EDWARD R. FRIEL CPA

Edward has more than 30 years of public accounting experience.  He joined the firm in October 1996 and has been a shareholder since 2005.  Edward’s background includes serving a variety of clients in the construction, automobile, mining, manufacturing, transportation, oil and gas, investment and professional service, retail industries and the nonprofit sector.  He is a trusted business advisor, providing clients with proactive and timely advice on matters, including accounting, finance, governance and general business guidance.

Edward is a member of the firm’s Private Equity and Automobile Industry Groups and previously was in the Manufacturing and Energy and Natural Resources Industry Groups.  These groups are responsible for developing specialized knowledge for these industry segments.  He is also a member of the firm’s Accounting Technical Advisory Group and oversees the firm’s independence compliance and monitoring program.

Education

BSBA – Accounting, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Professional and Community Involvement

Member—American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants

Member—AICPA Joint Trial Board and former member Independence Subcommittee—Behavioral Standards

Former Member—PICPA—Scholarship Fund Trustee, Professionals Ethics Committee and Pittsburgh Chapter Executive Committee

Butler Country Club—Board of Director, Treasurer

Central Catholic High School—Board of Director, Treasurer

Catholic Charities—Diocese of Pittsburgh Board of Directors, Current Honorary Director and former President, Vice President and Treasurer

Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh—Past President, Treasurer and Board Member Emeritus

St. Kilian Parish—Pastoral Finance Council

Leadership Pittsburgh XX

Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

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Do you have a hobby or personal passion?
I love following Pittsburgh’s sports teams.

What was the best advice you’ve ever received?
Try to learn from every experience, whether it’s good or bad.

Who was your role model?
My father

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your college self?
Take more advantage of opportunities that are presented

People would be surprised to know that I…….
….am a history buff, specifically Revolutionary and Civil War history.

What is the best or most interesting thing about your career?
I think it’s fascinating that I learn every day. Often, it’s not about accounting…but rather about the industries of our clients.

What was your first job?
I was a paperboy.

Do you have a “motto?”
Winston Churchill’s line, “Never, never, never give up.”

Do you have advice for young professionals?
Find something you are passionate about and go do it.

Our Thoughts On

FEATURED

Big Problem: A Not-for-profit Client Out Of 401(k) Compliance.


Big Thinking: Allowing More Contributions By Highly Paid Employees.

Shareholder JASON LUMPKIN serves as a Practice Unit Leader for SDAdvantage Retirement Solutions. He has more than 17 years of qualified retirement plan experience, primarily serving middle market, closely held businesses. His background includes plan design, documentation reporting, participant education, and ongoing administration for defined contribution plans, including employee stock ownership plans.
While working with one of our non profit clients, Jason’s team discovered that the organization was failing non-discrimination testing due to poor 401(k) participation among its employees. To address the issue, we recommended the implementation of a second retirement plan, a 403(b) plan, that would cover only the highly paid employees, allowing them to contribute the maximum amounts without concern for the limits imposed by the 401(k) plan’s non-discrimination testing. “These top employees were no longer constrained by the limits of the 401(k) plan testing results,” Jason said. “Plus, the organization no longer had to be concerned about the non-discrimination test. We also avoided implementing a “safe harbor” design in the 401(k) plan, which can result in costly employer contributions and vesting provisions that favor short-term employees.” Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service.

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