Ken prides himself on being able to find “out-of-the-box” solutions for his client’s financial planning needs. His personal areas of specialization are in designing risk appropriate investment & retirement planning services to individuals ages 50-75, and assisting corporate executives with tax efficient diversification strategies for their employee stock options & incentive compensation packages.
Ken has previously served as a committee member of the NJCPA’s Investment Committee overseeing the financial investments for the Society, and as President of the Monmouth Ocean County Chapter of the NJ Society of CPA’s. Ken is also a past chairperson of both the NJCPA’s state and local chapter level Personal Financial Planning Committee & Financial Literacy Committees, and the local chapter’s Eldercare Committee.
In May of 2017, Ken received the Distinguished Service Coin from the NJ Society of CPA's which honors those who "exceed expectations and set the standard of excellence for others to follow". In September 2014, Ken was included in the inaugural NJCPA’s List of its members practicing at the highest levels within a specific discipline, naming him one of only six CPA’s honored in the area of financial planning. The prior summer, he was included in the Society’s “50 over 50” list for his continuing impact on the accounting profession in the Garden State. Both of these honors follow his receipt of the NJCPA’s 2008-2009 Community Volunteer of the Year Award for his efforts on behalf of the Society’s financial literacy and help center programs.
Ken is a past Secretary and Treasurer for the Financial Planning Association of New Jersey and was the recipient of the organization’s 2013 "Heart of Financial Planning" award and of their "Lifetime Achievement" award in 2015. He served for three years as their Director of Education & Professional Development, after a previous four year term as treasurer of the Association. He has also been a speaker at a number of FPANJ’s continuing education events.
Mr. Shapiro has more than 40 years of experience, having held positions in the public, private and educational sectors of the profession. He taught for 10 years as a full-time college professor earlier in his career and for 11 years as an instructor for the Person Wolinsky CPA Review Program. His most recent teaching assignments were as an adjunct professor at Monmouth University in Eatontown, NJ and at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Lakewood, NJ. Ken has also contributed to a number of articles published in local and national publications.
Mr. Shapiro received an M.B.A. in finance from Rutgers University and a bachelor’s in accounting from Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. Ken resides in Pine Beach, NJ with his wife, Sandi. He escapes from his professional activities by being a “hands-on” dad to his daughter, Reba, and his two sons, Russell and Devon and by boating and fishing whenever his busy schedule allows and the weather cooperates.
