GROWTH WITHOUT BOUNDARIES
In what was a record-setting year, we set a clearly defined path, continued our commitment to rewarding individual perseverance and team collaboration, prioritized diversity, equity and inclusion, encouraged innovation, and fostered trust across our growing enterprise.
chris geier
A message from
our CEO
Upon reflection, our annual reports over the last few years offer a compelling narrative of an organization in growth mode. This has never been more evident than in the year we just closed.
While not without its challenges – I’m talking about you, COVID – 2021 saw our business continue along an impressive trajectory, and I have our employees and clients to thank. Reward does not come without risk, and it’s clear that your hard work, personal accountability and willingness to push boundaries paid off across Sikich and impacted our clients’ organizations.
The results are apparent.
We added two new service offerings, acquired two organizations and grew our workforce by 14%, adding significant subject matter expertise to our team and expanding our geographic footprint within the U.S. These are achievements of consequence, and they paint a picture of concrete and sustainable success.
We also doubled down on our pre-COVID commitment to providing a flexible work environment. Our approach to the workplace is both an attitude and a business philosophy. In other words, we believe equally that trust is inherent in the way we engage our people and that hiring the best talent, regardless of location, directly impacts our ability to better serve clients. Long-term, a reduced real estate footprint is aligned with environmental sustainability, and Sikich can pass cost savings on to benefits and programs for our people, so that we can keep our promise of a meaningful and differentiating employee experience.
Across the professional services industry as a whole, the companies that perform best are the ones who know their customers, prioritize digital strategies, and view transformation and innovation as hallmarks of good business, rather than viewing change as disruptive. In this regard, Sikich shines.
In my recent letters to the firm, I quoted Tolstoy on the notion of personal evolution and Dr. King on the importance of using time as our ally. I am so proud of our work together – collectively, we chose to evolve when confronted with choices and opportunity, and we set the bar on making the most of a challenging year.
This is no time to rest on our laurels. I leave you with this challenge: take care of yourself and your family, and listen closely to the needs of your clients, so that we continue to innovate and deliver for them. I know you are up to the task and you can count on my support.
Best regards,
Chris Geier
CEO and Managing Partner
Sikich
360 degree view
Many professional services firms look alike.
we take pride in being different.
We bring 360 degrees of business acumen to our approach, which means clients have access to experts in a variety of disciplines. Our teams are adept at not only providing timely, high-quality work product, they anticipate client needs and care deeply about their organizational goals, culture and people. Comprehensive skillsets, obtained over decades of experience as entrepreneurs, business owners and industry innovators, allow us to provide insights and transformative solutions to help strengthen every dimension of the clients we choose to work with.
Accounting, Assurance,
Tax & Consulting
SERVICES
Technology
SERVICES
Business Advisory
SERVICES
Our collective drive and mutual accountability made a resounding impact on the Sikich business in 2021, fueling collaboration and generating growth. The accomplishments highlighted within these pages reflect the quality of our team members and the maturity of our organization, positioning us for continued momentum in 2022.
- Launched free on-demand mental wellness app featuring confidential coaching, therapy and psychiatry services
- Through a number of distinct wellness challenges, our individuals and teams achieved 2,130 workouts, ran and walked 1,085 miles, and logged 32,187,134 steps
Partnered with Hope Wall School to create T-shirts for our wellness participants. Hope Wall School serves people with disabilities from preschool through post-high school.
Business Advisory saw significant growth with the addition of a Regulatory, Quality and Compliance practice. The 100+ new professionals deepened our expertise with expanded capabilities in digital transformation services for regulated industries, including life sciences and insurance.
Sikich named 2021 Services Partner of the Year by Sparta Systems, a Honeywell Company.
