Rick Ackel

Rick Ackel has 39 years experience in tax practice. He focuses on corporate tax planning and compliance for emerging, closely held through middle-market companies including publicly held entities. His primary practice areas include entity tax planning, tax provisions and FIN 48 analysis, entity structuring, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, compensation structuring and strategies, state and local tax planning, R&D credit planning, and international tax planning.

Before joining Andersen, Rick was a Tax Partner at Arthur Andersen, where he served clients in the technology, manufacturing, retail and agribusiness industries. His client base included individuals, trusts and estates, closely held businesses and startups through multinational public companies. He also served as an industry team leader, helping clients by developing sound tax technical solutions for both entities and individuals.

Rick’s background also provides him with a unique business perspective. He was the CFO of a Fortune 500 multinational public company with over $10 billion in annual revenues. As CFO, Rick was involved in numerous mergers and acquisitions and Sarbanes-Oxley matters, as well as working with investment bankers to access capital markets. Rick’s responsibilities included maintaining key relationships with covering research analysts and institutional investors, including both deal and non-deal “road shows.”

Rick has been a lead instructor for California State Society of CPAs training courses.