Thomas E. Whittaker, CPA
Tom is the president and sole shareholder of the firm. Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, he is a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. He joined the firm, then known as Dowd & Ryder in 1994 and became a partner in 1997. In addition to managerial duties Tom is involved in audits, reviews and all tax matters. A hands on kind of leader, Tom searches for high tech solutions to accounting issues and has brought the firm to the forefront of the technologies. Outside the office he has served on the board of the Venice Christmas Boat Parade, Venice Circus Arts Foundation and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Suncoast. An aviation enthusiast, Tom spends some of his free time in the air.
R. Bruce Steves Jr., CPA
Originally from Texas, Bruce has over thirty years of experience in the tax industry, including time with Arthur Anderson. He moved to Venice in 1996 and obtained his CPA license in 2005 and current duties include accounting and tax preparation.. Bruce is active with Business Network International – Success in Action.
DD Mariani, CPA
Cindy Handrick, CPA
Originally from Minnesota, she has been in Englewood Florida for the last 28 years. Cindy is a CPA and has over 28 years of experience in accounting and tax preparation. Cindy enjoys her horses, dogs, and grandchildren. In her free time she enjoys camping, boating, snorkeling and reading.
Lucy Dowd, Staff Accountant
Before coming to the firm in 2004 Lucy had several years experience in bookkeeping and QuickBooks. As a staff accountant she prepares corporate and individual tax returns as well as other accounting and bookkeeping services for her clients.
Krista Laderer, Staff Accountant
Krista joined the firm in 2006 and was hired as a member of the eBookkeeping team. Since her time here, the department has doubled in size and has become a substantial aspect of services the firm provides. She has been certified as a QuickBooks Pro Advisor since 2010 and has prior management experience in the healthcare and hotel industries. She also has been a partner and owner in two small business. Her focus is providing outstanding customer service and making each client feel as if they are her only client.
John Scaffidi, Staff Accountant Originally from Bellport, NY, John came to our firm in 2003. His previous experience includes working for the Internal Revenue Service for fifteen years. As a result he has extensive knowledge with tax preparation and the IRS codes. His duties include accounting and tax preparation.
Bobbi Edmonds, Staff AccountantBobbi joined our firm in 2010 and has over twelve years of accounting experience. She is a leader on our ebookkeeper team providing accounting, bookkeeping and payroll services for several of our clients. She has been a volunteer for the Siesta Key Master Sand Sculpting Competition via Mote Marine.
Ann Slabaugh, Staff AccountantWhile Ann’s role with the firm is more administrative than most, she brought 20 years of accounting experience with her when she joined the firm in 2013. She does a lot of bookkeeping tasks for the ebookkeeper in addition to her administrative duties including answering phones and processing tax returns and compilations.
Bill Somach, Staff Accountant
Bill grew up in South Sarasota County and graduated from Venice High School. He works for clients in all areas of the firm’s business providing services in tax, bookkeeping and auditing. Before earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, he earned a degree in journalism and obtained diverse experience in video, film & television production. In addition, he is a classically-trained violinist and violist with many years as a professional musician, including work with the Venice Symphony. He also improvises on fiddle in many non-classical styles of music. Whether working with words, music or numbers, Bill is a detail-oriented professional focused on providing excellent service for his clients.
Andrea Ladolcetta, Staff Accountant
Andrea joined our firm in 2016 and has since become an important part of our eBookkeeping team. Originally from Long Island, New York, she has many years of experience in bookkeeping, payroll and office management.
Holly Vanderlinden, Staff Accountant
Bill Logan, Staff AccountantBill earned his accounting degree from Bentley College in Massachusetts. His working career includes experience in financial management, auditing, tax preparation and process improvements. He performs audits and reviews of homeowner associations and non-profit organizations for the firm. Bill is a former tae kwon do instructor and his hobbies include collecting rhythm and blues recordings.
Dianna Koller, Staff Accountant
Originally from Michigan, Dianna moved to Venice in May 2017. She brings with her 44 years’ experience in bookkeeping and accounting with the past 35 years being spent in the property/real estate management field in the mid-Michigan area. Dianna joined the firm in November 2017 and was hired as a member of the eBookkeeping team. Her main focus is providing outstanding customer service and providing support to her team members whenever needed.
