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Crosby & Kaneda
Bay Area
Hilary Crosby & Adele Kaneda are the prinicpals in Crosby & Kaneda, a small CPA firm serving
nonprofits in the Bay Area. They combine stout accounting guidance and independence with a
genuine care for, and involvement with the sector as well as excellent politics. In July 05, taught a
day-long Lorman seminar with Hilary Crosby on Tax Issues for Exempt Organizations. Seems every
time I look at a local nonprofit that interests me, Hilary is their auditor!
CAROL DUFFIELD
Fontanello, Duffield &
Otake
Bay Area
Fontanello, Duffield & Otake is another small San Francisco firm serving Bay Area nonprofits.
Well-grounded in tax theory, Mike Fontanello and Carol Duffield provide help to a number of
prominent advocacy-oriented and philanthropic nonprofits. They have been consistently generous
with their time and spirit, mentoring me, teaching me, and never refusing a call, even on the busiest
days of the year (when I forget, for example, that not everyone is on a May 15 reporting schedule).
They bring a seasoned mix of knowledge, and aren't easily intimidated by stupid redundant rules.
They have a strong practice in private wealth and private foundations, but I've also seen them tackle
large advocacy organizations of various types. Amazing versatility for a very small firm.
Gary McGee & Co.
Portland
Gary McGee & Associates specializes in nonprofit accounting and tax, and operates at the highest
level of mastery in the field, combining both tax and GAAP expertise to advise clients effectively. Gary
is a treasure and Portland is lucky to have someone practicing at his caliber and in such a caring
fashion. He maintains a deep bench of associates. He's one of the kindest people I know, and
manages to juggle a busy practice yet invest continuously in his own knowledge base; his comments
to me have presaged entire trends in the industry. I'm lucky to count him as a mentor and friend.
BARBARA CYPHERS,
Armanino McKenna,
LLP
Bay Area
Armanino McKenna, LLP is one of the top 100 firms in the country, growing rapidly, and touting its
placement on many of the "best places to work" lists. In the course of some recent work, I asked a
number of colleagues about them, and what I kept hearing was "they seem happy...I have a feeling it
actually is a good place to work, else they wouldn't seem happy; and their work is great!"
I first met Esther Ratterree, a principal at Armanino McKenna LLP in the consulting area
specializing on nonprofits in 2005. I had assumed an interim Finance Director engagement, and had
to rapidly get myself up to speed on the mind-numbingly "powerful" (a/k/a complex) Blackbaud fund
accounting software in order to understand the client's costs in a five-segment chart of accounts with
a sixth grant / job code (500 page general ledger!) Esther provided me with a day of tutoring. (It's the
most I have ever personally invested in professional services). I found her articulate, responsive, and
of course, expert in her field. Later, one of her staff provided me with remote support, and that worked
flawlessly. Esther also mentioned to me that CYMA, a long-time powerful general ledger program is
coming out with a mid-market nonprofit accounting product for groups that are past QuickBooks but
can't afford Blackbaud, MIP or Fundware. Because Esther has direct and current public accounting
experience with nonprofits, her software implementation recommendations are clear and useful.
Since then I have begun to do some work with Bruce Coblentz and Barbara Cyphers, Tax principals
at Armanino McKenna. Barbara is taking over the firm's exempt organization tax clients from Bruce as
he prepares for retirement. So far, all contacts I have had with the firm confirm their reputation as a
high-quality high-morale organization.
Ghaffari Zaragoza
Bay Area
Hydeh Ghaffari [HIGH-day GHA-far-ie] and her firm Ghaffari Zaragoza also specialize in serving
nonprofits here in the Bay Area. I have heard Hydeh give impressively clear information about the lack
of clarity on the meaning of "overhead" and "indirect" expenses. Hydeh is also a nationally-known
teacher of Federal grant accounting rules and negotiated indirect cost rates.
Brown and Cold
Bay Area
David Karlsson, through Brown and Cold, An Accountancy Corporation, is another CPA working to
specialize in nonprofit and charitable giving matters. Brown and Cold provide audit and assurance,
tax, consulting and wealth management services. (I don't often see that last item emphasized,
though I wish many donors had better advice, say, when giving through a fiscal sponsor.) David got
in touch with me when checking Google ratings (more fun than your own site stats!). In addition to his
work with Brown and Cold, he has large firm experience with Burr, Pilger & Meyer, I think on a contract
basis. The large firms have been having trouble staying staffed up with the skill level they need to
charge the rates they charge - I know it's the same way in law firms serving the tax and corporate
needs of nonprofits. Nonetheless, the range of firms is bound to strengthen David's work.
CINDY BARTHOLOMEW
McDonald Jacobs LLP
Portland
I first met Dennis Johnson when he was our tax partner when I was CFO of the Association for
Portland Progress. Dennis came in and did a nice thoughtful job checking for tax issues at the time
of the audit (this is a common oversight even at big firms). Later I knew Dennis as a member of the
Board of Basic Rights Oregon when I was Finance Director, so I know he cares. The McDonald
Jacobs (Dennis' firm) website has an unusual and intriguing pitch: "At McDonald Jacobs, we know
we're different. We're okay with that--and our clients are too." Nonprofits are the fist listed area of
business on the site. (The pitch reminds me of the joke: "What's the definition of normal?" A:
"Someone you don't know.")
Bay Area
Tony Pohl is another Bay Area CPA who invests in his ongoing education about issues in the sector
and whom I've seen tackle thorny client matters. He specializes in the audit and accounting side,
speaking, and is lead named partner of Pohl, McNabola, Berg & Company, LLP.
Bay Area
Hank Levy, through Henry C. Levy and Company, also has a substantial nonprofit practice,
particularly serving Labor and also with expertise on campaign finance reporting.
VanEvery and
Company, LLC
Albuquerque
Mindi VanEvery is a CPA practicing in Albquerque with her husband Karl VanEvery and a couple other
professionals. I work with Mindi on a shared client with interesting nonprofit tax compliance issues
and I know that she puts quality time and work into even a very small client - not discriminating on
size, and with constant attention to staying abreast and investing time in learning this ever-changing
field. Without that attention, clients are lost. This firm is a good choice for groups in the Southwest.
BUCKDRUKER
Bay Area
Elliott Buckdruker is a solo practitioner (with the "coolest" office on the list, down on a pier) who is
not afraid to tackle complex nonprofits that pose complex tax exemption issues. He brings the calm,
steady demeanor of an experienced professional.
Rockville, MD (D.C.)
Christine Manor is not someone I know well, but she is the author of the Sleeter book QuickBooks
for Nonprofit Organizations which spells out how to use QuickBooks in a very advanced way where
Classes at the first level represent each class of Net Assets, and then at the sub-class level different
programs or functions or sub-groups of temporarily restricted net assets, and where Customers =
Funders and Jobs = Grants. In addition, Christine tells me that she is the "keeper" of the Unified
Chart of Accounts, discussed on the Resources - Information & Publications page.