BDO USA Leases in Miami Tower With Plans to Expand Operations

By Brian Bandell  – Senior Reporter, South Florida Business Journal
December 6, 2017

Accounting and advisory firm BDO USA has signed a lease in Miami Tower, where it will expand its local operations under new leadership.

In 2016, Chicago-based BDO USA acquired Coral Gables-based Goldstein Schechter Koch, led by Sanford B. Horwitz, to add about 100 employees in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The firm has now decided to combine its Miami and Coral Gables offices into a 22,000-square-foot space on the 17th Floor of Miami Tower.

The 47-story tower at 100 S.E. 2nd Street is one of the most recognizable buildings in downtown Miami.

BDO USA said it would have 125 employees there for both its Miami practice and its Latin American headquarters. It plans to add 35 more staff there in the near term. The company will design its office with flexible, open workspaces.

Paul Heiselmann, Managing Partner of BDO USA’s Southeast Region

“Bringing the nearby Coral Gables practice under one roof in the new Miami office will provide the benefits of enhanced client service through more effective shared resources and improved collaboration,” said Paul Heiselmann, managing partner of BDO USA’s Southeast Region. “We have a strong history of working together among our South Florida offices and this will further ensure clients are able to benefit from BDO’s broad array of services, extensive industry experience and the wide-ranging resources of the BDO global network.”

BDO USA also announced that Alfredo Cepero will be the assurance managing partner for its South Florida practice, while Vince Carrodeguas will be responsible for training and career development.

BDO USA named Madeline Elias as the tax market leader for South Florida. Former GSK CEO Sandy Horowitz will be the tax managing partner of the Miami office. BDO USA named Daniel Castro and Lori Myers as tax managing partners in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, respectively.

At the same time, BDO appointed Albert Lopez as CEO of the Americas region at its Latin American desk for its global network. Ernie Saumell, a co-leader of BDO USA’s Latin American des, will also be based in Miami Tower.

In September, Miami-Dade County approved a job growth incentive deal for BDO USA. It would receive $210,000 in tax rebates from the county and state for creating 35 jobs with an average salary of $68,343. The measure was sponsored by the Miami-Dade Beacon Council.

“BDO’s expansion and establishment of its Latin American headquarters in Miami demonstrates our stature as an international business hub with sophisticated high value professional services to assist multinational companies in growing their business,” said Michael Finney, president and CEO of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council.

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