Our Talent

At Dowd, Whittaker & Associates, we wouldn’t be who we are without our gifted accountants and warm, knowledgeable office staff. Over the years, we’ve hired some of the area’s most accomplished financial professionals, and the result is an accounting team with diverse industry experience and specialized knowledge. We share a belief in straight talk and respectful communication—and above all, a fierce commitment to our clients.

	John F. Dowd, CPA John is the President of Dowd, Whittaker & Associates and is responsible for the firm’s general management and personnel administration. He supervises and performs audits, tax and management advisory engagements for a diverse field of clients. A CPA licensed in the State of Florida, John received his BA degree from the University of South Florida and is a member of the American Institute of CPA’s, The Florida Institute of CPA’s and the Gulf Coast Chapter of the FICPA. He has been practicing accounting in the Venice area since 1980. Outside of tax season, rumor has it that John can often be found on his flats skiff prowling the shallow waters of Charlotte Harbor for snook and redfish.
	Thomas E. Whittaker, CPA Tom joined the firm in 1994 and became a shareholder in 1996. Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Tom received his BA degree in accounting from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA and later became a CPA licensed in the State of Florida. Tom performs audits and tax preparation services for individual and corporate clients. He prides himself in effectively using emerging technology to enhance the firm’s efficiency and provide exceptional service to clients. As a Certified QuickBooks® ProAdvisor, Tom is able to teach QuickBooks® at an advanced level and provide clients with full-service QuickBooks® solutions.
	Beverly J. Miller, CPA Beverly joined the firm in 2000 after working in the banking industry for 22 years. Beverly has extensive experience in the construction industry. Beverly performs audits and tax preparation services for individuals and corporate clients. As a Certified QuickBooks® ProAdvisor, Beverly is able to teach QuickBooks® at an advanced level and provide clients with full-service QuickBooks® solutions. She graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from University of South Florida in December 1992 and became a CPA in 1997.
	Rebecca S. English, CPA Rebecca joined the firm in 2006. Originally from Brighton, Michigan, she was a shareholder in a local CPA firm in Howell, Michigan for 14 years. Rebecca has degrees from Western Michigan University. She is a CPA licensed in the states of Florida and Michigan. Rebecca has over 25 years experience in small business accounting and tax preparation services for individual, corporate, partnership, estate, trust and private foundation clients. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys ballroom dancing, reading, bridge, golf and travel.
	Robert Wilder, Staff Accountant Bob is a Staff Accountant who joined the firm in 1997. He has worked in the accounting field for a number of years, holds an Associate’s degree and is currently working on his four-year degree. Bob is highly proficient with QuickBooks® and handles a number of bookkeeping matters for the firm’s clients.
	Kimberly J. Fable, Staff Accountant Kim is a Paraprofessional who joined the firm in 1999. Previously, she worked for many years for both accounting professionals and small businesses. She spent a number of years working independently to help small companies set up accounting systems tailored to their needs. Originally from Connecticut, Kim attended Community College where she studied Accounting, QuickBooks® and other computer applications. Kim’s knowledge of QuickBooks® as well general accounting principals allows her to work effectively for both our personal and business clients.
	Carol S. Anderson, Office Manager Carol joined the firm in 1986 and has the distinction of being the first employee hired by Dowd. Carol is one of the first friendly faces our clients see when they come to our office. Having been with the company since its inception, Carol knows pretty much every one of our clients by their first name. Prior to joining the firm, Carol worked as a secretary and bookkeeper in Ohio’s minor league baseball industry. In addition to her office administration duties, Carol handles billing, accounts payable and payroll.
	Lucy Dowd, Staff Accountant Lucy joined us as a Staff Accountant in 2004. Previously, Lucy worked for 22 years in various professional roles at an auto service center. She works extensively with clients who take advantage of our firm’s outsourced accounting services. Originally from New Jersey, Lucy moved to the Venice area in 1982. She has studied accounting, taxation and computer science at the college level.
	Lynne Geary, Secretary Lynne is our Secretary and the first voice you’ll hear when you call the office. Prior to joining the firm in 1999, she worked in a dental office for 25 years. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, Lynne plays an invaluable role in keeping the office running smoothly and ensuring that clients are always greeted with a warm hello and a friendly smile.
	Julie Graser, Staff Accountant Julie is a Staff Accountant who joined the firm in 2004. Her responsibilities include general bookkeeping duties with an emphasis on work for clients who utilize our eBookkeeper services. Before joining the firm, Julie worked as a bookkeeper for a dental practice. She holds a BA in Special Education from the University of Florida.
	Krista Winkler, Staff Accountant Krista joins Julie as a staff accountant with responsibilities that include general bookkeeping, payroll services and eBookkeeper services. Before joining the firm, Krista had worked in a variety of positions including sales and marketing, hotel management and healthcare administration. Krista grew up in Pennsylvania and has lived in Florida since 1987. She holds a Marketing degree from Penn State.
	John Scaffidi, Staff Accountant John is a Staff Accountant who joined the firm in 2003. Previously, he worked for 15 years at the Internal Revenue Service. There, he gained extensive knowledge of tax return preparation and the Internal Revenue Code. John is originally from Bellport, New York. He holds a B.S. in Biology from SUNY Cortland and an MBA in Finance from Hofstra University.
	Brenda Ward, Staff Accountant Brenda is a Staff Accountant who joined the firm in 2002. She previously worked as a bookkeeper for a number of small businesses. Brenda handles a wide range of services for our clients, including tax preparation, QuickBooks® training and outsourced accounting functions. She holds a BS in Accounting from the University of South Florida.
	Gail Lepage, Staff Accountant Gail joined Dowd, Whittaker in 2007 as a staff accountant. Her extensive experience began in the UK working for travel, media and entertainment companies. Moving to Florida in 1999 from London she had been employed in the real estate industry before joining our firm. Gail is married to Dave and makes their home in North Port. Her lovely British accent and sense of humor make her a pleasant addition to the firm. Hobbies include music (UB 40) and traveling.
	Kim LeBlanc, Staff Accountant Kim has recently joined Dowd, Whittaker and Associates. Her responsibilities include general bookkeeping, payroll services and working with our eBookkeeper clients on a daily basis. In addition to a pleasant smile, Kim brings over 15 years of business, financial and marketing experience to the firm. She holds a BS degree in business management from East Carolina University. Kim loves living in Venice and enjoys time with her husband and children.
	Bobbi Edmonds, Staff Accountant Bobbi joins Dowd, Whittaker and Associates with responsibilities that include general bookkeeping, payroll services and customer service on our eBookkeeper Team. Her experience in bookkeeping includes custom interior design and the food and beverage industry. Growing up in Canton Ohio, she migrated to Buffalo, New York for 13 years which goes a long way in explaining why she and her family moved South. Trading snow for sand, Bobbi enjoys kayaking on the Gulf and hiking in the Smokey mountains.
	Louie, Office Security Louie is in charge of office security, canine amusements and dog treat inventory management. Considered a slacker by his peers, Louie prefers to sleep through the chaos of tax season, year after year. He hails from Altoona, PA but currently makes his home in Englewood. As part of his ongoing commitment to giving back to the community, Louie assists the area with daily squirrel and armadillo chasing activities.