FIRM HISTORY

Our Early Years and Roots in School Districts

1955 – Mr. & Mrs. Sauls were both educators. Mr. Sauls was the Business Manger at Cypress Fairbanks ISD

Law passed that all School Districts had to be audited. Mr. Sauls began his practice to make sure money was being allocated correctly – starting with 13 schools

Original schools still with the current firm:

  • Milano ISD
  • Snook ISD

1964 – John Pechacek (Pä-hä-chek) joined Mr. Sauls in the business, three years after marrying his daughter, and the firm name was changed to Sauls Pechacek

1966 – Mr. Sauls became Business Manager at Goose Creek ISD and Mr. Pechacek took over management of the firm

1974 – Pechacek’s moved to Bellville

1979 – Moved business from downtown Bellville to the Pechacek Ranch on Windy Hill Lane, the address many clients remember to this day.

2000 – Mr. Sauls passed away – firm became John R Pechacek, CPA

Emergence of New Leadership in Government Auditing

1988 – Managing Partner Robert Belt’s story in government auditing began after graduating from Stephen F. Austin in 1988 when hired by Earl C. Lairson.

  •  Earl C. Lairson, a former partner with Ernst and Ernst (now Ernst and Young), developed a significant niche in auditing local governments over a 30 year time period. Mr. Lairson, with two terms on the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA), continues to be the longest serving member of the TSBPA.

1990 – Mr. Lairson sold the firm and the firm became known as Lairson, Stephens and Reimer

  • Mr. Belt became an active player in the local government practice which resulted in it being the fastest growing segment of the firm, earning him a partnership offer at the age of 30.
  • Mr. Belt’s career was placed on the leading edge of local government auditing when discovering the volatility risk of city’s investments, just months before the CMO and run on TexPool began.
  • In addition, he had the opportunity to work on several high profile city fraud cases and subsequent efforts to clean up.
  •  Many clients which Mr. Belt helped bring into the firm continue to be clients to this day, including Harris County Appraisal District and Polk County.

1997 – Null and Associates purchased Lairson Stephens and Reimer, resulting in the new firm of Null Lairson, and Robert Belt joined the well-established firm of White Petrov McHone (WPM)

  • As a non-owner of the newly established Null Lairson, Mr. Belt, believing that the new firm’s goals were not the best for him and the clients he served, set out to find a permanent home for the client base he was developing.
  • He was followed by many of his long-time clients that he had helped win over such as Polk County, Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, Harris County Appraisal District, and several cities.

1999 – Robert Belt starts the independent Houston office of Sandersen Knox and Belt, LLP

2003 – Future partner Nathan Krupke joins the Houston Office

2004 – Future partner Stephanie Harris joins the Houston Office

2008 – Robert Belt, Stephanie Harris and the rest of the Houston office form Belt Harris and Associates, LLLP and Sandersen Knox and Belt was dissolved

2009 – Open House for the second build-out of the office located at 730 N. Post Oak Lane

2010 – Belt Harris and Associates was renamed Belt Harris Pechacek when John Pechacek became critically ill necessitating the sale of his firm and retirement

2010 – Longtime team member, Nathan Krupke became a partner

2010 – Partners purchase BHP’s home office at 3210 Bingle Rd. Suite 300

2011 – Houston Business Journal recognizes Belt Harris Pechacek, LLLP as one of the top 25 firms in Houston

2013 – Earl Lairson moved in with Belt Harris Pechacek. Belt Harris Pechacek continues our deep rooted service to local governments. We take our leadership role in service and attestation to accuracy of financial statements as seriously as our fellow Texans who volunteer their time to lead and govern the schools, cities, counties and other districts of the state.

 

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