One was a laid-back Californian, the other a dynamic New Yorker. With very different personalities, but highly complementary leadership styles, legacy leaders Gary Fineman and Harold West built Fineman West into one of the most respected full-service tax, accounting and business advisory services firms in Los Angeles. They had a simple, shared philosophy: treat clients like family and provide them with exemplary people-focused client service. This continues to be Fineman West’s hallmark today.

With an entrepreneurial style, “The same way as last year,” was not part of Harold’s vocabulary. He developed the firm’s slogan, Beyond The Numbers™ as a way to convey that the firm doesn’t just make tax or accounting decisions, we go Beyond The Numbers to help companies make informed business decisions that align with your goals and consistently move you forward. “Every number tells a story,” Harold often said.

He was noted among clients and the Fineman West team alike as being someone who gave his undivided attention to everyone he spoke with, and was always available (even on vacation!). Harold devoted his expertise to Fineman West for 40 years before his passing in 2021.

A graduate of U.S.C. business school, Gary Fineman went to work for an accounting firm (that evolved into Fineman West) right out of college as a junior accountant in the late 1960s. Serving many apparel-industry clients in the L.A. area, he was well-regarded as a leading accountant for the garment industry. He rose steadily through the firm’s leadership ranks before joining as co-managing senior partner with Harold. Outside of the firm, Gary gave his time to several non-profit organizations, including City of Hope, where he was on the board, as his father Emanuel Fineman had been before him. Gary passed away in 2012.

Harold had a saying that “it is during the tough times that we can rise up and shine.” The entire team at Fineman West takes these words to heart as the firm continues to provide the standout and personalized service the firm has been known for. We don’t just make tax or accounting decisions – we help clients make informed business decisions that align with their goals and contribute to their overall success.

With co-managing partners Wendy On and Jeffrey Hyldahl at the helm, Fineman West continues its legacy of excellence in providing the full spectrum of outstanding accounting, tax, auditing and business advisory services to valued clients…now and into the future.