Partners

Louis C. Grassi, CPA, CFE, Managing Partner

Louis C. Grassi is the managing partner and driving force behind the firm's growth. He began his career in 1977 and has extensive experience in tax, accounting and consulting. Lou's counsel has proven instrumental to the success of many companies in the construction, not-for-profit, manufacturing, professional service, and transportation industries. A nationally recognized expert, Lou is frequently called upon as a lecturer and business advisor for companies and industry trade organizations. He has authored numerous local and national articles, also serving as a contributing editor to the Corporate Controller's Manual, which serves as the benchmark resource for corporate controllers. In addition, Lou was the editor of the Journal of Construction Accounting & Taxation.

Lou takes a proactive role with clients, performing such value-added services as profit-enhancement studies, operational reviews, performance benchmarking, incentive compensation programs, estate and succession planning, corporate restructuring, and corporate retreat facilitation.

Lou has received numerous professional awards and accolades. He has served as an executive board officer for the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), and he is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Lou also serves on numerous committees and task forces within the industries that the firm serves. A member of the Young Presidents Organization, he appears in both the national and international Who's Who Directory of Finance, and he was a member of the editorial advisory board of CPA Managing Partner Report, The CPA Journal, and other industry publications.  

Actively involved in his community, Lou holds board positions with several civic and philanthropic organizations. He is an audit committee member of Nassau County as well as a former member of the Nassau County comptroller's transition team and past chairman of a multi-million dollar, not-for-profit human services agency. Lou currently serves on the Nassau County Audit Advisory Committee. Lou also serves on the board of a bank, a REIT insurance company, and he is on the Board of Trustees of The New York Institute of Technology.

A graduate of Queens College, Lou holds a business administration degree in accounting. He has completed postgraduate courses in taxation and earned the designation of Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) from the National Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Robert J. Brewer, CPA, CCIFP, Partner

"One of the client successes we are most proud of centers around a client that hit two years of struggles after many years of success.  They were in the process of a turnaround and had a strong year behind them, but they needed to secure financing and bonding to complete their recovery.  However, with only one strong year of financial statements following their two-year struggle, the banks and bonding agents wouldn't touch them. We advised the client to put together an accelerated, interim financial statement to show more progress. With the interim financial statement and our relationships in the banking and surety industries, we were able to help them secure a sizable bank line, and they are in the process of lining up significant bonding potential. This specifically means a lot to me because we helped a client with great potential find the road back to success." 

Robert J. Brewer is a partner at Grassi & Co.  Rob began his career in 1987 and has experience in tax planning, accounting, estate planning, succession planning, and mergers and acquisitions. Rob's insight, wisdom and creativity allow him to provide expert business advice to a broad range of industries, including construction, not-for-profit, education, professional services, manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, printing and transportation.

Rob has written numerous articles on cash flow management, budgeting and workplace fraud. He recently developed and led a construction finance and accounting class at New York City College of Technology. He is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). In addition, he serves as treasurer of the New York City Chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) and on the board of the Long Island Business Development Council. Rob still finds time to support his community by serving on the board for the Child Center of New York, a children's health and welfare organization.

Listed internationally in Who's Who of Professionals, Rob holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Hofstra University. Rob is a certified public accountant and is distinguished as one of the first in the country to earn the CCIFP (Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional) designation from the Institute of Certified Construction Financial Professionals (ICCFP).

Jed P. Dallek, CPA, MST, Tax Partner

Jed P. Dallek is a tax partner at Grassi & Co.  More than two decades of tax experience in both the real estate and financial services industries provides clients a unique outlook on a full range of tax and related issues.  Jed's expertise allows him to provide such value-added services as operational reviews, like-kind exchanges, cost-segregation studies, and assistance with mergers and acquisitions. His efforts yield significant cost savings and efficiency improvements for clients.

