Grant Thornton names new Partnership Board members

Partnership Board also elects its first female chairperson  

CHICAGO — Grant Thornton LLP’s partners and principals have elected four new members to the firm’s Partnership Board, which helps govern the partnership and determine the firm’s direction. The Partnership Board also elected Kelli Knoble as its chairperson, making her the first woman to head up the board. 

Knoble, a Tax partner at the firm, has served in multiple leadership roles since joining Grant Thornton in 2002. She is currently the firm’s national managing partner of Wealth and Human Capital Services and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is also a member of the Grant Thornton International Tax Advisory Council, which comprises the largest member firms in the Grant Thornton International Ltd network.  

The four new members of the firm’s Partnership Board include: 

• Jim Fortosis is a principal and deputy general counsel in the Risk, Regulatory & Legal Affairs group, where he manages firm litigation and regulatory investigations. Fortosis also counsels the Audit & Assurance and Advisory service lines on compliance, risk and regulatory matters. He is based in Chicago and has been with the firm since March 2015. 
• Joseph Loretto is an Audit & Assurance partner in the Dallas office and is the U.S. Central region’s International Business Center director, where he focuses on the Americas. He previously led Grant Thornton’s Latin America Business Group and has held a number of roles during his nearly 24 years at the firm. Loretto has also completed international assignments in Brazil, China and Australia. 
• Craig Miller is an Audit & Assurance partner in Baltimore and national professional practice director for the East. Before taking on his current role, Miller was an Audit & Assurance partner for Grant Thornton’s Mid-Atlantic practice. He joined Grant Thornton in August 1996.   
• Mathew Tierney is the Global Insurance Practice leader in Philadelphia. He leads the U.S. and global insurance teams for the Audit & Assurance, Tax and Advisory service lines, and joined Grant Thornton in March 2011. 

“Our new board members are each uniquely qualified to govern our partnership and oversee the strategic direction of our firm,” said Seth Siegel, CEO of Grant Thornton. “And Kelli is ideally suited to serve as board chairperson, based on her impressive track record delivering high-quality results and personalized solutions to help our clients achieve their goals. Our firm considers it an enormous honor to have her as the first woman to chair our board.” 

Continuing Partnership Board members who are currently serving terms include:  

• Mike Desmond, national Audit & Assurance client experience leader and market managing partner for Charlotte, North Carolina ― where he is based  
• Elliot Findlay, national managing principal for Transaction Advisory ― based in Chicago 
• Doreen Griffith, Tax partner and market managing partner for Dallas ― where she is based 
• Ron Messenger, Audit & Assurance partner ― based in Charlotte, North Carolina 
• Chris Morgan, Audit & Assurance partner ― based in Bellevue, Washington  
• Seth Siegel, CEO of Grant Thornton ― based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida