Harshman Phillips & Company, LLC., is a Firm of Certified Public Accountants formed in 1992 to serve the needs of entrepreneurial businesses in a wide range of industries. The Firm is a member of the Private Companies Practice Section of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and its Employee Benefit Plan Center for Audit Quality. The Firm provides cost effective, value added services to its clients in industries such as manufacturing, real estate & construction, wholesale & retail, technology, and professional services corporations.
Partner Profiles
William C. Harshman, CPA
Mr. Harshman specializes in working with entrepreneurial and closely-held companies in the areas of business and tax planning, mergers and acquisitions, small business financing, and IRS representation. He has extensive experience assisting with complex merger and acquisition transactions and bankruptcy and forensic accounting. His clients include companies in the aircraft/flight services, manufacturing, software development, software consulting, distribution, and retail industries.
Mr. Harshman joined Arthur Young & Company in 1974. He became a Partner in 1984 and was Director of the Firm's Atlanta Office Tax Department from 1983 through 1989. During this period Mr. Harshman served two two-year terms on the Firm’s Tax Advisory Committee, which set overall business and policy goals for the Tax Practice of Arthur Young & Company. He joined Ernst & Young as a partner in 1989 with the merger of Ernst & Whinney and Arthur Young & Company. At Ernst & Young, Mr. Harshman did extensive work in the firm’s bankruptcy services practice beginning in the mid 1970’s with an assignment for the financial advisor to the Trustee in the bankruptcy of the North American Acceptance Corporation. Mr. Harshman joined Harshman Phillips & Company, LLC as one of its founding principals in 1992.
Mr. Harshman received his B.A. in History from The University of Texas at Austin where he also did graduate work in Accounting and Taxation. He is an active member of the Tax Division of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors.
Bruce A. Phillips, CPA
Mr. Phillips specializes in taxation and accounting for real estate and related businesses, construction contractors, architects and engineers, technology companies, attorneys, and physicians. He has extensive auditing experience, as well as experience in entity choice and structure, tax and family planning, due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, contract analysis, financial analysis, and general business consulting.
Mr. Phillips focuses on providing a full suite of services to privately held small businesses and their principals and families to assist these clients with tax planning and compliance, accounting assistance, assurance services such as financial statement compilations, reviews, and audits, equity and debt fund raising, and more. He has accumulated and formed a wide network of specialized accounting and tax provider consultants that are called upon when necessary to assist with complicated and/or unique issues.
Mr. Phillips joined Arthur Young & Company in 1984, was promoted to audit manager in 1989. He joined Ernst & Young with the merger of Ernst & Whinney and Arthur Young & Company. He left Ernst & Young and joined Halligan & Associates where he became a principal in 1991. In 1992, Mr. Phillips co-founded Harshman Phillips & Company, LLC.
Mr. Phillips received his B.B.A. in Accounting from the College of William and Mary in 1984.
Brett H. Baker, CPA
Mr. Baker specializes in taxation and accounting for real estate companies, construction contractors, and various other types of small businesses. During his professional career, he has served as a controller and provided various professional services to small businesses and their owners. His experience includes accounting, tax preparation and planning, and general consulting.
Mr. Baker focuses on serving privately held small businesses and their principals and families. He provides them with a full suite of services including tax planning compliance, accounting assistance, outsourcing services, and consulting. Mr. Baker’s experience includes 5 years in the private sector. His background makes him highly qualified to assist small businesses with virtually all of their accounting and taxation needs.
Mr. Baker joined X-Truder Security in 1993 as a staff accountant, was promoted to accounting manager in 1994, and again promoted to Controller in 1996. He joined Harshman Phillips & Company, LLC in 1998 as a accountant. He was promoted to tax manager in 2002 and became a Partner in 2007.
Mr. Baker received his B.B.A. in Finance with minors in economics and management from the State University of New York at Fredonia.