Lutz Announces 2021 Shareholder and Director Promotions

Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, recently announced its shareholder and director promotions for 2021.

Shareholder

Chris Bouchard has been promoted to Talent Shareholder in Lutz’s Omaha office. He has been a prominent presence in the Omaha talent search market for the past 20 years and leads Lutz’s talent division. Bouchard focuses on direct-hire and temporary staffing and strategic assessment and selection of potential candidates with an emphasis on human resources, accounting, finance, and office administrative positions.

Ben Burton, CPA, has been promoted to Tax Shareholder. Over the years, Ben has been a cultural leader at Lutz, active in developing our tax staff. His primary focus is providing income and state and local tax services to corporations, partnerships, and individuals. In addition, he specializes in trust and estate consulting and compliance. Burton works in Lutz’s Omaha office.

Joe Donovan, CPA, has been promoted to Tax Shareholder in Lutz’s Omaha office. Joe is known for his ability to provide top-notch client service along with efficient project management and staff development. He primarily focuses his time on tax compliance, research, and consulting assistance to privately held companies in various industries, including real estate development and construction.

Jenna Grenier, CPA, has been promoted to Tax Shareholder. She is a member of the Central Executive Committee and a key contributor to the tax operations of Central Nebraska. She focuses on providing tax and consulting services to privately held companies and their owners. Grenier works in Lutz’s Grand Island office.

Aaron Hoffman, CPA, has been promoted to Tax Shareholder in Lutz’s Omaha office. He is a go-to member for QuickBooks and small business accounting in addition to his strengths in serving clients and solving problems. He provides tax planning, research, compliance, and consulting services to privately held companies focusing on the real estate and construction industries.

John Kampfe, CPA, has been promoted to Tax Shareholder. He serves many of Lutz’s largest and most complex clients and is known for his technical expertise. His primary responsibilities include providing tax planning, research, and consulting services to privately held businesses and individuals. Kampfe works in Lutz’s Omaha office.

Julianne Kipple, CPA, has been promoted to Healthcare Shareholder in Lutz’s Omaha office. She provides an elevated level of technical expertise to the healthcare clients she serves. Her expertise is in accounting and consulting services for healthcare facilities, including outsourced CFO services, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, and Medicaid Disproportionate Share Surveys (DSH).

Director

Adam Austin, CPA, has been promoted to Tax Director. He brings several years of experience to the Omaha/Lincoln tax practice. His commitment to mentoring and developing staff has proven to be invaluable. He is responsible for providing tax consulting and compliance services to individuals, partnerships, and corporations focusing on the healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture industries. Austin works in Lutz’s Omaha office.

Clarke Beller, CPA, has been promoted to Audit Director in Lutz’s Omaha office. He has been integral in the construction practice from both a niche management and production standpoint. Clarke exemplifies the say-it-straight mentality, which both clients and team member’s respect. He specializes in providing auditing and consulting services to privately held companies and employee benefit plans with a focus on the construction industry.

Katie Byrd, CPA, has been promoted to Audit Director. She is heavily involved in several of the firm’s complex clients and does a tremendous job solving their problems. She provides assurance services to businesses focusing on the retail, service, manufacturing, nonprofit, and franchise industries. In addition, Katie assists with transaction advisory services and employee benefit plans. Byrd works in Lutz’s Omaha office.

Kirk Delperdang has been promoted to Healthcare Director in Lutz’s Omaha office. Kirk brings many years of experience, excellent client relationships and advanced technical knowledge to the healthcare department. He provides healthcare enrollment services to clients with a focus on Medicare providers and reimbursement analyses. In addition, he is responsible for leading Lutz’s cost report service line.

Nick Hall, CFP, has been promoted to Director in Lutz Financial. He has a deep technical background in financial planning. He specializes in creating thorough, adaptive financial plans and investment management strategies for high-net-worth families. Hall works in Lutz’s Omaha office.

Sarah James, CPA, has been promoted to Tax Director in Lutz’s Hastings office. She is highly technical and has proven that she can take the lead and build solid relationships through her service and delivery. She is responsible for providing income tax planning, consulting and compliance for individuals and closely-held businesses.

Josh Jenkins, CFA, has been promoted to Chief Investment Officer. He specializes in assisting clients with portfolio construction, asset allocation, and investment risk management. He is also responsible for portfolio trading, research and thought leadership as well as analytics and operational efficiency for the Firm’s Financial division. Jenkins works in Lutz’s Omaha office.

Jake Klabenes, CPA, has been promoted to Audit Director in Lutz’s Hastings office. He specializes in audits of governmental agencies, specifically housing authorities, with additional experience in not-for-profit entities and low-income housing tax credit projects. In addition, he has been a pivotal contributor to the Central Nebraska assurance department through managing scheduling and implementing processes. 

Matt Longenecker has been promoted to Tech Director. Throughout his six-year career at Lutz, Matt has built a reputation for solving problems no one else can. He is responsible for meeting with outsourced IT clients to develop a plan to resolve their technical issues. This includes designing a solution plan, presenting a proposal, and managing the technical support staff to implement the project. Longenecker works in Lutz’s Omaha office.

Alex Lutz has been promoted to Tech Director in Lutz’s Omaha office. He is responsible for technology and data analytics consulting, service and technical escalations, as well as building processes and procedures to improve the quality of service on the MSP helpdesk. During his 9 years at Lutz, Alex has emerged as a leader with a rare combination of technical, operational, and cultural skills. 

Steven Nebbia, CPA, has been promoted to Consulting Director in Lutz’s Omaha office. He is responsible for providing business and analytics consulting as well as tax consulting and compliance. Steven plays a vital role in overseeing tax operations and department changes. He uncovers critical data for decision-making, including implementing automation for tax processes using Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

Jonathan Patent, CPA, has been promoted to Tax Director in Lutz’s Lincoln office. He provides tax compliance and consulting services to clients with a focus on the construction and real-estate industries. In addition, Jonathan provides tax research and multi-state tax compliance services. Patent also plays a vital role in recruiting and staff development initiatives within the firm. 

Dan Sweeney has been promoted to Tax Director in Lutz’s Hastings office. He is often called on as a resource when highly technical issues arise, creating challenges and opportunities for our clients. He focuses on several areas, including tax preparation and planning for individuals, businesses, and estates and trusts. His experience also includes international tax and tax research.

Ryan Wade has been promoted to Tech Director. His primary responsibility is to manage the software solutions practice, including team administration, client relationship management and consulting on CRM and ERP strategy and solutions. Ryan is also the lead on Lutz’s online client portal, Threadworks. He oversees the design, development and implementation of the software internally and externally. Wade works in Lutz’s Omaha office and is active in the Omaha community. He is currently the Chair of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative.

Chris Wagner has been promoted to Director of Retirement Plan Services in Lutz Financial. He specializes in providing company and corporate retirement plan consulting and investment advisory services. Under his direction, Lutz Financial’s retirement plan division has grown to provide consulting and investment advisory services to more than 100 companies. Wagner works in Lutz’s Omaha office.

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