Founded in 1956, Dermody, Burke & Brown is one of the largest locally owned and independent certified public accounting firms in central New York State, operating offices in Syracuse, Auburn, and New Hartford.

 

Calegero's six employees have moved to Dermody, Burke & Brown's office in the Utica suburb of New Hartford, New York.

 

The combination brings their combined workforce to eighty-six employees. 

 

Calogero will retain its business name in the Utica area due to its recognition value. It will focus on its expertise as a provider of payroll and credit card processing services. The firm also provides accounting, tax, and consulting services for corporate, governmental, nonprofit, small business, and individual clients. 

 

Dermody, Burke & Brown's services include accounting, taxation and audits, employee benefits, and specialized services for government agencies, school districts, and not-for-profit organizations. It also offers management and operations, financial, and investment advice and services as well as "Peak Performance" services, which include sales training and management, time management, business development, and interpersonal communications consulting and coaching.

 

"One of the elements of Dermody, Burke & Brown's strategic plan is to identify other firms or individuals that will add depth and new services and help us strengthen a geographic location for our clients," said Madelyn Hornstein, CEO of Dermody, Burke & Brown, in a January press release announcing the combination. "We believe we have met all three of these objectives in joining forces with John Calogero and his staff."

 

Hornstein told AccountingWEB in an interview, "Part of our overriding firm strategy is that we are always looking for strategic opportunities and individuals that can add some depth and expertise to our organization."

 

In this case, "we wanted more bodies in the Mohawk Valley to service the work we have in that area. We talked to a number of companies, and when we talked to John Calogero, we decided he was good fit, not only because it would give us more people in the Mohawk Region, but because his firm offers services we didn't. 

 

"Calogero is a full-service payroll company and we hadn't been doing that in the past, so now we have that capability, so if our clients are unhappy [with their current situation] we can offer them an alternative," Hornstein said.

 

Calogero's credit card processing service includes finding the best processing deals for merchants or other businesses that rely on credit card payments, she added. Calogero analyzes what a company is currently paying for credit card services and makes recommendations that may help the company reduce processing costs.