RSM Provides $90k Through Pursue Your Passion Program to Help Employees' Dreams Come to Life

CHICAGO – (January 28, 2021) – RSM US LLP (“RSM”) – the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market – recently awarded nine employees with $90,000 ($10,000 each) and nine paid-time-off (PTO) days to pursue their dreams through the firm’s Pursue Your Passion program.

In recognition of RSM’s 90th anniversary in 2016, RSM launched its Pursue Your Passion program to encourage its people to celebrate the milestone by applying for a chance to pursue their passions, with monetary support and time off from the firm. Following the success of the program over the first five years, RSM continued the contest. A team of employees and partners in the firm recently selected this year’s group of winners.

This year, due to health concerns and travel restrictions caused by COVID-19, the majority of applicants focused on activities that could be pursued from their homes or safely in their communities.

“During these unprecedented times, and as we look toward the future, it’s more important than ever that we support our peoples’ dreams,” said Doug Opheim, chief financial officer with RSM US LLP and chair of the RSM US Foundation. “Each year, we’re amazed by the caring nature our people display through their Pursue Your Passion projects, and this year is no exception. We are inspired by the creativity of all of our winners, and are looking forward to hearing about their stories as they pursue their dreams throughout the year.”

RSM’s 2021 Pursue Your Passion winners are:

Joshua Baum (assurance senior associate, Toronto, Ontario) – Kick up his triathlon training to prepare for an Ironman event through which he’ll raise funds for a summer camp for children with cancer.

Erika Brighi (market development senior associate, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) – Use her voice to help make a lasting impact on her community through racial understanding and inclusion actions, advocacy and activism, and provide financial support for a mentoring group as well as a group of fathers who have lost children to gun violence.

Bill George (unified communications engineer senior, Minneapolis, Minnesota) – Participate in a weeklong, liveaboard sailing course with his two sons to help them understand that they’re stronger and more capable than they think, and reawaken his own sense of adventure.

Mya Gonder (North American Service Center tax manager, Charlotte, North Carolina) – Create a program to provide foster children with resources and training to help them transition from being in foster care to being successful, independent adults.

Monica Kveton (PCS ultra high net worth manager, San Antonio, Texas) – Expand her knowledge of bees to educate others as well as purchase larger honey extraction equipment so that she can share honey with her community from the bountiful harvests to come.

Joe Miller (business valuations supervisor, Dallas, Texas) – Restore a rusty, 1955 two-door Chevrolet Bel-Air, which he calls the “magnum opus” of his passion for car building and restoration.

Joel Uy (PCS business owners senior associate, Houston, Texas) – Help raise funds, reconstruct homes and repair the flow of basic necessities, such as water and electricity, for those affected by typhoons in the Philippines.

Michelle Whittenhall (business tax manager, Rockford, Illinois) – Stemming from her experience with her daughter, work with Chicago-area hospitals to develop and deliver care packages for parents with children in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Lindsay Zimmerman (PCS financial intermediaries manager, Houston, Texas) – Ensure her daughter, who was born with a rare genetic condition, receives the best treatments for her physical, emotional and developmental wellbeing.