As HBK celebrates its 75th anniversary and the growth it has enjoyed en route to becoming the nation’s 46th largest accounting firm, the firm’s Executive Committee has voted to split leadership roles of its two entities, HBK CPAs & Consultants and HBKS Wealth Advisors, giving each its own top executive.
Christopher M. Allegretti, CPA, the firm’s first Chief Executive Officer (CEO), will remain CEO of HBKS Wealth Advisors, while Thomas M. Angelo, CPA, CITP, will oversee HBK CPAs & Consultants as its CEO and Managing Partner. As well, Jeremy Hartzell, JD, MBA, will join Angelo’s executive team as Chief Operating Officer of HBK CPAs & Consultants. The changes are effective as of September 1, 2024.
HBK’s CPA firm dates back to 1949; the firm added its wealth management practice in 2001. Under Allegretti’s leadership, both entities have compiled remarkable records of growth, HBK CPAs & Consultants to the nation’s 46th largest CPA firm (out of more than 44,000 U.S. CPA businesses) and HBKS to a Top 100 registered investment advisory with nearly $7 billion in assets under management. The firm counts more than 700 professionals and a wide range of financial solutions, including accounting, tax, and audit services; wealth management; business valuation; transaction advisory services; forensic accounting; litigation support; cybersecurity and IT consulting; and business consulting, including Solutions teams offering expertise in a number of major industries.
Allegretti joined HBK in 1984 and was named a Principal in 1994. As Managing Principal and Chief Executive Officer, he has focused on enhancing the quality and depth of its services and ensuring the firm’s investment in people and resources is focused on client goals and that services are rooted in a commitment to long-range planning and superior client service.
“Our growth has created a need for more leadership, and we are fortunate to have attracted professionals who are also great leaders,” Allegretti said. “We regularly move deserving people into leadership roles and they pay us back by exercising and enhancing those skills. Tom and Jeremy are uniquely qualified for their new roles and we look forward to their impact on our firm and how we serve our clients by providing forward-looking, anticipatory, and relevant services.”
Angelo has been overseeing HBK’s Mid-Atlantic Region out of his offices in Holmdel, New Jersey, and is a member of the firm’s Executive Management Committee. He has more than 25 years of experience providing tax, accounting, and consulting services to high-net-worth individuals, family-owned enterprises, and exempt organizations. He works with family businesses and nonprofits on organizational issues, including succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, and process improvement. He has worked with many companies on developing their technology plans as well as implementing new ERP systems and other technologies to foster growth under Vertilocity, the firm’s technology practice.
Hartzell is Principal-In-Charge of the HBK Pittsburgh office. He joined HBK in February 2015 and previously spent more than 13 years at Deloitte Tax. He has specialized in working with high-net-worth individuals, including estates and trusts, in tax planning for individuals and privately held companies, and in the tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions, including planning, structuring due diligence, and document review. He has also done extensive consulting with nonprofits on tax, corporate governance, entity formation, and mergers.
"*" indicates required fields