Chuck McLane, Senior Managing Director, CBIZ and MHM

This year was all about tax reform. The tax law change was the biggest comprehensive change in many years and our team had to get up to speed very quickly on all the tax law changes. We had some difficulty because the interpretations and implementation guidance our clients were looking for had not been fully developed yet. We hosted webinars throughout the year to help people better understand the immediate and more long-term ramifications of the new tax law. For audit services, the rate changes alone required significant adjustment to client financial statements and disclosures. For tax services, the changes provided opportunities to meet with clients to develop and implement tax planning strategies to maximize tax reform benefits. Additionally, tax reform had a very positive impact on the economy. Many companies reinvested tax savings back into the economy by offering higher wages or adding employees, new technologies and new facilities. All of these changes had a positive impact on the volume of our business.

Addressing Challenges

The tax law changes and improved business climate brought about an increase in business and a challenging and competitive market for people. In a typical year, we hire a large number of associates from college campuses and a lesser number of experienced individuals. This year, we have been tasked with hiring more people at all levels. In order to make our work environment more appealing, we made several changes. We adopted a work environment that allows experienced personnel more options on when and where the work is done. We moved into a new office with more open and collaborative work areas and natural light. We are also using technology to automate some tasks and provide greater efficiency in what we do.

Our growth is leading to more opportunities for our personnel to advance in their careers at an accelerated rate. We also conducted an employee engagement survey to better understand our strengths and areas where we can continue to improve, including additional modifications to our work environment. We were pleased to learn through the survey that our team approved the changes we have made.

Company Culture

The most impactful decision we made over this past year was selecting a new office. We had been in our prior office for 25 years. Over that period of time, we had grown and remodeled and revamped. It was time for something new. Finding the right location was a long and difficult task. We received outside assistance from Darius Green at Keyser and others. We also included input from our team. With the help of representatives across all our service lines, we selected the colors, furniture, layout and everything else we needed to develop an appealing office atmosphere. Our team enjoys being in this new and modern office environment, and it has had a positive impact on everything from productivity to recruiting. The layout allows for greater collaboration among our various service lines and we have seen an increase in positive energy and ideas.

About CBIZ and MHM

At CBIZ and MHM, we are uniquely structured to provide a range of financial and business services. CBIZ is a business consulting, tax, financial services, and benefits and insurance provider that works closely with MHM, a national, independent CPA firm. Together, we are one of the Top Ten accounting providers in the nation, working seamlessly with each other so that we can support our clients’ success. Our membership and active participation in Kreston International, an international network of independent accounting firms, extends our reach to more than 125 countries.

Our Phoenix office has been listed as a Top Accounting Firm by Ranking Arizona, The Valley’s Healthiest Employers and a Top Company to Work For in Arizona by azcentral.com. Our experienced professionals specialize in serving businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and high-net-worth individuals. We also offer deep industry expertise in construction, healthcare, retail, manufacturing and distribution, and real estate.

Solutions for Success

We deliver audit and assurance solutions that meet the industry’s highest technical and ethical standards, including financial statement audits, employee benefit plan audits and IT assurance services. Our tax professionals help identify tax planning opportunities and compliance, including entity structuring, state and local tax consulting, federal tax incentives, and estate planning and wealth transfer. We can also assist with complex transactions, accounting advisory, litigation support and valuation needs.

As the laws and regulations change, our professionals help clients stay on top of the latest developments through our proactive client service model and wealth of insights, including local seminars, webinars and online resources. We then incorporate the changes into action, ensuring our clients’ strategies reflect and respond to new developments.

More than Your Traditional Accounting Provider

Our approach, refined over the years, is simple: listen and learn about our clients’ business, their challenges and their goals. At the end of the day, we are in the business of helping people, and our professionals take pride in developing relationships with our clients, helping them grow and earning their trust as key advisors. We problem-solve with each client, bringing an attention to detail and an in-depth understanding of their business and industry to every concern, risk or opportunity that comes their way.

Providing the highest quality solutions to our clients only works if we invest in the people, technology and processes to support our efforts. We do this in many ways, including specialized training, focused recruiting, mentorship, client stewardship, and implementing the technology to simplify the increasingly complex business environment. When our professionals have the resources they need to be successful, it helps ensure they provide the exceptional service that we believe every client deserves.

At-A-Glance

Year founded in the Valley: 1977
Industry: Accounting
Top local executive/position: Chuck McLane, Senior Managing Director
Number of years with company: 16
Number of Valley employees: 103
Company websites: www.cbiz.com/phx • www.mhmcpa.com
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