PHILADELPHIA — Matt Melinson, a veteran accountant and Tax principal on Grant Thornton’s Philadelphia team, has been named president of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA). The PICPA is a premier statewide association of nearly 20,000 members, and Melinson’s leadership role will help him shape the future of both the accounting profession and the thousands of members who are eager to advance their industry and hone their craft.
Melinson has more than 30 years of accounting experience, and he has served in several key leadership roles at Grant Thornton since joining the firm in 2011. His past roles include co-leading the State and Local Tax (SALT) practice nationally and leading the Northeast Region SALT practice, which includes the New York, New Jersey and Boston areas. He currently leads the Atlantic Coast SALT practice, which includes Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Arlington, and Washington, D.C., as well as his home base of Philadelphia.
As president of the PICPA, he plans to focus on people and technology issues while strengthening the industry’s policies and standards and helping it attract and retain talent. Melinson will also steer initiatives related to CPA licensure, tax legislation and other national issues impacting CPAs across Pennsylvania and beyond.
“Matt has been strengthening our firm’s client service and sharing his knowledge with countless teammates for more than a dozen years, so he’s the perfect fit to lead the PICPA,” said Dave Maturo, Grant Thornton’s market managing principal in Philadelphia. “His role will help our firm stay apprised of the most important issues and pronouncements impacting our industry and our clients.”
Jim Wittmer, Grant Thornton’s leader in the Atlantic Coast region and a fellow Philly resident, agrees that Melinson is perfectly suited for the role atop the PICPA.
“Matt and I both attended Father Judge High School and La Salle University, and I’ve seen his career blossom at Grant Thornton,” Wittmer said. “He has the relationship-building skills to help our industry attract more talent, and his wealth of knowledge will help him steer the PICPA and our profession toward greater heights.”
Melinson’s passion for helping others extends far beyond Grant Thornton. For more than ten years, he taught SALT courses as an adjunct professor at Philadelphia University. He was previously appointed to Philadelphia mayoral and city council task forces on tax policy and economic competitiveness, and he has testified on several occasions before the Pennsylvania legislature.
Prior to his appointment as PICPA president, he served on the PICPA’s Board of Directors and as president of PICPA’s Greater Philadelphia Chapter. Additionally, Melinson is a member of the editorial board of the Pennsylvania CPA Journal.
Melinson is a frequent conference speaker and author, and he serves on the accounting advisory board for La Salle University, one of his alma maters. He looks forward to using this vast array of experience to improve all facets of the accounting industry.
“Our PICPA members and I have an incredible opportunity to move our industry forward and set up future generations of accountants for success,” Melinson said. “By focusing on the policies and practices that will make the greatest impact for our profession, we can make accounting an even more attractive and rewarding career.”
Melinson holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from La Salle University and a master’s degree in taxation from Villanova University.
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