By ALLISSA KLINE
Business First

Many of Western New York's largest accounting firms are sticking with plans to hire new college graduates, despite the slip-sliding state of the economy.

While other sectors of the marketplace cut back on new hires, area CPA firms are tending to honor offers made last fall to college seniors.

That makes Canisius College seniors Aubrey Arnold and Vanessa Zarcone very lucky. Both women, who graduated this weekend, have full-time accounting jobs waiting for them.

In September, Arnold will join the Buffalo office of Ernst & Young; Zarcone is starting with Freed Maxick & Battaglia CPAs PC. Both are confident that their jobs are safe.

"There's a huge reliance on accountants, and there's a lot of work that needs to be done, especially at the staff level, so I'm personally not worried at all about my position," said Arnold, 22, of West Seneca. "Do I think they'll have layoffs down the road? No. Do I think they won't hire? Possibly, if the economy keeps going the way it has been."

Several local accounting firms said they have hired new college graduates at levels similar to prior-year hires. The list includes:

• Freed Maxick, hiring nine new graduates.
• Dopkins & Company LLP, hiring eight.
• Tronconi Segarra & Associates LLP, hiring six.
• Lumsden & McCormick LLP, hiring five.
• Gaines Kriner Elliott LLP, hiring four.
• KPMG LLP, hiring four.

Freed Maxick's hires are down from last year's 22, but that move was an attempt to counter an anticipated hiring slump due to an upcoming increase in coursework requirements, according to Ron Soluri, firm director in charge of human resources and vice chair of its board of directors.

Most firms contacted for this story made offers to college students last fall as the economy began to unravel. None of the firms said they have rescinded offers, cut starting salaries or implemented delayed start dates for new hires - tactics being used by other industries, including the legal community - to cut costs.

But next year could be a different story. Some firms aren't sure about hiring levels in coming years.

Gaines Kriner typically hires three to five new graduates each recruiting season, but those numbers could drop this fall, said Tom Lis, business manager.

"I know we're going to hire, minimally, two this fall, but I can't say if it would be more than that," he said. "It depends on if we have additional attrition, new business we bring in and scheduling needs for the tax season."

Similarly, Lumsden & McCormick and KPMG both said they are not yet sure if this fall's entry-level openings at their firms will be in line with those in previous years.

As the economy turned downward last winter, CPA Bart McGloin, partner in charge of recruitment at Dopkins & Co., said he met with new hires to reassure them that their jobs would be waiting for them after graduation.

"We are not changing a thing, and we're going to hire a similar number of (new graduates) this fall," he said. "We have heard about pain in the marketplace from our clients and other firms but, knock on wood, we've been doing OK and we don't see us changing at all."

Joe O'Donnell, chair of the Canisius College accounting department, said he isn't aware of any local firms pulling back on offers. He did, however, notice a slowdown in recruiting this spring.

"Many (students) had offers by Thanksgiving, and there hasn't been a change," he said. "The fall recruiting season was very strong, but the spring has been a little bit slower than previous years."

Like many area CPA firms, Tronconi Segarra identified four of its six new accountants through its internship program. All four interns who worked for the firm last summer were offered, and accepted, positions with the company, Managing Partner James Segarra said.

The firm can absorb new hires because its workload is steady, he said.

"We continue to pick up work in all industries on all fronts of our organization, and I don't say that flippantly," Segarra said. "We have not yet experienced a true impact of the economy."

Niagara University senior Brenna Zerfas is one of the four new hires who will begin this fall at Gaines Kriner Elliott. Zerfas, who grew up in West Valley, said she interviewed for a staff-accountant job last fall. Many of her friends, mostly in education, have yet to get hired, she said.

"I'm very lucky that I found a job," she said. "With the economy, you always have the worry that somebody will downsize or have to lay off, but for right now, I'm feeling pretty fortunate."

Locally, Gaines Kriner Elliott let go of some staff after the tax season, but the company would not say how many workers were released. Freed Maxick, meanwhile, let go "six or less" last month, said Soluri.

Like some of the accounting recruitment leaders, Zarcone, the Canisius College graduate, said the next couple of years may bring a downward trend in college graduate hiring.

"I think if we're going to see anything, I think it'll be in upcoming years," she said. "If the accounting sector is going to take a hit, it could have a little bit of a delayed reaction ... and in a year or two, we might see some problems."