Dannible & McKee, LLP Announces Leadership Transition
Dannible & McKee, LLP. a certified public accounting and consulting firm with offices in Syracuse, Binghamton and Schenectady, New York, is pleased to announce the leadership transition of their managing partner and partner-in-charge of assurance services.
Christopher Didio, CPA, CFE, has been elected by his fellow partners to serve as the firm’s new managing partner. Didio, whose term began July 1, 2022, succeeds Michael J. Reilly, CPA/ABV, CVA, CFF, CDA, who has led the firm since 2018. Reilly will remain active in the firm by continuing to serve as a tax consulting partner, focusing on business valuation, litigation support and expert testimony, mergers and acquisitions and other tax consulting and compliance matters.
“Identifying and developing leaders is inherent to our firm’s ownership transition planning, and we are excited for what the future has in store with Chris being named our next managing partner,” said Reilly. “Our partners are confident that he will successfully lead and evolve the firm into its next generation.”
Didio, who started with the firm in 1987, has extensive experience providing audit and accounting services to a wide range of privately held companies. He concentrates in various industry specialties, including nonprofit organizations, manufacturing companies, healthcare and insurance agencies, and he specializes in providing fraud and forensic examinations and lost revenue and profit calculations. Didio is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and a Certified Fraud Examiner. He also oversees the firm’s forensic accounting and fraud detection and prevention services and is the partner-in-charge of the firm’s recruiting efforts.
As managing partner, Didio will oversee day-to-day operations, and will be responsible for guiding the firm’s overall strategy, growth, innovation and culture across its audit, tax, accounting and advisory services.
“I am honored to assume the role of managing partner for Dannible & McKee,” said Didio. “Our firm has a great history of leadership, and I look forward to leading a talented, client-focused and community-engaged team to deliver the highest level of service to our clients. I am committed to the success and development of every employee and providing a great firm for our professionals to build their careers.”
Victor W. Vaccaro, Jr., CPA/ABV, CFF, CDA, has been elected as the firm’s partner-in-charge of assurance services. Vaccaro, whose term also began July 1, 2022, succeeds Kenneth C. Gardiner, CPA, CCIFP, CDA, who has led the firm’s assurance services since 2005. Gardiner will actively continue his role as an audit consulting partner with the firm.
Joining the firm in 1990, Vaccaro has extensive experience providing auditing, accounting and advisory services. He specializes in working with architectural and engineering firms and manufacturing companies. His areas of expertise include FAR overhead audits, business valuations, ownership transition, mergers and acquisitions and forensic accounting. Vaccaro also focuses on consulting engagements designed to enhance the profitability of his clients, including implementation of performance management techniques, activity-based costing projects, customer profitability analysis, improved budgeting and strategic planning initiatives. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in New York State, Illinois, Indiana and North Carolina, and is Accredited in Business Valuation by the AICPA, Certified in Financial Forensics and is a Certified Design Accountant.
Brian W. Johnson, CPA, CFE, will be part of the firm’s succession plan over the next year as he plans for his retirement. Johnson is an audit partner with over 38 combined years of experience providing audit and accounting services to both private and publicly held domestic and foreign companies. He joined the firm in 2006 and has been instrumental in providing audits of the controls of service organizations (SOC audits), internal audit outsourcing and internal controls evaluation and consulting for clients. He will remain an active partner during this time.
“I would like to thank Mike and Ken for their extraordinary leadership over the years, especially during COVID-19,” added Didio. “We are excited about them continuing in the partnership. I would also like to recognize Brian for his dedication to the firm and his mentorship of our young professionals. We take pride in our commitment to succession and continuity planning that supports the growth of the firm and the level of service we provide to our clients.”
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 GGI Alliance, 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.