Withum held its annual State of the Firm event on Tuesday, January 14, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Newark, NJ. Nearly 1,500 team members gathered with another 1,000 online to hear the latest updates on the firm’s growth in advisory, tax and audit services and the vision for the future.
Withum’s CEO and Managing Partner, Pat Walsh, led the afternoon program, welcoming various guests to the stage. Segments of the presentation included fireside chats with firm leadership on engagement and leadership, featuring partners Zsia Rosmarin, Lenny Smith and Scott Reddersen, and client service and growth, highlighting concepts from partners Tom Hoberman, Matt Walsh and Kurt Simmons.
Different perspectives and disciplines feed the entrepreneurial spirit of Withum and our success. Allowing our team members to hear those views from various leaders in a forum like State of the Firm reinforces our priority of putting our people first and leading from an inclusive mindset. We all take different paths to achieve success in our careers, and sharing those stories with our team helps them identify with others' paths toward achievement as they grow in their careers.
Pat Walsh
CEO and Managing Partner
Keynote with Chris Gardner
The afternoon also included a featured conversation with Chris Gardner, the New York Times and Washington Post #1 Bestseller and the inspiration for the 2006 award-winning film ‘The Pursuit of Happyness.’
Gardner shared insights along his journey to success and encouraged the Withum team to continue tapping into their power to be world-class in everything they do.
2025 Withum Culture Video
Since Withum’s Power in the Plus brand launch over the summer of 2024, the firm continues to lean into what makes it unique, which includes Withum’s distinct Theatre and Entertainment Services group, whose clients include ‘Wicked,’ ‘Hamilton,’ and many others.
This year’s culture video reflects a collaboration between Withum plus Broadway Cares, the philanthropic heart of Broadway that provides groceries, medication, and hope to many all around our country.
The team at Broadway Cares helped capture the spirit of the Power in the Plus with a one-of-a-kind song written, produced and sung by the creative and dynamic talents of some of Broadway’s finest: Jelani Remy, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Marissa Rosen, Jed Resnick, and Mike Liscio.
Partnering with Broadway Cares for this year's culture video was a fantastic way to connect our people, our clients and our community. We were able to produce a video highlighting the essence of our brand, allow our teams to have fun and build camaraderie while filming, and support an organization that connects those in need in local communities with access to meals and doctor's visits.
Rhonda Maraziti
CMO and Partner
The culture video has been a hallmark kickoff for SOTF since the firm’s first video in 2011. The video featured clips of team members from Withum’s offices, remote working locations and internally.
2025 Withum Strength Awards
A large part of what makes Withum unique is its people. The Withum Strength Awards celebrate the accomplishments of team members who have gone above and beyond in their roles over the past year. Nominees and winners embody the essence of the Withum Way in business and life. This year’s winners, out of a total of 158 team-member nominated candidates, are:
- Administrative Strength: Melissa Kramer, Internal Accounting Manager, Princeton, NJ
- Bill Hagaman Jr. Emerging Leader I: Gabby Panariella, Staff I, Orlando, FL
- Community Strength: Troy Fitzsimmons, Staff I, Red Bank, NJ
- Emerging Leader II: Henil Shah, Manager, Bengaluru, India
- Frederick S. Withum Outstanding Achievement: John Barry, Senior Manager, Chicago, IL
- Innovative Strength: Marc Gennello, Senior Manager, Princeton, NJ
- Ivan C. Brown Withum Way: Kirk Holderbaum, Partner, Director of Markets, Whippany, NJ
- Leonard H. Smith Strength of Client Service: Karin Salmeri, Senior Manager, Whippany, NJ
- Marketing Strength: Phil Smart, Senior Manager, NYC, New York
Learn more about Withum’s people-focused culture and watch previous culture videos on Withum’s website. To get an inside look at our 2025 SOTF event, visit Withum’s Facebook page.