Principals

Douglas M. Dewar   |   ddewar@dmecpa.com

Doug founded the firm in September 1984 after having spent eleven years in public accounting (including five years with Arthur Andersen) and four years in private industry (primarily as a chief financial officer). He retired from public accounting on June 30, 2006, but continues to maintain an office at the firm so he can say hello to former clients and keep track of his real estate investments.

After moving his practice to Edmonds, Doug became very active in community activities because he is a strong believer in "giving back". He was involved with the SnoKing Youth Club as a basketball and baseball coach (1985-1991), and the Public Education Foundation of the Edmonds School District as a trustee and treasurer (1989-1992). He was active in the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce beginning in 1985 as a director, treasurer, president and the Taste of Edmonds chairman (1993-1996). He was a founder of the Edmonds Visitors Bureau in 1990 and was active in its successor organization the Edmonds Alliance for Economic Development. He was treasurer and chairman of both organizations. From 1995 to 2003 he was a director of The Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County, and was also the treasurer from 1998-2000 and its President in 2001-2002. In 1996 he became the alumni financial advisor for Delta Chi Fraternity and continues to do so. He was also a member of Edmonds Rotary from 1988 to 2007. In 2000 he was awarded the John M. Fluke, Sr. Community Service Award by the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce.

After graduating from the University of Washington in 1969 and marrying his wife Jan, they moved to Edmonds in 1972. They have two sons who are graduates of Western Washington University and the University of Washington. Jan was a librarian at College Place Elementary. His dog Millie, a basenji, can often be seen taking her master on long walks throughout Woodway and Edmonds and around the golf course at their winter home in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Michael D. Meeks   |   mmeeks@dmecpa.com

Mike is a principal of the firm. He currently consults with business and individual clients on the tax aspect of proposed transactions. He specializes in tax planning and consulting for small closely held businesses with the goal of developing a creative balance between the business and individual for income and estate tax minimization. He has extensive training and experience in all areas of taxation, including individual, partnership, corporations, estate, and fiduciary.

Mike graduated in 1969 with a BS degree in accounting from Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington. He worked two years with the international CPA firm of Arthur Andersen LLC in their Seattle office. Drafted in 1970, Mike served two years in the US Army. In 1973 Mike returned to the Seattle area and over the next 9 years he was the controller for Seattle Housing Authority and a closely held nursing home chain. In 1981, he received his Masters Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University - Seattle Campus.

In 1982 he partnered with another CPA, Chris McDevitt, to form the public accounting firm of McDevitt & Meeks CPAs located in the community of Edmonds. In 1991 Mike merged his practice with Doug and Nancy to form the firm of Dewar Meeks + Ekrem PC. The firm has since quadrupled in size, serving over 300 businesses and 800 individuals throughout the Puget Sound Region.

Mike has been a member of the Edmonds Rotary Club since 1985, past president and board member of the Snohomish County Chapter of the Washington Society of CPAs and is the current chairperson of the Annual Banker/CPA Forum. He is also a past member of the South Snohomish County YMCA board and a past treasurer of the Klahaya Swim and Tennis Club.

Known for his wacky sense of humor and the best voice mail message in town, you can find him spending time with his family, playing racquetball, working out at Harbor Square Athletic Club, and traveling to and from Omak, Washington for fun.  If you have gotten this far in Mike's BIO you have a lot of time on your hands or you are just a fact junkie.

 Nancy J. Ekrem   |   nekrem@dmecpa.com

Nancy has been a principal of the firm since 1990.  Her main focus is serving clients in the areas of Estate Planning, Income Tax Planning, Business Planning, compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and Not for Profit accounting.

Nancy attained her CPA certificate in 1982, and has spent most of her career in public accounting.  She has been with the firm since 1985.  Nancy is a graduate cum laude with a BS in Business Administration from Seattle University (1981) - (Go Redhawks), a member of the Washington State Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs.

Currently a director of the S. Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce, she has spent much of her time serving on various committees and boards throughout the region that emphasize business, arts, and children.

She lives in Seattle with husband Vance.  They are experiencing twinges of empty-next as one child just completed college and the other is beginning college.  Can the dog leave home too?  One of Nancy 's favorite activities is working with teenagers.

CPA's

Noreen Reis   |   nries@dmecpa.com

Noreen joined our team as a staff accountant in 2000.

