KPMG recounts its N.O. office Nov. 1

New Orleans CityBusiness, Oct 26, 2005 by CityBusiness Staff Report

KPMG LLP, an accounting, tax, and advisory firm, will reopen its New Orleans office at 909 Poydras St. Nov. 1.KPMG, one of the oldest and largest professional services firms in New Orleans, opened in 1909. It'll be great to have our people back in the office, said Hardy Fowler, office managing partner for KPMG's New Orleans office.

The more normalcy we can create for our people and the city, the better it will be for everyone.Fowler said 60 New Orleans-based employees were evacuated during the Aug. 29 hurricane and 12 lost their homes during the disaster. They have been working in firm locations in Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Houston and Birmingham, Ala., and at relocated client offices in the region.KPMG initiated a National Check-in system to help locate all New Orleans personnel. Human resources then surveyed individual needs for housing, food, water, clothing and other essentials, and provided monetary relief from the firm's Disaster Relief Fund, which has raised more than $1 million to date.KPMG also developed a Helping Hands Web site to match firm employees in need with employees willing to donate requested items, from diapers to cell phones to temporary housing.The KPMG Disaster Relief fund and Helping Hands Web site were established to help our own in such situations, Fowler said. And because of it, we've been able to quickly meet the needs of our people affected by this tragedy, and we will continue to monitor their personal progress and offer more assistance as needed.With children enrolled in schools in different states and professionals working at client sites, Fowler said it will take some time to get all the employees back under one roof, but he is looking forward to a new start for KPMG and the city as a whole. Rebuilding this city is a monumental task that has to be done, Fowler said. It's a huge opportunity to start over with a clean slate.The firm was able to assist the local government by providing input for a tax relief bill for individuals and businesses incurring losses from Katrina.KPMG handles audits, tax and advisory needs of hundreds of local, national and international companies. In serving New Orleans companies, KPMG provides financial advisory services in corporate recovery, transaction and forensic services, and risk advisory services such as financial risk management, information risk management, internal audit and regulatory services. Tax services include federal, state and local tax planning, international corporate and executive services.KPMG International's member firms have nearly 94,000 professionals in 148 countries.