Zinner & Co. CPA and Consultants is proud to announce the recent hiring of Claire Stanislawski and Madelyn Thome.
Stanislawski started as the Accounting and Tax Services Supervisor on Aug. 12, while Thome was hired as an Accounting and Tax Staff Accountant on July 8.
Clair Stanislawski
A 2009 graduate of John Carroll University with a B.S. in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Accounting, she earned her CPA in 2014.
Stanislawski began her career with Cunningham & Associates, where she was an intern before being hired full-time as a staff accountant.
In August 2014, she joined Pease Bell CPAs as Supervisor of the Accounting and Tax Group.
Stanislawski said she was attracted to Zinner & Co. because the position seemed geared toward her strengths.
“I’ve always had a mix of accounting and tax in my career, so far, and this position really spoke to my strengths and experiences,” she said. “I like the ability to stay abreast of the ever-changing GAAP and tax policies to help my clients plan for success. I’ve already been exposed to a multitude of different projects so far and really enjoy the variety.”
While interviewing, the Zinner & Co. culture stood out to her and helped her determine it was the right move for her career.
“I thought it was impressive that there were multiple employees that have been at the company for over 20 years, which truly speaks to the culture of the company,” said Stanislawski. “They try to not only cater to everyone’s work strengths, but also to provide them with work projects they really enjoy, which shows the Partners really care about and support their employees.”
With 16 years of public accounting experience, Stanislawski believes her exposure to a wide variety of industries, her work on multiple unique tax transactions, and her QuickBooks certification will help her in her new position.
“I have a strong understanding of the business cycle and thoroughly enjoy helping clients get their financials in order,” she said. “My experience falls in line with this position and department nicely. I am looking forward to applying what I’ve learned over the years to helping clients at Zinner succeed in their businesses and future plans.”
Now, nearly three months on the job, Stanislawski already feels like a part of the Zinner & Co. family and likes the challenges of her role.
“I enjoy the variety of work and projects,” Stanislawski said. “Getting exposed to new challenges regularly helps me to continue to grow professionally. I enjoy the collaborative environment and getting to work with talented and supportive colleagues makes the workday enjoyable.
“The work environment is very collaborative at Zinner & Co; it’s a very comfortable and friendly environment. Everyone has been so helpful and welcoming,” she added.
A Lakewood resident, Stanislawski is married to her husband Mark. They have two dogs - Dottie and Millie.
The couple loves to explore the outdoors, camp, hike, and try different craft breweries. She also enjoys crafting and hosting different events, such as bake-offs and cook-offs.
Madelyn Thome
A recent graduate of Kent State University, Thome had worked with the firm as a tax intern before accepting the full-time position.
As an accounting major, she initially did not know what direction she wanted to pursue after graduation. However, one class at Kent State stood out and helped her decide that public accounting could be the right fit for her.
“I had really enjoyed a tax class I had taken at Kent, and I figured that this was something that I might want to try my hand at,” Thome said.
After her first interview with the firm, Thome felt the internship had found her.
“Not only would I be able to get experience in an accounting firm, but I was also given the opportunity to learn and that really made me excited for this position,” she added.
During her internship, Thome prepared individual tax returns. This experience helped her learn the firm’s systems and the preparation process when working with clients, which made the transition to a full-time role easier.
For Thome, the work environment made her feel comfortable, and she enjoyed the team atmosphere.
“The work environment really stood out to me,” she said of her time as a Zinner Intern. “I never felt any sort of pressure while working during the busy season. I was able to move at my own pace and know that the work was getting done in a timely manner without feeling like I was falling behind or maybe not in line with expectations. I was always able to go to anyone for questions, especially the Partners, which was huge for me.”
She also credited the helpfulness of the entire staff, who were all patient and helpful while she learned.
“As someone who had never worked with taxes before, I was nervous going in, but after the first few days, I knew that if I ever needed help with anything, I could go to anyone in the office with questions and they would be more than willing to help,” said Thome.
Besides being helpful, she also described the Zinner & Co. work environment as friendly and supportive.
“The work environment is amazing,” Thome said. “Everyone has been so friendly and willing to help you any chance they get. Even when you are in the midst of the busy season, the office still has a calm atmosphere to it and it really can help keep the stress factor down when you might have a lot on your plate. Everyone is very supportive and willing to collaborate when you might run into new things. This was especially helpful when I was an intern, as everything was new to me!”
Thome's relationship with her co-workers and the family atmosphere at Zinner & Co. were one of the main reasons why she wanted to continue her career with the firm.
“There is always some sort of event or activity going on, whether inside the office or outside that involves everyone in the company,” she said. “I have always felt that if you don’t have a decent relationship with your co-workers, then it can really ruin a work experience. Thankfully, I love partaking in anything they have going on at Zinner. Even when I was an intern, this was a huge green flag for me because they always made sure to include us in anything they had going on.”
Welcome to the team
On behalf of the Partners and the Zinner & Co. staff, we welcome both Claire and Madelyn to the firm.
If you have the opportunity to speak with them, please welcome them as well.
