Title: Senior Tax Accountant
Company: Jackson Hewitt Inc.
Location: Sarasota, Florida, United States
Joel Westfahl, senior tax accountant at Jackson Hewitt Inc., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in accounting.
Mr. Westfahl’s expertise in the accounting profession has been honed over a distinguished career that spans nearly four decades and widely diverse appointments including public tax accounting, tax return preparation software development, corporate accounting, and governmental accounting. Mr. Westfahl received his most prominent training, which influenced his entire accounting career, while working as a tax accountant with the Big 4 firm KPMG.
Mr. Westfahl’s most significant contribution to the accounting profession to date was as the corporate controller of Allied Aviation, LLC and Affiliates, then the largest privately owned fueler of commercial aircraft at certain major airports in the United States, Canada, and Panama, and the owner and operator of pipelines in the United States which transport and store jet fuel and anhydrous ammonia. Mr. Westfahl was also responsible for accounting matters related to the construction of commercial aircraft fueling facilities at airports in Quito, Ecuador and Bogota, Colombia. Mr. Westfahl’s duties included pension plan accounting for commercial aircraft refuelers at the JFK and DFW International Airports.
In governmental accounting, Mr. Westfahl worked as a consultant in the Sarasota County, Florida Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller’s office. His primary responsibility was to account for the debt of Sarasota County and review accounting disclosures contained in legal documents for the issuance of new debt, including two bonds issued to fund the development of the Legacy Trail in Sarasota County. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Westfahl accounted for Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act loans made to certain Sarasota County small businesses to help them fund their payroll to keep people employed.
Mr. Westfahl’s professional success was enabled in part by his commitment to continuous self-improvement through higher education. From Florida State University, Mr. Westfahl earned a master’s degree in accounting, tax concentration, along with bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance with a minor in economics. From the University of South Florida, Mr. Westfahl earned a bachelor’s degree in business analytics and information systems, with a minor in cybersecurity.
During his accounting career and academic studies, Mr. Westfahl chose to engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related activities. During his tenure with Athur Andersen Tax Technology, then one of the Big 5 public accounting firms, he helped develop state corporate income tax software and an internal course to cross-train accountants and information technology workers. Additionally, Mr. Westfahl published an article in the Florida CPA Today magazine on the effect on the accounting profession of emerging CD-ROM technology. Finally, as an older student, Mr. Westfahl wrote a chemistry class project on the discovery of DuPont™ Kevlar® and submitted it to their marketing department in the hopes it would be used to inspire chemistry students worldwide. Executives for DuPont™ Kevlar® contacted Mr. Westfahl and asked him to write a related article, which they posted on their website under the title “Dare Bigger™ Moment: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of DuPont™ Kevlar®.”
Outside of his professional life, Mr. Westfahl is dedicated to personal development and his favorite hobby is athletics. For over 40 years, he has practiced the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do and holds a second-degree black belt. Mr. Westfahl’s charitable efforts are focused on protecting animals and the environment.
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