The strength of any organization is its people. The team at Rothrock Payroll Services, Ltd. has been assembled very carefully. Every team member was referred to us by a trusted source and is a long-term employee. When we identify a candidate that is smart, honest and personable, we do our best to hire them and keep them. Building the Rothrock Payroll Service team in this manner results in a strong organziation to support your long-term success.
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All of the Rothrock Payroll staff receive on-going training and they are either Certified Payroll Specialists (as designated by the NACPB and/or the American Payroll Association) or Certified Public Accountants.
DIANE CRUTCHMAN
Having worked with certified public accountants for over 41 years, Diane brings substantial professional experience to our firm. She has the ability and willingness to work with all of our clients in satisfying their accounting needs.
Her career began at Dorsey L. Arnold, CPA, as a secretary; within a short time, she was able to gain valuable experience and knowledge to assist with all areas of the firm’s operation. With Mr. Arnold’s retirement in 1987, the firm was purchased by Robert Lusk, CPA. At the death of Mr. Lusk in 1997, Schulte & Company purchased the firm.
Diane has had the privilege of knowing and servicing families up to four generations and looks forward to many more! Since joining Schulte & Company, Diane has been responsible for the preparation of financial statements, payroll, individual and corporate tax returns. She has also been successful in assisting clients with IRS penalties, which resulted in abatements of more than $20,000. Diane has served on several boards of various corporations as well.
Diane was born and raised in Akron, Ohio, where she resides with her husband. She has two grown children and six grandchildren.
LEANNE HUXTABLE
Leanne’s career began in Florida in the manufacturing field, where she worked for more than 20 years. She started in the purchasing department and subsequently moved to a managerial position. Her duties included purchasing, accounts payable and receivable, production scheduling, employee reviews, and hiring and termination of staff members. By being actively involved, Leanne developed a broad and deep knowledge of all production and services, retained planning and program budgeting. With her effective and inspiring leadership, she developed and implemented training programs for all staff members. Her ability to prepare annual operations budgets, manage effectively within those budgets and accurately report on progress made and
challenges encountered ensured the continued financial vitality necessary to sustain the company.
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​In 2008, Leanne resigned her Chief Operating Officer position to move her newly adopted children to Ohio, her home state. Leanne joined Schulte & Company and Rothrock Payroll in September 2008.
Leanne lends significant assistance to Schulte & Company’s clients in setting up and maintaining their payroll accounts. From the input of weekly payrolls, including garnishments and child support, to the preparation of federal, state and local payroll tax forms to payroll audits and year-end procedures, Leanne is there to help. Her responsibilities also include client billing, accounts payable, and bank reconciliations.
Leanne resides in Cuyahoga Falls with her three children.
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JAMES SCHULTE
James M. Schulte brings a wealth of know-how and experience. His accomplishments in taxation and finance have shown a consistent pattern of contributing to the bottom line through unique and innovative solutions to business opportunities.
While his career started as an auditor, Jim quickly moved into the tax department of Maytag Corporation, where he served as Manager of International Taxation. Beyond compliance and audits for a multi-national business with operations in 29 countries, Jim was charged with tax planning to lower the corporation’s effective tax rate. These efforts resulted in the development and implementation of several international reorganizations.
He held a similar role in the international tax consulting practice of Ernst & Young before becoming Director of Tax and, subsequently, Vice President & Treasurer at Figgie International, a multi-national Fortune 500 corporation. While at Figgie, Jim was integral in the development and implementation of the strategic plan that successfully repaid over $750 million in debt, re-established creditor and shareholder confidence and returned the company to profitability. He met face-to-face with rating agencies, participated in earnings calls and negotiated the sale of several business units.
After finishing the Figgie comeback by securing new credit facilities, Jim assumed the duties of Vice President and Treasurer at Dairy Mart Convenience Stores, Inc. His impact was immediately felt through millions of dollars in tax savings and refunds that were generated through favorable structuring of an M&A transaction that involved one-third of the company’s revenues and several tax planning and filing opportunities. Similar to the successes he enjoyed at Maytag and Figgie, Schulte negotiated favorable agreements with creditors.
In 1998, Jim established Schulte & Company CPAs, Inc. Schulte & Company CPAs is a public accounting firm that serves closely held businesses and their owners by providing a full range of accounting and tax services. Their clients are located in over 20 states and are diverse as to size and industry; but they all benefit from Jim’s vast experience and problem solving.
During his career, Jim has been integral in the sale or purchase of countless businesses; he is a recognized authority on business valuations and has provided expert witness testimony in a variety of complex litigation matters in the Ohio counties of Stark, Summit and Cuyahoga.
His tax experience includes securing free trade zones, drafting private letter rulings for the Internal Revenue Service, representing companies during audits and administrative appeals and the development and implemention of strategies that resulted in substantial tax savings for the companies he has served.
