Staff Highlights – Summer 2026

New Team Members

Over the summer, we’ve been excited to welcome several new professionals to our BMF team.

Audit: 

• Shanon Jackson joins us as a Staff Accountant after completing internships with BMF in spring 2025 and spring 2026. He recently graduated from The University of Akron with degrees in accounting and finance and resides in the Akron area. Outside of work, Shanon enjoys watching sports and spending time with friends and family.

Tax: 

• Jessica Basnett joins us as a Staff Accountant after completing internships with BMF in spring 2025 and spring 2026. She recently graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a degree in accounting and resides in Strongsville. Outside of work, Jess enjoys spending time outdoors and going on walks with her dog, Minnie.
• Karen Burke joins us as a Supervisor. She brings more than 10 years of experience, including the past four years with a CPA firm in the Cleveland area. Karen lives in North Royalton with her husband and their dog, Baxter. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, attending concerts, reading, and playing pickleball.
• Joseph Felice joins us as a Staff Accountant. A recent graduate of John Carroll University, Joe previously completed an internship focused on State and Local Tax with a global manufacturing company. He resides in Aurora and enjoys going to the gym and spending time with his family, including his four brothers.
• Jackie Kandray, CPA, joins us as a Tax Manager in our Private Client Services group. She brings more than a decade of experience, including the past six years at a CPA firm in the Cleveland area. Jackie resides in Avon with her husband, their son, and their dog, Carson. Outside of work, she enjoys running, reading, and catching up on her favorite Bravo shows.
• Christopher Taarick, JD, joins us as a Senior Manager in our Private Client Services group. He brings more than 20 years of experience, most recently with a nationally ranked accounting firm. Christopher resides in Strongsville and enjoys playing guitar, attending concerts, and traveling. Last fall, he took a motorcycle trip through northern Thailand and Vietnam and hopes to return someday.

Transaction Advisory: 

• Megan Maxim, CPA, joins us as a Senior Analyst. She most recently worked in audit and assurance at a Big Four accounting firm and is excited to transition into transaction advisory services. Megan lives in downtown Cleveland and enjoys playing pickleball, attending Cleveland sporting events, and exploring new restaurants.

Firm Operations: 

• Elisabeth “Lizz” Lodwick joins us as an Administrative Assistant. She brings more than four years of administrative experience in the healthcare industry and currently resides in Akron. In her free time, Lizz enjoys hiking and working on art projects.
• Jordan Starkey joins us as an Operations Coordinator. She brings more than three years of operations experience from a local nonprofit organization. Jordan resides in Canton with her boyfriend and their two cats, Trish and Smith. Outside of work, she enjoys playing sand volleyball, reading, and playing euchre.

Meet Our Newest CPA

Congratulations to Rebecca Bierut, Staff Accountant in our Audit group, who has officially passed all four parts of the CPA exam! We’re so incredibly proud of her dedication and hard work in achieving this significant career milestone. Congratulations, Rebecca!
 

Professional & Community Highlights

We’re proud to recognize our team members and highlight their achievements, contributions, and impact in our communities over the summer:

• Samantha Rathburn was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business as one of its 2026 Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law. This recognition honors professionals who are making an impact through their leadership, expertise, and commitment to their organizations, clients, and communities.
• Rick Fedorovich was named to Cleveland Magazine’s 2026 Cleveland 500 list, which recognizes influential leaders helping shape the future of Northeast Ohio through their leadership, vision, and impact. In addition, this past May, Rick had the honor of delivering the commencement address for the Archbishop Hoban High School Class of 2026. As a graduate of Hoban, he returned to his alma mater to congratulate the Class of 2026 and share his perspective as they begin their next chapter.
• Jeff German-Lortie has joined the Board of Directors for Dobama Theatre. As one of Cleveland’s leading professional theaters, Dobama Theatre is dedicated to producing thought-provoking performances while enriching the community through arts and education.
• Colette Hounshell has been selected for the Cleveland Bridge Builders Class of 2027 through the Cleveland Leadership Center. The program brings together emerging leaders from across Northeast Ohio to strengthen leadership skills, build meaningful relationships, and create lasting community impact.
• John Jenkins recently reflected on the National Center for Choreography Akron’s 10-year journey and impact alongside Executive Director Christy Bolingbroke. John has served on the organization’s Board of Directors for the past decade, helping advance its mission to support innovation and collaboration in contemporary dance. Read the full article here.
• Jim Merklin has been elected Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the County of Summit Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health (ADM) Services Board. He also serves as Chair of the Governance Committee for the 2026-2027 term. The ADM Board plays a vital role in ensuring access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for individuals experiencing substance use and mental health disorders throughout Summit County. In addition, Jim was appointed to the Ad Hoc Governance Committee for United Way of Summit & Medina, a nonprofit dedicated to improving lives across Summit and Medina counties.
• Betsy Robb was recently featured on ClearlyRated’s The Cx Catalyst podcast, where she shared how BMF has built and evolved our own client experience program. During the conversation, Betsy discussed the importance of listening to client feedback and using those insights to continually enhance the client experience. Listen to the episode here.

Summer Snapshot

As summer draws to a close, we’re looking back at some of the moments that brought our team together:

• Annual Golf Outing: Our team hit the course for one of our favorite annual summer traditions. Despite a rainy start, the skies cleared for a great day of golf, friendly competition, and time together outside the office. Thank you to our e3 Committee for putting together another fun outing! Check out photos here.
• Harvest for Hunger Campaign: Our team recently wrapped up the 2026 Harvest for Hunger campaign in support of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, raising more than $14,000. To conclude the campaign, team members volunteered at the Foodbank and helped provide 2,975 meals for neighbors in need. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make a difference in our community!
• National Ice Cream Day: We celebrated National Ice Cream Day with a visit from the Pav’s Creamery ice cream truck at our office. The rain let up just in time for our team members to enjoy a sweet afternoon together.
• Northeast Ohio Heart Walk: This year’s Northeast Ohio Heart Walk brought together more than 1,200 participants and raised over $262,000 to support lifesaving research, education, and community initiatives through the American Heart Association. Special thanks to Jim Merklin, David Askew, Kristian Barr, and everyone who helped support this important cause.
• Partner Retreat: Earlier this summer, our partners gathered at Catawba Island Club for our fifth annual Partner Retreat. The day-and-a-half retreat focused on sustainable growth, including accountability around our growth goals, the evolving role of technology and AI, and our continued commitment to remaining independent and competitive.
• Summer Leadership Experience: We welcomed 12 students from local universities to BMF for our Summer Leadership Experience. Participants enjoyed office tours, panel discussions, and networking opportunities while learning more about careers in public accounting. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a meaningful experience for the students!
• Summer Lunch Connections: Our annual Summer Lunch Connections program continues to bring team members together across departments while exploring local restaurants throughout Northeast Ohio. It’s a great opportunity to build new relationships and enjoy time together outside the office.
• United Way of Summit & Medina Report to the Community: Our team attended the United Way of Summit & Medina‘s 2026 Report to the Community at the Akron RubberDucks stadium. The event highlighted the organization’s impact across our region and the many ways it continues to connect individuals and families with the resources they need to thrive.