About Withum

Establishing the Legacy

On March 21, 1974, Fred Withum, Len Smith and Ivan Brown, who were “Big Eight” alum, had a unified vision to create something special: a professional services firm that puts people first. Withum, Smith & Brown, P.C., opens in Milltown, NJ, with just two staff accountants.

First Major Expansion

• Withum expands across New Jersey into New Brunswick and down the Jersey Shore in Toms River.
• The team grows, acquiring other small firms around its existing offices, and together, they launch a formal Tax Department to address growing complexities in business tax.

The New Millennium

• To meet the needs of turn-of-the-century clients, Withum establishes an IT Consulting Practice.
• On a vigorous growth trajectory, Withum becomes a member of HLB International, the Global Network of Accounting Firms.
• The Women’s Leadership Development Group becomes the Firm’s first official Team Member Resource Group, led by team members breaking glass ceilings. Now called Women of Withum, members and allies continue the mission of motivating, advocating and elevating women in the profession.

Setting the Stage for Growth

• With a host of new team members boasting specialized expertise in new locations, Withum defines its go-to-market strategy in construction, consumer products, financial services, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, not-for-profit, professional services, real estate and technology.
• Bill Hagaman is appointed as Withum’s CEO and Managing Partner, succeeding co-founder Ivan Brown after 21 years.

Going Viral

• Withum releases the first of what becomes its annual Culture Video, lip-dubbing and dancing to the Black Eyed Peas song, “I Gotta Feelin’”. The video takes the accounting profession by surprise, garnering national attention and breaking accounting stereotypes, demonstrating that accountants can be fun.
• The following year’s video, featuring a flash mob and team members dancing in subways and on the streets of NYC, lands Withum on the cover of Accounting Today, with the video garnering tens of thousands of views.

Culture Explosion

• The Withum Way 10 Tenets come to life as a blueprint for the Firm’s unique culture. It embodies the philosophy and values of the team, promotes client success and supports growth.
• Withum introduces its inaugural Week of Caring, igniting an annual tradition where team members take to their communities to give back during the days leading up to the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.
• The Firm expands into Philadelphia, Orlando, Boston and the DC Metro Area, amplifying its presence and infusing its culture into major financial centers.

Withum Goes Global

• Withum hits the West Coast in California, Oregon and Washington, and gains new offices in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Tennessee.
• India becomes home to Withum’s first international full-scale office with over 200 team members.
• Pat Walsh steps into the role of Managing Partner and CEO.

50 Years Strong

• Withum reaches over 2,400 team members worldwide and over half a billion in revenue.
• The Firm celebrates 50 years in business the Withum Way on March 21, 2024. Fifty years later, we still believe that people are the driving force to achieve growth and success. When a team aligns on values and delivers the necessary support and tools needed to succeed, it fuels innovation and delivers stronger results.