News of the Firm – Cottrill, Arbutina & Associates and its talented team regularly make news with a variety of professional and community activities.

2011 News

 

New Peters Twp office

Dec. 21, 2011 - To accommodate continuing growth, Cottrill Arbutina is relocating its office in Peters Township to this new address, effective Jan. 1, 2012: 157 Waterdam Road, Suite 280, Waterdam Commons Office Park – McMurray, PA  15317. Our telephone and fax numbers remain unchanged. Tel: 724.683.3434 – Fax: 724.941.1789.

 

Tod Arbutina

Oct. 27, 2011 - Tod Arbutina speaks on a panel at a Marcellus Shale Informational Event moderated by State Representative Jim Christiana, 15th Legislative District, held at Seven Oaks Country Club.  Other panelists are the Marcellus Shale Coalition (overview of industry, tax issues, environmental developments); Range Resources (environmental protection); Chesapeake Energy (automobiles, other uses, corporate giving); National Association of Royalty Owners (land/royalty owner rights); the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (regulations); PGT Trucking (ancillary jobs) and Community College of Beaver County (new training center in Southpointe, Washington County).

Oct. 19, 2011 - Led by Tod Arbutina and John Ellsworth, Cottrill Arbutina hosts an Exit Planning Executive Briefing at its Beaver office. The event focuses on the fact that all business owners will leave their enterprise someday, whether on their own terms, or not. The firm helps clients to plan a successful transition, on the date they choose, for the amount of money they want, to the successor of their choice.  Clients benefit from using our proven, strategic seven step process, to maximize the value received from their business and minimize the tax consequences. [ more ]

 

Tiffany Smith	Ryan Tourney

Sept. 12, 2011 - Three new accountants -- Danielle M. Cordes, Tiffany J. Smith and Ryan Tourney -- have joined Cottrill, Arbutina & Associates.  They provide tax and audit services for closely held and entrepreneurial businesses, school systems, small government entities, not for profit organizations and credit unions.

 

• Cordes is a senior tax accountant. Earlier, she spent more than three years with a Big Four accounting firm, preparing and reviewing partnership and corporate returns.  She also is experienced with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s FAS 109 and analyses of effective tax rates, as well as foreign/international tax schedules and tax depreciation reviews. She is a 2007 graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, where she earned her bachelor of science in accounting degree.
• Smith is an auditor.  She received dual bachelors of science degrees in accounting and in finance in 2011 from Geneva College.  While at Geneva, she served in an auditing internship with Cottrill Arbutina, and was involved with field inventory counts and testing for activity and athletic funds, general cash disbursement and receipts, payroll and revenue.  As an undergraduate, she also was vice president of finance with the college’s Student Union and held an internship with Geneva’s business office. 
• Tourney is a tax accountant.  Earlier in his career, he was an accountant for a large corporation, performing bookkeeping and tax return services for 14 subsidiary companies. He also has experience with managing occupancy expenses for homeowner’s associations.  He is pursuing certification to become a certified public accountant (CPA) and certified management accountant (CMA).  He received his bachelor of science in accounting in 2007 from Slippery Rock University.

Aug. 8, 2011 - Cottrill Arbutina launches an innovative tool – “My Client Portal” – for clients to have their own personal, private portal accessible from every page on the firm’s website. It provides instant, 24/7 access to accounting and financial information online -- any time, day or night -- from any high speed internet connection.  The portal also is a solution for sharing and exchanging electronic files securely and quickly. [ More ]

 

MDA "jailbirds" Eleanor Wagner, left, and Pamela Roesch

June 1, 2011 - To raise funds so that the Muscular Dystrophy Association can send 10 children to camp this summer, Cottrill Arbutina & Associates tax manager Eleanor Wagner, CPA and Pamela Roesch, sales assistant with Cottrill, Arbutina Wealth Management Group, receive "fun warrants" and are sentenced to MDA Jail “for having big hearts,” but generously are “bailed out” by donations from clients, colleagues and friends. MDA provides help and hope to hundreds of thousands of children and adults across the country who live with neuromuscular disease. [ more ]

 

Lawrence Zahn, CPA	Eleanor Wagner, CPA

June 1, 2011 - Cottrill Arbutina forms a new Employee Benefits and Retirement Plans Group, led by Lawrence Zahn, CPA, and Eleanor Wagner, CPA, drawing together the firm’s collective experience in providing comprehensive audit and consulting services for clients who provide a retirement benefit plan to employees, specifically defined contribution plans.

May 2011 - Shareholder Joel Martin joins a dozen men from First Presbyterian Church in Beaver on a humanitarian mission trip to El Limonal, Nicaragua.  Located between a cemetery, sewage plant and a massive garbage dump, El Limonal’s residents earn a living by collecting plastics from the dump. The primary purpose of the mission was to share the good news of the Gospel and to assist the villagers in building a school, partnering with Food for the Hungry, a non-profit devoted to ending physical and spiritual poverty around the world.

