Max Epplen, Senior Accountant

Max Epplen doesn’t concede; he commits.

“Once I find something that I enjoy, it's a 150%, which is a blessing and a curse. I love numbers but math on its own doesn’t always come easy. However, something about problems appeals to me,” he says. “The way accounting presents itself allows me to understand more of the mathematical process. I’m always eager to learn.”

Now, his commitment to great service is paying dividends for his Rudler, PSC clients and co-workers.

A Northern Kentucky native, Epplen graduated from the University of Kentucky, earning his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Management before going on to obtain his MBA in accounting from the University of Cincinnati. Since joining the firm full-time in 2022, his duties as a staff accountant find him working on the preparation of complex, local, state and federal returns for both individuals and small businesses. Max also works to complete monthly client accounting tasks while assisting engagement partners in technical research, resolution of tax issues and various client service matters. Prior to joining Rudler, he spent one year as a tax intern at Sizemore Tucker, PLLC.

Now working at the same firm where his uncle, Jeff Epplen, CFP, Shareholder, Max says he feels right at home given Rudler’s family-oriented environment.

“That’s important because, to me, one of my core values is family and they're the most important people in my life. If I've got to leave it at 1 p.m. to go tend to a family matter, there’s never a question that I can't go do that and finish my work later,” he says. “It just says a lot about who Rudler is as a company and the people that I work with. The flexibility that they provide for us is just great.”

Family is so important to Max that he serves on the board of the Mike Epplen Philanthropic Fund. There, he handles social media, website design and facilitates donations. Named after his father who passed away in Nov. 2020, the fund seeks to give everyone an “equal playing field” through a love of baseball. More than $85,000 has been raised by the fund since its inception, the primary benefactors being the Alliance for Catholic and Urban Education (ACUE) and DCCH Center for Children and Families in Covington.

Away from the office, Max is happily married to his high school sweetheart, Lauren. “She's definitely my best friend. When I get to go home and see her, it's always a great day,” he says. They share a love of video games, sports, their dog, Boston, and cat, Skylar.