Cavanaugh & Co founder, Gerald J. Cavanaugh, CPA, earned his B.S. in accounting from Rider College in 1948. Post-graduation, he specialized in audits, a field in which our firm still excels to this day.
Gerald joined the New York State Society of CPAs as well as the American Institute of CPAs in 1955. While practicing in New York, he worked with clients including Xerox, several major New York Banks, multiple prominent hospitals, educational institutions, brewing companies and manufacturing corporations.
Throughout his illustrious career, Gerald Cavanaugh always made time to help others – a trait he passed to his team at Cavanaugh & Co – serving on the boards of several non-profit organizations. In 1963, his firm, Wilson, Schults & Company merged with Peat, Marwick, Mitchel & Company. Post-merger, Gerald became an audit partner. He and his wife Ruth relocated to Southwest Florida in 1969, where they planned to retire.
OUR FIRM’S BEGINNINGS
In lieu of retirement, Gerald and Ruth Cavanaugh created a small accounting office, providing tax and consulting services to those in the Sarasota area. Four years later, the pair planned to purchase a local practice, but decided instead to establish what is now known as Cavanaugh & Co, LLP.
Cavanaugh hired Michael R. Pender in 1976. That same year, Cavanaugh & Co joined the Private Company Practice segment of the AICPA and moved into a new Sarasota location. Mike became a partner in the firm in 1979. Cavanaugh & Co continued to develop as a full-service accounting firm with divisions for auditing, tax and small business services.
A NEW INDUSTRY LEADER
Cavanaugh & Co quickly earned a reputation as a leader in the audit industry, specializing in audits for condominium, homeowner’s associations, and not-for-profit organizations.
While we are renowned for our audit department, our tax division is ultimately our firm’s foundation. This department focuses on individual, corporate, partnership, fiduciary, and estate taxes – finding ways to simplify your tax stresses. Our small business division is just as important, providing services for all aspects of accounting and taxes needed by small businesses. We also provide personal accounting, retirement planning and wealth management for high-net-worth individuals.
A GROWING LEGACY
A merger in 2000 provided Cavanaugh & Co with a new location in Venice, Florida. As the company continued to grow, we relocated our Sarasota office to a brand-new space in 2001 – at the corner of Fruitville Road and Shade Avenue. Today, there are two partners at Cavanaugh & Co: Michael R. Pender, Jr., CPA; and David J. Hochsprung, CPA.
In October of 2008, Cavanaugh & Co lost Ruth Cavanaugh. As the “mother” of the firm, she continued to be an active member of the staff until her passing. In December of 2009, we lost our founder and “father” Gerald J. Cavanaugh. We are grateful for the family they created at Cavanaugh & Co, and we continue to carry on that tradition with our clients today.