Headshot of Ron Cook

I climbed an active volcano in Guatemala and looked straight into the lava pit — no tour guide, no safety rails, and no protective equipment. While it was clearly not a safe thing to do, I’ll never forget the adventure.

Ron Cook
Partner, CPA

Experience

As the national practice leader of the firm’s state and local tax (SALT) group, I help clients stay current on tax matters that impact their business and navigate the complexities of state and local taxes. My experience has taught me that the finer points of state and local taxes can be challenging for business owners. It’s rewarding to help clients, especially while working at Plante Moran where we have a culture of doing what’s best for the client.

My clients appreciate my deep tax knowledge base, how I proactively identify tax-savings opportunities that resolve their issues, and how I help them meet their business goals with practical solutions. When I’m not advising clients, I enjoy mentoring our younger staff. Growing the talent in this practice area is something that’s important to me.

Because of my SALT expertise, I’m often asked to speak at various industry and state tax conferences on state and local tax matters. I belong to the Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois where I am a member of the Board of Trustees and participate on the income tax and sales tax committees. I am also a member of the AICPA and serve on its state and local tax technical resource panel. I received my B.S. in accountancy from Northern Illinois University.

In my free time I enjoy traveling internationally, being with family and friends, and exercising.