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A Message From Our President

A new year brings many things with it… new beginnings, new goals and new opportunities, among them. The same goes for us here at Rudler. Towards the end of 2023, we saw changes within our industry among competitors and with standards for certifications. We just recently appointed two new shareholders, Tami Lawson, CPA and Audrey Goetz, CPA, CVA. We added new team members and co-ops and brought back some old ones. With such momentum at the end of the year, 2024 is poised to be another great one for our team here at Rudler.

Preparing the Team in Advance of Tax Season

Despite how incredibly busy we’ve been recently, which is a good problem to have, we find ourselves in an excellent position as we head into tax season. We’re welcoming back four co-ops and are introducing five new ones to our team. While things could always change at any moment, I feel confident we’ll continue to provide the quality client service that we’re known for. However, what will receive an increased focus this year is our efforts to be more intentional in providing our services, which in turn will create a more consistent experience for every client.

The progress we’ve seen in our learning and development training will give us a great start in achieving this goal. Our partnership with Spiirall has provided a platform that can help our team level up faster and more efficiently, not just in meeting certification requirements but also in other areas of personal and professional development. With a better understanding of what’s available on both the technical and professional side, our staff is rapidly expanding their skill sets.

We have two team members who have shifted into entirely new roles based on new interests, which showcases their diverse talents. This includes our new Talent & Engagement Coordinator, Kendra Anderson, and our new Director of Human Resources, Jackie Noll. Both have truly embraced their new roles to everyone’s benefit.

Their level of engagement will have a positive impact on our culture, especially given their familiarity with our processes and people. In seeing people grow internally, our staff can see non-traditional paths for growth here as opposed to feeling the need to look for them elsewhere, which deeply benefits our team and our clients. Our commitment to our people is a top priority that will help us foster and preserve our culture from one generation to the next. While our new faces can bring opportunities for fresh ideas, innovation and new clients, our long-term team members will be there to guide them and ensure our quality controls remain intact.

Fostering Relationships and Staying Connected

We continue to work on developing stronger relationships with our clients. Our goal is always to work closely with them to know everything we can about their financial goals to help alleviate tax season stress and assist them in meeting additional business and financial milestones. Clients need to know that our entire team is committed to their success. While some team members may be front and center with clients, our entire team contributes to the work we do behind the scenes. We look forward to finding more ways to integrate these folks behind the scenes in our daily client interactions moving forward.

In a hybrid workforce, building relationships and continuing to strengthen our culture is more important than ever. Our culture and relationships are foundational pillars of our firm. We are conscious of the challenges this new model can pose, which is why we know we cannot do things the way they’ve always been done and we have to continue to find ways to do hybrid better.

Hybrid employee engagement can come in many forms – flying employees in for strategic planning and holiday parties, hosting virtual baby and wedding showers, and ordering lunches for employees unable to be with us for workday celebrations. We cannot do our jobs well and continue to foster our culture without these connections. Embracing the hybrid environment also allows us to discover great talent and provide employees with the work-life balance needed to keep them happy and healthy.

Proximity is not what ultimately matters in terms of having a great team. It’s the opportunities we help foster and the support that we offer that is critical to our continued success. We always want the best of the best on our team, no matter where they are located, and we continue to do what we can to let our people know that regardless of where they are working, they should always feel like part of the Rudler family.

As we head into 2024, there is one word that comes to mind to describe the current state of the firm: “Fortunate.” I am fortunate that we have a great team in place and outstanding clients who align with our values. We have a path forward for everyone here at Rudler and with so many great things falling into place, I can’t wait to see what the new year has in store for us.