group as we continue to expand this practice and build the brand. I am very excited about Mike joining our team. He works hard to give back to the community regularly in his post professional baseball career. I admire how Mike carries himself and his professionalism. He will bring great success to this practice.”

Mike O’Connor states, “I am excited to become part of the dynamic team at EC&S. I am looking forward to assisting our current clients and growing the Premier Client Group.”

Tax-exempt organizations are eager to understand the true impact of applicable provisions in The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) so that they can refine their strategies for tax planning and fundraising for 2018 and beyond. GRF's nonprofit tax experts have been tracking developments closely as clarification emerges from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department.

Join Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs and Humentum for an update focused on the tax consequences to tax-exempt organizations, including the latest guidance from the IRS and Treasury. Our nonprofit tax experts will discuss many of the questions on the minds of nonprofit leaders and provide a checklist of things they should do immediately to respond.

• How will the new tax law affect our fundraising?
• Can/should l my organization end pre-tax transportation benefits for employees to avoid triggering unrelated business taxable income (UBTI)?
• Will our organization need to file a 990-T for 2018? Should we make estimated quarterly payments?
• How will the new tax law affect our highest-paid employees?

Participants will come away with practical guidance to help them position their organizations in response to TCJA and potentially reporting issues on their Forms 990/990-T and audited financial statements.

Presenters

The webinar will be presented by Partner Richard J. Locastro, CPA, JD, Chair of AICPA's Tax Division Technical Resource Panel (TRP) for Exempt Organizations and Principal Stephen J. Kelin, CPA, JD.

Additional Program Details

Learning Objective: To provide attendees with a better understanding of the new tax reform.

Instructional Delivery Methods: Group Internet-based
Recommended CPE: 1.0 CPE
Recommended Fields of Study: Tax
Prerequisites: None Required
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Course Registration Requirements: None
Refund Policy: No fee is required to participate in this session.

Cancellation Policy: In the event that the presentation is cancelled or rescheduled, participants will be contacted immediately with details.

Complaint Resolution Policy: Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman is committed to our seminar participants' 100% satisfaction and will make every reasonable effort to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. Please contact kdavis@grfcpa.com with any concerns.

Register Here!

Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

Early, Cassidy & Schilling LLC’s (EC&S’) EVP and Principal, Lynne Cook, awarded John Jack J. Curtin, Jr. President’s Award

The President of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) awarded Lynne Cook the John Jack J. Curtin, Jr. President’s Award for distinguished service recently. The award recognized Lynne’s service in various leadership positions with NASBP, including its President, and for her 40 years of dedication to the surety industry. The award from Howard Cowan, then NASBP President states, “As President, Lynne directed NASBP’s 75th year anniversary celebration and formed the President’s Task Forces to explore the future of the surety industry, culminating in the undertaking of a national public relations campaign. Through her devotion of time energy, and resources, Lynne has served as an exemplar of distinguished service for other surety professionals.”

“This award exemplifies Lynne’s dedication and commitment to the surety industry and the clients that she serves. She is a remarkable surety professional and leader both at EC&S and beyond. She continues to make a tremendous impact in the surety industry and to provide thought leadership and guidance to those involved in it. This award is well deserved. ” says Jason Richardson, EC&S CEO and Managing Principal.

Per Lynne, “I was so surprised in the moment and grateful to Howard for recognizing my efforts. Now that it has registered, I am most privileged to have my name on an award that honors one of our industry’s finest, Jack Curtin.”