Above: Joel Martin helps share the Gospel with Nicaraguan children and in constructing a school. Below: Martin's group enjoys a performance by students in El Limonal. Photos by Greg Pelka.

Cottrill Arbutina's Marilynne Donnelly, left, and KDKA-TV personality Jennifer Antkowiak

May 21, 2011 - Marilynne Donnelly of Cottrill Arbutina’s Beaver office helps lead the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Division of the International Association of Administrative Professionals® (IAAP) at Clarion, PA, featuring guest speaker Jennifer Antkowiak, morning anchor with KDKA-TV (CBS) in Pittsburgh. IAAP is an international group of 30,000 members worldwide which elevates the value, image, competence and influence of administrative professionals, with Donnelly serving as an officer with its Beaver Valley Chapter.

May 20, 2011 - Cottrill Arbutina presents a seminar for clients on the new Statement No. 54 of the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB 54) involving fund balance reporting and government fund type definitions.  Speakers include Andrew Sutton on GASB 54 involving fund balance changes; Michelle Renz on single audit issues; and Chad Agnew on preparing for general audits.

May 19, 2011 - The Beaver Business District Authority chooses Cottrill Arbutina's new building as the recipient of its 2nd Quarter Downtown Recognition. The building is recognized for its "outstanding contribution to our business district streetscape.  An unsightly vacant building at 525 Third Street was demolished, and in its place stands an attractive property that houses four new businesses." [ more ]

April 2011 - Shareholders Tod Arbutina and John Ellsworth, leaders of the firm's Exit Planning Group, co-author the Foreword to the book, How to Run Your Business So You Can Leave It in Style, by John H. Brown, president of Business Enterprise Institute, Inc. Readers will learn about the proven Seven Step Exit Planning Process® that takes them from where they are -- running successful organizations -- to where they want to be. [ more ]

March 2011 - The Spring 2011 issue of the magazine Community Health Magazine Beaver Valley publishes "Over-Taxed and Overwhelmed?" authored by tax manager Eleanor Wagner, CPA, providing guidance on when it does and does not make sense to prepare one's own income tax filing.  [ reprint ]

 

Above: Cottrill Arbutina's team of four squads in this year's "Bowl for Kids Sake" benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Beaver County. Below: bowlers Laura Scala and Lucas Rihely.

March 13, 2011 - The firms of Cottrill, Arbutina & Associates and Cottrill, Arbutina Wealth Management Group field several teams for this year’s Bowl for Kids Sake benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Beaver County. This year, approximately 500 bowlers were expected to participate in the two-day weekend event on March 12-13, 2011, at Sims Lanes in Beaver Falls and Baden Bowl in Baden.  The event is the largest annual fundraiser for the agency, which matches quality volunteer adult mentors with at-risk children ages 6 to 14 who reside in Beaver County within a home that lacks the involved and supportive participation of one or both parents. [ more ]

 

 

March 9, 2011 - Tod Arbutina makes a presentation on "Exit Planning" at the third annual Forged in Steel conference at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, to guide business owners and executives on how they can plan to successfully transition away from their business someday, on their terms. Led by Damian Williams of Leadership League, other speakers include former Pittsburgh Steelers players Craig Wolfley and Jon Kolb, current free safety Ryan Clark and marketing VP Tony Quatrini. The overall theme focuses is an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at leadership the "Steelers Way" -- leading, teaming and planning -- and unpacks the 7 Values that drive the team's success.

Jan. 24, 2011 - Himself the father of three adopted children, tax manager William Lincoln authors the article, "Tax Issues for Adoptive Parents."

Jan. 7, 2011 - An attractive hand-forged, fabricated steel sculpture is placed on Beaver’s newest office building in the heart of the Third Street business district, commissioned to celebrate the completion of this landmark structure, and as a permanent signature decoration further enhancing Beaver’s ambience as a Pittsburgh Magazine “Top 10 Neighborhood.” It symbolizes the bedrock values, beliefs and culture that have built the Cottrill Arbutina public accounting firm since its founding in 1984. [ more ]

2010 News

Nov. 23, 2010 - Tod Arbutina has been elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation, which operates an award-winning heritage museum and log house as a center for educating students, and sponsors the annual Garrison Day Sale and Memorial Day Parade in Beaver. Arbutina is a former board director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Beaver County and as co-chair of its annual auction has helped raise more than $130,000 over the past several years. Previously, he served in leadership roles with the Beaver County Red Cross and the Rotary Club of Beaver.

