Founding partner Bill Young promoted to firmwide leadership position
Madison, Wis. (July 13, 2005) - Wipfli LLP recently named Jim Butler as the new partner in charge of the firm’s Madison office. On July 1, Butler officially assumed the day-to-day leadership duties that his predecessor, Bill Young, had carried out since founding Williams Young in 1975.
“Jim has strong community ties and over 20 years of experience helping Madison-area clients achieve financial success,” says Greg Barber, Wipfli’s managing partner. “He is eminently qualified to provide leadership in the Madison area, which we view as one of our most promising growth markets.”
The move will allow Young to take on a critical new role as Wipfli’s managing partner for industry practices. He will also continue to serve on the firm’s management committee. “We’re excited about Bill’s transition into a firmwide role, which will allow Wipfli to leverage his decades of experience across each of the firm’s industry practices,” Barber says. “Though his role is changing, Bill’s commitment to the Madison community will remain as strong as ever.”
Butler enthusiastic about Madison’s potential
Butler, who joined the firm in 1987 as a partner and director of the office’s tax practice, is enthusiastic about bringing Wipfli’s depth of expertise to bear on the Madison marketplace.
“Madison is unique,” he says. With a world-class research university, he notes, the city is home to a growing number of biotech firms and other venture-capital startups. As a state capital, Madison hosts a variety of government offices, medical facilities, and nonprofit organizations. The city is also a hub of culture and commerce, with a vibrant business community.
“In Madison, there’s just a lot going on,” he says. “It’s great to have the additional Wipfli resources to help our clients reach their goals.”
An unusual path for a one-time law student
Butler earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from UW-Oshkosh and a law degree from the University of Arkansas.
“By the time I was ready to graduate from law school, I realized that what really interested me was business planning, accounting and taxation,” he says. So he enrolled at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, for another year of post-graduate education, culminating in an LLM (legal master’s degree) in taxation, estate planning, and business planning.
“At that time, the Big 8 accounting firms wanted people with advanced degrees in specialized areas like tax,” he says. “That last degree was kind of the ticket with these big firms.” He spent the next seven years working at two national-name accounting firms before settling down with Williams Young (now Wipfli), where he’s remained for the past 18 years.
“At the big firms, you’re not dealing with the people running the company on a day-to-day basis,” he explains. “You’re a specialist who only gets called in when major transactions occur."
In contrast, Wipfli’s associates often interact directly with the CEOs and owners of small to medium-sized private businesses, many of which are family-owned. “For me personally, it’s a lot more fun to deal with that type of business, because you’re often involved in the overall strategy and planning.”
Jim and his wife, Debbie, have three daughters. The oldest, Jenny, recently began working in Wipfli’s Minneapolis office; the other two, Kristi and Jamie, both attend college in Wisconsin.
About Wipfli
With more than 650 associates and 18 offices in Wisconsin and Minnesota, Wipfli ranks among the 20 largest CPA and consulting firms in the nation. Wipfli can advise in all areas of business, from finance and operations to human resources, information technology, and customer relationships. Wipfli’s clients include manufacturers, health care organizations, financial institutions, nonprofit entities, dealerships, contractors and developers, small businesses, and individuals. Wipfli’s 75-year legacy of helping its clients succeed is a point of pride for each of the firm’s partners and employees.