Over the past 50 years, Withum has grown from a small, six-person New Jersey office to a top national firm with over 2500 team members across the United States and overseas. Withum teams have seen the rise and fall of disco, beepers, scrunchies, Y2K, Blackberry phones, moving to the cloud, the AI-craze and everything in between.
The year-long celebration of this milestone kicked off this January at Withum’s annual State of the Firm event at NJPAC in Newark, NJ. Withum team members were flown in from all over the world to celebrate the past, bask in the present and plan for the future of the Firm.
The key to Withum’s success is—and has always been—our people. Our teams are made of exceptional professionals with incredible technical skills, but what sets them apart from the rest, and the reason they stand the test of time, is that they care.
Pat Walsh, Managing Partner and CEO
Take a Trip Through Time
Withum’s story began around a kitchen table in a New Jersey, Victorian home office. Its three founders came together to start something special: a professional services firm that puts its people first. The Withum team did things differently – they went viral for flashmob culture videos and added Chuck Taylors to their wardrobes before sneakers with suits were a fashion trend. Withum team members don’t adhere to the professional norms that typically restrict creativity and authenticity. Its professionals embrace innovation and entrepreneurism to always go the extra mile for their clients.
In the years following, Withum’s clientele and reach expanded, bringing its unique philosophy and culture to communities across the country and overseas. While growth took place locally within the tri-state region over the first few decades, the Firm’s expansion picked up rapidly after 2010 after Bill Hagaman, Withum’s immediate past Managing Partner and CEO took over from co-founder Ivan Brown. Withum found new roots along the entire East Coast, entered new markets along the West Coast and expanded its first full-scale international office in India in 2019.
In 2011, Withum premiered its first culture video, making a splash in the industry for daring to say that accountants can be fun. This practice became an annual tradition for the Firm and has showcased team members flashmobbing in New York City, dancing on their desks, road trips with carpool karaoke and even signing in their homes during the pandemic.
To celebrate Withum’s 50th anniversary, this year’s culture video features team members dressed for the decades, embodying its work hard/play hard culture over time since 1974. What better way is there to travel back through time than with a parody of We Didn’t Start the Fire, written and performed by one of Withum’s own Payroll Auditors?
Celebrating 50 Years of Success
The fiftieth milestone celebrations will continue into the summer of 2024. The Firm is also recognizing its Golden Elite Clients— clients of over 25 years—with unique gifts to honor the longstanding relationships that played a part in Withum’s success. Team members in regions across the country are celebrating with special events, like indoor go-kart racing, balloon art, bingo, putting contests, cornhole competitions and happy hours.
Our constant goal is to be a little bit better tomorrow than we are today. We live The Withum Way – it’s a genuine authenticity to who we are. By continuing to put people at the heart of what we do, we create opportunities for our team members, our clients and our communities, ensuring that Withum’s continued success will never be just about us.
Pat Walsh, Managing Partner and CEO