 

Tod Arbutina

Nov. 11, 2010 - Tod Arbutina, managing shareholder of Cottrill, Arbutina & Associates, and who heads the firm's Marcellus Shale Group, has been named to a statewide Marcellus Shale communications task force of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. In this role, he is advising the PICPA on strategies targeting property owners of natural gas reserves and other mineral rights in the methane-rich Appalachian Basin. These individuals will need knowledge and guidance in taxation and estate planning after receiving windfall lease royalty and bonus incomes. PICPA also wants to educate entrepreneurs in construction, engineering, manufacturing and real estate as well as leaseholders in exploration and production operations. [ more ]  Listen to his podcast for property owners and lease holders. [MP3, 4.5MB, 8.45 minutes]

Oct. 23, 2010 - The annual silent auction of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Beaver County, co-chaired by Tod Arbutina and his wife Tawnya, raises a record-breaking net of $32,000 to support the agency's mission to help vulnerable children to reach their potential, and an additional $8,000 in capital campaign contributions to assist with the acquisition, relocation and renovation of the agency's new building in New Brighton. With Arbutina's involvement, the auction has raised more than $130,000 over the past several years.

Sept. 24, 2010 - Cottrill Arbutina completes its move to the firm's new headquarters at 525 Third Street in the heart of the business district of historic Beaver, PA, a Pittsburgh Magazine "Top 10 Neighborhood."  Our beautiful new building - consolidating our team from our former offices in New Brighton and Chippewa Township - will be a center for comprehensive accounting, tax, estate and retirement planning for our clients. Note our new contact information -- tel 724.683.3400 - fax 724.683.3401. Click for directions and a list of new direct-dial phone numbers for our team.

 

Renz

Aug. 30, 2010 - Michele L. Renz, an accountant with Big Four experience who has worked in-house in both Fortune 500 and startup entrepreneurial companies, has joined the firm as a senior accountant. She will provide audit and accounting services for governmental entities including public school districts, municipalities and municipal authorities as well as credit unions. Previously, she was a project manager and controller for a marketing services firm in Illinois, and earlier was a senior accountant at Honeywell International's Sensing and Control Division. She obtained her bachelor of science degree in accounting, magna cum laude, in 1993 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

 

Children of the Twa community in Burundi

Kennedy

June 14, 2010 - Former Cottrill Arbutina accountant, small business advisor and QuickBooks specialist Andy Kennedy shares his personkal report from Burundi, a central African nation where he and his wife Amy are involved with the work of For His Glory International, a Christian ministry of which they are co-founders. Since 1980, the Kennedys have ministered globally in more than 25 nations. He writes: "Our outreach is in the central African nation of Burundi. Our headquarters is in the capital city of Bujumbura, although our ministry reaches out into all the 16 provinces. Burundi is about the size of the state of Maryland, but has a population of more than 8 million..." [ more ]

Left to right: Cottrill Arbutina's Joseph Bevevino; BBBS executive director Pamela Webb; and Maureen Donnelly Distinguished Service Award recipient Fred Clerici. Missing from photo: Pamela Roesch.

April 26, 2010 - Cottrill Arbutina receives the 2010 Outstanding Support of Program Award from the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Beaver County. On behalf of the firm, shareholder Joseph Bevevino and Pamela Roesch accept the award, which honors a business, group or individual who has gone above and beyond in supporting the agency. In her remarks BBBS board president Mara Pritchard says that: "Cottrill Arbutina and their staff members have raised thousands of dollars for our children's programs over the last five years through corporate and individual support of our special events. As past treasurer of the board, Tod Arbutina provided invaluable financial expertise to the agency. Additionally, Tod co-chairs our Autumn Auction Dinner with wife Tawnya and co-chairs Brad and Tammy Homan, and thanks to their combined leadership, the auction grew by 25 percent last year.  Finally, Cottrill Arbutina sold its former headquarters to BBBS at a substantially below-market price, helping the agency to realize our vision of a permanent location.” Staff from the office of State Representative Daryl Metcalfe announce that Arbutina is being recognized for five years of service through a House of Representatives Citation. 

 

Above, Jack Ellsworth (left) and Joe Bevevino. Below, Cottrill Arbutina's four teams, organized by Pamela Roesch of Cottrill, Arbutina Wealth Management Group (back row, far left).

March 14, 2010 - Cottrill Arbutina fields four teams in support of the 26th annual "Bowl for Kids Sake" event, the largest, most successful fundraiser benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Beaver County. The teams include "Dual Tools," with Julie Hines serving as captain; "Tax Masters" (led by William Lincoln); "Morning Stars" (Pamela Roesch); and "Significant Deficiencies." The annual bowling competition is held held at Sim's Lanes in Beaver Falls, PA.

Jan. 31, 2010 - The Beaver County Times covers the news of the firm's headquarters construction in a story entitled "Downtown Beaver Project to Begin Anew," quoting firm president Dale Cottrill. [ Full text ]

Construction of the firm's new headquarters in the heart of Beaver's business district began Feb. 1, 2010

Jan. 28, 2010 - Construction of the firm's new headquarters building, at 525-535 Third Street in Beaver, PA, will start on Feb. 1, 2010. “We have every intention of taking occupancy by September this year,” said Dale Cottrill, the firm's president, and one of the principals of building owner Third Street Renaissance. “The building will be a major landmark on Beaver's Third Street and a place we will proudly call home." [ more ]

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