Partner-in-Charge, Holyoke, Whittlesey: Age 39
Tom Dowling says he’s always been drawn by the variety of work offered by the broad realm of public accounting.
By that, he meant the wide range of business sectors as well as the diverse nature of individual companies and nonprofits he gets to work with — especially the latter.
Indeed, Dowling, partner-in-charge for Whittlesey’s Holyoke office, manages a large book of clients, many of them nonprofits, for which he has become a trusted advisor, providing services that go well beyond tax and audit work.
“He guides them through regulatory changes, funding changes, and leadership changes,” wrote Drew Andrews, Whittlesey’s CEO and managing partner, who nominated Dowling for the 40 Under Forty. “As Massachusetts nonprofits face more financial pressure, Tom’s advice goes beyond audits; he helps clients find new funding, improve internal controls, work more efficiently, and build long-term financial plans.”
These sentiments help explain why Dowling was drawn to public accounting, and why he is a rising star in this field. But there’s more to the story.
Indeed, he came to Whittlesey in 2017 and played a key role in its merger with the Holyoke-based firm Lester Halpern and then in strengthening the Hartford-based firm’s presence in Western Mass. and growing market share in this region. He was named partner in 2022 and now oversees the Holyoke office and its staff of 20.
His portfolio of clients is diverse, but, as he noted, one of the focal points — for him and the firm — is nonprofits, which are now facing ever-rising levels of uncertainty and challenge.
“This year has been busy with the current developments in the political landscape — it seems like every other day, there’s something that’s changing and impacting a nonprofit or creating some uncertainty in their funding,” Dowling said. “And we are constantly in discussions with all of our clients to make sure they’re aware of these issues and that they know how to assess and react if needed.”
Active within the industry — he’s a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Massachusetts Society of CPAs, and the Assoc. of Certified Fraud Examiners, among other groups — he is also busy in the community, especially as a committee member for the Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island Swish Night event, but also as a youth basketball coach.
“I’ve been coaching my kids since they were able to play,” he said, referring to sons Carter, 14, and Wesley, 8. “It’s one of my favorite times of the year, and it’s nice to see the kids grow.”
—George O’Brien
