Southfield-based accounting, tax, consulting, and wealth management firm Plante Moran has announced its recent expansion of its management team and decision to welcome Jim Proppe as a second term Managing Partner.
Since Proppe joined Plante Moran, he has led the company to creating the nation’s 13th largest accounting firm after partnering with EKS&H and moving the global headquarters to Southfield. The company, which for the last 23 years has been one of the top places to work, according to Fortune, has created health and safety strategies as well business operations to overcome difficult COVID-19 obstacles.
“I’m honored to serve a second term as managing partner of Plante Moran,” Proppe says. “While the past 16 months have provided incredible challenges, our entire team has found new ways to serve clients while staying safe and preserving firm culture. I’m proud of how we rose to these challenges and look forward to what we can accomplish working together in the years ahead.
In addition, the management team has expanded to 10 members, including four who are new in the following roles: Laura Claeys, group managing partner of offices for Michigan and Colorado; Jason Drake, group managing partner of offices for Chicagoland, Ohio, and international locations; John Lesser, group managing partner of wealth management; and Bryan Welsh, group managing partner of assurance.
“As the firm continues to advance and evolve, it makes sense that our leadership team follows suit,” adds Proppe. “The expansion of our management team enables us to better meet our growth goals and staff needs. I look forward to working with Laura, Jason, John, and Bryan, along with current members of our management team.”
Based in Macomb, Claeys currently serves as the firm’s real estate and construction industry group leader. In her new leadership role, she will be responsible for working with the 14 office managing partners in Michigan and Colorado by sharing best practices and solutions for common firm wide and client needs.
Drake will be responsible for working with 10 office managing partners under his new geographic umbrella. Based in Auburn Hills, he will continue his international leadership roles and help guide strategies to serve clients with global needs.
Based in Auburn Hills, Lesser will be responsible for leadership of Plante Moran Wealth Management, a nationally recognized practice that brings trusted financial guidance in the areas of advisory, consulting, and management, and continue to serve wealth management clients.
Welsh currently serves as the manufacturing and distribution industry group leader. Based in Detroit, he will lead the assurance practice and oversee Plante Moran’s client service delivery model, technology within the practice, and other areas.
The expansion of Plante Moran’s management team comes just weeks after the firm announced its expansion to the Southfield Town Center, uniting more than 900 team members from two former offices in 192,600 square-feet of space in 3000 Town Center.
