Schulte & Company opened in 1987. Our backgrounds include experience with Fortune 500 companies, accounting firms and countless small business.
Our firm draws from this wealth of experience to provide you with the best planning ideas, techniques and practices. Moreover, experience tells us that the best way of meeting your tax and accounting needs is through a team approach.
Principals Bios
James M. 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 separate international reorganizations.
He held a similar role in the international tax consulting practice of Ernst & Young before becoming Director of Tax, and subsequently Treasurer, at Figgie International; a multi-national Fortune 500 corporation. While at Figgie, Schulte 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.
After finishing the Figgie comeback by securing new credit facilities, Schulte 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 business and their owners by providing a full range of accounting and tax services. Their clients are located in over twenty states and very diverse as to size and industry; but they all benefit from Jim’s vast experience and problem solving.
During his career, Schulte has helped to accomplish the sale or purchase of well over 100 businesses, secured free trade zones, drafted private letter rulings for the Internal Revenue Service, represented companies during audits and in administrative appeals to the Internal Revenue Service and implemented tax strategies that saved enormous amounts of taxes for the companies for which he has served.
Jim is a Certified Public Accountant as well as 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 Outstanding Senior Man and Outstanding Greek Man.
His community service began in the Ohio Army National Guard where he served as a Military Policeman for 6 years. He is a member of Bluecoats, a life member of AMVETS, volunteers with the Copley-Fairlawn Athletic Association and has coached youth sports forever. He resides in Copley, Ohio with his wife Kristi and their three children.
Sophia L. Veillette
Sophia is a partner with Schulte & Company. A certified public accountant, she specializes in the accounting, audit review, compilation and corporate tax areas. Early in her professional career, she was a senior accountant for Price Waterhouse in Washington, D.C. and Greenville, S.C., where she obtained three years experience auditing small and medium-sized companies. Later, she worked eight years as a part time accountant for an Akron funeral home, where she was responsible for overseeing accounting, payroll and tax functions. In addition, she worked ten years as an accounting manager for an Akron accounting firm where she helped clients in a wide range of industries, both for-profit and not-for-profit, by performing audits, reviews and compilations of their financial statements, recommending improvements in their internal control procedures, recommending tax savings strategies, recommending workers' compensation cost savings measures, and helping them implement and operate computer based accounting systems.
Sophia has earned several degrees including a Masters of Accounting Science from the University of Illinois, a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a Masters of Taxation at the University of Akron. She is a member of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Sophia Volunteers for the Christ Child Society of Akron, St. Sebastian Athletic Booster Club, and Archbishop Hoban High School and is the Treasurer for the Akron Zoo. She resides in Akron with her husband, Bob, and two sons. They attend St. Sebastian Church.
Professional Staff Bios
Diane L. Crutchman
Diane brings substantial assistance to our clients. Her professional experience in working for Certified Public Accountants for over twenty-seven years has given her an advantage to service our clients at Schulte & Company. Diane 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 the secretary and within a short time she was able to gain valuable experience and knowledge to be able to assist with all areas of the firm. With Dorsey Arnold’s retirement in 1987, the firm was purchased by Robert Lusk CPA. At the death of Robert Lusk in 1997, Schulte & Company purchased the firm. She 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 continued in her 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 and two children.
Tracy E. Taylor
Tracy lends significant assistance to our clients in setting up and maintaining their accounting systems. From the simple input questions to preparing financial statements, Tracy is there to help. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Akron.
Her career began in Cleveland in the accounting department of a Fortune 500 manufacturing company. Tracy started in accounts receivable and quickly moved into a cost accounting position where she gained valuable experience and knowledge.
Tracy joined Schulte & Company in 2000 and has successfully assisted our clients in implementing accounting procedures, preparing financial statements and corporate tax returns. She has also assisted in representing our clients in tax audits.
Tracy resides in Copley, Ohio with her husband and two children.
Linda M. Borchik
Linda earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts from Grove City College in Pennsylvania. Following graduation, she worked in media services at Thiel CollegeOhio, she joined the staff of Smithers Scientific Services in Akron. and, after moving to
Linda’s growing family resulted in a need for job flexibility, leading her to pursue classes in tax preparation. With that additional education, she was hired by a Certified Public Accounting firm. For the next six years, Linda gained experience in the areas of payroll processing and taxes, personal and corporate tax returns and financial reports. In addition, she used her communication skills to handle client issues involving tax departments at the federal, state and local levels.
Linda joined Schulte & Company in August 2005. She is currently focusing her energies on the preparation of individual and corporate tax returns and financial statements.
A native of Syracuse, New York, Linda resides with her husband and four sons in Copley, Ohio.
Andrew N. Olivier
Andy graduated from Stark State University with an Associate’s degree in Accounting. Before being employed with Schulte & Company Andy worked for the City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for several years. Now, at Schulte & Co., Andy works on financial statements as well as corporate and individual tax returns.
With close attention to detail, he assists many of our clients’ needs on a consistent, daily basis. Working with a broad spectrum of our clients, he has an exceptional understanding on the economy’s various trades and professions. Andy also works with the company on audits and assists our clients with technical questions regarding our computer software.
Currently Andy is pursuing his Bachelor’s in Accounting at the University of Akron.
John S. Randolph
John also graduated with an Associate’s degree in accounting from Stark Tech/Stark State College. With his extensive work experience, he is able to offer Schulte & Company’s clients many areas of expertise. John started out at Universal Electronics working in Inventory Control. He also worked at Photoco and National Machine for several years where he was the warehouse manager, accounting clerk, and assistant controller. Later he went to work for Dairy Mart. At their headquarters, John functioned as the lead claims processor and the accounts payable manager. Before working as controller at another corporation, John worked at his first accounting firm, Meaden & Moore CPA out of Akron, Ohio. Based on his experiences there, John decided that he was looking for diversity in accounting with the opportunity to learn more about tax.
Now at Schulte & Company, John focuses on audits, reviews, and compilations. From preparation work and testing, to smaller reviews and reporting, John enjoys being involved in client operations. He also works with corporate and individual clients, preparing tax returns and financial statements. Along with these responsibilities, John also works exclusively for several clients on-site. He does work such as internal accounting, creating more efficient accounting systems, monthly financial statements, training, and client development.
John resides in Akron, Ohio with his wife and two children. |
