Overview
Steve Cleland, CPA, CFE is a partner in Aprio’s Tax practice. Steve’s typical client is an entrepreneur who is looking to grow and wants a partnership focused on finding practical ways to be most efficient. He works with small to mid-size businesses – often his clients are attorneys, architects, doctors, dentists, and real estate brokers. Steve regularly saves his clients thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, by changing the way they structure and account for their business to be most aligned with both the current tax code and their unique needs.
Experience
Steve’s specialty is understanding his clients. Building strong relationships is important to him, and he enjoys being able to dig in and understand who they are and what they need most. Trust and respect drive his work, so building relationships centered around trust is crucial. As a believer in continuous planning, this deep understanding of who he works with and what their goals are helps Steve to set his clients up for success. “When my clients are growing and excelling because of our relationship, I am successful”.
Education & Affiliations
Steve earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. He is affiliated with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and Entreprenuers’ Organization. When Steve is not at work, he can be found coaching a successful and hardworking girls’ softball team called the El Segundo Eagles. He is a published author, and his book, “The Village Chief – How to be the Youth Sports Coach Your Team Wants…and Your Village Needs”, focuses on coaching youth sports, but is a leadership book at its core, and can easily be applied to a variety of scenarios. Outside of coaching, Steve enjoys spending time with his two grown children and attending heavy metal concerts – he has attended over 800!
Insights
