Empowerment & Sense of Team: Kaitlin Mansfield
Kaitlin spent the first years of her public accounting career at a regional firm in Pittsburgh before it was acquired by a large national firm. She stayed at the “new” firm for a couple of years, but ultimately realized it wasn’t right for her when it came to serving her clients the most efficiently and effectively.
So, when Kaitlin learned about Cohen & Company and the chance to help build a Pittsburgh presence from the ground up (not to mention a chance to build upon her own entrepreneurial skill set), she was more than intrigued. She immediately felt connected to the culture and could envision real opportunity. As she helped build the Pittsburgh office, Kaitlin did more than continue developing her audit skills. She was empowered to learn about the operational side of the business, became integral to various office moves and helped establish a tight knit team.
Six years later, she is connected to Cohen & Company by far more than a common place to work. She continues to be empowered to do more, stepping up to serve as a leader within key industry areas, participate in firm recruiting efforts, and lead the Pittsburgh office. Most importantly, she continues to be amazed by the supportive, caring team she gets to work with every day.
Learn more about Kaitlin.
People, People & People: Pargat Singh
When it came time to graduate from Eastern Michigan University just a few short years ago, Pargat was open to all the public accounting world had to offer. He interviewed with a range of firms, from global to regional to smaller organizations. Realizing a small firm wasn’t right for him, he decided to take a chance on a lesser known but larger firm to begin his career. And he’s glad he did.
Not knowing quite what to expect when he joined Cohen & Company, Pargat was immediately drawn to the firm’s people and engaging culture. He received incredible support from Day 1, with partners, managers and senior staff offering detailed feedback that would help him grow tremendously, particularly within his first year at the firm. That support and growth led him to feel comfortable raising his hand for new opportunities early on — such as working with not-for-profit, closely held, cryptocurrency and real estate clients. He’s also integrally involved in the firm’s recruiting process, both as the lead for on-campus recruiting at his alma mater, and as a member of the firm’s extensive interviewing and feedback team.
Now a manager at Cohen & Company, Pargat’s success is certainly due to his belief in working hard to make every minute count. But he also credits the great people at the firm who are always cheering him on to succeed, something he doesn’t think he would have encountered to the same degree at other firms.
Learn more about Pargat.
License to Drive: Jeffrey McMichael
Jeffrey took a less-than-traditional path to working at a CPA firm. A lawyer by training with a focus on tax, finance and economics, he decided to work at a regional accounting firm for a few years to gain additional experience before turning to law full time. He ultimately changed course and decided to pursue public accounting instead, but Jeffrey still wanted something different. He wanted to work at a firm that encourages and rewards entrepreneurial employees who help grow the business of the firm.
Jeffrey wanted to get out in the market, establish a network and establish himself in downtown Detroit, and he saw Cohen & Company as the place to do it. He found the employees to be extremely knowledgeable and technical, yet skilled at business development. He also liked the firm’s national reach and office locations, including the firm’s then-new Detroit location. But what Jeffrey liked the most was the fact that the firm encourages employees to drive their own career based on their talents and desires.
Since joining Cohen & Company, Jeffrey’s career has evolved in expected, and some unexpected, ways. In addition to learning the real estate industry and working on some of the firm’s large clients in that space, Jeffrey also leads numerous business development efforts in Michigan and leads the firm’s two Michigan offices — focusing on office culture, open communication and developing strong connections to the community. The best part? He can drive his career in the right direction for him while still being home at night for dinner with his family.
Learn more about Jeffrey.