A Message From Our President
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe I’ve already served as president of this firm for three years. They have been the most fulfilling and most challenging of my career. I never envisioned how much satisfaction I would find in working with and developing our team and the appreciation we are shown by our clients daily. I also could never have imagined the turmoil we’d face and the resiliency our team would show as a result.
As we approach the end of 2021, I feel fortunate to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished. I could not be prouder of how diligently my colleagues have worked, despite a significant amount of adversity and change.
EMBRACING CHANGE
When I became Rudler’s president, I was being entrusted with ensuring the legacy Mr. Rudler built for our firm – who wouldn’t be a little intimidated at first? My first year was really an opportunity for me to get grounded in the day-to-day operations of the firm as well as its people. I made sure to take advantage of that time to observe and think of ways to elevate “The Rudler Way.” The Rudler Way is what makes our clients not only willing to trust us with their needs but why they continue to do so through all the sweeping changes since the start of the pandemic. To our clients, I thank you for continuing to place your trust in us and our work. I like to think Mr. Rudler would be proud to see how we’ve made sure that tradition remains today.
Has everything been smooth sailing, so to speak? Of course not. We navigated one of the most massive tax law overhauls with the passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a flood at our old office and rapidly changing regulations through a pandemic. We acquired the prestigious Scott E. Grosser, PSC CPAs firm that expanded our operations into Fort Thomas.
Integrating two offices with their own unique ways of doing things is a major undertaking. I am so grateful to the way our staff came together through that. We have some wonderful people that make up our “Fun Committee” to ensure that, even as we continue to work remotely from two different offices, we’re able to keep the culture alive here at Rudler. That very culture and the amazing employees who make this place what it is, helped us secure, for the fifth year in a row, a spot among the best of the best on Accounting Today’s “2021 Best Accounting Firms to Work for For” list.
OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR CHALLENGES
Staffing continues to be a challenge for a variety of reasons – and not just because of COVID-19. Even though we were able to transition thanks to our technological savvy, certain aspects of the industry became more taxing. Additionally, several integral team members have phased out of our firm. This is a challenge but also a great opportunity for us moving forward.
We’re actively developing stronger relationships with our colleges and universities to ensure the next generation of talent knows they have opportunities awaiting them here at home. One of our co-ops mentioned to me that he had been encouraged by a professor to only explore the Big 4 and large regional firms. Instead, he found that working for a firm like Rudler provided him with significantly more hands-on learning opportunities that he might not have access to this early on in his career at a larger firm.
To that point, our younger staff experienced their first strategic planning exercise. One of our younger staffers confided she feared she would be bored during the meeting, only to come away feeling more engaged and energized after being able to talk about our firm’s long-term goals. These are the opportunities we strive to create, which in turn guarantees the service we provide to our clients is second to none. The whirlwind of the past 18+ months makes it easy to lose sight of all we’ve accomplished, but it is important to take the time and acknowledge what’s been achieved.
FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE
As we look forward, I couldn’t be more excited for our future. Rudler has enabled the next generation to take the reins. Tami Lawson was recently promoted to Chief Operating Officer and has brought fresh ideas and a new mindset to the table. It’s rather remarkable that our firm, which has been around for more than 50 years, is now led by two people in their 30s. Likewise, a new set of principals have joined us this year, which is a major step in becoming a shareholder and partner in the firm.
In breaking from the mold with younger talent in management positions, we are developing a strong foundation to ensure we remain forward thinking and innovative. We aren’t getting younger for the sake of it – we are looking to make sure top talent in our region sees a future here where they can bring ideas they know will be heard. We have a lot of good things happening with even better people in place. As I have grown during these last three years, our firm continues to do so, too. Our level of service you have expected will not change but only grow stronger as we continue to evolve.