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Barb Gacic,  Mary de Raismes, Paula Joers, Tory Haines, Steve Sager 

In 1981, Steve Sager founded the firm in downtown St. Charles to serve the Tri-Cities’ businesses and residents.  With one phone line, one typewriter, a copy service in the building, a part time secretary and a helpful wife, business was underway and life was low tech and simple.  But the reputation of personal care and respect of the client’s needs was becoming well established.  Many of the original clients are still with us today.

Twenty years of experience have taught us that the one constant in our profession is change.  Our annual firm development meetings have centered around the issues of IRS law revisions, technology, growth of our clients’ businesses, community expansion, family issues of : children, divorce, retirement and, of course, the graying of the Baby Boomers.  Our first computer was borrowed from a client and had a very loud daisy wheel printer which had to be kept in a hallway for noise control. The first copier was also a loaner.  

Today, we are networked and each of us uses a PC along with a variety of software applications for financial or tax planning and preparation.  We have this Web Page and many of our clients transmit information via disc, e-mail, FAX or the old-fashioned way on our four line phone system with voice mail. The copier is now ours and is state of the art. Confidentiality is even further guarded by our shredder.  Our expansive professional library once included several shelves of the multiple volumes of CCH Binders which now arrive on CD Rom for efficiency and speed.

So, along with the number of our clients and their changing profiles, we have changed and grown in many ways.  Technology has made the job faster but sometimes also more complicated.  Many bigger and smaller accounting firms have come and gone or moved to the larger buildings.  We have chosen to remain in control of our own growth so that we are always personally and consistently available and responsive to our clients’ needs and concerns.

Steve became a CPA in 1972.  He worked for Checkers, Simon and Rosner CPA’s in Chicago and then as controller for two large multinational corporations thru 1980.  After taking night courses at Northwestern and DePaul Universities he received his MBA from DePaul and hung out his "shingle" to practice accounting on his own.  Since then his focus has been to be the all around financial advisor to small businesses and individual clients. His goal is to provide a total quality, caring and involved approach to assisting his clients in obtaining and maintaining their financial security.

Tory joined the firm in1985, while still attending accounting courses. After graduating from Benedictine University, Tory passed the CPA Exam in 1990 and became a partner in the firm in 1994.  Primarily, she has worked with businesses and individual tax clients.  Tory prefers to work with people rather than numbers and looks at her career as a way to help others achieve their goals by making wise financial decisions today and preserving or developing the level of financial security that will provide them with a comfortable retirement.  

Since joining the firm in March 1985, Mary has filled many key roles and responsibilities.  As a Staff Accountant, her primary expertise has been write-up work.  Mary brings considerable accounting experience to her position, including a strong background in data integrity, problem resolution, and client confidentiality.  Mary is also the firm’s Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor offering assistance and expertise to the small businesses that are using off-the-shelf accounting software. With her interpersonal communication skills, she has given her clients a level of comfort knowing she can answer their questions and resolve their accounting and computer problems as well as working with and training the client’s staff.

Barb has been with Sager, Haines & Co. LLP since September, 1997.  As Office Administrator Barb has a variety of responsibilities to ensure a smooth flow of information between clients and office personnel as well as the efficient running of the day-to-day operations of the firm.  Barb views her position as the initial office contact for the client to be her most important duty.  Whether it is calling a client to remind them of an important date or helping them obtain copies of documents she always takes the client’s needs into account.  Barb holds both a Certificate of Management and an Associates Degree in Arts, Retail Management, from Elgin Community College and is a January, 2001, graduate from Roosevelt University with a Bachelor of General Studies in Administrative Studies.

Paula joined our firm in October, 2002.  Paula's strong background in accounting and tax made her a perfect fit for the part-time Staff Accountant position.  Paula's genial attitude combined with her solid experience are the assets she offers her many clients to answer their questions, to solve their problems and to assimilate their accounting information.