Our firm is pleased to announce that we have recently hired a new in-charge senior accountant.

Daniel J. Suttell, CPA graduated from the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in Accounting.  He will assist our firm with numerous tax and audit engagements.  Daniel joins the firm with thirteen years of prior accounting experience including not-for-profit organizations, construction contractors, manufacturers and service providers.   

 

Our firm is proud to announce Sarah K. Crisman, staff accountant, has earned her designation as a Certified Public Accountant.   Ms. Crisman graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a five year Advanced Accounting Degree in May of 2010.  Sarah works on a variety of accounting and taxation engagements including the preparation of corporate, individual and estate income tax returns.  

 

At our Annual Firm Dinner, three BS&P members were recognized for their years of service with Brock, Schechter & Polakoff, LLP! 

John Walczak is a Principal with our firm and has been recognized for 20 years of service!  John has tax, audit and accounting responsibilities for many clients and has been a certified fraud examiner since 2004.  His specialty areas include fraud examinations, oil and gas taxation, retirement and 401(k) plan audits, business valuations, and financial forecasts.  He is also a Quickbooks advisor.  Mr. Walczak is a graduate of Canisius College and is a member of the AICPA, NYSSPCA and ACFE.  He is an active fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Angela Benzel is a Manager with our firm and is celebrating 10 years of service!  Mrs. Benzel has over ten years of extensive auditing and accounting experience for not-for-profit entities and retirement plans in addition to providing internal control consulting and working with management to develop effective and efficient accounting systems.  Angela received her Master’s in Business Administration in Accounting from SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome and her Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting from Daemen College.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of CPAs.  Additionally, Mrs. Benzel is the Treasurer of the Board of Directors and on the Finance Committee for Lake Shore Behavioral Health, Inc.

Jennifer Insalaco, Tax Manager, is celebrating 5 years of service with our firm! She has over ten years of experience on tax (including international tax) and audit engagements.  She has experience working with construction contractors, non-profit organizations, and audits of retirement plans.  Jennifer received her Bachelor’s of Science in accounting and finance from the State University of New York at Buffalo.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of CPAs.

We would like to thank all of our staff who received a service award for their years of dedication and hard work!

 

We are proud to announce Katie Hokenson, a Senior Accountant with the firm, has earned her designation as a Certified Public Accountant.  Katie E. Hokenson graduated Summa Cum Laude from Canisius College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting.  Ms. Hokenson has been a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society for the past four years and belongs to the New York State Society of CPAs.  Katie works on a variety of accounting and taxation engagements including non-for-profits and governmental audits and the preparation of corporate, individual and estate income tax returns.  

 

The Certified Public Accounting firm Brock, Schechter & Polakoff, LLP is pleased to announce that we have recently hired two new staff accountants.

Chelsea Idrogo graduated from the University at Buffalo this past May with a Master of Science in Accounting and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in May of 2010.  While attending the University at Buffalo, Ms. Idrogo was a member of Beta Alpha Psi and was a volunteer tax preparer for VITA. 

Michael Klemens graduated from the University at Buffalo this past May with a Master of Science in Accounting and graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor of Science in May of 2010.  Mike was a member of varsity swimming and the accounting society at SUNY Geneseo. 

Both Chelsea and Mike will work on a variety of accounting and taxation engagements including the preparation of corporate, individual and estate income tax returns.  

For over thirty-eight years, Brock, Schechter & Polakoff, LLP has been one of the area’s leading certified public accounting and consulting firms, servicing businesses in Western New York and Southern Ontario.  Services include accounting, auditing, taxation, business, human resource and estate consulting.  The firm has offices in Buffalo and Wellsville.

 

Thank you to Partner, Bob Sommer who grilled BS&P employee’s lunch at Caz Park this week!  The cookout was to celebrate the passing of the 9/15 deadline which is a very busy deadline for our firm.  With beautiful weather, great food and wonderful company, a good time was had by all!

 

BS&P has a lot of football fans! Each year some of our staff members participate in the BS&P Fantasy Football league for a chance to receive the BS&P Football Trophy and bragging rights.  This past Tuesday the draft was held and all of the teams are ready to play. Good luck to everyone participating!

