Last updated on March 28th, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
It was March 1, 1969. Joe Vanacore, CPA, did the unthinkable at the time. He left the security and reputation of a large accounting firm during tax season to start his own business. With one client, a local restaurant – The Ship Lantern Inn, Vanacore put a stake in the ground to create a different kind of accounting firm based out of a small office in Newburgh, New York. Today, that company – RBT CPAs – celebrates the 55th anniversary of when it first opened its doors for business.
Now, over 150 team members work out of RBT’s five locations throughout the Hudson Valley and in New York City. It has been recognized as a best place to work; a People’s Choice winner for tax preparation, financial planning, workplace innovation, and best overall employer; an Inside Public Accounting Top 200 Firm; and an Accounting Today top 100 firm to work for and top tax firm.
RBT Managing Partner Mike Tuturro attributes the company’s success to three factors: clients, colleagues, and community. He explains, “We value the trust clients place in us to deliver an exceptional experience marked by professionalism and integrity. We never take that for granted and I believe that’s why most people, businesses, and other organizations that become our clients stay our clients.”
In fact, the company’s very first client – The Ship Lantern Inn (multi-year winner of Best of the Hudson Valley and Ulster County Best Restaurant) – is still a client today. Third-generation owner Mike Foglia says, “I was 12 or 13 working in the restaurant when Joe would come by to review our books. He and my grandfather hit it off right away. My grandfather became a mentor to Joe and in turn Joe became a mentor to me. Next year, The Ship Lantern Inn celebrates its 100th anniversary and I can honestly say one of the reasons we’re reaching that milestone is the support and guidance we got from RBT CPAs. They are accountants who demand accountability. They are always straightforward and honest and stress the importance of doing things the right way. When you have the best, there’s no reason to change.”
Today’s leadership at RBT CPAs demands the same from today’s team members. Mike Tuturro explains, “When it comes to colleagues, we really look for a particular type of person to join our team. They have to be smart go getters who will always go above and beyond to deliver exceptional value and results. They have to be willing to learn from the generation before them and then pass on that knowledge and opportunity to the up-and-coming generation. And they have to have the drive to give back and make a difference in the communities where we live and operate. Have no doubt – it is our people who have made us what we are today and who will carry on our legacy well into the future.”
Mike also notes that many of its team members were born, raised, and educated in surrounding communities and have a vested interest in giving back. Out of respect for its Hudson Valley roots, the company has a firm policy to never send work outside the U.S.A. – a tactic used by many firms today to drive profit margins.
Mike says, “We want our clients to be 100% confident that local RBT CPAs team is doing the work and handling their financial information, from start to finish. Plus, we believe hiring local people and keeping jobs in the communities where we operate is simply the right thing to do.”
Over the years, the firm’s name changed a number of times to reflect new partners resulting from acquisitions and internal promotions. Eventually, when the list of names became too much of a mouthful, they landed on RBT CPAs, stemming from the belief that the firm, clients, colleagues, and local communities are Remarkably Better Together.