John Barsella is a partner in our Tax Services group, serves on the firm's marketing committee and leads the firm's Real Estate Cost Segregation practice. John provides the full range of tax planning, business valuation and financial planning needs for his clients which are primarily in financial services, manufacturing, food services, professional service and real estate firms. He also works closely with high net worth individuals, many of whom run the businesses for which he is the engagement partner. He provides them with tax and financial planning solutions, such as estate and gift tax planning, to help them grow their wealth for retirement and to best meet their families' future needs. While John agrees that he and his team need to be very good at the 'blocking and tackling' of taxes and remain on top of the changes in the laws and regulations, he does not believe this is enough. He feels that getting in front of clients is the real key to helping them succeed at a higher level. "90 percent of what we do is work. 10 percent is the great ideas we have. And when I say 'we' I mean 'us and our clients.' Most great ideas happen when you are with the client." John is a member of the AICPA, the Illinois CPA Society and the Business Valuation Association. He frequently serves as a lecturer on tax issues.