[Ac]Count
Your
Blessings
By: Meghan Orsino
As a new graduate, you’re always told that you shouldn’t
expect to land your dream job right out of college. But for
Regina O’Keefe, CPA, CVA '87, she was an exception.
“Yes, I have had one job for 32 years.”
said Regina. And, yes, it was her first job
out of college.
When Regina graduated magna cum
laude from the then Gwynedd-Mercy
College in 1987, she was looking for the
same small, close-knit feel that she had
in college. She was drawn to GMercyU
by the warm and welcoming people she
met, and was looking for that same
feeling for her career. After interviewing
with several local public accounting
firms, she came across Gable, Peritz,
Mishkin.
“After interviewing, I knew it was the
right firm for me,” recalls Regina. “I
prayed for an employment offer.”
And her prayers were answered. Regina
enthusiastically accepted the job offer
and found a second home at the small
public accounting firm located in Spring
House, Pa. For 13 years, Regina put
her skills and work ethic to the test
and made a name for herself within the
company and with clients. In 2000, she
became the first woman partner at the
firm. Fast forward another 17 years
to 2017, when Gable, Peritz, Mishkin
merged with Herbein + Company, Inc.,
and Regina continued her path as a
leader.
To this day, you can find Regina working
at Herbein + Company’s Spring House
office, where she utilizes her 30+ years
of experience encompassing many facets
of accounting, including tax planning,
consulting, business development, and
more. In fact, Regina’s expertise has
contributed to Herbein + Company’s
14
TODAY
distinction of “Best of Accounting
- Client Satisfaction” award from
ClearlyRated for each of the past three
years for their commitment to providing
remarkable service to their clients. graduates, one in particular, who has
been with us 21 years,” Regina said.
“With no trace of bias, I can honestly say
that the students from GMercyU are the
most prepared and impressive.”
To get to where she is today, Regina
thinks back to where it all started:
GMercyU. Regina continues to leave a lasting
impact on GMercyU students in other
ways, as well. She was invited to be a
member of the Professional Advisory
Board for the GMercyU’s School of
Business, where she meets with Dean
Heather Pfleger and other members to
discuss various topics from enrollment
to curriculum and more. Additionally,
she has served as a judge at the annual
Dual Enrollment Competition organized
by GMercyU’s School of Business
and Education, which is a case study
competition where students from area
high schools that partner with GMercyU
develop a solution to an assigned case
and present their findings before a panel
of judges.
“The Accounting program was excellent
and prepared me to launch my career in
public accounting,” said Regina. “My
days while attending Gwynedd Mercy
University were some of the happiest. I
am so proud and happy to continue to be
a part of the University today.”
In fact, when she graduated, Regina
was awarded the PICPA Award for
Excellence in Accounting Studies. She
would later be invited back to campus as
the keynote speaker for GMercyU’s 2015
Honors Convocation, where she spoke on
behalf of the National Business Honor
Society, Sigma Beta Delta, and was
inducted as an honorary member of the
organization.
Her connection to GMercyU didn’t stop
when she graduated.
Over the years, Regina has embraced the
role of recruiting interns and staff for
Herbein + Company, which has given
her the opportunity to open the door for
new GMercyU graduates and interns.
With the help of GMercyU’s Accounting
Professor, Carlo Silvesti, Regina has
been filling her firm with Griffins.
“I am very proud to say that five of
our accounting staff are GMercyU
To honor Regina for her contributions
to both her career and the GMercyU
community, she was recognized in
2013 as a Distinguished Alumni award
recipient.
“Words cannot express the honor I felt
to be chosen as a Distinguished Alumni
in 2013. The evening is embedded in my
mind and something I will never forget,”
Regina said.
For Regina, her belief in herself, coupled
with her dedicated work ethic, has led
her to the place she’s always wanted to
be with so many blessings to account for
along the way.