FARGO, ND — 15 staff members were accepted into the partnership of Eide Bailly LLP, a regional certified public accounting and business advisory firm. This brings the total number of partners to 230.
“Strong leadership skills and deep expertise in their industries are the stand-out qualities in our newest partners,” said Dave Stende, managing partner/CEO. “These professionals exemplify the Eide Bailly difference. They go above and beyond to give our clients an experience that is second to none and help those clients feel confident in their business decisions. I look forward to seeing the continued accomplishments of these new partners.”
The new partners/principals are:
Tyler Bernier, CPA, has more than 10 years of experience in public accounting serving the health care industry. He manages and supervises health system, hospital, senior living and other health care-related audits in urban and rural areas. In addition to auditing, Bernier provides advisory services to clients around financial and operating benchmarking, investment strategies, and private and public debt offerings to assist his clients in making more informed decisions. He shares his expertise regularly with clients to help them make more informed decisions and understand the impacts of various changes impacting the health care industry. Bernier also currently serves on Eide Bailly’s health care technical issues committee, which focuses on education and process improvement for the firm’s health care assurance practice. Bernier recently transitioned to Eide Bailly’s Oklahoma City office, and works on client engagements across the country.
Aaron Clayton, CPA, has been providing audit, tax, accounting and consulting services to a variety of industries for nine years, including health care, utility cooperatives, ag processors and commercial entities. He manages and supervises audit and accounting services for health systems, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies and rural health clinics, as well as for electric and telephone utilities. He also manages and supervises tax services for utilities. Clayton is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Sioux Falls, S.D., office.
Michael Criddle, CPA, has more than 14 years of experience working in tax with partnerships, S corporations, corporations, individuals, trusts and nonprofits. He is part of Eide Bailly’s International Tax Services Group and specializes in international taxation, specifically as it relates to individuals. He’s worked with foreign investments in the U.S. and with companies on employment-related issues they face sending employees on foreign and domestic assignments. Criddle is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Salt Lake City office.
Stacy Erdmann, CPA, has more than 14 years of public accounting experience serving a variety of industries. She provides tax and technical services to individuals, partnerships and corporations and assists business and individual clients in tax planning and return preparation. She conducts tax research projects and educates staff and clients on current tax developments. Erdmann has experience working closely with physicians and medical practice from the start-up phase through the transition to new ownership. She also spends a significant amount of time working in the areas of real estate development and retirement plan taxation. Erdmann is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Sioux Falls, S.D., office.
Derek Flanagan, CPA, has been providing audit, consulting and accounting services to a variety of industries for more than nine years. His primary focus is in the government and utility industries. Flanagan coordinates and supervises governmental and utility audits and serves as an instructor for governmental training at Eide Bailly. He is also a member of the Government Finance Officers Association Special Review Committee, which helps select winners for the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence Financial Reporting Program. Flanagan is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Fargo, N.D., office.
Nathan Gonseth, CPA, has more than 10 years of experience providing audit and assurance services to clients in a variety of industries including manufacturing, wholesale, retail, construction and dealerships. He provides public accounting services to more than 60 organizations and has experience working with employee benefit plans. Gonseth is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Sioux Falls, S.D., office.
Kayce Halley, CPA, has more than 10 years of public accounting experience providing tax services to a variety of clients, including retailers/wholesalers, real estate, manufacturers, closely held organizations and individuals. She shares her expertise with staff by developing and conducting department and firmwide training. She also serves as a cabinet member for the local United Way campaign. Halley is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Fargo, N.D., office.
Brenda Leibfried, CPA, has 19 years of public accounting experience working primarily with financial institutions ranging in asset size from $10 million to more than $1 billion. She plans, performs, supervises and reviews financial statement audits, agreed-upon procedures and internal audit engagements, as well as works with banks regarding fraud and embezzlement issues. Her knowledge makes her a regular presenter for bank client seminars. Leibfried is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Mankato, Minn., office.
Renee Malewski, CPA, has been providing tax services for more than 20 years to a variety of industries, high wealth individuals and controlled groups. She consults with clients to share insight on accounting, individual, corporate, partnership and international tax, as well as financial and estate planning needs. Malewski is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Boise, Idaho, office.
Jason Olson, CPA, has conducted hundreds of forensic accounting examinations and forensic interviews since joining Eide Bailly. He provides forensic accounting services for complex financial investigations, documents and quantifies fraud losses for businesses and assists clients with insurance claims regarding employee dishonesty. He also provides litigation support in civil and criminal proceedings. His specialized expertise makes him a frequent author of fraud-related articles. Olson is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Minneapolis office.
Sandi Piatz, principal, has more than 17 years of experience in the technology industry providing technology and business guidance for organizations across many industries, including manufacturing, architecture and engineering, insurance, utilities, municipalities and financial institutions. She has extensive training in customer service and project management and is a manager of Eide Bailly's technology consulting client account management and marketing teams. Sandi serves on the Board of Directors for ITCND (Information Technology Council of North Dakota) and The Kindred Area Community Foundation, and is a volunteer teacher for Junior Achievement. Piatz is a principal in Eide Bailly’s Fargo office.
Joe Pope, CPA, has more than 12 years of experience planning, performing and managing audit and consulting engagements in a variety of industries, including financial institutions and nonprofits. He has worked extensively in the insurance industry for more than nine years serving a variety of organizations with revenues up to $2 billion. Pope regularly shares his expertise through presentations to boards of directors and audit committees as well as internal and external educational seminars. He is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Minneapolis office.
Justin Reilly, CPA, has been providing public accounting services to clients in a variety of industries for more than 11 years, including dealerships, construction and manufacturing. He assists in tax planning and return preparation for S corporations, partnerships, individuals and C corporations. He shares his knowledge by regularly conducting tax research and educating clients and staff on current tax developments. Justin is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Sioux Falls office.
Clay Waller, CPA, has more than 13 years public accounting experience providing services to public and private clients in a variety of industries, including financial institutions, manufacturing, retail/wholesale, real estate and construction, hospitality and ERISA employee benefit plans. He regularly helps organize recruitment events and other activities that promote the firm’s culture. Outside of work, he serves as a board member and treasurer of Adam’s Camp, a Colorado-based nonprofit organization that benefits children with special needs and their families. Waller is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Denver office.
Chad Wilsie, CPA, has more than eight years of public accounting experience providing compliance services including payroll taxation, individual and business income tax, property tax, trust and gift services to a variety of industries, with his primary industry focuses being manufacturing, hospitals, high net worth individuals, insurance companies, and professional and general service companies. He also conducts research and planning services in the areas of international tax, multi-state taxation, purchase and sales of businesses, credit analysis and accounting method changes. Wilsie is a partner in Eide Bailly’s Oklahoma City office.
About Eide Bailly LLP
Eide Bailly provides 44,000 clients across the nation with core services of audit & assurance and tax, as well as expanded services, including accounting services, cost segregation, employee benefits, enterprise risk management, financial services, forensic & valuation, health care reform, international services, risk advisory services, technology consulting, transaction services and wealth management. Eide Bailly has offices located in Phoenix, Ariz.; Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Golden and Grand Junction, Colo.; Boise, Idaho; Dubuque, Iowa; Mankato and Minneapolis, Minn.; Billings, Mont.; Elko, Fallon, Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.; Bismarck, Fargo and Williston, N.D.; Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla.; Aberdeen and Sioux Falls, S.D.; Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah; and Spokane, Wash.