KWC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Research Institute Board Member
Ben Stokes is a principal in the firm's Business Services Group. He provides consulting, tax planning, and compliance services for closely held businesses and their ownership groups.
Ben has extensive experience in serving real estate-related industries including construction companies, real estate management groups, architectural services firms, and real estate brokerage firms.
Ben is a participant in an emerging leaders program consisting of future leaders from regional firms across the Southeast.
A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, Ben was born and raised in Northern Virginia. He is an avid fan of the Washington Nationals and DC sports. In his free time Ben can be found on the basketball court or reading up on current affairs.
Q. What do you enjoy about Public Accounting?
I enjoy providing guidance to clients and helping them make the most financially sound decision for their particular situation. Additionally, rules and regulations are always changing, so I enjoy the challenge of staying current on these changes, and then being able to apply the changes to my clients' strategies and compliance objectives.
Q. Why do you like working at KWC?
I enjoy the team oriented work environment at KWC. I believe that KWC values not just their employees career ambitions, but also their personal goals outside of the office. KWC provides employees the opportunity to have a great work/life balance through their policies, which includes allowing employees to have flexible work schedules.
Q. What do you enjoy doing outside of the office?
I am a big DC sports fan, so I enjoy following the local teams and attending their games. Additionally, I enjoy working out at the gym, playing basketball, golfing, and spending my leisure time with friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- CSEP / Principal
Brenda Curtis is a Principal at KWC. Brenda has more than 16 years of experience providing tax planning and preparation, business consulting, and estate and trust services.
Brenda's primary focus is working with high net worth individuals, estates, and trusts.
Q. What do you enjoy about Public Accounting?
The variety of work and helping clients with estate issues
Q. Why do you like working at KWC?
KWC offers me the chance to work with staff of all levels and help guide them through the early stages of their careers. I also enjoy being able to help our clients through very difficult times in their lives and deliver the best possible outcome.
Q. What do you enjoy doing outside of the office?
Being with family, playing with my dogs, reading, and watching Patriots/Red Sox games
Job Titles:
- Principal
- MTX / Principal
Cathy is a Principal at KWC. Cathy brings over 30 years of experience in tax planning advisory and compliance to her role as a Principal with KWC. Her breadth of experience comes from years of work within public and private sectors. She has extensive training and experience in Historic Rehabilitation projects qualify for income tax credits.
Connie Hammell is the Managing Principal of KWC. Connie has more than 15 years of experience providing tax planning & preparation, business consulting, estate and trust, and financial statement compilation and review services. She is accomplished in many industries including professional services, government contractors, real estate, and healthcare.
Connie works with closely held businesses and their owners in a variety of industries, providing compliance and advisory services on a range of issues that impact this segment. She also oversees the Client Advisory Services group, which provides accounting, outsourcing and technology solutions to a broad range of clients.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- CSEP / Principal
Debbie Stokes is a Principal at KWC. Debbie has more than 23 years of experience providing tax planning and preparation, business consulting, and estate and trust services. She is accomplished in many industries including professional services and real estate.
Debbie's primary focus is working with high net worth individuals, estates, and trusts. She also works closely with her clients on estate administration and the probate process.
Howard Kramer is a Principal at KWC. Howard has more than 20 years of experience providing tax planning & preparation to individuals, estates & trusts. Howard's primary focus is working with high net-worth individuals, estates, trusts, private foundations and charitable trusts.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal in KWC 's Family Wealth Services Group
Irene is a principal in KWC's Family Wealth Services Group. She specializes in tax planning and compliance, for a wide range of clients, with a focus on high net worth individuals and their related fiduciary, gift, and estate matters. Irene works closely with investment advisors and attorneys to maximize client tax planning opportunities. Many of Irene's clients have international tax exposure, and she works closely with their advisors and attorneys to meet their planning and compliance needs.
A graduate of Georgetown University, Irene has received numerous professional and personal awards and recognitions including: CPA Practice Advisor's 40 Under 40, and the Leadership Center for Excellence's 40 Under 40. She has served as a board member for the Northern Chapter of the Virginia Society of CPAs.
Outside of KWC, Irene is active in the rowing community. She is an adaptive rowing coach with Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital and the United States Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. She has coached at the World Championship level and represented the United States as the head rowing coach at the Invictus Games for the past three Games. She volunteers as the treasurer for Alexandria Community Rowing and Baltimore Adapted Recreation and Sports.
Jeff Creskoff is a Principal at KWC. Jeff has more than 22 years of experience providing tax planning & preparation, audit & assurance, business consulting and financial & retirement planning services. He is accomplished in many industries including professional services, government contractors, non-profits, real estate, construction, and healthcare.
Jeff's primary focus is working with small businesses and mid-to-high income individuals.
Jennica Whitfield is a Principal at KWC. Jennica has more than 13 years of experience providing audit & assurance services to non-profits, with a focus on voluntary health and welfare organizations.
