In Miami, Years of Wisdom but Young in Health

Large firm honoree Kaufman Rossin will celebrate its own benchmark next year when the Miami firm ushers in its 50th year. The firm will have help from long-time accounting services department employee Rose Taksier-Jones, who will observe her 44th anniversary with the firm by compiling a scrapbook for the occasion.

“She is collecting memoirs and articles from our veterans to put it out as a commemorative book,” explained Jim Kaufman, the firm’s chief executive and managing principal, “It’s the sweetest thing really.”

It might not make Rose’s scrapbook, but the biggest development this year for the repeat No. 1 firm was 15 percent internal growth in the fiscal year ending May 2011.

That improvement, in addition to “validating our culture and how we treat our people” and adding “enthusiasm and excitement to the organization,” said Kaufman, also allowed the firm to reverse the salary freeze for its 284 employees and plans to restore their 401K match this Dec. 31.

These developments are individually communicated in biannual reviews with employees, when Kaufman says the 36 partners and management stick to their mantra of “actually doing what you say you’re going to do.”

The firm’s emphasis on physical fitness, which includes an on-site gym, sauna and massage room; yoga classes; and an annual tax season weight-loss competition, recently gained a competitive edge when the firm beat 14 other South Florida CPA firms to win the softball league finals.

Thirty percent of the staff participate in these health initiatives, which Kaufman said, “are such a tradition here and really part of people. The absence of it would cost us employee satisfaction and productivity.”

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