CohnReznick Names New CEO

On May 30, 2019

CohnReznick LLP elects David A. Kessler, a veteran CohnReznick executive, as the firm’s next chief executive officer. Kessler will assume the CEO role on February 1, 2020 when current CEO Frank Longobardi completes his term. CohnReznick has New Jersey offices in Roseland and Eatontown.

Kessler is a member of CohnReznick’s Executive Board and is currently the Managing Partner for the Real Estate practice, the firm’s largest industry practice, directing the strategies and overseeing operations for the affordable housing, commercial real estate, construction, and tax credit groups. He led CohnReznick’s commercial real estate practice for many years, building a strong national practice and reputation for the firm among developers, investors, private equity fund managers, REITs, and other industry stakeholders.  He is actively involved with the firm’s advisory, assurance, and tax practices.

Kessler previously served as the Co-Office Managing Partner of the firm’s Bethesda, MD office where he is based. Kessler is a home-grown leader who began his career at CohnReznick legacy firm Reznick Fedder & Silverman immediately after graduating from the University of Maryland. He has been with CohnReznick for more than 33 years.

Kessler frequently speaks on a variety of business topics at conferences throughout the U.S. and has developed and taught real estate accounting courses at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies and at the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. He serves on the executive committees and boards of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington and the Barker Adoption Foundation.

“I am honored to be chosen to lead CohnReznick and look forward to supporting the growth of our people, providing world-class service to our clients, and having a lasting positive impact on our communities,” Kessler said. “My goal is to build upon Frank’s outstanding leadership by continuing to distinguish CohnReznick as the firm with an inclusive environment to foster the careers of our people while providing state of the art solutions to help our clients achieve their vision for their businesses.”

Longobardi will continue in his role as CEO while working closely with Kessler to prepare the CEO-Elect for a smooth transition of leadership. “As a highly skilled and experienced advisor, David’s approach to client service clearly demonstrates that being immersed in the issues and opportunities for your industry builds successful relationships and propels growth,” Longobardi said. “His vision for this firm is exciting and I am confident in his ability to lead CohnReznick’s next chapter of success.”

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