Susan M. Kirsch
Tax Shareholder, Schneider Downs & Co. Inc
schneiderdowns.com

As she approaches retirement, Susan M. Kirsch, elected tax shareholder of Schneider Downs & Co. Inc. — a Pittsburgh-based tax, accounting and business advisory that has become one of the 60 largest accounting firms in the nation — almost 20 years ago, is reflecting on a career influenced by strong female role models, peers and colleagues.

“My direction has shifted to succession planning, preparing the next generation of leaders who will continue to support the firm in the execution of its strategic plan and deliver on our commitment to ‘Big Thinking, Personal Focus’ to our clients,” she says.

The Mars resident, who has served as a board member and a tax advisory services practice unit leader, as well as the Schneider Downs Nonprofit Industry Group Co-Leader, has also abided by a simple motto throughout her career.

“I have tried to live by a personal philosophy of ‘I am still learning’ and over time, becoming a catalyst for change and move organizations forward while recognizing that sometimes our best learning comes from failure,” she says.

Throughout her years with Schneider Downs, she has worked with many of the region’s nonprofit and educational organizations. During the pandemic, she helped Schneider Downs’ efforts to identify COVID stimulus programs (loans, grants and employee retention credits) that would bring critical financial resources to the region.

“Our team worked tirelessly under tight deadlines to understand the opportunities, work through the ever-changing rules and regulations, communicate them to not only existing clients, but to other organizations that we believed needed to learn of the funding opportunities,” she says. “Our team’s ability to assist the nonprofit community during this crisis, allowing them to continue to provide critical services, demonstrated our firm’s character as a ‘roll up your sleeves’ firm that has ‘doing the right thing by others’ as our North Star.

Kirsch also serves as the treasurer and finance committee chair for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, president and board member of the Pittsburgh chapter of the International Women’s Forum and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, where she also serves on the investment committee.

“My highest honor has been to raise a family with my husband while working alongside amazingly talented, caring professionals for clients that continue to inspire me every day,” she says.

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