About Us
Kozleski CPA’s: Best Kept Secret Above the Clouds
From the moment you become our client, our professionals will begin working to exceed your expectations. It’s our level of teamwork and customer-focused care that sets us above and beyond alternative accounting firms in Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak Area
Thom N. Gearhart, Jr.
CPA, CGMA
Carol Flathers
CPA
Renee Rusterholtz
Jerry Houchin
Kim Armes
Kelli Pence
Teresa Gearhart
RN
Ronald Petty
Aurora Ash
Katherine Childs
Aubrey Dean
The fact is, you don’t have to wade into any of this, because you know people like us that do all of it (and more) on your business’ behalf.
As fellow business owners, we care deeply about the success of the American small business. We work hard to actively contribute to that success by applying every advantage of the tax code to retain your hard-earned revenue, and avoiding every sandbar that would maroon your business in a sea of taxes and penalties.
There IS a better way.
And to help you set your compass toward greater profitability, the financial benefits of strategic tax planning, and the security of a defensible paper trail, we’d like to offer you a free resource as a gesture of our commitment to the success of your business.
From our business to yours: let’s make your financial success the standard of Pikes Peak Area.
Thom N. Gearhart, Jr.
CPA, CGMA
A practicing CPA for over thirty-five years, Thom has focused on helping his clients achieve their objectives and keep more of what they earn. He is the owner of Kozleski CPAs. Thom has published articles in regional publications and is frequently asked to speak on a variety of topics. He is a Certified Tax Coach, a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives and is a member of the Medical Group Management Association, American Insititute of CPAs, Colorado Society of CPAs, holds active CPA licenses in Colorado and Illinois, and is a Chartered Global Management Accountant. Thom graduated from Brigham Young University in 1977 earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. Thom and his lovely wife Teresa have eight children and twenty-four grandchildren.
Carol Flathers
Carol is originally from Minnesota and joined the U.S. Army as an MP (Military Police). She was discharged in 1985 and has remained here ever since. Carol currently lives in the Fountain area on as small farm – where she loves to work outside and spend time with her animals. Carol obtained her Masters in Accounting from UCCS. She currently holds an active CPA license in Colorado and has been practicing here for close to 30 years.
Ronald Petty
Ron is a Colorado native, born in Alamosa. In 1978 he married Dawn O’Leary Petty, his high school sweetheart. They raised three daughters in Colorado Springs. They currently have seven granddaughters and two grandsons. Lots of estrogen in Ron’s life. Ron graduated from Adams State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1979. He spent a five-year stint in Wyoming working for a national accounting firm. Ron became certified in Wyoming in 2081. He is now certified in Colorado and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and Colorado Society of CPAs. Ron’s experience ranges from publicly traded companies to the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. Ron believes that clear communications is one of the key ingredients in maintaining a successful client relationship. Coordination of tax and accounting strategies is essential to operating a successful business.
Renee Rusterholtz
Renee joined the Kozleski Team in 2017. As an expert in Customer Service, she will assist you in getting the help you need. Prior to joining the Kozleski team, Renee has 20+ years’ experience managing a small business. She is committed to excellence in taking care of our clients in all aspects of our business from accounting to tax preparation. Renee has lived in Florissant with her husband David for 16 years. She is active in community affairs, her POA Board of Directors, and Church activities. She also enjoys the many outdoor activities this area has to offer.
Ashley King
Ashley King grew up in San Antonio, TX before joining the Air Force as a Medic in 2007. After serving her enlistment she remained in the medical field for an additional five years before attending Colorado Technical University, where she graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. She is continuing her education to become an Enrolled Agent. In her free time Ashley enjoys hiking, mountain biking, snowboarding, and the many other outdoor activities Colorado has to offer.
Kelli Pence
Kelli recently relocated from San Antonio, Texas to Florissant after her husband Phil retired. She joins the accounting team after 20 years of civil service working for the Department of Defense at various Air Force bases world-wide. Her last position as Accounting Supervisor for the largest Air Force Lodging in the US was her longest at eight years. She is ready to put down roots now and make Colorado her permanent home. Her goal at work is to do the best she can at any task, whether large or small.
Jerry Houchin
Jerry is a CPC and CPMA with 30 years’ experience in the medical field. Her specialty is in coding and revenue cycle management. She lives in Cascade with her husband Lee. They enjoy taking rides on their UTVs on the mountain trails of Colorado.
Amber Martinez
Amber has been with us for a year and brings to our office her A+ service skills from being a retail manager for more than 8 years. She is the front of the office for the Colorado Springs location and always greets you with a warm smile. Amber has lived in Colorado her whole life and loves to take advantage of spending time outdoors especially with her dogs.
Teresa Gearhart
RN
Teresa grew up in Las Vegas before attending BYU to become a Nurse. There, she met and married Thom Gearhart. In 1977 they moved to Colorado Springs, where their family continued to grow to include 8 children. Over the years, besides Nursing, Teresa has taken on various volunteer opportunities. She has worked in organizations such as PTSA, BSA, and Relief Society, to name a few. She now holds the position of “Service Champion” at Kozleski CPA’s helping to ensure a good experience for our clients. Teresa’s favorite title is “Grammy” to her 25 grandchildren.
Sage Tomsky
Sage is a Colorado native, but grew up primarily on the east coast for most of her life. In 2008, Sage and her family moved back to Colorado where she graduated from UCCS in May of 2019 as an accountant. Sage was eager to start her career as an accountant and joined the Kozleski CPA’s firm in August of 2019. She plans on continuing her education to become a CPA within the next few years. During Sage’s free time she enjoys spending time with her family and she loves exploring Colorado by hiking the many trails this beautiful state has to offer.
Aurora Ash
Aurora was born in Albuquerque but as a military child moved around a bit, experiencing life in the south and middle of the country. She earned her MBA from the University of Oklahoma and is an Enrolled Agent, which allows her to practice before the IRS. She has been doing taxes professionally for 15 years and enjoys helping clients use the tax code to their full advantage. In addition, she holds a visiting professorship at Pikes Peak Community College and DeVry University. She loves to travel, hike, and support animal conservation through the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Katherine Childs
Kitty is from Northern Minnesota and has been in the Colorado Springs area for the last several years. Her 20 plus years of experience in accounting and payroll are a great addition to our Kozleski Accounting department. Kitty enjoys the sunshine and warmer weather of Colorado Springs and being able to spend more time exploring Colorado with her grandchildren.
Michael A. Johnson
Michael is a Florida native who recently moved his wife and animals to Colorado to assist his father in restoring Gold Rush Era mansions. He has always focused on maintaining a “hands-on” mentality when understanding his clients and believes you never fully understand your clients tax situation if you have never participated in your client’s line of work. This attitude has helped Michael develop a wide variety of industry knowledge as well as an insider look at how his clients operate. Michael achieved his bachelor’s degree in financial and managerial accounting at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio and spent his early career performing audits for local governments and special development districts while managing software integration for nonprofit clients and completing his master’s degree in Professional Accountancy.
Aubrey Dean
Aubrey has many years of front desk and customer service experience and looks forward to helping clients in any way possible. She has been in Colorado for over 10 years and enjoys spending her free time baking, reading or exploring the great outdoors.
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