About Great Lakes CFO

We are proud to support the health of the world in which we live.  We love the natural world and highly value our ability to live and recreate in the Great Lakes region, and want to leave a better planet to future generations. We are proud to be a 1% For The Planet member company, and to work with 1% For The Planet nonprofit partners like  the Huron River Watershed Council and Friends of Island Lake State Recreation Area.

We are thankful to have access to abundant healthy food, and understand there are many who are not as fortunate as we are.  Food Gatherers (another 1% For The Planet nonprofit) and The Breakfast at St. Andrews are two Ann Arbor organizations that we support in their efforts to alleviate hunger.

As a corporate member of The Ark, we are regularly inspired by the amazing musicians and singer-songwriters who grace this intimate venue.

Beyond these monetary and volunteer commitments, we offer reduced rates for non-profits, so that we may help such organizations thrive with their limited resources.

We also value the role that small, growing companies have in our community and are committed to helping such companies thrive.  As a 1% For The Planet member, we offer reduced rates for our fellow members, and welcome growing relationships with our peers throughout the country.

Community Commitment Goals

We know that it is easy to pledge support, and we know that when something truly matters, keeping score elevates performance.  To that end, we have the following goals:

Volunteering Goal – 100 hours per full time associate

Financial Support Goal – 2% of revenue

Reduced Rate Services Goal – 20% of billable time

Tony Pitts, the Founder of Great Lakes CFO, has over 20 years of progressive experience with small to mid-size companies.  Prior to founding Great Lakes CFO, Tony served as CFO & COO of a mid-sized private label consumer and automotive chemical manufacturing and distribution company, where he provided direct leadership to the company’s leadership, finance and supply chain teams.  Tony earned a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan, an MBA from Wayne State University, and holds a current CPA license in the State of Michigan.

Tony believes in the positive impact successful businesses and organizations can have on their entire ecosystem – customers, suppliers, employees, owners, the community, and the planet.  As more and more research demonstrates the benefits of positive business philosophies, he is excited about the opportunity to help others implement such practices.

As a lover of nature, Tony enjoys quiet time outside in the woods, on the river, and in the many scenic public parks our country has to offer.  He serves as the Treasurer and Trails Coordinator of the Friends of Island Lake State Recreation Area in Brighton, and led a project to build a new five mile hiking trail in the park in 2016.  As a stewardship volunteer with the Huron River Watershed Council, his favorite way to help is through working with chainsaws to help keep our creeks and river navigable for canoes and kayaks.  New in 2018, Tony will be  helping out at the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy as a Finance Committee member.

Tony loves to travel to the quieter parts of our country, and usually tries to find someplace natural to visit in all his business and personal travels.  He shares some of these experiences as well as the photographs he takes on Instagram (@theforgetfulwanderer) and his personal blog, The Forgetful Wanderer (www.theforgetfulwanderer.com).