Dear Clients and Friends of Johnson Lambert,

As 2018 draws to a close, we are both reflecting back on our achievements and looking ahead to 2019. Johnson Lambert continues to evolve to meet the needs of our clients and our people. At this time, I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of the past year and our excitement in continuing to build our firm.

We recently held our annual Partner Meeting in Florida. The Partners were joined by our Principal group this year, which added the important perspective of our next generation of leaders. We had engaged dialogue on our plans for the future, and heard from one of the preeminent consultants in public accounting firm management, Allan Koltin. Allan shared thought-provoking information on leadership and best practices, and building and maintaining a best-in-class firm. We are as engaged as ever in making sure that Johnson Lambert evolves as service models change and the accounting industry changes. All of this is done to further support and delight our clients.

Growth remains important to us at Johnson Lambert for two critical reasons. We are steadfast in our commitment to serving our distinct industry niches: insurance entities, nonprofit organizations, and employee benefit plans. As part of that dedication, we want to ensure that we grow and expand our service offerings and our client service methodologies to best serve the needs of these industries. In 2018, we expanded our consulting practice to include CFO Advisory Services, which we see as a key extension of our services that will provide additional support to finance leaders and departments within our niches. We also introduced a new client portal designed to improve efficiencies on our engagements, making life easier for our clients and helping us meet our commitments on time and on budget.

The other reason growth is important to Johnson Lambert is for the development of our people. Since exceptional client service is paramount to the way that we do business, we know and understand the immense value in having an employee population who loves what they do, who they serve, and how they get to balance their personal and professional lives. The firm continues to invest in training opportunities for all our people as well as promote a culture that we believe is valuable in nurturing the whole person.

I’m proud of our people for many reasons, the vast majority of which are of their own merit. However, I also believe that the Johnson Lambert team has been fortunate over our 30+ years to have had the leadership and mentorship of some truly remarkable people. As we say goodbye to 2018, we’ll also be saying thank you and goodbye to two inspirational and dedicated people, partners Gary Bowers and Audrey Newton, who are retiring at the end of 2018.

Despite our celebrations of Audrey and Gary, it’s virtually impossible for us to express the depth of our gratitude and appreciation for their contributions to the firm over the decades. We know that Johnson Lambert would not be what it is today without their commitment, their passion, and their spirit. We also know that because of their efforts, they leave behind new leaders and strong teams who will carry on their work and make them both proud. I know Audrey and Gary join me in saying that the future is very bright at Johnson Lambert!

As we look forward to 2019 and beyond, we have exciting plans and initiatives in the works to benefit and support our clients as well as the Johnson Lambert team. Our Strategic Plan is centered on building and strengthening relationships and trust with our clients; the growth of our people; the growth of the firm; and internal and external process improvement. I look forward to updating you on the progress we make in the coming months and years.

Our best wishes to our clients, to our industry partners, and to our people for a happy and healthy conclusion of 2018 and a bright and prosperous 2019!

Best Regards,

John Prescott
Managing Partner, Johnson Lambert LLP