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Bridgewater

The Bridgewater team of Stephen James Associates is led by former Accounting Professionals. The Managing Partners have a combined 40+ years of experience in the recruiting profession and represent a portfolio of clients and positions unmatched in the tri-state area. On a retained or contingency basis across all industries, we serve a majority of local Fortune 500 companies and their subsidiaries along with smaller, privately-held companies. Whether your permanent or temporary staffing needs are in Finance, Accounting, Audit, Tax or Treasury, we have the resources and relationships to serve as an integral partner in your hiring process.

Joe Stauffer, CPA

Expertise

Joe has 20 years of experience in the staffing profession, and in the past 15 years, has launched, developed and directed three of New Jersey's largest, privately-held recruiting firms. His most recent firm, Stafford Paige LLC, specialized in Accounting and Finance and was acquired by Allegis Group in January 2009. Allegis Group is the largest staffing company in the United States and the parent company of Stephen James Associates. Prior to Stafford Paige, Joe also co-founded the Morgan Paige Group, an accounting and finance search firm acquired by Spherion Corporation in January 2002. Prior to Morgan Paige, Joe co-founded and managed Rylan Forbes Consulting Group, a 3-office, 25 employee staffing firm headquartered in Edison, NJ. Founded in 1992, Rylan Forbes eventually merged with several, large specialty search firms and became ACSYS Inc. In February 1998, ACSYS Inc., with sales exceeding $100 million, completed its IPO on NASDAQ (ACSY). ACSYS was subsequently acquired by Netherlands-based Vedior Corporation in the summer of 2000.

Professional Affiliations

A veteran of the United States Air Force, Joe is an honors graduate of The Pennsylvania State University where he majored in Accounting. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the New Jersey Society of CPA's.

Michelle Mulvihill McBurnie, CPA

Expertise

Michelle began her professional career in Accounting where she accumulated over 11 years of Audit and Accounting experience working for Deloitte & Touche, Salomon Brothers and Viacom. In 1998, she made the transition to professional staffing, joining the Princeton office of Rylan Forbes Consulting Group. In 2000, Michelle joined the Morgan Paige Group, and became a Principal in 2002. Morgan Paige was acquired by Spherion Corporation that same year, and Michelle remained on board to assist with expanding the Accounting & Finance practice in the NJ and NY markets, eventually becoming one of the top producers in the country. Next, Michelle co-founded Stafford Paige LLC, an Accounting & Finance specialty recruiting practice acquired in 2009 by Allegis Group, the parent company of Stephen James Associates.

Professional Affiliations

A graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and Cedar Crest College, Michelle is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and a member of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPA's.

Karen Zubulake, CPA

Expertise

Karen began her professional career in Accounting where she accumulated 15 years of audit, accounting and finance experience working at Deloitte & Touche and AT&T. While at AT&T, she made the transition to Human Resources and began recruiting for the Finance organization. In 2006, she transitioned to Executive Search, joining the Bridgewater, NJ office of Stafford Paige LLC which was acquired by Stephen James Associates in 2009.

Professional Affiliations

Karen is a graduate from Adelphi University where she received a degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

Barrett Cummins, CPA/MST

Expertise

Barrett has spent 15+ years in the staffing industry, initially working for a national recruiting firm and the last ten years managing a NJ/NY regional staffing firm specializing in Accounting & Finance. Barrett began his professional career in Accounting and Tax with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Philips Electronics and PNC Bank.

Professional Affiliations

Barrett received his Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Lehigh University and Masters of Taxation from Farleigh Dickinson. He is Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

Brian Petroski

Expertise

Brian has been in the Staffing Industry for 14 years specializing in Corporate Accounting, Finance, Tax and Audit as well as Public Accounting Audit and Tax Placement. He started and spent most of his career at Clark Davis Associates, a local New Jersey based Accounting and Finance Recruiting firm and started with Stephen James Associates in 2010.

Over the years Brian has worked with numerous clients ranging from the Fortune 500 to local, privately-held companies. Additionally he has assisted Big-4 and Regional public accounting firms hire tax, audit, forensics and other professionals throughout the NY/NJ Metropolitan area.

Professional Affiliations

Brian received his Bachelor's degree from Montclair State University.