Keiter announces new managing partner

L. Michael Gracik Jr. will become the new managing partner of the Richmond accounting firm Keiter on Jan. 1.

He will succeed retiring managing partner Lewis O. Hall, who has served in the role for 15 years.

Gracik joined Keiter as a partner and head of its tax department in 1991 after serving as tax partner in charge of the Richmond office of Deloitte & Touche.

His appointment is part of a three-year succession planning process.

In addition to its new managing partner, the firm announced that Julie H. Gustavsson has assumed the expanded role of chief operating officer. She will direct all of the firm’s operations including information technology, recruiting, marketing, training and back-office operations.

Gustavsson joined Keiter in 2005 and served in IT leadership positions before becoming the firm’s COO.

Also, Jennifer F. Flinchum will become tax department leader on Jan. 1.  Flinchum joined Keiter in 1999 and became partner in 2003.

Last year, Christopher L. Wallace was appointed as audit department leader as part of the leadership succession planning process.
.
Keiter, founded in 1978, has 130 employees including 70 CPAs.