Zinner & Co. was recently named an honoree of the 2016 Business Longevity Award by Smart Business Magazine. The firm, established in Cleveland in 1938 by Harry Zinner, is led by Managing Partner Robin Baum and partners Susan Krantz, Howard Kass, Gabe Adler and Brett Neate. 
The award will be presented at an August 4th ceremony and will recognize Zinner & Co. in addition to only 44 other regional companies with at least 50 years in business. Honorees must have demonstrated their ability to adapt and evolve with changing times.
"We are thrilled to be named an award honoree and to share the distinction with such a prestigious group of companies," said Robin Baum, CPA, Managing Partner. Our approach to business growth and sustainability mirrors the same principles that we use when advising our clients; work strategically, with integrity, while never losing sight of the clients’ needs.”
The firm has evolved over the decades, becoming a true business partner that provides services beyond tax and accounting work. Specialty niche service areas not only span a variety of industries including real estate, manufacturing, professional services and not-for-profit, but also provide operational services including management consultancy, outsourced business services and planning and preparation for companies from start-up through succession.
This visionary method to business is part of what keeps the Beachwood-based firm on its successful track; the other part is the culture of giving, a tenet shared among all employees. Employees are active members of the region, whether serving on boards, volunteering, donating their time or talent, or spearheading a cause. “We believe growing our community is just as important as growing our business,” added Baum.
A Smart Business Magazine judging panel reviewed submitted essay's describing how companies remained viable over the decades and selected the recipients.
A judging panel reviewed submitted essay's describing how companies remained viable over the decades; the firm's submission is below.
Longevity.
The definition of the word means “a long individual life; great duration of individual life.”
Began in 1938 as a bookkeeping and tax practice , Harry Zinner had a vision for longevity. He started the practice in the Cleveland Food Terminal, which at the time was the center of commerce in the area. He laid the foundation for enduring success by operating a business based on a strong sense of ethics, dedication to industry standards, and in the ability to impact people’s lives through effective planning ..
Little could Harry Zinner have imagined, his firm would be strong enough to withstand some pretty fierce industry challenges, such as when the Big 8 were using mergers as a means of growth and expansion; when the Big 6 reflected industry turbulence in the late 80s, quickly becoming known as the Big 5; and in the early 2000s, the conglomerates of the accounting world became known as the Big 4 and continue to dominate the accounting landscape to this day.
Through it all however, Zinner & Co. kept the fire in its belly. When many local firms were faced with some pretty tough decisions to stay the course or shutter the business, Zinner & Co. kept its momentum strong. How?
Much of the longevity can be attributed to the firm’s leadership which breathes a client-community-family air.
Our Clients and The Industry.
The firm’s ability to adapt and evolve with changing times is one of the many facets that has contributed to our longevity. From the early days as a bookkeeping practice to today, where we offer comprehensive CPA and accounting services, business consultancy and outsourced services, we have remained ahead of the needs of our clients and in-touch with the technical demands of the industry.
Our core client base is in NEO, but we serve clients who do businessall across the globe.
We are proud members of The International Alliance Group (TIAG), a global alliance of independent accounting firms with more than 115 member firms based in 65 countries. As a destination firm, we create solutions and strategies that exceed the demands of an ever-changing economic environment.
We have a strong and dedicated not-for-profit service niche that has helped some of the most widely recognized organizations in this region for decades and many smaller entities who rely on a close relationship with their CPA when faced with their own regulatory challenges and dwindling donor funds.
We are members of national organizations that provide resources, tools and guidance for success through best practices, knowledge and up-to-date technical skills. We are a continual work-in-progress to ensure our clients remain compliant with laws and regulations that continuously change. This is not an industry in which one can afford to rest on their college-knowledge.
Our Community. Our Family.
From the partner group to the interns, Zinner’s culture continues to reflect a unique approach to business. Unlike other companies, Zinner’s leadership is transparent. The open door policy promotes communication and interaction; the collaborative nature will have all levels of the firm work with together on projects.
The firm also invests in its people. Not simply fiscal support thorough competitive wages or “good job” accolades, but by supporting staff initiatives that also serve the community. While the firm has a robust list of not-for-profit organizations and charities it supports, firm leadership encourages, supports and many times, contributes to charitable activities that employees hold close to their heart. This inherent trait has helped the firm not only grow the citizens of the community, but also an impressive staff retention ratio. Our people are like-minded.
Outside of the amazing talent, the technical expertise and the economic resilience, comes a deep-rooted principle of service to others and growth through philanthropy. This is our culture. We are a family of people who spend over 40 hours a week together doing good things for our clients, great things for our community and keeping our investment in family at the forefront. We believe having a balance of work and home are integral components to success. And, we are more than a “logo on a sign;” we are sleeves-rolled-up and in the community serving. Quietly, creatively and consistently.
We believe you have to be a culture of givers; we are fortunate that our staff share in this mindset.
From a managerial perspective, the well-run ship is circular; if we help our clients grow, we grow. If our client has an issue, we have an issue. Our success for long-term growth is based upon clearly stated goals and a collaborative approach to attaining the benchmarks of measurement.
Our culture is shared with our clients, with our staff, with those we reach in the community.
Sure, we’ve had challenging times in our esteemed history, but we stay the course through a consistent and proven yet simplistic approach to sustainability, just like Harry Zinner envisioned – strong sense of ethics, dedication to industry standards and the ability to impact people’s lives through effective planning!
