Sorenson celebrates grand reopening

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

A brisk Fall breeze sent a flutter through the festive red ribbons outside the new location for Brenda G. Sorenson's accounting office at 285 E. Washington St. Family, friends, clients and fellow members of the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand reopening of the business.
Chamber President Tami Lester spoke to those in attendance, applauding Sorenson and wishing her prosperity and much success. When Sorenson snipped the ribbon, which had been signed by the guests to commemorate the occasion, the crowd clapped and cheered. Then the well-wishers moved inside to the newly remodeled reception area to further enjoy the moment with hors d'oeuvres and friendly conversation.
“It's a big difference for us,” said Sorenson, of the move from her former location in the old library building on Cherry Street. “We outgrew our old digs. Now we have 1700 square feet, which allows us to have a conference room, two offices and more room for file storage.”
Sorenson earned a bachelor's degree in business from St. Leo University and began her career working for Michael Iaukea, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who became her mentor in the field. After he passed away, she worked for several other firms before deciding to start her own practice. At first, she worked out of her husband Jeff's shop, Sorenson's Tire, and then decided to hang her own shingle on Cherry Street.
Sorenson is an enrolled agent (EA), which allows her to prepare taxes; do bookkeeping, accounting and payroll for businesses; serve as a tax consultant; and represent clients before the IRS. Sorenson worked as a one-woman show until 2016, when she hired Nicole Russell.
“The one thing I've always wanted to do for my clients is to be someone they can turn to,” says Sorenson. She gladly takes care of a lot of the necessary record-keeping and tax reporting that goes along with running a business but may not be where a business owner wants to put their energy. For Sorenson, the ribbon-cutting ceremony represents her appreciation for her clients and the good growth that is happening with her business.
“I want to thank the community for helping me along!”