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About Us
Patrick Higgins, CPA
Co-Manager of the Firm
Pat is a partner and senior accountant at Specht, Higgins and Associates. Pat started his public accounting career with Frank and worked at FX Cassidy & Associates from 2005- 2012. Frank served as an early mentor to Pat; and over the years, Pat made the decision to return to FX Cassidy & Associates in November 2021 before Frank's passing. Most recently, Pat worked at a Top 50 accounting firm in the United States specializing in assurance, compliance and consulting for small to mid-sized business and high net worth individuals. Pat has considerable experience working with small to medium sized business clients. Pat consults with business owners and works with them to achieve their goals and assist them through the challenges they face in the business life-cycle. Pat works with high-net-worth individuals to plan and optimize results for their future financial needs. Pat is a graduate of Drexel University and a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Pat lives in Jenkintown PA with his wife, Elizabeth and two children, Finnegan and Sloane. 610-667-0800 ext 2, phiggins@shassociates-cpa.com
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Gregory Specht, CPA
Co-Manager of the Firm
Gregory Specht, CPA is a partner and senior accountant with Specht, Higgins & Associates. He has worked with FX Cassidy and Associates since 1997. Gregory graduated from Goldey Beacom College, located in Wilmington, Delaware. Gregory is a member of the PICPA. Gregory prepares every type of tax returns, including individual, Corporate, fiduciary and Partnership. Gregory can help clients maintain existing business organizations, modifying the tax organization or creating a new tax entity. He has worked with many small businesses since 1997 to set up the internal operations to create efficient practices, to allow the taxpayer to keep their business practices and procedures simple and easy. Gregory can be contacted at 610-667-0800, ext 1 or gspecht@shassociates-cpa.com, with any questions or requests for consultations.
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Michael Abel, CPA
Michael Abel is a senior accountant for Specht, Higgins & Associates. He has over 25 years experience in tax accounting, tax planning, individual financing, and forensic accounting with an emphasis on bankruptcy and divorce cases. Michael is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
610-667-0800 ext 7, mike@shassociates-cpa.com
Arvin David
Arvin Sean N. David is the a Staff accountant for Specht, Higgins & Associates. He is a recent graduate from The Catholic University of America earning his B.S. in Accounting on May 2022. He is no stranger to taxes, having volunteered as a tax preparer for low-income families with VITA Catholic during his junior year. As a new member of our team, he hopes to gain as much real-world experience as he can working with Greg and Patrick as he kick-starts his career in accounting. 610-667-0800 ext 6, Adavid@shassociates-cpa.com
Shannon Riso
Shannon Riso is the office manager at Specht, Higgins & Associates. She has over 15 years of experience cultivating business teams and workflows. She has considerable expertise in customer service and is a master of implementing and modifying procedures leading to proven increase in productivity. She enjoys the challenges and rewards that come with the daily operations of an office and is adept to wearing multiple hats and managing multiple stressors. In her previous role as Office Operations Manager she facilitated all aspects of the day-to-day administrative, financial and operational functions of the business while working with the C-level executives. Her talent for aligning business objectives with comprehensive administrative knowledge increased revenue and boosted efficiency. She holds a degree in business administration and is looking to further her education in accounting. She lives in New Jersey and spends most of her free time with her daughter Jordan.
610-667-0800 ext 3, sriso@shassociates-cpa.com
In Memorium
Frank Cassidy, CPA 1958 - 2022
Frank Cassidy founded FX Cassidy & Associates in January of 1984 and worked in tax accounting, tax planning, individual financial planning, and tax compliance services for over 38 years. Along with his experience in individual tax and wealth management, Frank worked extensively with small businesses and their owners including medical practices, information technology companies, and real estate firms. Over the years, he served as a strategic business advisor and a tax strategy and compliance consultant. He held both a Certified Public Accounting Certificate and Certified Financial Planner Certificate.
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Frank conducted numerous presentations regarding current tax topics including the tax aspects of business. He was recognized as one of Philadelphia's "Best Personal Wealth Managers" in 2009 and received the "Readers Choice Award" for Montgomery County in 2002. He was an active member of the American and Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
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