ARMAO LLP ANNOUNCES PROMOTIONS AMONG PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Salvatore J. Armao, Managing Partner and founder of Armao LLP, has announced several promotions among professional staff, following the formation of the firm effective July 1, 2013. All were previously engaged by Armao, Costa & Ricciardi, CPAs, P.C., the predecessor firm of Armao LLP.

Mr. Armao states, “I take great pleasure in announcing these promotions. In calculating how long I have been working with Maria, Rosa, Karen, Aleeta, Mike and Mindy, it comes out to a combined total of over 65 years! The loyalty, expertise, camaraderie and professionalism exhibited by these individuals is unmatched.”

Rosa B. Arreaga-Negron, CPA, CFE

Previously a manager at Armao, Costa & Ricciardi, CPAs, P.C., Ms. Arreaga-Negron, a resident of Farmingdale, NY, is a partner in Armao LLP. Fluent in Spanish, she specializes in auditing and government reporting as it pertains to Taft-Hartley multi-employer benefit plans, labor unions and not-for-profit organizations. A member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) and the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC), she is a Certified Fraud Examiner. Ms. Arreaga-Negron has been a team leader for several years of “Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes” on the Jones Beach boardwalk. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from City University of New York, Queens.

Karen Auer

Previously a supervisor at Armao, Costa & Ricciardi, CPAs, P.C., Karen Auer, a resident of Bethpage, NY, is a principal in Armao LLP. She began her accounting career 15 years ago as a senior accountant, rising to her current leadership role in the firm. Ms. Auer specializes exclusively in auditing, financial reporting and government reporting as it pertains to Labor Unions, Taft-Hartley multi-employer benefit plans and not-for-profit organizations, supervising some of the firm’s largest engagements. Ms. Auer is an associate member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Information Systems degree from City University of New York, Queens College.

Aleeta Benito

Aleeta Benito, a manager at Armao LLP and a resident of Queens Village, NY, was previously employed as a senior accountant at Armao, Costa & Ricciardi, CPAs, P.C. In the course of her career, she has risen from junior accountant to senior accountant prior reaching her current level of responsibility. Especially well versed in computer applications, Ms. Benito specializes in auditing, financial reporting and government reporting. Earlier in her career, she was a legal assistant for a law firm in Lake Success, New York where she was largely responsible for the discovery process, handling over 40,000 lawsuits during her four year stint at the firm. Ms. Benito earned a Master of Science in Accountancy and a Bachelors of Business Administration degree from Bernard M. Baruch College in New York City.

Maria L. Grassi

Howard Beach, NY resident Maria L. Grassi, the director of administration at Armao LLP, served for 18 years as the office manager/administrator at Armao, Costa & Ricciardi, CPAs, P.C. In a role requiring the juggling many responsibilities and wearing many hats, Ms. Grassi has overall responsibility for the firm’s fiscal management. She leads an administrative team, working closely with firm leadership on all activities, as well as scheduling appointments and projects, managing the office and insuring adherence to all firm policies. Among her most important duties is maintaining compliance with applicable governmental regulations. Ms. Grassi an active member of the Administrative Association Group and the Garden City Chamber of Commerce, where she serves as the chairperson of its Pineapple Ball Committee “super raffle” sub-committee. She also leads the firm’s philanthropic initiatives with Toys for Tots and “Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes” on the Jones Beach boardwalk.

Michael J. Mannion

Michael J. Mannion, a resident of North Bellmore and a senior accountant at Armao LLP, is responsible for audit and financial reporting for clients that include labor unions, privately owned businesses and not-for-profit organizations. He joined Armao, Costa & Ricciardi, CPAs, P.C. as an intern performing payroll audits, moving into a junior accountant position there after earning a Bachelor of a Business Administration degree in Accounting from Hofstra University. While at Hofstra, he completed the university’s five year CPA program in December 2011 and was a Presidential Scholarship recipient and Dean’s List student.

Mindy F. Wolfle

Mindy F. Wolfle of Long Beach, NY, the chief marketing officer at Armao LLP, previously served as director of marketing at Armao, Costa & Ricciardi, CPAs, P.C. A practitioner of integrated marketing, she provides the firm with an extensive array of marketing, communications and public relations services. These include strategic planning, social media, copywriting, branding, newsletters, collateral marketing materials, event planning, graphic design, marketing plans, public relations, website project management and content, and proposal production. Ms. Wolfle is a former executive board member of Public Relations Professionals of Long Island (PRPLI), and current member of PRPLI, WEDLI (Women Economic Developers of Long Island) and the Social Media Association; she is also an instructor of business writing and marketing in Hofstra University's Continuing Education Program.