A prolific author, Jed has written many articles about tax issues and how changes in tax legislation can affect a company's situation. He is the driving force behind numerous seminars and panel discussions on niche opportunities in the real estate market. Jed has frequently spoken at conventions and industry functions, and he has produced many successful seminars. He was a member of a national real estate steering committee overseeing all aspects of real estate development. Additionally, Jed was a founding member of the American Express Blue Box Council, created to identify business opportunities in the private and public sectors.

Jed is an active member of several professional organizations and committees, including the Real Estate Board of New York, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), where he serves on the Partnership Committee. Jed is also an active member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY).

Jed earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Syracuse University and a master's degree in taxation from Pace University.

Ronald J. Eagar, CPA, CCIFP, Partner

"Upon receiving a referral from a longtime client of ours, we took on a new client who had a multitude of issues. Their business volume was down, their finances were in less than marginal shape, and they were being led down the wrong path by their previous accountants. Our team was able to restructure their financial statements, compiling them in an industry-acceptable format, and we helped them secure financing that worked with their line of business. These improvements and upward progress resolved their cash flow problems and allowed them to work on building their business. From a business that had approximately $300,000 in net worth, doing approximately $2.5 million in volume and struggling, this client has evolved into a company with a net worth of $5.5 million, doing more than $20 million a year in volume and growing."

Partner Ronald J. Eagar is in charge of administration, accounting and auditing, and quality review. He offers more than two decades of experience in both public and private accounting.  His expertise extends beyond the traditional areas of accounting and taxation; he serves as a comprehensive business consultant. He serves as a trusted advisor to companies in a broad range of industries, including construction, real estate, not-for-profit, transportation, import and export, and wholesale distributors.  

Ron uses his extensive knowledge of internal controls and financial procedures to guide public and not-for-profit organizations through the stringent and rigorous process of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. In addition, he has developed an innovative software program that has been instrumental in the firm's construction consulting practice. Ron frequently lectures on accounting and taxation issues for industry trade organizations, and he has written many professional articles.  

Ron is active in numerous accounting and industry trade associations, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). He serves as an executive board member and past president of the Suffolk Chapter of NYSSCPA, and he is a member of the Construction Contractors Committee. In addition, he is treasurer of the Long Island Chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), where he provides training and guidance to local CEOs and management personnel.

Ron also finds time to support his community by serving philanthropic organizations. He is the treasurer for the board of directors of Mercy Haven, a not-for-profit organization that provides housing to mentally challenged individuals in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. He has a bachelor of business administration degree from Hofstra University. In addition to his CPA licensure, Ron holds distinction as one of the first in the country to earn the exclusive designation of CCIFP (Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional).

William E. Fischer, CPA, Partner

"One of our clients had a succession plan in place that was going to bankrupt the company. They struggled to find alternatives, so we tailored a comprehensive plan, including an S-Corp employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), along with deferred compensation arrangements. We also structured the plan to provide a comfort level to both their bank and surety. The client spent the same amount of money paying themselves their buyout and deferred compensation as they would have paid to the government (in taxes) and their employees (profit sharing) had they ignored the issue. The company now has the distinct advantage of operating in a tax-free environment, which is the equivalent of taking 40% of their overhead (taxes) and eliminating it."

William E. Fischer is a partner at Grassi & Co. Since starting his career in 1988, he has specialized in business and management consulting, in addition to auditing, accounting and tax planning. Bill works with companies in a broad range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, professional service, distribution, not-for-profit and real estate.  Bill also works with entities in both the private and public sector in high-level capacities, providing forensic accounting, litigation support and expert testimony.

Bill uses his comprehensive knowledge and innovative ideas to educate clients, sureties, banks and other professionals on a variety of subjects, and he written numerous articles on cash flow and budgeting, internal operating efficiencies, profit enhancement strategies and claims consulting.

Bill is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). To stay abreast of the issues facing our clients, Bill stays active in several industry organizations, including the Subcontractors Trade Association (STA), Queens & Bronx Building Association (QBBA) and the New York Building Congress, where he serves on the membership committee. 

