Grennan Fender has been a leading Central Florida CPA and business solutions firm for more than 40 years. Today, it remains one of the only locally owned firms of its size. A core focus of the firm is its proactive approach, which allows its clients to accelerate their success through financial clarity. Grennan Fender goes beyond traditional accounting to help owners of small and mid-sized businesses reach their profitability and exit goals. Though its reach is statewide, Grennan Fender’s family business values drive its personalized service that is characteristic of a local CPA firm. When your organization requires expertise and a quick response, Grennan Fender’s hands-on approach delivers!
Growing one’s business while minimizing risk and taxes is an objective of every entrepreneur. To do so requires surrounding yourself with advisors and professionals that can see the things you cannot, especially given the noisy and cluttered world we live in.
“Our approach is not rearview-mirror oriented,” says Founding Partner Jed Grennan. “To assist clients, it is important to show that you have successfully navigated the years and are profitable yourself.” With its root dating back to 1975, Grennan Fender is among the top 15 largest CPA firms in Central Florida and one of the few remaining CPA firms in Orlando that is still under local ownership.
“Just as importantly, we must demonstrate proactivity and collaboration both within the firm and with other strategic alliance partners.” That infers process and planning – an approach the firm and its 35 employees take very seriously. “If I could name the core themes that define the firm, they are its relationships, a passion for service, and a client-first mentality,” Grennan says.
Key to its longevity is the way Grennan Fender rises to every challenge in the spirit of its four core values of Proactivity, Collaboration, Professionalism, and Fun. In doing so, the firm exhibits servant leadership both internally and in its community.
- PROACTIVE – We continually strive to stay focused on the important so
we minimize the urgent. - COLLABORATION – We believe that we can all accomplish more when
we enthusiastically share our talents. - PROFESSIONALISM – We continuously develop our skills to allow us
to find trusted solutions for our clients, while remaining humble and
respectful of others in every situation. - FUN – We know that work that is fun is work that gets done.
Grennan Fender’s proactive approach assumes inclusion of others within the firm and specialists outside the firm who are also advising their clients. This process drives opportunities and revelation about a client’s total situation. By demonstrating a collaborative approach, the firm’s clients and those other advisors have become the firm’s best advocates. They know Grennan Fender’s prime focus is to deliver and do whatever it takes, and that such a quality cannot be taught in a classroom.
Partner Mike Hess elaborates further: “Our family business values of trust and respect, together with a servant-leader philosophy, brings us the talented individuals who make the firm their career. Our team culture is built on this. Grennan Fender’s leadership team includes seasoned professionals who themselves inspire others to know and understand our clients’ goals and objectives.”
Such professionalism also requires humility; the firm acknowledges that it cannot possibly know the answer to every question or issue, but that opens the door to a respect for others with different skill sets and points of view, both inside and outside the company.
Grennan Fender’s adaptability does not stop there. Business changes daily and the firm knows it needs to be learning about new technology, new skills, new companies, and new people. For Grennan Fender, it’s all about How Can I Help?. That perspective enables the firm to think continuously outside the box about the future and put risk and reward in perspective for its clients. Driven by curiosity and the desire to serve and be proactive, Grennan Fender seeks to listen, learn, and understand. At heart, the firm asks a lot of questions before moving to answers. The more they know about their customers, their partners, and their people, the better they can help.
“You cannot continue to grow year over year and serve the caliber of clients we do, without a coordinated team who trusts each other and holds each other accountable,” says the firm’s Sr. VP Geoffrey Gallo. Accounting Director Katie Drees adds, “As the Chief Fun Officer, I ensure that we embody our core value of fun on a daily and weekly basis. Our multi-generational workforce responds with a quality work product and client service in a fun environment.”
“Accelerating Success Through Financial Clarity is the company’s value proposition,” says Scott Stinard, the firm’s Assurance Director. “Our organization is dedicated to this and motivates our team every moment of each day. We live and breathe it.”
Grennan Fender’s comprehensive service model delivers Tax, Assurance, Client Accounting Services, and Strategic Consulting services utilizing an efficient diagnostic and delivery formula that keeps clients coming back for more and referring others. “I am so proud of our team. You can be sure we will deliver the results you need,” says Grennan. “We guarantee the optimal client satisfaction experience.”
