Joel has been a practicing CPA for over 35 years working as an advisor and consultant to small and medium sized businesses as well as to individuals. He has built his firm on a proud tradition of Quality, Service, Ethics and Innovative thinking. His experience and academic credentials give his clients the depth of knowledge you’d expect to find in a larger firm, while his dedication to superior customer service offers the personal, one on one approach smaller firms are known for.
Joel is originally from Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Spring Valley, just north of New York City. He began his college education at Ithaca College, majoring in music. He then transferred to the City University of New York’s; Lehman College, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Upon graduation, he started his career working for two large firms in Manhattan before moving to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in pursuit of a better quality of life for him and his family.
He started his first CPA practice in North Miami Beach, Florida and eventually expanded the practice and moved the firm to Ft Lauderdale. After being pursued by a client, he spent 4 years in the private sector as Chief Financial Officer of a large manufacturing company in Miami. Next, he achieved his Masters of Taxation at Florida International University and went on to achieve the Personal Financial Specialist and Chartered Global Management Accountant designations, both issued by the American Institute of CPA’s. He is also a QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor. In 1994, he returned to public accounting and started his practice in Boca Raton, Florida, which he built until 2006, when became what is affectionately called a halfback, and moved to Chapel Hill, where he established his current firm, Joel I. Levy, CPA, PLLC.
In his short time in North Carolina, he has been the chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chambers of Commerce, chair of their economic development committee, and went on to serve as the chambers’ board treasurer. He also spent 7 years as the treasurer of the board of directors of the Kidzu Children’s Museum in Chapel Hill, he is on the board of the Charles House Center for Community Elder Care in Chapel Hill , he recently joined the finance committee of Governors Club, and is one of the founding members of the Carolina Club’s Business Builders group.
While he enjoys working with both individuals and businesses in assisting them with their financial, tax and planning concerns, his passion is building relationships and helping people. Anyone who know Joel, know that his favorite hobbies are golf, movies and music. He has been married to his wife Sheila for over 47 years and has 2 children and 4 grandchildren. Joel He has been doing pro-bono work for Visionary Alternatives since their inception in 1998.