The one who started it all in 1986, Rick Strombeck is a man who knows what he wants and goes for it. Before founding Strombeck, Rick worked for a large international public accounting firm then moved into private industry as a Controller, CFO and eventually a General Manager. Now as the Founder and Head Honcho of Strombeck, Rick has proven his ability to perceive the right pathway to success and he knows the right next steps to get there. The driving forces in all aspects of his life are his take-no-prisoners approach to business, and his understanding of forward momentum–once you get going, it’s much harder to be stopped.

Rick tackles the stuff that’s hard to tackle, will say the words that are hard to say and will do whatever he can to help his clients win, through the right strategy, the right systems and the right people. His focus is helping clients break through barriers they didn’t even know existed, so their business thrives in a way that enables them to live the lifestyle he lives. Speaking of his lifestyle, Rick relishes family time and adventure, often combining the two whenever he can.

Rick’s accomplishments are numerous, so here’s a Top Ten of what he does well:

1. Puts himself in the business owner’s shoes to quickly know and implement what steps to take next to grow and improve the business immediately, with the owner’s permission and agreement to do so. 
2. Uses his energy, proactivity, and influence to ensure those steps are actually implemented so the money generated from those steps can fund the next steps.
3. Takes responsibility for the results of the client’s back office so the client can concentrate on the front office (where all the money and fun is.)
4. Gives advice that clients find valuable on every possible business-related subject.
5. Uses his industry niche expertise from manufacturing, construction, real estate, service and retail to provide insights.
6. Gives practical advice on specific business tactics, not just theoretical coaching.
7. Helps to bring in the right systems and right people so clients can scale their business.
8. Helps build the business into a multi-generational source of recurring cash flow and wealth.
9. Helps to prepare the business to be sold at a much higher price.
10. Points out and aggressively deals with the elephant in the room in the client’s business that everyone is too scared, busy, distracted or unsure how to deal with.

Ben has been working in the business since 2006, and from the very beginning he focused on how to scale up the business that his dad founded. Having earned both his Master’s of Science in Taxation from the University of Central Florida and CPA license at the age of 21, Ben takes after his father Rick in every good way. These days he spends most of his time doing business development and leading the company.

If you’re familiar with Traction or EOS, then you’ll understand what we mean when we say Micah is the primary integrator for the whole company. He makes ish happen. He has an impressive background in tax and accounting, having almost a decade of experience in public and almost a decade in private as well, most notably as the Controller for uBreakiFix for 7 years while they scaled from 50 stores to 850 stores nationwide. Micah’s extensive experience, paired with his innate ability to cut through the crap that would slow down most other people, make him a force to be reckoned with.

A Partner at Strombeck, Scott Michael is either ‘go go go’ or ‘no no no.’ He’s got the energy of the Energizer Bunny with none of the fluff, enough so that he’s been recognized as CFO of the Year by the Orlando Business Journal. Scott has more than two decades of experience providing advisory and accounting services to thriving businesses, from small startups to multi-billion dollar international organizations. He also owned a software Company that had hundreds of business clients using the software that he wrote with his own hands.

Scott’s energy, optimism and technical background makes him very effective at applying technology to business issues. While many in our profession spend much of their time (and their clients’ time) on the rearview mirror (calculating historical performance), Scott utilizes technology to make those activities happen in near-real time. Having historical information gathered in near-real time gives the organization a scoreboard that not only presents the score (cash, profitability, receivables, etc…) as of right now; but also what the score will be in the future based on all the intelligence in the organization.

Scott earned his Masters of Science in Accounting from Liberty University and his BA in Accounting & Finance from Cedarville University.

Scott’s zeal for the community keeps him actively involved on the Board of Directors for the West Orange Chamber of Commerce, and he also serves as the Sergeant-at-Arms for the Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips in Orlando, Florida.

With an eye for detail, Mark knows that even the little things can come back to bite you. He’s got a knack for getting those small-but-nagging issues solved so the big picture will be easier to see. Mark’s extensive training in forensic accounting techniques, hands-on experience with buying and selling businesses and more than 25 years of financial management and business consulting experience makes him the guy you’d want in your corner.

Mark has been with Strombeck since 2002 as a Business Advisor CPA. His previous positions have included Controller and CFO for many Central Florida-based manufacturers and distributors including Central Florida Press, Red’s Market, Tech Source, Workable Solutions and Watercraft America. Mark’s “real world” experience in these roles allows him put himself in his client’s place when giving advice or fixing problems.

Mark has extensive industry experience in the fields of manufacturing, distribution, professional and other service industries, along with small construction firms. His calm demeanor and long-view wisdom in times of stress helps to ease his clients’ worries, enabling them to focus on the issues. Mark specializes in one-on-one training in areas of his expertise, and can also serve as a financial neutral in Collaborative Divorce cases. He also loves connecting his clients’ needs with specialized service providers.

Mark received his BA in Accounting from the University of South Florida.

A Partner at Strombeck, Crystal has been in the tax business since the beginning of 2007, giving her an abundance of knowledge of complex tax issues, their history, and how lawmakers think. The vast majority of her experience is with large publicly-traded companies, foreign tax issues, mergers and acquisitions, and high net-worth individuals. She received her Master of Science in Taxation from Nova Southeastern University. When she is not saving the world one tax return at a time, she enjoys spending time with her loving husband, and her five semi well-behaved kids. In addition to her tax expertise, Crystal is an active member of the firm’s M&A department, assisting clients with the complexities surrounding mergers and acquisitions.

Spending over half of her adult life on other continents, Elizabeth brings a unique viewpoint to the company. Since she ended up teaching wherever she went (even at a Peruvian university), it was only natural for her to step into the training role to incoming tax preparers. She also strives to bring cohesiveness within the company culture in this increasingly remote-working world. Elizabeth earned her bachelors at Florida State University and lives with her husband and three young children, who occasionally leave her time to write her next novel over a good cup of coffee.

As the head of our back-office and gatekeeper for all of the tax returns getting to our clients and the IRS, Emily plays a crucial role that most people are not cut out for. Her unshakeable desire to make sure things are done precisely the way they should be is what really holds our office together and ensures that all of the little details that are so important to our work are handled properly.

Dan was born to prepare tax returns. Often referred to around the office as the “Dan-The-Tax-Man”, Dan is a tax expert and tax preparer that’s been with Strombeck for years. He’s the go-to guy for questions about the tax laws and software, and is often found happily locked away in a room with piles of tax returns.