Freedom to Expand & Explore: Alissa Perteet
Alissa’s “plan” was to work in public accounting, then industry, then government — five years each. Then she would head off to teach at a local university. Instead, after working at two global firms for more than a decade, Alissa realized she loved public accounting. But she wanted to forge a slightly different path in the industry, without moving from the city she loved or giving up her time in the community.
Alissa’s interests over the years had taken her down the road of internal training at her global firm, marrying her love of accounting with her passion for teaching. However, sudden internal changes meant going back to 100% client-facing engagements and likely relocating to another office. While she enjoyed working with clients, she didn’t want to lose the training element of her career. In addition, she knew remote work was not an option her current firm was willing to offer. Focused on finding career fulfillment and life balance, Alissa reached out to a national recruiter to help find a match.
When the recruiter directed her to talk with Cohen & Co, Alissa was ready for a rather difficult process. She knew it would be a hard sell to stay remote (at a time when remote was not yet “cool” and definitely not the norm), split her time between client work and internal training, and work a slightly reduced schedule so she could follow through on community commitments that were important to her.
To Alissa’s surprise, she was wrong. She connected almost immediately with the entrepreneurial, senior leadership team she met in the Cleveland office. She could feel their energy and drive to be the best in this space in terms of technical knowledge and client service. The mix of talent, experience and culture felt right to her. And the adage, “you get out what you put in” — empty words when she had heard them at prior employers — seemed to ring true.
The opportunities Cohen & Co offered allowed Alissa to find a role that balances technical client work and staff development with a work-from-home, flexible schedule to stay involved in her community.
Learn more about Alissa.
The Right Type of Investment: Mike Meckstroth
Like many talented accountants, Mike began his registered funds career at a global firm, as his college advisers made it seem like the only real choice. Eventually, he became the firm’s recruiting champion for his alma mater, Ohio University. And it was one fateful recruiting event that led him to meet up with a former accounting classmate recruiting for Cohen & Co. About a week later, Mike found himself in discussions with a firm he admittedly didn’t know much about.
What he did know, however, was that within a three year period at his global firm he had lost numerous, incredibly talented people in which he had invested significant amounts of time developing. A bit burned out on the continual turnover, Mike felt Cohen & Co’s then up-and-coming registered funds practice was interesting enough to check out further. What he found was unexpected — a significant depth of expertise at all levels, from intern through partner, all living the more balanced life that he craved. Mike was surprised further when he met with senior partners who were real life examples of highly successful individuals leading high quality lives outside of the office.
After making the jump, Mike realized just how much Cohen & Co differs from other public accounting firms. He saw that the earlier an individual starts their registered funds career with Cohen & Co, the more advanced they are — beyond comparable levels at his former firm. He was challenged from Day 1, jumping in and absorbing all of the training and on-the-job experiences the firm offers. He also recognized and appreciated the emphasis placed on creating a great client experience, ensuring everyone on the investment industry team is ready before they show up at a client. For example, rather than training younger employees on technical aspects of the industry through client conversations and projects, as many other firms do, Cohen & Co takes great pride in educating their team internally. This approach results in more satisfied clients and ultimately more gratifying relationships for the team.
Learn more about Mike.