Bob Berkopec joined KPMG (then known as Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co.) in July 1964. Twenty-seven plus years later he retired as an audit partner on September 30, 1991. He spent his entire career with KPMG in the Milwaukee office.

Bob worked primarily on manufacturing and healthcare clients. He especially enjoyed serving as audit manager, then audit partner on the Allen Bradley Company audit engagement. When Bob first became involved on the Allen Bradley engagement, the Company was still using equity accounting and he advised and reviewed their conversion to consolidated financial statements.

Under the guidance of Louie Feurer, Bob participated in the growth of the Milwaukee office healthcare practice. The expansion of the healthcare practice was assisted in part with the adoption of the Medicare program on July 1, 1966. Bob and Louie became Medicare reimbursement "experts" and traveled around the country giving Medicare reimbursement seminars. This knowledge was very helpful with the healthcare practice development activities. Bob and Louie met many interesting people on their trips including "Tessie the Tassel Twister" in Houston, Texas.

After leaving KPMG, Bob planned to do financial consulting. His first and last client was The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Inc. He will complete nine years with the Foundation on October 1, 2000 where he is currently the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer. The Foundation is an outstanding philanthropic organization that has provided Bob an interesting and challenging post-KPMG career. He has even become fairly proficient with the computer. Lotus 1-2-3 sure beats the 16 column worksheets where any changes in a consolidation could result in hours of extra work. KPMG is the independent auditor for the Bradley Foundation so Bob now has the opportunity to harass the auditors regarding audit fees, deadlines and the super technical FASB pronouncements.

Bob and his wife Ann have five children and five grandchildren. They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on August 29, 1999. They live in Franklin, Wisconsin, two minutes away from Tuckaway Country Club, where they are members. While Bob is still a working man, he finds plenty of time for golf. However, he is still trying to properly transfer his weight during the golf swing. Bob and Ann are planning to attend the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sidney, Australia this coming September.

Bob's fondest memory of KPMG are the many talented people that passed through the doors of the Firm during his twenty-seven year career. Most especially the success these individuals have achieved both within KPMG and in a kaleidoscope of careers outside public accounting.

Change typically results in progress and improvement. However, when Bob observes the current rapidity of change and turmoil in the public accounting firms, he prefers to remember the "collegiality" and local autonomy that existed in the Firm in the "good old days."