Dannible & McKee, LLP Announces the Promotion of Ten Professionals
Dannible & McKee, LLP, a Certified Public Accounting and Consulting firm with offices in Syracuse, Binghamton and Schenectady, New York, is pleased to announce the promotion of ten professional staff members.
“The promotion of ten individuals represents our dedication to providing opportunities for our employees to advance through their careers,” said Christopher Didio, CPA, CFE, managing partner of Dannible & McKee, LLP. “Investing in our employees and providing them with the tools they need to be successful continues to strengthen our firm.”
Samuel M. Lyon, CPA
Samuel M. Lyon, CPA has been promoted to tax senior manager. Lyon joined as an intern in 2013 and as a full-time staff accountant in 2015 in the tax department. He is responsible for overseeing tax engagements for a variety of the firm’s clientele and focuses on architecture and engineering, professional services, multi-state corporations and high-net-worth individuals. He is also involved in the firm’s business valuation and succession planning services. Lyon is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). He is on the board of LAUNCH, a nonprofit organization that provides individualized services that foster learning, independence and growth. Lyon graduated from Le Moyne College in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration in 2015. He resides in Camillus, New York.
Anthony J. Cerchia, CPA
Anthony J. Cerchia, CPA, has been promoted to tax manager. Cerchia joined the firm in 2017 in the tax department. He is responsible for serving a variety of clients with compliance, as well as tax planning and ownership transition analysis. Cerchia focuses on the automotive, construction, architecture, healthcare and manufacturing industries. He graduated from the State University of New York at Oneonta with a Bachelor of Science in professional accounting in 2016. Cerchia is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and a member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA. He currently resides in Dunedin, Florida.
Sean R. Conners, CPA
Sean R. Conners, CPA, has been promoted to tax manager. Conners started with Dannible & McKee in 2016 as an intern in the firm’s tax department and was hired as a full-time staff in 2017. He was promoted to tax senior in 2019 where he is responsible for the preparation and review of personal and corporate tax returns, individual and corporate tax planning and multi-state taxation. Conners earned his bachelor’s degree and Master of Business Administration in accounting from Le Moyne College in 2016. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and a member of the NYSSCPA and the AICPA. Conners currently resides in Liverpool, New York.
Kaitlyn L. Mariano, CPA
Kaitlyn L. Mariano, CPA, has been promoted to tax manager. Mariano joined the firm in 2012 as a staff tax accountant and was promoted to senior tax accountant in 2015. She graduated from Le Moyne College with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration in 2012. Mariano is responsible for working on various tax engagements, specifically within the construction and manufacturing industries, with a large focus on multi-state taxation. Mariano is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and a member of the NYSSCPA and the AICPA. She serves as the treasurer for County North Children’s Center, Inc. and treasurer for Eye Got This, Inc. She currently resides in Liverpool, New York.
Anthony Pokrentowski, CPA
Anthony Pokrentowski, CPA, has been promoted to tax manager. Pokrentowski joined the firm in 2018 after graduating from the College of Saint Rose with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in accounting. He is responsible for the preparation and review of individual, trust, partnership, S corporation and C corporation tax returns, as well as tax closings and year-end tax planning for clients. He specializes in manufacturing and the professional service industries, as well as multi-state entities and high-net-worth individuals. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and a member of the NYSSCPA and the AICPA. Pokrentowski resides in Clay, New York.
Abby K. Sweers, CPA
Abby K. Sweers, CPA, has been promoted to tax manager. Sweers joined the firm in 2019 after interning in 2017 and 2018. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Le Moyne College in 2018. She is responsible for the preparation and review of various individual and corporate tax engagements, including tax planning and compliance. Sweers specializes in the construction and manufacturing industries, along with multi-state entities and high-net-worth individuals. She is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and a member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA. She currently resides in Rochester, New York.
Alexis M. Layo
Alexis M. Layo has been promoted to tax supervisor. Layo joined the firm in 2013. She graduated from Niagara University with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting in 2011 and from Le Moyne College with a Master of Business Administration in 2012. She is responsible for overseeing various individual and corporate tax engagements, including tax closings, tax planning and compliance. Layo specializes in the architectural/engineering and healthcare industries, along with high-net-worth individuals, and she is also a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She currently resides in Syracuse, New York.
Christine N. Petrone
Christine N. Petrone has been promoted to accounting services supervisor. Petrone joined the firm in 2016 and is responsible for managing multiple client accounts. Her services include accounts receivable, accounts payable, bank and investment account reconciliations, tracking assets and recording accumulated depreciation, preparing budgets and accrual basis financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and maintaining accounting controls by preparing and recommending policies and procedures. Petrone is also a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She graduated from Cazenovia College in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in professional studies in business management and holds a certificate in management and supervision. She is also the treasurer for the Central New York Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance. Petrone resides in Cazenovia, New York.
Nathan T. Merulla, CPA
Nathan T. Merulla, CPA, has been promoted to audit senior. Merulla joined the firm in 2020 as a full-time employee after working as an intern the year prior. He is responsible for performing audits, reviews, compilations and employee benefit plan audits. Merulla graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2019 and a master’s degree in accounting in 2020. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and a member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA. Merulla resides in Cicero, New York.
Jake N. Pieklik, CPA
Jake N. Pieklik, CPA, has been promoted to audit senior. Pieklik joined the firm in 2020 as a full-time employee after working as an intern the year prior. He is responsible for performing audits, reviews, compilations, examinations and employee benefit plan audits. Pieklik graduated from Onondaga Community College with an associate degree in 2017 and from the State University of New York at Oswego with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting in 2019 and Master of Business Administration in 2020. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and a member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA. He currently resides in Liverpool, New York.
About Dannible & McKee, LLP
Established as a partnership in 1978, Dannible & McKee, LLP is committed to providing the highest level of professional services in the areas of audit, tax, accounting and financial management consulting services to clients nationwide. The firm focuses on major industry lines and specializes in multi-state taxation review, business valuation, litigation support and fraud prevention and detection. With offices in Syracuse, Binghamton and Schenectady, New York, the firm employs over 100 professional and support personnel, including 20 partners. Dannible & McKee was the first CPA firm in the region to join the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and is a member of Geneva Group International (GGI), an international network of independent professional firms committed to providing clients with access to expanded resources and professional expertise in the international marketplace. The firm has also been recognized as one of the Central New York Business Journal’s Best Places to Work in 2020, 2021 and 2022.