A graduate of Pace University, Bill holds a business administration degree in accounting.

David Freda is a partner at Grassi & Co. where he specializes in working with construction contractors in all aspects of accounting including consulting, financial reporting and taxation.  In addition to focusing his efforts on construction contractors, David also works with clients in other industries such as manufacturing, real estate and transportation.

David has spent the bulk of his 12-year career with Grassi & Co. where he is considered an authority in his field.  He performs audits, reviews and compilations for clients, as well as special projects including construction cost certifications for private and governmental owners. In addition to his audit and accounting work, David counsels clients on tax matters and is fluent in all the latest tax treatments related to the construction industry. David also helps clients save money with creative tax planning strategies that take advantage of his extensive construction industry knowledge.

At Grassi & Co., David is a member of the firm's construction accounting committee and is very active in the technical development of the firm's staff through the firm's extensive in-house training program.

In addition to David's CPA licensure, he was one of the first 200 individuals in the country to earn the designation of CCIFP (Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional). He is an active member in numerous accounting and industry trade organizations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), and the Construction Industry Council (CIC). 

In his spare time, David is an advisor to a 9/11 Memorial Foundation, which supplies donations to various charitable organizations and individuals. David earned his Bachelors Degree in Business from C.W. Post University.

Richard E. Gavin, CPA, CCIFP, Partner

"When formulating a succession plan for a client, we realized we had a lot of people to please. The older generation, the younger generation, and the outside credit grantors all had different needs and objectives. We created a structure that transferred the business to the younger generation without cash outlay, eliminated the personal guaranties of the older generations, and provided the credit security required by the corporate creditors-all in a way that never negatively affected the business. The operations were successfully transferred to the younger generation, and the family, who had felt pressures before we came in, was completely satisfied with the outcome."

Partner Richard E. Gavin manages the finance department at Grassi & Co. He also serves as chairman of the construction accounting committee. Rick has more than 25 years of experience in operational reviews, business forecasting and projecting, business valuations, human resource advisory services, overhead analysis, internal control evaluations, and strategic tax planning.

Rick frequently lectures on tax issues, financial statements, analytical reviews, fraud prevention and internal control development. In addition to presenting to clients and contacts, Rick is an adjunct professor at Columbia University teaching a graduate level course in finance and accounting for construction contractors. Rick has published many articles on family business succession planning, best practices and joint ventures.

To stay abreast of changes and issues affecting clients, Rick is active in numerous industry trade organizations, such as the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), Long Island Contractors Association (LICA) and the Construction Industry Council (CIC). Rick is also an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA).

Always looking to support his community, Rick serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Family Service League, a non-sectarian human services organization established in 1926 to address the issues of child welfare, unemployment and poverty. He has a bachelor of business administration degree from Hofstra University. Rick was one of the first individuals in the country to attain the designation of Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP).

Robert E. Grote, CPA, Partner

"A client had no viable strategy for an exit plan, and their succession plan would have forced them to go bankrupt. We helped the client create a comprehensive plan, including an S-Corp employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), along with deferred compensation arrangements. This plan pleased both the client and their credit grantors. We created an environment where 40% of their overhead (taxes) was eliminated and laid out a successful plan for the future of the company."

Robert E. Grote is a partner at Grassi & Co. He specializes in public accounting, tax planning and management consulting. He provides expert guidance to clients in internal control assessment, fraud prevention and investigation, cash flow and budget planning and projection, acquisition or lending due diligence, and employee benefit plan development. Since beginning his career in 1993, he has served clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, construction, real estate, professional service, and not-for-profit.

Rob has led many educational seminars and written articles on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and corporate succession planning. Rob takes a proactive, yet patient and team-focused approach with clients as he develops strategies and applications to help them succeed. In addition to providing excellent advice and service to clients, Rob holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the Grassi & Co. staff as the architect of the firm's Mentor-Protégé Program. The program pairs staff members with designated mentors, who help them develop technical and interpersonal skills.