Q. What do you enjoy about Public Accounting?
Before becoming an accountant I worked in the trenches at several non-profit organizations in a variety of positions. I have a passion for helping non-profits operate in a fiscally responsible way that helps them better further their mission. As a public accountant, I can help analyze a non-profit's financial reporting system and provide them with tools and suggestions to streamline their business processes in a way that enhances their mission.
Q. Why do you like working at KWC?
We have a great team at KWC. Everyone works very hard and is committed to providing an excellent service to our clients. We also have great clients!
Q. What do you enjoy doing outside of the office?
I have three small children that keep me very busy!
Joanna is a Principal at KWC. Joanna's specialty is accounting and assurance services for the industries that KWC serves, with an emphasis in real estate. She also enjoys working with a wide variety of commercial and non-profit clients.
Joanna started at Biegler & Associates in August 2013, after working over 10 years as an auditor with KPMG. She joined KWC in 2017 upon its merger with B&A.
Q. What do you enjoy about Public Accounting?
One of the best things about working in public accounting is the opportunity to work with a wide variety of small businesses and clients. I enjoy getting to learn about each client's business and help them identify opportunities to approach accounting from a new perspective or enhance controls to help safeguard assets. I have also found that no single client experience is the same and I am always learning from the unique perspectives of client's management teams and owners.
Q. Why do you like working at KWC?
In the Richmond office of KWC we have a very tight knit ‘family.' Many of the employees have been working together for a decade or more and everyone really knows how to work together to achieve the best results for our clients.
Q. What do you enjoy doing outside of the office?
I have two young boys and love spending time playing with them and attending an endless variety of activities together. I also enjoy cooking and experimenting in the kitchen with new foods, flavors and methods.
Kim is a Principal at KWC. She also served as Co-Founder and Tax Partner of Kimble CPA prior to their merger with KWC.
Kim focuses on providing tax and consulting services to individuals and family groups as well as closely held businesses and not-for-profit entities. With more than 38 years of experience, she specializes in complex multi-entity or multi-generational situations to provide innovative tax strategies and proactive tax planning.
Prior to starting Kimble, Kim was the founding partner of the Richmond-based accounting firm VanHuss & Associates, PLLC which combined with Elliott Davis Decosimo in 2013. Kim served as the Managing Shareholder for Elliott Davis Decosimo's Richmond office until 2016.
In her spare time, Kim enjoys spending time with her family at the river, doing volunteer work, and traveling.
Mike Wicks is a Principal at KWC. Mike has more than 37 years of experience providing tax planning & preparation, business consulting, estate & trust and financial & retirement planning services. Mike's primary focus is working in the professional services industry and with high net worth individuals and privately held businesses.
Michelle is a Principal at KWC. Michelle began her career with Biegler & Associates in 1993, prior to their merger with KWC. She has over seventeen years of experience in small business accounting, providing services including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll and payroll tax preparation and reporting, general ledger accounting, financial statement preparation and bank reconciliation. She also has over five years of experience with real estate development and accounting, notably with real estate tax credits and complex entity structures.
She is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor and enjoys assisting clients with accounting software set-up, training and support. Michelle is also one of three instructors for the Becker CPA Review Course in Glen Allen, Virginia.
She enjoys all the people, challenges, and learning opportunities that being part of a team affords her. "I look forward to work, each and every day!"
Education
University of Phoenix, B.S. Accounting
Steve Travis is a Principal at KWC. Steve has more than 32 years of experience providing tax planning & preparation, audit & assurance, employee benefit audit, and business consulting services. He is accomplished in many industries including professional services, government contractors, non-profits, and real estate. Steve previously served as Managing Principal of the firm for 10 years.
Terri O'Brien is a Principal at KWC. Terri has more than 11 years of experience providing tax planning & preparation and business consulting services. She is accomplished in many industries including professional services, government contractors, and real estate.
Terri's primary focus is working with high net worth individuals and privately held businesses.
Tom Lohr is a tax principal at KWC. Tom has more than 30 years of experience providing tax planning & preparation, audit & assurance, and business consulting services. He is accomplished in many industries including professional services, real estate, construction, and healthcare.
Wendy Kurz is a Principal at KWC. Wendy has more than 20 years of experience providing tax planning & preparation and business consulting services. She is accomplished in many industries including professional services, real estate, and construction.
Wendy's primary focus is working with privately held businesses, high net worth individuals, and multi-state operations.
Q. What do you enjoy about Public Accounting?
Each day presents a new opportunity to learn and grow in my profession. Our clients have unique financial situations and my workdays are anything but mundane.
Q. Why do you like working at KWC?
KWC is truly about client service. We structure our teams so we can always have someone familiar with the client in the office to respond to requests for assistance. Responsiveness and personal service are the underlying principles that drive our firm's continued growth.
Q. What do you enjoy doing outside of the office?
I love a good workout! I have a great group of friends that keep me motivated and encourage my love of fitness. Both of my children are active in sports ranging from tackle football to competitive weight lifting so I spend a great deal of time as their biggest cheerleader. I also enjoy movies, concerts, comedy shows and traveling. Most of my vacations are spent anywhere with a beach because I am still a Florida girl at heart.