 

Each summer, the employees of BS&P choose a charity to support and help raise money for.  This year our staff chose to support the Children’s Hearts Fund whose mission is to raise money for research for a cure for PLE.  PLE or Protein Losing Enteropathy is a syndrome in which children lose protein modules from the blood serum into the intestinal track.  The loss of proteins also results in an impaired immune system which cannot fight off infection. This impact on the immune system is a common cause of the high mortality rate. Children with congenital heart defects must undergo surgical repair early in life in hopes of a long term survival. Patients with congenital heart defects frequently undergo a staged surgical approach known as the Fontan operation. This procedure has saved the lives of many children. But, in addition to immediate complications from the procedure, these children are also at risk for PLE. 
Marianne Sullivan, Tax Principal, has a 13 year old nephew Joey who has had the Fontan operation and is doing well. 

Besides choosing a charity, our firm decides how the money will be raised and we have a lot of fun hosting numerous fundraising events during June, July and August.  With our office located in the historic Larkin Building in Buffalo, NY, we held a bake sale and a Chinese auction in the Larkin Building’s Chautauqua Café where tenants helped support the Children’s Hearts Fund by purchasing delicious baked goods and chances to win over 20 amazing themed baskets.   BS&P also held its first Partner Costume Contest!   Staff donated money towards which partner they wanted to have wear a costume for the day.  It was a very close race between Dave Nelson and Ray Crane, however Ray won the privilege of being "Hula Hulk" for a day.  Thank you Ray for all the laughs!

                                         Ray as the "Hula Hulk"   

Our final event of the summer was a happy hour at Fat Bob’s, a local bar/restaurant in Buffalo where BS&P friends and family gathered with the founders of the Children’s Hearts Fund after work. 

We are very proud of our staff who raised a total of $2500.00 for the Children’s Hearts Fund!  Thank you to everyone who helped contribute to the Children’s Hearts Fund. 

BS&P Staff, Family and Friends at Fat Bob's
 

Our firm is proud to announce Holly West, a senior accountant, has earned her designation as a Certified Public Accountant.   Holly R. West graduated in May of 2009 from the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting.  Holly was previously employed as a bank teller with Bank of America for three years while completing her degree. 

Holly works on a variety of accounting and taxation engagements including the preparation of corporate, individual and estate income tax returns. 

Congratulations Holly!  

 

BS&P Volleyball!

BS&P recently started playing in a summer sand volleyball league on Thursday nights! With a team consisting of BS&P staff, friends and family, a great time is had by all.  Games take place at Holiday's in West Seneca where they play volleyball all year round.  Stop down and support our team!

 

We Are Pleased To Announce New Promotions!

The following members of our firm have been promoted:

Jennifer Insalaco has been promoted to Tax Manager
Katie Hokenson has been promoted to Senior Accountant
Peter Ruocco has been promoted to Senior Accountant
Holly West has been promoted to Senior Accountant  

Community Involvement

This summer our firm will be raising money for the Children’s Heart Fund. 

The Children’s Heart Fund raises money for research for a cure for PLE.  PLE or Protein Losing Enteropathy is a syndrome in which children lose protein modules from the blood serum into the intestinal track.  The loss of proteins also results in an impaired immune system which cannot fight off infection. This impact on the immune system is a common cause of the high mortality rate. Children with congenital heart defects must undergo surgical repair early in life in hopes of a long term survival. Patients with congenital heart defects frequently undergo a staged surgical approach known as the Fontan operation. This procedure has saved the lives of many children. But, in addition to immediate complications from the procedure, these children are also at risk for PLE. 

Tax Principal Marianne Sullivan’s 13 year old nephew Joey has had the Fontan operation and is doing well.  Our firm will be hosting numerous fundraising events in the Larkin Building and throughout the community to raise money for this great charity!

Jeff Budzinski, BS&P Wealth Management Advisor, volunteers as a tutor and mentor, primarily to high school students, at the Joan A. Male Family Support Center.  The Center provides 24-hour, 365 day a year family crisis intervention and support to families and safety to children when parenting gets tough.  Jeff also participates in the Youth Empowerment and Leadership (YEL) Group at the Center, which encourages and promotes cooperation and other leadership qualities to troubled youths.

Hala Hokenson, daughter of staff accountant Katie Hokenson, raised $380 from her sponsors for her participation in the St. Jude Preschooler Trike-A-Thon, which benefits St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  The program teaches children riding-toy safety lessons.  St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance and no child is denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.

Maryann Koske, our Administration Department Supervisor, participated in the March of Dimes Walk with her jazzercise group.  The March of Dimes’ mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.  Team Jazzercise WNY raised $885 for the event.


