James Krupienski

Partner, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

James Krupienski

Jim Krupienski when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2010, and today (top)

It’s called Krupienski’s Korner.

That the name of the … let’s call it gathering spot in the break room at the accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka.

Jim Krupienski is host and unofficial bartender at the Korner on Friday afternoons just after 5 during tax season. He said tax preparers and others at the firm can get a libation if they are so inclined, but also, and more importantly, a much-needed reprieve from the pressures that build as April 15 approaches.

“It’s just a way for people to step away after a long week and just talk about something other than tax returns, take a deep breath, and unwind,” said Krupienski, noting that, with his Korner, he is continuing a tradition started years ago by retired partner Bob Perry, who operated Perry’s Pub for those same reasons.

Korner keeper is one just one of the many additional roles and responsibilities Krupienski has assumed since he joined the 40 Under Forty club in 2010. Then, he was CPA Manager for the Health Care and Pension Audit Divisions. Now, he’s one of six partners who together manage all operations at the firm.

Krupienski’s focus points are marketing and what’s known as the firm’s Business Development Group, an initiative that empowers emerging professionals to develop their networking skills, build a clientele, and foster strong client relationships.

To this and his many other assignments, Krupienski brings energy, creativity, a strong emphasis on teamwork, and a mindset of building a stronger firm through a focus on people. All this helps explain why he is a first-time finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award.

“Jim has not only enhanced his professional stature but also elevated the firm’s reputation in the broader business community,” wrote Howard Cheney, another of the firm’s partners, who nominated Krupienski for the honor. “This ongoing commitment to excellence, innovation, and community engagement has significantly contributed to the firm’s success and continued growth, marking Jim as a pivotal figure in its upward trajectory.

“Jim’s contributions to the firm’s corporate culture, especially through initiatives like Krupienski’s Korner, illustrate his dedication to creating a cohesive, supporting, and engaging workplace environment,” Cheney continued. “These somewhat intangible contributions to the firm are invaluable, playing a significant role in enhancing employee satisfaction and morale.”

Krupienski, who became partner in 2017, said his new role and responsibilities have created learning experiences on many levels that are, of course, continuing. He listed COVID as one of those experiences.

“That was an interesting, challenging time … we were all learning together,” he said of the partnership team. “We’d have partner meetings several times a week just to figure out the next steps while the governor was making his decisions; we were trying to figure it all out and make very quick, very real decisions that were impacting people and their well-being. And this was the in middle of tax season.

“Through it all, we learned a lot about ourselves, about our firm, about our employees — and in the end, we came out stronger,” he went on, adding that this learning continues on many levels.

And while he continues to mature as a leader, mentor, and motivator, Krupienski remains active in the community, especially in his home community of Westfield. There, he is involved with everything from Little League to the Chamber of Commerce to the YMCA. He is also current chair of the Westfield Foundation.

Meanwhile, he is involved with the firm’s many efforts to support area nonprofits and individual causes and initiatives. Under his influence, MBK has supported entities such as Habitat for Humanity of Greater Springfield and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts through donations, volunteering, and raising awareness. He’s also a strong supporter of the firm’s Dress Down for Charity Days, a fundraising effort that benefits various local charities, including the Veterans Home at Holyoke and the Massachusetts Special Olympics.

And he is continually encouraging those at the firm, especially the young professionals, to get involved themselves, as supporters of nonprofits, but also as board members, roles that support those agencies but also help individuals develop into leaders in the community.

When not working — at MBK or in the community — Krupienski is usually spending time with family — wife Megan, son James, and daughter Hayley. His children were very young when he joined the 40 Under Forty club, but are now a junior in college and a graduating high school senior and softball player, respectively, with James poised to follow his father into the accounting field.

—George O’Brien