Rob is active in numerous industry trade organizations, such as the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), where he serves as a Board member and Vice President of Communications. In addition, he is a member of the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).  Rob believes in giving back to his community, and was recently appointed to the Board of the Nassau County Chapter of the American Red Cross. Rob was recently named to Long Island Business News' 40 Under 40 Class of 2008, recognizing his success and accomplishments. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in accounting from St. John's University, where he graduated magna cum laude.

Stephen J. Mannhaupt, CPA, Partner

"Communication is important when running a business. One client we helped was not receiving the necessary information from the field. Their work wasn't being scheduled properly, and the company was not reviewing their cash flow or profitability on a consistent basis. After performing an operational review, we recommended that the company properly reconcile their accounting information and improve their reporting. Our team helped the client review their method of collections and implemented new procedures to reduce collection time. We assisted them in implementing incentive compensation programs, which led to increased profitability. We were able to help them consolidate staff duties and reduce their payroll costs. The savings we helped our client realize was quite substantial, and they appreciated that their accountants were able to look beyond the numbers and offer them effective management advice." 

Stephen J. Mannhaupt, CPA, is one of the most recent additions to the partner group of Grassi & Co. He specializes in public accounting, forensic accounting, auditing, and management consulting. He works with clients in the construction, real estate, engineering, professional service and not-for-profit industries. Since beginning his career in 1990, Steve has provided expert guidance in such specialized areas as internal control assessment, fraud prevention and investigation, FAR auditing, and corporate operational efficiency, in addition to traditional accounting, tax, and audit support.

Steve has been a part of the Grassi team for more than 13 years. An expert in his field, he has written articles on a variety of accounting topics and has conducted educational seminars for clients, accounting societies, and other professionals in banking, surety and law. His areas of specialty include construction accounting, fraud prevention and not-for-profit organizations.

To keep abreast of the issues facing our clients, Steve stays active in industry trade associations, including the Subcontractors Trade Association (STA), the Construction Financial Management Association, and the Long Island Contractors Association (LICA). He is a member of the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA), where he sits on the construction committee, and of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Steve is a graduate of Queens College and has had extensive Continuing Professional Education (CPE) in auditing, accounting and taxation.

Vincent Paolucci, CPA, MST, Tax Partner

Vincent Paolucci is a tax partner at Grassi & Co. Vince manages the daily activities in Grassi's tax department. He has been practicing for more than 25 years and has extensive experience in complex federal, state and local income tax issues, as well as in general corporate tax compliance and structure. His broad knowledge base allows him to navigate issues in multiple industries, including healthcare, retail, wholesale, real estate and manufacturing.

Vince treats each client's business as if it were his own. His in-depth industry knowledge and his ability to analyze clients' finances using an integrated approach allow him to maximize tax savings. He also helps high-net-worth individuals with retirement planning and succession planning.

Vince has authored numerous articles on tax planning and lectured on various topics before professional audiences and industry trade groups. He is active in accounting and industry trade organizations, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA).

Vince holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from St. John's University. In addition to his CPA licensure, Vince has a master's degree in taxation from C.W. Post.

John V. Pellitteri, CPA, Partner

John V. Pellitteri is a partner at Grassi & Co. and runs the firm's healthcare services and small business divisions. He brings almost two decades of experience in accounting, auditing, tax planning and business consulting. His comprehensive accounting and taxation knowledge, combined with his healthcare consulting experience, allows him to develop an all-inclusive assessment of practices and medical facilities. He also uses time-tested strategies to enhance clients' businesses in other industries, including not-for-profit, architectural, real estate and professional service firms.

Because of his extensive healthcare experience, John frequently lectures at industry forums, such as local medical societies, office management societies and hospital councils. He has written numerous articles on fraud prevention, human resource issues, compliance and operations.

