Kullen Birkeland named office managing partner of Grant Thornton’s Southern California practice
April 1, 2014 – Grant Thornton LLP named Kullen Birkeland, 53, office managing partner of its Southern California practice, effective Aug. 1, 2014. He will oversee the growth and operations of the Los Angeles, Irvine and San Diego offices.
Birkeland most recently served as the firm’s West region Tax practice leader, and also previously served as the leader of the Southern California and the Minneapolis Tax practices. He will succeed Jacqueline Akerblom, who has served as the office managing partner of the firm’s Southern California practice since 2012 and will continue to serve as the West region managing partner.
“Kullen has played a key role in driving the strategy and leading the growth of Grant Thornton’s West region Tax practice for the past two years,” said Akerblom. “We’re confident that his extensive knowledge of tax issues combined with his strong leadership skills and experience will be integral to the continued growth and success of our Southern California practice.”
Birkeland is a seasoned tax practitioner with more than 25 years of public accounting and industry tax experience. He has assisted clients in solving many complex tax and business issues, including the tax structuring of mergers and acquisitions, foreign tax planning, state and local tax minimization, and accounting methods. He has directed delivery of tax services for several private and public companies.
A certified public accountant in California and Minnesota, Birkeland is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He also serves on the boards of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach and American Red Cross Los Angeles Region.
Birkeland received a master’s degree in taxation and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota.
About Grant Thornton LLP
Founded in Chicago in 1924, Grant Thornton LLP (Grant Thornton) is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the world’s leading organizations of independent audit, tax and advisory firms. In the United States, Grant Thornton has revenues in excess of $1.3 billion and operates 55 offices with more than 500 partners and 6,000 employees. Grant Thornton works with a broad range of dynamic publicly and privately held companies, government agencies, financial institutions, and civic and religious organizations.
“Grant Thornton” refers to Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd (GTIL). GTIL and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered by the member firms. GTIL and its member firms are not agents of, and do not obligate, one another and are not liable for one another’s acts or omissions.
SOURCE: Grant Thornton LLP