Bill Hagaman
CEO Emeritus
Bill is the Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, the 25th largest accounting, tax and advisory firm in the country. He has been a member of the firm's management for over 30 years. As a licensed certified public accountant in New Jersey, as well as a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), Bill specializes in merger and acquisition services and international business. During his tenure as CEO, the firm has tripled in size and expanded into non-traditional advisory services. The firm is known nationally for its unique culture and team member retention rates.
Bill’s professional and philanthropic involvements at both the local and state levels are exemplary. He is currently is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home; Treasurer of the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation; and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of the NJ State Chamber of Commerce. Bill is former Chairman and current Treasurer of the New Brunswick Cultural Center, Inc., and former Chairman of the George Street Playhouse. In 2010, Bill received the Thomas H. Kean Arts Advocacy Award, honoring him for his dedication to the arts. Past roles include Vice President of Ocean Day School, Inc. and membership with the Kiwanis Rotary and the Jaycees. In 2002, he was appointed to serve on the BEST Commission (Budget Efficiency Savings Team) for the state of New Jersey. A longtime Treasurer and former Chairman of the Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Bill was honored by the MCRCC as a “2002 Community Leader of Distinction.” He has also coached his children’s little league, basketball and in-line hockey teams.
Bill is a sought-after thought leader, appearing on television and radio programs discussing topics related to leadership and business management, including appearances on Steve Adubato’s television show, “NJ Caucus”; News 12 New Jersey’s television segment, "New Jersey Business"; and Executive Leaders Radio. He is frequently quoted in accounting and business publications and has authored many articles over the years on topics ranging from fixed asset management to mergers and acquisitions to leadership within the profession. Bill was featured in the business leadership book, Catalysts of Culture: How Visionary Leaders Activate the Employee Experience, in which the first chapter spotlighted Bill and his story of Withum’s unique culture. Most recently, NJBIZ named Bill to the Accounting Power 50 list for 2020 and ROI-NJ named Bill as one of Accounting’s Top Influencers of 2020 in its annual Power List.
