Best feet forward
A unique client service strategy helps Rehmann make great strides
AT A GLANCE
Firm:
Rehmann
Headquarters:
Saginaw, Mich.
Chief executive:
Steven Kelly
No. of staff:
App. 600
No. of offices:
16+, in Michigan, Ohio and
Florida
2010 revenue:
App. $80 million (est.)
Year founded:
1941
Selected services:
Tax; audit and accounting; business consulting; enterprise risk
management; medical and dental
practice consulting and management; wealth management;
pension plan administration and
management; HR consulting; corporate investigative services
Whether it’s serving clients, expanding its geographic footprint, or building up its service lines, Michigan-based Top 100 Firm Rehmann likes to put
its best foot forward — whichever foot that
happens to be.
The firm’s mantra is, “Be better, not bigger,”
according to chairman and chief executive
officer Steve Kelly, and that philosophy is underpinned by both its strength in a variety of
practices, from traditional tax and accounting
work to wealth management and corporate
investigative services, and its “One Rehmann”
approach to client service. The combination
gives it the flexibility to pursue its goals for
growth and expansion, without sacrificing
work quality or client satisfaction.
Rehmann’s recent move into Ohio is a perfect example of the strength and adaptability
of its model. Having solidified its presence in
its home market of Michigan, the firm decided a few years ago that it was ready to move
into the neighboring state.
“Through the years we’ve always had some
push from our partners to look to other states,
and we just always said we’re not ready until
Rehmann CEO Steve Kelly, left; Rehmann Financial president Fred Schaard, center; and Rehmann CIS president Greg Suhajda
we make more progress and impact in Michi-
gan,” Kelly said. “Until we get to where we
want to be and need to be there, we’re going
to stick to Michigan, and, well, we feel we’ve
done that, and that we’ve made tremendous
headway in the state, and we found that we
have a really good story to tell.”
It began the expansion with a splash,
through a series of major acquisitions over
the course of 2010. Expansion through acqui-
sition is not unusual, of course; what made
Rehmann’s move different was that all the
acquired firms were primarily oriented to-
ward financial planning, and the move was
spearheaded by Rehmann Financial, the
firm’s fast-growing wealth management arm,
in a reversal of the standard CPA firm model
of leading with tax and accounting.
FINANCIAL IN THE LEAD
Having Rehmann Financial lead the way
“was our decision up front,” Kelly explained.
“Because the opportunities are so ripe now
on the wealth management side, we decided
to lead with that, and then move on to the
CPA space.”
“We put the financial services element out
there first, which normally we don’t do,” said
Rehmann Financial president Fred Schaard.
He noted, though, that the three acquisi-
tions that were the firm’s first steps into Ohio
were all in the suburbs of Cleveland, and
thus within two-to-two-and-a-half hours of
Rehmann offices in Farmington Hills and
Ann Arbor, Mich. — so the firm could serve
Ohio clients’ tax and accounting needs from
there, if necessary.
