Nisivoccia LLP (Mt. Arlington) Celebrates 50 Years
Published on December 18, 2020
Nisivoccia, a top 25 certified public accounting and wealth management firm in New Jersey, will have good reason to remember with fondness the end of this unprecedently challenging year, as the Mount Arlington-based firm officially celebrates 50 years in business in November.
The icing on their birthday cake is that the firm continues to enjoy targeted, sustainable growth despite nationwide COVID-19 losses, due in part to the strong foundations they had in place before the pandemic, such as their proactive hands-on approach and open lines of communication with clients and their focus on family values and developing personal relationships.
Bud Jones, who took the reins as managing partner this year, said Nisivoccia has been able to continue its exceptional service, helping clients become more efficient and profitable, simply by emulating the strength, conviction, and philosophies of its founder, Raymond Nisivoccia.
“Raymond taught us all to be humble, respectful, trustworthy, hard workers, and good teammates at work and with our clients,” Jones said. “The firm is most certainly a better place because of him.”
After working as a certified public accountant for several years, Nisivoccia decided to start his own business to correct some of the inconsistencies and cultural deficiencies he had previously experienced in the industry.
“I said, let me try it!” he said. “Worst I could do is fail.”
Instead, his risk and hard work paid off. After becoming a sole practitioner in 1964, Nisivoccia steadily began working with larger clients, including municipalities and school districts, and by 1970, his certified public accounting firm was established. “If you keep on doing something long enough, people start to recognize who you are,” Nisivoccia said. “It was clearly a worthwhile investment of my time and commitment!”
The Nisivoccia Way
Today, the full-service accounting, tax, assurance, and advisory firm employs 15 partners and 90 employees. Nisivoccia has also grown from working with a handful of clients to serving several thousand today, ranging in size from small businesses to global companies, including government entities, not-for-profits, healthcare organizations, and manufacturers.
Understanding a client beyond spreadsheets and reports is a key factor in the five decades of success. In addition to poring over a client’s financial statements, they also work and utilize their deep resources to read between the numbers to deliver even more practical advice. By gaining a full understanding of a clients’ business operations, they are often able to provide value by suggesting ways in which they might operate more efficiently, save costs, and improve margins.
Nisivoccia’s proactive stewardship and unparalleled support for its clients are just a few of the reasons the firm attracts like-minded clients and talented professionals. On any given week, the firm is involved in a number of charitable events – either attending one in support of a client or hosting their own.
Their commitment to their people, their clients, and their community earned the firm a repeated designation as a Best Place to Work by NJBIZ. Created by Raymond Nisivoccia and continuously taken to new levels by current employees, “The Nisivoccia Way,” or the firm’s corporate values, consistently maintain that community and culture truly matter.
From day one, the Firm took the stance that you have to keep giving back – it’s not just about taking from the table. Of course, being a good corporate citizen starts at home. That means it’s essential to treat your people fairly. If the leaders of the firm ask a team member to do something, it is something they are also willing to do.
In addition to service, Nisivoccia was built around the notion that families always come first, with stress often causing harmful barriers to good business and employee retention. The Firm continually strives to improve and optimize that work-life balance, especially for working parents.
“If work affects one’s family life, it can become so disruptive, so we as a firm support and understand that some flexibility is required,” Jones said.
The Importance of Culture in 2020
Nisivoccia’s openness and ability to adapt served the firm well when rising to the challenge of COVID-19 this year by using their values and their commitment to clients to ground and guide them through the current pandemic.
Their commitment to family meant that keeping people safe was a top priority and this meant quickly adjusting to a remote workplace. However, their strong culture and natural team approach allowed them to successfully juggle an extended tax season while working remotely and advising clients on various COVID-19 government programs.
It wasn’t just their values that enabled them to pivot. It’s the fact that the 50-year old firm has invested in technology platforms that allowed them to work remotely while being able to collaborate - all with top-notch security.
The Firm’s strong collective work ethic was not only essential to its success this year but also served as an example to their clients as they navigated the same challenges.
Where They Are Headed
It’s clear Nisivoccia’s values and team spirit no doubt led them through 2020 and will continue to move them forward for the next 50 years.
Nisivoccia believes the future is bright for the firm he started 50 years ago.
Jones noted, “I expect that in five years, we will be at least 50% larger, both in terms of clients and employees,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what’s next.”