She specializes in meeting all the needs of our small business clients ranging from QuickBooks assistance to preparation of business returns and financial statements. She manages many of our firm's compilation, review and audit engagements.

Noreen is a CPA who received her BS degree in accounting from Central Washington University where she graduated cum laude in 1987. She is a member of the Washington State Society of CPAs.

Prior to joining our team, she worked as a consultant for Ernst & Young and as an assistant controller for a window coverings manufacturer.

Noreen has volunteered her time serving on several school district advisory boards, as treasurer of the Olympic View Music Boosters, as treasurer and executive chairperson of the View Ridge Cooperative Preschool, and as an accountant for the Phinney Neighborhood Association.

Noreen lives in Mukilteo with her two teenaged children. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, cooking, skiing, and racquetball.

Tess Sprute   |   tsprute@dmecpa.com

Tess has been a staff member with us since 2000. She brings years of experience in corporate, partnership, individual and fiduciary tax consultation, planning, and preparation. She is very experienced in business and financial consulting and enjoys working with our clients in all aspects of their business and personal tax and accounting needs.

Tess graduated in 1973 summa cum laude from Minnesota State University in Mankato with a BS in Business Administration. She originally went to work for a local firm in the Midwest. After moving to Idaho, Tess joined the firm of Touche Ross, in their Boise office in 1974. She also worked for a local Boise firm from 1976 to 1978. In 1979, she moved to the Seattle area and established the firm of Sprute=Sprute located in Ballard. She was a partner in Sprute=Sprute from 1980 through 1995.

Sprute=Sprute served over 800 clients in tax, accounting, auditing, and management services. Tess was licensed by the state of Idaho in 1975 and by the state of Washington in 1979. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants as well as the Washington State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Tess enjoys spectator sports, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

Paul Taggart   |   ptaggart@dmecpa.com

Paul was born and raised in Everett. He played football and basketball at Everett High school in the early 1980s. During his high school years, he was able to attract the attention of college coaches, and attended the University of Idaho on a football scholarship. During his time in college he focused on his education, as well as football. He was rewarded for his efforts by being named to the Big Sky Conference all academic team, as well as being named to the Big Sky Conference 2nd team as an offensive tackle in 1986. He graduated in May 1988 with a degree in accounting and finance. Paul is licensed as a Certified Public Account with the state of Washington, and is a member of the Washington State Society of Certified Public Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

After college, Paul accepted a position with Moss Adams in their Everett office where he worked in the tax department for 4 years. In 1992 he left to work for a client for a couple of years, and in 1995 he re-entered the world of public accounting as a CPA at Graham and Carlson CPAs, then Graham and Associates CPAs, which has become Dewar Meeks + Ekrem. He has been with the company for over 11 years, and works with individuals and small businesses in tax preparation, tax planning, and financial statement preparation.

In his time away from work, Paul is active in his church with the Awana ministry, and also is a huge sports fan.

Administration

Anne Emerick   |   aemerick@dmecpa.com

Anne joined the team as a consultant 1999 and is still here keeping the firm administration running smoothly. She is fondly referred to as the "person in charge" and can be found managing the office, preparing tax returns, processing the billing, delegating tasks to the administration staff and doing just about anything that needs doing.

She has been the CFO/Director of Operations for two community banks in the Puget Sound area. Anne has a wealth of experience in the areas of management, personnel, compliance, finance, customer service and process redesign which was gained over 20 years working in the retail division of a large local bank.

Anne is looking forward to traveling, spending time with friends and family (and Riley the dog), and enjoying life's journey.

Kylene Herr   |   kherr@dmecpa.com

Kylene joined the DM+E team in November of 2007. She was hired to help the administrative staff during the craziness of tax season, but they couldn't seem to get rid of her, so now she is helping hold down the fort in the Marysville office, covering phones and making mediocre coffee.

She graduated from Biola University with a B.S. in Physical Education and has been trying to make good use of her degree by encouraging the staff to walk to Starbucks rather than drive.

Megan Reibel   |   memerick@dmecpa.com

Megan rejoined the DM+E team in 2007 to provide part-time admin and bookkeeping support as she finishes her M.Ed. in School Counseling at Seattle Pacific University. When she's not in the office she can be found studying, in class, or working as the school counseling intern at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle. And when there is time to play, she enjoys skiing, golfing, and being outside.