Throughout 2025, Cohen & Co invested in expanding services, employees, geographies and community impact.
Marc Mazzella, managing director, says that’s crucial to Cohen & Co.’s clients and its standing as an employer and firm of choice in the accounting industry in the Youngstown region.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act created a comprehensive tax reform package, affecting how taxpayers plan for the future. In addition to meeting with clients throughout the region, Cohen & Co, founded in 1977, offered webinars and a dedicated website resource center to help them navigate the legislative changes.
The firm, which employs more than 800, welcomed a strategic growth investment from private equity firm Lovell Minnick Partners early in the year. The transaction facilitated three follow-on acquisitions, expanding the firm’s footprint as well as services, including adding to the team in Cleveland, Chicago and New York. Organic growth for the firm included 10 new full-time employees in the Youngstown office and 193 new hires firmwide.
While acquisitions and new hires facilitated growth, encouraging individual development and success remained key. The Youngstown office welcomed 10 interns from Youngstown State University, with which the firm maintains a longstanding relationship to nurture talent in the region. Employees engaged with YSU by attending Meet the Employers Day, hosting a tailgate at a YSU home game and sitting on multiple panels to offer career advice.
The Youngstown office celebrated 13 promotions and additional community recognitions. Director of Inclusion and Equity Trinette Simon was a finalist in the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber Athena Awards, while Senior Manager Jackie Podolsky was selected for the 2026 class of Leadership Mahoning Valley.
The company also encouraged employees to contribute to their communities. The firm’s new employee-driven grant application and employee match programs, as well as a charitable contributions process, led to the donation of $500,000 to organizations across the U.S. Local recipients included Inspiring Minds and Oh Wow! science center. Youngstown’s Tarik Awad served on the board of Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio and was involved with fundraising for the JA Economic Education and Workforce Center, and Nicole Pavlansky joined the board as treasurer of Oh Wow! science center.
Mazzella says the office also rolled up its sleeves volunteering at United Way of Youngstown and Mahoning Valley to organize school care closet resources and student supply packages. Employees held a “Soup-er Bowl” and bake-off to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley and supported holiday giving for children through Beatitude House, the YWCA of Mahoning Valley and Northeastern Ohio Adoption Services.