Virginia Walczak, daughter of Tax Principal John Walczak, participated in the 22^nd Annual Gelatin Splash to benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, plunging into 1,000 gallons of “very cherry” gelatin!  This is the second year Virginia has raised money for local blood cancer patients.  This year she was one of the top 15 fundraisers, raising a whopping $1,400!



Lawrence Levin, Partner Emeritus, again participated in the Ride for Roswell this year, which supports cancer research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.  Larry rode over 32 miles for the event and raised over $6,000!






Sarah Fotheringham, of BS&P Wealth Management, participated for the second year in a row in the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure, this year walking with her son, Joseph.  The Race for a Cure benefits those affected by breast cancer, with 75% of the money raised staying in WNY. 

 

New Engagements for Members of our Firm

Partner David Di Matteo has been named the Treasurer of Erie County Medical Center.  Dave is also an adult leader for the Boy Scouts of America and a committee member of the Knights of Columbus.

Paraprofessional, Ramona Schickling has been named the Summer Social Chair for the American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA).  The ASWA represents and supports professional women in accounting and finance.    

Marianne Sullivan, CPA, Tax Principal, is a member of the Audit Committee for the Girl Scouts of Western New York whose mission is to “build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.”

Audit Manager, Angela Benzel, CPA has been named treasurer for Lake Shore Behavioral Health which provides individual and group counseling for people experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties including depression, anxiety and stress.  

Partner Tom Grogan has been appointed to the Council on Accountancy, an affiliation with Canisius’ Department of Accountancy. 

 

New BS&P Staff Accountant

Hannah Platt joins the firm this summer as a full-time Staff Accountant.  Hannah graduated from the University at Buffalo this past May with a Master of Science in Accounting, where she was awarded the Victor and Joan Brown Masters Scholarship for having the highest GPA during the first semester of the program.  She worked as a tax intern with our firm during the 2009 and 2010 tax seasons and has also worked at Mighty Taco and People Inc.   

BS&P Sponsors the 2011 Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Awards



In 1994, the Society of Financial Service Professionals established the American Business Ethics Award to honor companies that demonstrate a firm commitment to ethical business practices in daily operations, management philosophies and responses to crises or challenges.  In 2007 the Buffalo Chapter hosted the first local Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Award (BNBEA). This year the Ethics Awards were held May 5th, at Salvatore's Italian Gardens, where the 2011 recipients were announced.

BS&P had the privilege of serving as a platinum partner sponsor for the event and our own Director of Human Resources, Caroline Szydlo, is on the BNBEA Board of Directors.  The BNBEA has run successful recognition events every year since 2007 and this year they awarded a scholarship to a Canisius MBA student who demonstrated exceptional integrity and ethics as it pertains to business education.  The BNBEA's long term objectives include hosting business ethics themed programs, providing resources to the general community and building awareness of the value of ethical conduct in dealing with customers, clients, vendors and employees. 

 

Managing Partner, Tom Grogan, Helps Victims of Abuse

Exactly two years after Aasiya Hassan of Orchard Park, NY was tragically murdered by her husband, the Southtowns Family Justice Center of Erie County satellite office opened.  The Family Justice Center provides a safe place for those in abusive relationships to get counseling, legal assistance and emergency shelter. 

The idea of the Southtowns Family Center office was spearheaded after Aasiya Hassan’s murder.  A group of Orchard Park clergy came up with the idea to convert a former residence owned by Orchard Park Presbyterian Church into a new center.  The old residence was stripped down to the studs and it was completely remodeled with new wiring, plumbing, insulation, lighting, roof shingles, bathroom fixtures, drywall, trim, paint and furniture.  Tom Grogan, Managing Partner of our firm, along with Terrie Benson Murray and Jim Wilson, led the efforts to coordinate over 100 volunteers and spent many days working on the project to make sure it opened on the second anniversary of Hassan’s death.   The new Southtowns location makes it possible for victims to seek help at a more convenient location than downtown Buffalo, where the Family Justice Center’s main office is located.  The Orchard Park Presbyterian Church is leasing the house to the Family Justice Center for $1.00 a year. 

The new Southtowns location is open to anyone in need of help and is working hard to stop the cycle of domestic violence.  Thank you to Tom and all of the volunteers who made this project possible. 

Payroll Provisions

The biggest new tax break for individuals in the recently enacted “Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010” is the one-year payroll tax reduction. Under this new provision, which is intended to supplement income and boost economic growth, the payroll tax—which funds Social Security—will be cut by two percentage points during 2011.

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