Clare E. Wherley, CPA, CFP®
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In 1985, Clare E. Wherley co-founded Lassus Wherley, a comprehensive wealth management firm headquartered in New Providence, New Jersey. She is the firm’s Chief Executive Officer. |
Clare’s interest in finance dates back to her first job in her family’s retail business, Wherley’s Clothing & Sporting Goods. Those early experiences inspired her to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Duquesne University in 1966. She continued her education at the University of San Francisco, earning an MBA in Business 1973. In 1988, she added an MBA in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University and passed all four parts of the CPA exam on her first try.
Experience
Clare's work history includes a first career in corporate America with the former Bell System. She held various positions in computer and data processing management, warehousing, corporate planning, and project management. She held these positions at AT&T, Western Electric, Bell Laboratories and Pacific Telephone from 1966 and 1987.
In addition to her corporate career, Clare consulted with several non-profit organizations on computer operations. She also formed and founded several businesses with her family members and was responsible for the accounting and tax aspects of each of the entities. These enterprises included several real estate investment ventures.
Accomplishments
Clare's corporate accomplishments included the following:
· Participated in the design of the first computerized Yellow Pages directory
· Developed the largest, most sophisticated organization design model at the time
· Was the first woman in the late seventies to reach the third and fourth level of management
· Directed entire telecommunications and electronic messaging system for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games
· Testified as an expert witness during an FCC staff investigation of manufacturing billing and accounting
computer processes
· Designed a state-of-the-art sales office administrative system
Clare's experience and responsibility with Lassus Wherley includes direction of the tax and financial planning departments, deployment of the company's computer hardware and software technology and leadership of various internal development teams. She oversees Lassus Wherley's administrative functions and has overall responsibility for the company's professional activities.
Honors
In 1989, Clare was named a Certified Public Accountant by the New Jersey State Board of Accountancy.
She was awarded her
In 1995, she was honored as New Providence Business Person of the Year.
She is listed in editions of Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who in the West.
Clare, her business partner Diahann and the firm have been featured and/or quoted in numerous articles in magazines and newspapers including Worth magazine, Bloomberg Wealth Manager, CPA Advisor, Financial Advisor, Journal of Accountancy, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Star Ledger of New Jersey.
Professional Affiliations
Clare firmly believes in the importance of professional
affiliations for educational, advocacy and networking purposes.
For this reason, she has been an active member of the following organizations:
· Summit Business and Professional Women’s Club (Past President)
· New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners
· New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants
· American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
· SAGE (Board of Trustees, Past President)
· Rotary Club of Summit
· Women's Resource Center (Past Treasurer)
· St. Hubert’s Giralda, Planned Giving Program
· Women's Financial Network at Siebert, a division of Muriel Siebert & Co., Inc.