Audit Services: Matt Federle, Andy Flores, Phil Ilgenstein and Jennifer Ripka Tax Services: Kurtis Dixon, Blayne Lowary and Jon Pezzi
Weaver, a top 40 United States accounting firm with offices across the country,recently promoted the following Dallas-Fort Worth(DFW) professionalsto partner in audit services:Matt Federle and Jennifer Ripka;and the following DFW professionals to partner intax services:Kurtis DixonandBlayne Lowary. The firm also promoted, in other locations, the following professionals to partner in audit services:Andy Flores and Phil Ilgenstein; and to partner in tax services:Jon Pezzi.
“We are very pleased to promote these Weaver team members to partner,” said John J. Mackel III, Weaver’s managing partner and CEO. “Each has demonstrated outstanding dedication, expertise and leadership during their time with the firm. They will continue to deliver exceptional service to our clients, and we look forward to seeing their continued growth and leadership in their service lines and locations as they take on their new roles.”
New Audit Partners in Dallas and Fort Worth
Matt Federle, CPA
Partner, North Texas Audit Services, Dallas
In 2005, Federle began his career when he worked as an intern for Weaver. He joined the firm full time in 2009. Federle leads assurance and consulting services engagements for public, private and private equity-funded companies in upstream and midstream oil and gas, property and casualty insurance, oil field service and employee benefit plans industries. He also advises on financial reporting and technical accounting matters for clients ranging from start-up companies to companies with annual revenues up to $500 million. Federle’s detailed knowledge and experience with accounting matters include business combinations and purchase accounting, asset and goodwill impairments, equity transactions, and disclosure and reporting requirements for public reporting companies. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), the Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies, the Association for Corporate Growth and Dallas Young Professionals in Energy. Federle earned a Master of Science degree in accounting and information management from the University of Texas at Dallas and a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance from Trinity University.
Jennifer Ripka, CPA,
Partner, North Texas Audit Services, Dallas
In 2007, Ripka began her career as an intern with Weaver and joined the firm as an associate later that same year. She leads engagement teams that provide financial statement audits and single audits for government entities such as large municipalities and school districts, as well as nonprofit organizations. Sheis well-versed in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) requirements for the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. Ripka is a member of the AICPA, TSCPA and its Fort Worth chapter, GFOA and its Special Review Committee, and GFOA of Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from Texas Tech University.
New Tax Partners in Dallas and Fort Worth
Kurtis Dixon, CPA
Partner, North Texas Business Tax Services, Dallas
Dixon began his career as an intern at Weaver in 2008 and joined the firm as an associate shortly thereafter. He provides tax compliance, planning and consulting services, including multi-state issues,to corporations, S corporations, partnerships and individuals. He focuses on serving the needs of health care professionals, other service professionals, inventory-based businesses, manufacturing entities and high-net-worth individuals. Dixon also prepares and reviews income tax provisions. He is a member of the AICPA and TSCPA. He earned a Master of Science degree in taxation, a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and a Bachelor of Science degree, all from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Blayne Lowary, CPA
Partner, Investment Fund Tax Services, Fort Worth
Joining Weaver in 2017 as a senior manager, Lowary originally began his career nine years ago with a Big Four accounting firm and has provided tax compliance and consulting services for alternative investments, including private equity and real estate funds. He has extensive experience with distressed debt funds, fund-of-funds, deal structuring and foreign investment considerations. Lowary has managed tax compliance and reporting for investment funds ranging from $200M to $2B in committed capital. He is a member of the AICPA who earned a Master of Science degree in accounting from Ohio State University and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the University of Oregon.
New Audit Partners in other locations
Andy Flores, CPA
Partner, South Texas Audit Services, Houston
Flores joined Weaver in 2007 as an associate when the firm expanded into Houston and merged with McDonald, Fox and Lund, P.C. He focuses on audits of public and private upstream and midstream oil and gas companies, royalty trusts and manufacturing companies. Flores has extensive experience in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) reporting and international group audits. He is a member of the TSCPA and the Baylor Alumni Association. Flores earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from Baylor University.
Phil Ilgenstein, CPA
Partner, South Texas Audit Services, Austin
Joining Weaver in 2016 as a senior manager, after more than 10 years of public accounting experience in both Texas and Louisiana,Ilgenstein has overseen teams that provide audit and assurance services for a wide variety of clients, ranging from small venture capital and private equity-backed startups to Fortune 200 and multinational corporations. His client experience includes companies operating in industries such as technology and software, semiconductor design and manufacturing, telecom, heavy and industrial equipment, general manufacturing, upstream oil and gas, consulting, fund management and real estate. Ilgenstein alsohas extensive experience providing audit and assurance services for SEC registrants, including integrated audits, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings (IPOs) and various other debt and equity offerings. He is a member of the AICPA and is active in several community service organizations in his hometown of Austin. He earned a Master of Science degree in finance and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, both from Texas A&M University.
New Tax Partner in another location
Jon Pezzi, CPAPartner, South Texas Business Tax Services, Houston
Pezzi joined Weaver in 2012 as a senior associate. He focuses on federal and state taxation of partnerships, corporations and S corporations, primarily working with companies in private equity, midstream oil and gas, real estate and manufacturing industries.Pezziprovidestax consulting for mergers and acquisitions, including tax structuring and tax due diligence. He has significant experience handling multi-state taxation issues and public company taxation issues, including Accounting Standards Codificat ion (ASC) 740 issues. Pezzi is a member of the AICPA and its specialized Tax Section, TSCPA and the Houston CPA Society. He earned a Master of Science degree in accounting from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Ohio State University.
About Weaver
Founded in 1950, Weaver currently has more than 650 employees and offices in nine cities across the United States. Weaver is ranked the 37th largest firm in the United States and among the “2017 Best of the Best Accounting Firms” by INSIDE Public Accounting. The firm is also ranked the largest independent accounting firm in the Southwest and by Accounting Today magazine.
Weaver serves a broad range of clients including public and private national and international companies, nonprofit organizations and government entities. In addition to traditional assurance and tax services, Weaver also provides international tax, state and local tax, and wealth strategies services as well as risk management, transaction advisory, IT advisory, energy compliance and consulting, and forensics and litigation support services. Learn more at www.weaver.com.
