Bartolomei Pucciarelli has merged in the accounting practice of Joseph H. Schwendt, CPA, expanding the firm’s client base in New Jersey.
Born in Trenton, N.J., Schwendt is a 33-year accounting veteran spending the last 15 years of that time as a sole practitioner. Outside of his practice, Schwendt launched hundreds of accountants as an educator during his 15-year tenure at Rider University. A very active member of the New Jersey CPA Society, Schwendt served in nearly every position on a county and state level. He joined Bartolomei Pucciarelli around the New Year, bringing about 400 clients to the approximately 20-employee firm.
Bartolomei Pucciarelli managing partner James Bartolomei estimates the new clients include around 350 individual and 50 business clients, mostly privately held small businesses, estates and trusts.
“I’ve stayed in touch with Joe for a really long time,” he said. “He was one of my professors in college. We’ve been talking for the last couple of years about [a merger] and the last couple of months it got serious. He’s looking for some backup support. He’s a sole proprietor, and he just has a secretary. Now he’s got people who can cover for him and can offer many more services than he can offer in business valuation and all kinds of other services.”
Schwendt will be joining as a principal at his former student’s firm. “I interviewed several accounting firms looking for the right culture and capability to securitize my customers,” he said in a statement. "When I approached Jim, I realized quickly that I had to look no further. Bartolomei Pucciarelli's customer service ethic, scope of services, resources and unique approach to helping growth-oriented companies was unlike anything I had seen. I’m looking forward to working with this outstanding group of professionals and excited about the access my customers will now have to so many enabling solutions.”
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