CPAFMA Michigan Star Quality

Getting to know our MCPAFMA Membership Chair Kim Beare from Fenner, Melstrom & Dooling, PLC in Birmingham

I began working for Fenner, Melstrom & Dooling, PLC in 1998 and became a member of AAA in 2009. I cannot say enough how great this group is as a knowledge base and resource for not only me but the partners at my firm. I only wish that I had learned many years earlier of this group!

I am married to Les Beare. He is a wonderful, loving and Godly man that I truly adore with all my heart. We have a lot of fun together and we look forward to retiring some day in Florida.

Craziest thing you have ever done?
The craziest thing I’ve ever done is Parasail with my husband in the Pacific Ocean just off the island of Maui. I was torn between maybe having a little fun, but then when I realized just how high up we were it became a little nerve racking!

What do you do for fun?
I love to sew. When my daughters were young, every Easter and Christmas I would make them (& their dolls) matching dresses. I always looked forward to making their Halloween costumes too! Seeing that my girls are grown young women now, my sewing habit has moved to more of a quilting focus. Recently I made a Doggy Quilt and donated it to an Animal Shelter in Paw Paw, Michigan. They used the quilt in a raffle to raise over $1,000 towards the medical care of the dogs.

What song is included on the soundtrack to your life?
Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky is my absolute all-time favorite orchestral suite. Even though he originally wrote the piece for piano, I most prefer the arrangement by Ravel for orchestra!

Getting to Know our Past President Tiffany Taft

I’ve been a member of AAA since 2008, and can’t imagine how I would do my job some days without the support of this group. I stepped into the role of Firm Administrator with no prior knowledge of the job. The cumulative knowledge base is amazing. They (the other members) impress me every time there is a need for information.

When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family. My kids are 19 and 13. My daughter is a sophomore in college studying dental hygiene. My son is in 7th grade and dreams of video games and football. We love outdoor activities, camping, boating, hiking, hunting, running – if it happens in the great outdoors, we will try it. Recently, my husband and I have taken up obstacle course races, like the Warrior Dash or Gladiator Run. What an adrenaline rush! Almost like Firm Administration – but without the pencils

Which super power would you like to have?
I’d like a combination of flying and invisibility. Flying would give me the ability to get places faster. And being invisible is self-explanatory! LOL

What would you do if you won the lottery?
I would pay off my church’s debt on their building. I would pay off all my debt and that of my parents. I would put money away to reimburse my kids for their college tuition after they graduate. And then I would travel everywhere.

Where would you go in a time machine?
First I would go to the New Testament times to meet Jesus. And then I would go to Walnut Grove to Little House on the Prairie! If I could do anything I want, that’s what I would do – I would live like the Ingalls’.

Advice you would give your younger self.
Be nice. Share what you have – knowledge, money, time, stuff. Laugh. A lot. Say yes whenever you can, no is way too easy. Find joy in every day. Read more.

If you were on an island and could only bring three things, what would you bring?
My Bible (timeless reading), sunscreen, and a hat.

Getting to Know our MCPAFMA Immediate President Kristine Latchaw

What was your favorite food when you were a child?
Green beans and mushroom soup – yes, I know that it is now called green bean casserole, but I didn’t know that until my mid-twenties.  In college I would heat up a can of green beans and mushroom soup for dinner.

Which super power would you like to have? 
I love this question because I truly have spent my entire life wanting two magical ability – the first would be the ability to stop time.  Mostly because I love to sleep but hate missing out on life, so whenever I am tired, I could stop time and sleep to my heart’s content and then start time back up when I wake up.  In writing this, it seems I should just want to not need to sleep, but who doesn’t love a warm, snuggly nap in the middle of the day.  My second magical ability would be a magic portal that could transport me to wherever I wanted to be.  So I could live in Hawaii, but use my two index fingers to draw a magic portal in space, walk through and “ta-da”, I am at work in Lansing, Michigan.

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? 
I love to read.  This is my down time and escape from stress.  I am currently working my way through the second Game of Thrones book.

What do you usually do when you meet someone for the first time? 
I look at their teeth.  I have always admired nice teeth.

Where did you spend your last family vacation? 
We took our three kids for several days to Sleeping Bear Dunes.  We stayed at the Grand Traverse Resort for one night and then at the Homestead for several nights.  We had a blast.  The weather was projected to be wet, but it was gloriously sunny.  We were able to hit all of our favorite spots – North Bar Lake, Sleeping Bear Point, the Dune Climb, Cherry Fleck ice cream in Glen Arbor, lots of time at the pools and watching beautiful sunsets.

Other things:

• Title – Director of Administration, Maner Costerisan, 3 years
  
• CPA with now over 16 years of experience
  
• Husband – Casey; Kids – Gavin, 9; Rylan, 6; Kendall, 2
  
• One cat – Parker – named after a kid on As the World Turns.
  
• Favorite Restaurant – Ukai (Japanese Steakhouse), Favorite Color – Pink and Purple, Favorite Music – Country or Smile FM, Favorite Movie – Never Been Kissed and Labyrinth
  

What is your favorite holiday?
My favorite holiday since I can remember has always been Thanksgiving. I am a family person, and this is the one holiday without the hype of presents and candy. Just a day to spend with each other and be thankful to be together (and play Euchre of course!)

What is something that always makes you smile?
When I leave work for the day, I pick up my kiddo from school. It never fails to put a smile on my face when I see his excitement for me arriving to get him 😊 Then the big hug that follows is the cherry on top!

What does your average weekend look like?
My weekends are always centered around family time. We love the outdoors, so when the workweek is over, we plan time outside if the weather cooperates. Usually on Saturdays we will spend it on an all-day away from the house either boating/fishing or kayaking and on Sunday’s we are spending the day closer to home on a side-by-side ride with friends or biking city forest or the rail trail. If it’s wintertime we like to ice fish as well and go sledding at a nearby sled hill.

What are your hobbies?
Golfing, weight training, grilling.

What do you enjoy spending money on?
Golf courses and anything food related.

Where is the coolest place you traveled?
Maui was phenomenal. Me, my wife, all our parents, and my older brother and his wife all went for 10 days. It just so happened to coincide with my first tax season too.

What skill would you most like to learn?
A musical instrument would be cool. I tried to learn to play the ukulele during high school but failed miserably and never tried anything again.

What is on your bucket list?
Traveling to Europe and golfing in Scotland.

What is the biggest risk you ever took?
Enrolling in a small college pursuing collegiate athletics 400 miles away from my hometown. I knew literally 0 people showing up on day 1. Luckily, I had some great teammates, and made some lifelong friendships.

What does your average weekend look like?
With two sons, and a 100-pound goldendoodle, indoor and outdoor playing pretty much all weekend. My wife and I will make a trip to the gym to get our training complete, and in the summertime, I will try to sneak some golf in.

What skill would you most like to learn?
I have always wanted to learn to play guitar and have had a guitar for the past 10 years. Finally, this year, my seven year old daughter and I started taking guitar lessons together. It has been really fun!

Where is the coolest place you have traveled?
When I was a child, my dad traveled for work fairly often. My sister and I were able to go with him to Switzerland. We had the opportunity to ski in the Swiss Alps. The views are breathtaking there. I hope to get back there someday and share that same experience with my children.

What are your hobbies?
Most of my hobbies revolve around sports. If I am not playing something myself, I am coaching one of my kids youth teams, or watching a game on TV. The value of competition and hard work that comes with sports is hard to match. My family also enjoys camping and we try to get as many camping trips in as we can.

What is on your bucket list?
Visiting all 50 states! I have only been to 18 so far, so I have lots to go.