Jim is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Valuation Analyst and is a three time graduate of The University of Akron with undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Taxation. As an undergraduate, Jim served as President of his fraternity, President of the Inter-fraternity Council and Senior Class Treasurer. He was chosen by The University of Akron as an Outstanding Senior Man Finalist and the Outstanding Greek Man.
Jim’s community service began in the Ohio Army National Guard, where he served as a Military Policeman for six years. He currently serves on the board of the Akron Ohio Iota Corporation and the Copley-Fairlawn Athletic Association. He is a member of Bluecoats, a life member of AMVETS and serves on the Accountancy Advisory Board at The University of Akron. Jim has coached and been involved in youth sports since 1995 and has led fund raising and capital improvement projects for Copley-Fairlawn City Schools and at The University of Akron. He resides in Copley, Ohio with his wife Kristi. They have three children. The entire family are avid skiers who enjoy soccer and running.
SOPHIA VEILLETTE
EXPERTISE
Sophia is a partner with over 25 years experience providing tax and assurance services, helping small business owners minimize their taxes and achieve their financial goals. Sophia’s broad background as a CPA gives her the distinctive ability to understand how tax and financial accounting issues affect one another. This advanced knowledge sets her apart from other CPA’s and allows her to serve clients’ tax and financial accounting needs efficiently and effectively with a streamlined approach. She joined the firm ten years ago, following a broad spectrum of experience: three years with Price Waterhouse in Washington, D.C. and Greenville, S.C,
auditing small and medium-sized companies; several years as an accountant for an Akron funeral home, overseeing accounting, payroll and tax functions; and ten years as accounting services staff and manager for another Akron accounting firm.
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Sophia is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Masters of Taxation from the University of Akron, a Masters of Accounting Science from the University of Illinois, and a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
SPECIALIZATION
Most notably, Sophia leads the firm’s assurance services. With over 20 years experience in providing these services at the national and local firm level, Sophia brings integrity, attention to detail, and a focus on customer service to each client’s uniquely complex and sophisticated needs. She has extensive knowledge in helping clients in a wide range of industries, both for-profit and not-for-profit, by performing audits, reviews and compilations of their financial statements, helping them arrange financing, recommending improvements in their internal control procedures, recommending tax savings strategies, helping them be tax compliant, recommending workers' compensation cost savings measures, and helping them implement and operate computer based accounting systems. Our clients appreciate her down-to-earth solutions and ability to listen and often request her strong tax planning skills. Under Sophia’s direction, the firm has achieved and maintains peer review acceptance.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND LEADERSHIP
She is a member of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Sophia uses her skills and passion as a CPA to give back to the community, volunteering as treasurer and league leader for the Ohio Ladies Golf Association, treasurer of the Akron Zoo’s Board of Trustees, treasurer of the Akron Zoo Foundation, past president of the Richfield Chamber of Commerce, and member of Business Network International’s Brecksville chapter.
She has previously volunteered for the Hoban High Schools Booster Club and Christ Child Society of Akron and various organizations at St. Sebastian Church and School.
OUTSIDE THE OFFICE
Sophia resides in Akron with her husband, Bob, and two sons. They attend St. Sebastian Church. She grew up in Maryland. She roots for Hoban High School, University of Akron, Ohio State University, and Cleveland professional sports teams. She spends her free time skiing and golfing with family and friends.
ERIN YOUHANA
Erin graduated from Kent State University in 2013 with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. Prior to joining Schulte & Company, Erin began as a bookkeeper and a personal income tax return preparer in 2015. She has since worked her way up and added more to her resume with 5+ years of experience in public accounting. Her current responsibilities include individual income tax return preparation, Sales and CAT Tax filing and preparation. Erin also handles payroll, quarterly payroll tax return preparation, small business bookkeeping, data entry, and client relations. Erin also assists clients with any tax notices from the government.
Erin enjoys cooking, trying new recipes, gardening, golfing,
spending time with her family and friends, and is a lover of animals. Erin resides in North Canton, Ohio where she also likes to decorate and create new house projects in her free time.
KATHY BATES
Kathy, a lifelong resident of Ohio, graduated from Green High School and attended Kent State University. She has experience with payroll, tax returns and 1099s. Kathy has worked at a large manufacturing firm doing accounts receivable and account payable.
Kathy joined Kee, Huchok and Co., Inc in January 2008 as an administrative assistant.
She resides in Green with her husband and three dogs. She enjoys the outdoors, doing crafts and reading.
KRISTEN EBERLY
Kristin grew up in Louisville, OH and attended the University of Mount Union. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in International Politics. At Schulte & Company, Kristin reviews accounting & financial documents to ensure accuracy of information, calculations, and corrections of entries. She prepares bank reconciliations, assists with data entry, accounting write-ups, and preparation of financial reports.
She currently resides in North Canton with her husband and son, a dog, and 2 cats. In her free time she enjoys baking, reading, lifting weights, and spending time with her family.