GRF CPAs & Advisors Announces Four New Partners
Bethesda, MD, January 6, 2025 – GRF CPAs & Advisors (GRF), a leading provider of audit, accounting, tax, and advisory services worldwide, is pleased to announce the firm has promoted three professionals to partner effective January 1, 2025. The promotions include Patty Kautz, Julie Hulem, and John McIntosh. In addition, GRF welcomes new team member, Christian Spencer, who joins GRF as a partner in Audit & Assurance.
“We are honored to admit three deserving individuals to GRF’s partner group for 2025,” said GRF’s President and Managing Partner, Jackie Cardello, CPA. “These promotions further emphasize our commitment to cultivating leaders and fostering growth opportunities at GRF.” She added, “We are also thrilled to welcome incoming audit and assurance partner, Christian Spencer, who adds depth to GRF’s nonprofit audit expertise.”
With more than 13 years of experience in tax compliance and planning, Julie Hulem, CPA has built a distinguished career specializing in tax services for flow-through entities. As a key member of the For-Profit Tax team at GRF CPAs & Advisors, she also supports corporate and individual clients. Over the last three years, Ms. Hulem managed the tax compliance and planning process for a diverse range of clients across industries, with expertise in government contracting, professional services, and real estate.
Patty Kautz, CPA is an accomplished strategic leader with over 35 years of experience in accounting and business operations. Ms. Kautz provides the leadership necessary to support company growth by focusing on effective operational processes, controls, and reporting procedures that help accounting firms achieve financial strength and operational efficiency. Her expertise includes financial management, corporate governance, oversight of all operational departments, infrastructure and process improvement, mergers and acquisitions and strategic risk management.
John McIntosh, CPA, has been a key member of the firm’s audit department since 2015. A trusted advisor to nonprofit organizations, his expertise spans a broad range of nonprofit entities including international NGOs, professional associations, private foundations, independent schools, and other charitable organizations. His in-depth knowledge of federal funding regulations enables him to assist clients in navigating the complexities of grant compliance, reporting, and audit requirements. His global perspective and ability to address cross-border audit challenges make him a valuable resource for clients managing international operations.
New to GRF in 2025, Christian Spencer, CPA, boasts over 29 years of public accounting experience, including 25 years working exclusively with nonprofit organizations. His extensive background includes planning and managing audits for a wide range of nonprofit organizations comprised primarily of professional and trade associations, charitable organizations, and educational institutions including several private schools in the Washington D.C. area. Throughout his career, Mr. Spencer has specialized in nonprofit auditing, equipping him to offer expert guidance to organizations with for-profit subsidiaries and political action committees. In addition, he brings a wealth of experience working with nonprofit organizations that manage alternative investments and receive federal grants.
GRF CPAs & Advisors – Advancing Talent, Clients, and Communities
Headquartered in the Washington, DC metropolitan region, GRF CPAs & Advisors (GRF) is a full-service professional services firm providing clients with audit and assurance, tax services, outsourced accounting, and advisory solutions. For more than 40 years, GRF has leveraged a deep bench of industry expertise to assist nonprofit organizations, government contractors, privately held businesses, trusts, and individuals with their most challenging financial and operational issues. GRF’s team of CPAs and advisors excel at helping our clients grow and reach their best financial position, which is why clients trust our firm to consult with them on all types of financial matters. Learn more about who we can help.
The firm is a member of CPAmerica, Inc., one of the largest associations of CPA firms in the United States. GRF’s membership guarantees clients access to the expertise and resources of more than 4,000 accounting and advisory professionals at 78 member firms throughout the country. CPAmerica is a member of Crowe Global, providing clients with access to the eighth largest accounting network in the world with over 200 independent firms in more than 130 countries.
GRF is consistently recognized among Inside Public Accounting’s Top 200 Accounting Firms and Accounting Today’s list of Best Accounting Firms to Work For. GRF was also named a 2024 Regional Leader and Firm to Watch by Accounting Today.