FIND OUT: the humble, South Bend roots of an international accounting firm

Ron Cohen describes being recruited by Crowe partner Mendel Piser in 1958.

Newspaper clipping (courtesy of the South Bend Tribune): Fred P. Crowe, Joseph A. Bauters, Mayor Peter J. Nemeth and Mendel Piser discuss the firm’s plans for a new office building; Background photograph (courtesy of the Lou Sabo Collection): Crowe building under construction, circa 1979

Local accounting firm Crowe Chizek was established in South Bend in 1942 by Fred P. Crowe and Cletus F. Chizek. After the death of Fred P. Crowe in 1952, Fred P. Crowe, Jr. and M. Mendel Piser became partners and the firm was renamed Crowe, Chizek and Company. The firm continued to expand and when Mendel Piser retired in 1982, he was succeeded by Ronald S. Cohen.

Watch the video below to hear Ron Cohen describe being recruited by Crowe partner Mendel Piser in 1958.

When Ron began with the accounting firm there were only 12 employees. It is now an international accounting and technology firm with over 4,500 employees in 38 offices. The firm was rebranded as Crowe Horwath, and is now known as just Crowe.

Both Mendel Piser and Ron Cohen were community leaders - professionally and personally. They both served as President of our Jewish Federation and as President of AICPA, the largest organization for CPAs in the world.

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