A 100-Year-Old Workplace Experiment in Action
Plante Moran’s culture is the product of generations of prioritizing the well-being of its staff and clients.
BUSINESS LONGEVITY STARTS WITH A strong foundation. Just ask the leadership at 100-year-old Plante Moran, one of the U.S.’s largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms. Its century-long success began with a strong set of principles and values.
“Plante Moran’s unique culture is rooted in what Elorion Plante and Frank Moran called their ‘grand experiment,’” says Jim Proppe, the company’s managing partner, who is a 39-year veteran at the firm. “They envisioned an accounting firm where the best practitioners couldn’t wait to get in the door and clients were lining up to receive unsurpassed service—and that’s exactly what we’ve created.”
Since its founding in 1924, Plante Moran has grown from a sole accounting practitioner to a billion-dollar audit, tax, consulting, and wealth management firm based in Southfield, Mich., with more than 3,800 professionals serving clients around the globe. At the heart of its growth is its worldclass culture, which is supported by a commitment to servant leadership—a philosophy in which the main goal of the leader is to serve others, whether that be clients, staff, or the community.
“Our culture is the product of generations of servant leaders who care about the well-being of our staff and clients, who truly embrace our spirit, and who demonstrate our core principles and culture through leading by example,” says Proppe.
Plante Moran’s “One Firm, Firm” principle has also been a differentiator that’s helped drive the company. This partnership structure avoids the creation of cost centers based on geography, so team members always do what’s best for the whole firm and prioritize client service over profits.
“Our clients count on us to be a people-focused environment that places quality, integrity, and service first,” says Proppe. “We believe that hiring good staff who do good work results in good clients that pay good fees, which enables us to pay good wages, which then allows us to retain good staff. We call this our ‘Wheel of Progress.’ It’s time-tested, and it works.”
As Plante Moran continues its 100th year in business, it will focus on client service, innovation, and building a strong pipeline of talent. But most importantly, the firm will stay true to its principles.
“We didn’t get this far on our own, and we’re excited to move forward together,” says Proppe. “Our values have been fantastic guideposts for the past century and will continue to be for the next one.” ■