CARL D. SCHARF CPA

Carl has more than 17 years of professional tax experience in public accounting. He has served privately-held and family-owned corporations, partnerships, LLC’s and high net worth individual clients, advising on various issues involving federal, international, state and local tax matters. Carl is primarily involved in strategic tax planning, research and compliance issues for corporate and pass-through type entities.

Carl has extensive experience working with companies operating in industry sectors ranging from automotive, transportations/logistics, real estate, construction and professional services. He also has experience with the review and analysis of cost segregation studies, transfers/sales of partnership interests, and aligning organizational and tax restructuring strategies with leadership’s long-term objectives.

Education

B.S.B.A – Accounting and Economics, The Ohio State University

Professional and Community Involvement

Member—The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Member—The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants

Advisory Board Member—Columbus Regional Logistics Council

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Do you have a hobby/personal passion? 
When not spending time with my wife and 3 kids, I enjoy playing golf and hockey.

What was the best advice you’ve ever received? 
Become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

What was your childhood dream?
To be a cartoonist – still have many of the drawings from when I was a child.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your college self? 
Buy stock in Apple

People would be surprised to know that I…
Go on an annual family vacation to Dewey Beach, DE with 6 other siblings, spouses, kids, parents and dogs.  We all stay in one beach house for a week.  If you are trying to do the math – that is 16 adults, 14 kids, and 2 dogs.

What is the best or most interesting thing about your career?  
Building personal relationships with clients and co-workers.

What was your first job?  
A caddy at Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland, OH

Do you have advice for young professionals?
It’s too often that we focus on what we think we should or shouldn’t be doing to better our “career”. Embrace your current role.  Do you job conscientiously. Be flexible, reliable, and respectful and your career will take care of itself.

Our Thoughts On

FEATURED

Big Problem: A Global Company Needing Better Internal Controls.


Big Thinking: A Network Of Professionals To Implement Best Practices.

Shareholder JIM YARD is Schneider Downs’ practice leader for our Risk Advisory Services Department. Jim specializes in providing risk management, internal audit, and internal control consulting services.
 One of our clients was a large consumer markets company with a global footprint. We learned that the company wanted to improve overall corporate governance and internal controls. Jim’s team was called upon to help with an evaluation since leadership at the company realized the need for a firm with international experience in multiple countries and languages. With the assistance of country-specific resources through Prime Global - one of the largest associations of independent public accounting firms in the world - and a consistent core team based in Pittsburgh, we have been able to provide the expertise necessary to develop and assist the company in building and establishing a global internal audit function, and bringing best practices across their global operations and core processes. “By accessing industry expertise, assessing risk and pulling in subject matter and international specialists, we were able to direct the company’s plans to implement best practices, mitigate risks, standardize their processes and create efficiencies throughout its operations and business units,” Jim said. “The client has recognized the success of this partnership and has gone on to award us other projects including on-going international location reviews, various operational and process reviews, systems implementation/migration, and fraud investigations.” 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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