John is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), where he served on the Federal Taxation Committee and the New York State & Local Taxation Committee.  In addition, he serves as chairman of the Medical and Professionals Committee. John is also active in philanthropic organizations and serves on the board of the Long Island Entrepreneurs Group, Inc. (LIEG) and the Health and Business Alliance (HBA), where he holds the position of treasurer. John is a member of the "40 Under 40" alumni group of professionals on Long Island. John is a graduate of Hofstra University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in accounting.

Mitchell R. Zachary, CPA/PFS, CFP, Tax Partner

"Helping tax clients plan for their retirement is important. One such client had problems with his business and was afraid he would lose everything. The banks and credit grantors were going to go after his personal assets. We assisted him in carrying his tax losses forward and structuring a great savings plan. Within a few years, he had reestablished his nest egg and was able to follow his original plan for retirement."

Mitchell R. Zachary is a tax partner at Grassi & Co.  He has more than 25 years of experience in complex federal, state and local income tax issues, as well as in strategic tax planning and compliance for businesses of all sizes. His broad knowledge base allows him to navigate issues concerning individuals, partnerships, corporations, trusts and estates.

In addition to Mitch's CPA licensure, he is a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) as well as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). His expertise enables him to look at an individual's finances with a fully integrated approach. He understands how different financial planning techniques work together to achieve the desired results. High-net-worth individuals rely on his in-depth knowledge of the investment and financial aspects of running and growing businesses. He assists in areas such as retirement planning, succession planning, trust and estate planning, and charitable/gift-giving strategies.

Mitch has written numerous articles on tax, estate and succession planning and has spoken on these topics before professional audiences and industry trade groups. He is active in several accounting and industry trade organizations. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). In addition, he has served as an executive board member of the Long Island Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) where he is currently the Immediate Past President.

Mitch also finds time to support his community by volunteering in philanthropic organizations. Most recently, he was appointed to the board of directors of the Foundation for Sight and Sound, better known as "Mitch Shapiro's Dream," a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of those with visual and auditory impairments. Mitch earned his bachelor‘s degree in accounting from Baruch College.

Robert J. Murray, CFE, Principal, Grassi & Co. CPAs & President of GCM Systems LLC

"Certain clients have unique system requirements. A client with a distribution company had a system that dictated all payroll transactions needed to be converted into billing items on their customer invoices. Additionally, these billing items needed to be sorted and sub-totaled on each invoice by truck number and route number. For twenty years, this client had been entering the same information twice, once into their payroll system and once into their billing system. We designed and implemented a custom system that included a conversion program, converting the payroll transactions into billing items without any re-entry of the data. Our solution resulted in significant time savings. The client reduced their billing staff by  three people within nine months of implementation. Additionally, the payroll is processed quicker, and the billing process is completed in a more timely fashion. Their improvement in processing time has improved cash flow significantly. Our client had searched for a cure for a number of years; we were able to provide them with a successful solution to their rather unique issue."

Robert J. Murray is a principal at Grassi & Co. He leads the firm's technology division and specializes in computer information systems. He provides turnkey solutions for all aspects of system selection and operational support. He offers a full range of services-from needs assessments and equipment recommendations to system installations, staff training and ongoing technical support. In addition to his expertise in technology, Rob also possesses extensive experience in operational reviews, forensic investigations and disaster recovery-special skills that save our clients countless dollars and headaches.

Rob began his career at Grassi & Co. in 1980 and has worked with companies in a broad range of industries, including roofing, electrical, plumbing, hazardous waste removal, painting, masonry, not-for-profit and real estate.

Frequently quoted in the media, Rob has written numerous articles on accounting systems, operational reviews and systems security. He also frequently lectures as an authority in his field. Rob holds a bachelor's degree with concentrations in public accounting and business computer information systems from Hofstra University. In addition, he has completed the stringent criteria established by the National Association of Certified Fraud Examiners to earn the meritorious Certified Fraud Examiner designation.