- Sikich revamped our internship program, Sikich Scholars, to inspire and educate a group of diverse, young professionals and create a future workforce of innovative leaders
- Sikich awarded three students the James A. Sikich Visionary Scholarship Fund. The scholarship was established in 2019 to honor the legacy of our founder, Jim Sikich, and to help make an accounting education accessible to aspiring students
- Hosted Fifth Annual Student Leadership Conference which included students from 26 universities across the nation who experienced content rich programming ranging from DEI to professional development and opportunities to collaborate across teams
- Honored the women of Sikich through a celebratory spotlight series during the month of March
- Introduced a new summer learning series for our Women’s Leadership Circle
Sikich donated significant funds to Feeding America and The Wounded Warrior Project.
- Feeding America is the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, working to connect people with food and end hunger
- The Wounded Warrior Project is a veterans service organization that provides support to physically and mentally wounded veterans of the military
Strengthened our digital transformation capabilities, diversifying expertise in enterprise software and cloud services for manufacturers.
Technology practice ranks #3 worldwide amongst NetSuite solution providers and awarded Microsoft Eagle Award (one of five globally).
Our Culture
The future of work continues to evolve, placing increased power in the hands of the global workforce.
At Sikich, this means we must be laser-focused on the employee experience to ensure we’re creating the best work environment possible and amplifying voices at all levels across our organization.
94%
of Sikich Employees
Employee
engagement and culture
Enhancing Employee
Resource Groups
A Women’s Leadership Circle-led workshop touched on important culture issues such as unconscious bias, relationship building, personal brand and executive presence.
Women of Sikich
Through our Spotlight the Women of Sikich campaign, colleagues across the firm submitted an overwhelming number of stories about female peers and their contributions to our organization, their teams and our communities.
Continued Strengthening
of workplace culture
Enhanced, Long-term
Flexible Work Capabilities
With a diverse and geographically dispersed team, we continue to serve and build strong relationships with our clients while supporting our employees’ work preferences.
Our People
20,500
Employee training
Hours completed
Employee count grew
by 14%
1,200+
2 new firms welcomed
2 new service offerings added
overall firm revenue growth
Achieved
$229M
in revenue
awards and recognitions
- Great Place to Work® Certified
- Forbes America’s Best Tax and Accounting Firms
- Accounting Today Top 100 Firms
- Vault Accounting 50
- Crain’s Best Places to Work in Chicago
- Microsoft Eagle Award
- Oracle® NetSuite 5-Star Award
- Sparta Professional Services Partner of the Year
- Bob Scott’s Top 100 VARs
- Accounting Today VAR 100
Our Business
Even as we reflect on a record-setting 2021, our sights are set on increasingly ambitious goals. Our courage to challenge boundaries continues to position us for success. As we write the next chapter for Sikich together, we’ve identified four key priorities as guideposts:
2022 starts with a
game-changing acquisition
In early 2022, Sikich acquired Cotton & Company, a public accounting firm based in Alexandria, Virginia. This move cements Sikich as a leader in the local, state and federal government space.
Founded in 1981, Cotton & Company provides professional services in the areas of financial and information assurance, financial and information systems consulting, contracts and grants, and litigation support. Clientele includes cabinet-level civilian and defense agencies, independent federal and legislative branch agencies, as well as state government and commercial entities.
2022 great place to work® certification
Sikich has once again earned an important badge of honor – 2022 Great Place to Work® certification. We endeavor to amplify voices at all levels of our organization and create a culture of caring and best-in-class work on behalf of clients. We’re proud of the workplace we are building, an active exercise of which we are all a part. About Sikich
Sikich is a global company specializing in technology-enabled professional services. With more than 1,200 employees, Sikich draws on a diverse portfolio of technology solutions to deliver transformative digital strategies and ranks as one of the largest CPA firms in the United States. From corporations and not-for-profits to state and local governments and federal agencies, Sikich clients utilize a broad spectrum of services and products to help them improve performance and achieve long-term, strategic goals.
*Securities offered through Sikich Corporate Finance LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Sikich Financial, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor.
877.279.1900 | SIKICH.COM
