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Schneider Downs Announces Donald Applegarth as New Leader for Assurance and Advisory Services
Donald B. Applegarth assumes leadership of firm’s audit and assurance practice
PITTSBURGH – Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s 60 largest certified public accounting firms, today announced that Donald B. Applegarth has been named the Chairperson of the firm’s Assurance and Advisory Services practice.
Mr. Applegarth will transition to the position with the assistance of Brian C. O’Brien, who held the Audit Practice Unit Leader position for the past 15 years. Mr. O’Brien will continue to serve clients and play a critical role in the firm’s client acquisition efforts.
“Schneider Downs has enjoyed the good fortune of steady growth for more than 60 years, and that includes the ongoing expansion of our shareholder group and leadership team,” explained Steven D. Thompson, co-CEO of Schneider Downs. “That places us in a position to create a smooth leadership transition in our audit and assurance practice. Don and Brian have worked together for more than 16 years, and Don can continue to leverage Brian’s experience as he assumes new responsibilities.”
Mr. Applegarth entered public accounting in 1992 and joined Schneider Downs in 2001. He has made significant contributions towards the growth of the audit practice and more broadly to the Firm by serving clients across all of the Firm’s practice disciplines. Mr. Applegarth will also continue to serve as a leader on the Firm’s Assurance Technical Advisory Committee, the governance body of the audit practice. His expertise includes working with public companies as well as large, privately-held corporations. He also leads the firm’s growing Retail Services group.
As chair of the audit and assurance group, Mr. Applegarth will be responsible for overseeing the audit practice’s core services by providing technical guidance and oversight, as well as developing programs for education, team mentoring and day-to-day department administration. He will continue to serve clients of the firm.
“I am humbled and honored to be named to this position, particularly given the opportunity to follow Brian O’Brien, who has been an incredible mentor and friend throughout my tenure at Schneider Downs,” Mr. Applegarth said. “We will continue to be a practice with a commitment to providing our clients with the highest level of service coupled with a personal focus. We have tremendous opportunity to continue fueling the growth of our assurance and risk advisory services by attracting, retaining and developing talented professionals with a passion for what they do. We best serve our clients by developing close relationships with them, knowing their needs, and delivering unparalleled services to help them succeed. This is an amazing opportunity to lead a very talented group of professionals into the future, and I’m grateful to my fellow shareholders for their confidence and trust.”
Mr. Applegarth is a graduate of Wheeling Jesuit University, and is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants.
About Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.
Schneider Downs is a regional accounting and business consulting firm providing tax, audit and business advisory services to public and private companies and nonprofit organizations. The firm offers more than 80 services from five business units: Assurance and Tax Advisors; Business Advisors; Technology Advisors; Wealth Management Advisors; and Corporate Finance Advisors. With offices in Pittsburgh, Columbus and the District of Columbia, the firm serves clients with local, national and global interests.