Celebrating its centennial anniversary this year, Meaden & Moore’s business services has evolved during the years, but the company’s strong commitment to the community has never changed.
So it’s only fitting that, to mark its centennial, Meaden & Moore is donating $100,000 to 10 organizations, most in Northeast Ohio, that help educate children, especially those in low-income families. The effort is called the Greater Good Campaign.
Recipient organizations include Breakthrough Schools, a network of top-performing free public charter schools in Cleveland, and St. Martin de Porres High School, a Catholic institution that serves families with limited economic means.
Meaden & Moore also is giving to Partnership Schools, consisting of seven urban Catholic schools in the Harlem and South Bronx areas of New York City, where the firm has a branch office.
In addition, each Meaden & Moore office this year is setting aside one day to volunteer at various organizations and nonprofits. Workers in the Cleveland headquarters will spend time at Breakthrough Schools and Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
Meaden & Moore CEO Jim Carulas, who’s been with the company more than 30 years, says the culture of giving is deeply rooted there.
“Our predecessors were always involved in community activities,” Carulas says. “They were engaged individuals, always looking to support community efforts in whatever ways they could.”
Meaden & Moore is also commemorating its 100th year in more conventional ways. In March, company employees attended a Centennial Gala at the Edison Ballroom in Times Square. They gathered for a party at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in May.
That’s not bad for a company that started in 1919 with just two partners preparing taxes. Today, Meaden & Moore employs more than 200 professionals specializing in accounting, taxes, forensic accounting, wealth planning and technology and leadership consulting. The firm assists with mergers and acquisitions and business divestitures. It has 18 offices in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.
Carulas says diversification has helped Meaden & Moore not only survive but also flourish.
“If we weren’t making changes and evolving — and allowing people to try new areas and opportunities — we wouldn’t be here,” Carulas says.
The way Meaden & Moore provides services also has changed. In the old days, a client worked with one accountant. Today, teams of workers help individual clients.
Meanwhile, Meaden & Moore workers volunteer more than 3,000 hours annually in myriad ways. They hold board positions, join committees and raise funds for nonprofits. The company provides paid time off and flexible work schedules for these activities.
With all that volunteer experience, the firm had plenty of organizations from which to choose for the Greater Good Campaign this year.
“We asked ourselves how we could be most impactful,” Carulas says. “We settled on looking toward the future, contributing to organizations that help young folks, especially those who are disadvantaged.”