The Licenses, Awards, and People Standing Behind the Work
GFG Financial’s licenses, industry awards, and experienced professionals demonstrate its commitment to trusted, high-quality financial services.
Awards · Credentials · Community
Our Credentials Are Not Just Decoration
GFG Financial is an accounting and business insurance firm in Kennewick, serving the Tri-Cities. This page lists the credentials we hold, the organizations that license us, and the recognition our team has earned — in plain terms, so you can verify any of it.
Credentials are not decoration. Every license below is issued by a regulatory or professional body, carries continuing-education requirements, and binds the holder to a professional code.
Recognition
Two Awards We Are Proud to Hold
Best Place to Work Mid-Columbia — Small Business, 2025
Best in Tri-Cities — Accounting Firm, 2025
One is a community vote of confidence in the work. The other says something clients feel over time: the team here stays. When your accountant is still your accountant three years from now, the planning gets better every year.
Licenses & certifications
What Credentials Does the GFG Team Hold?
Across the firm: three CPAs, two Enrolled Agents with two more in progress, three Series 65 license holders, four licensed insurance professionals, and certified specialists in payroll, QuickBooks, and construction and management-liability insurance.
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) 3 licensed CPAs, credentialed through the AICPA, registered with the Washington State Board of Accountancy, and members of the Washington State Society of CPAs.
- Enrolled Agent (EA) — 2 Enrolled Agents, with 2 more in progress. Admitted by the IRS to represent clients directly in tax matters.
- Personal Financial Specialist (PFS)— 1 professional credentialed through the AICPA.
- Series 65 — 3 professionals hold the Series 65 license (FINRA-administered).
- Life & Health Insurance — 4 licensed insurance professionals.
- Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) — 1 professional credentialed through IRMI.
- Management Liability Insurance Specialist (MLIS) — 1 professional credentialed through IRMI.
- Master's degrees — 3 team members hold master's degrees in business or accounting.
- QuickBooks Online — 6 accounting professionals certified.
- Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) — 1 payroll professional.
What this changes for you
What Do These Credentials Change About the Work?
Your taxes are prepared and reviewed by people licensed to sign them. If the IRS has questions, Enrolled Agents on staff can represent you directly — you do not face the letter alone. Your books, payroll, and business insurance sit under one credentialed roof, so nothing falls between vendors. Community Involvement Label: Community involvement H2: Where You Will Find Us Outside the Office.
The Tri-Cities is home, and the team shows up for it — in board rooms, dugouts, and downtown.
Treasurer, Tri-Cities Estate Planning Council
Treasurer, Historic Downtown Kennewick Association
Member, Columbia Center Rotary
Board member, GF Blends
Faith-based youth group leaders
Pro-bono work resolving a sales-tax issue for the Kennewick Youth National Baseball organization
Finance committee member, Kennewick Public Hospital District
Annual-donation partner with Communities in Schools
Professional networks
Memberships and Associations
Tri-Cities Estate Planning Council
F.A.Q.
Credentials, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Three CPAs licensed through the AICPA and registered with the Washington State Board of Accountancy, plus two Enrolled Agents admitted by the IRS — with two more Enrolled Agents in progress.
An Enrolled Agent is a tax professional admitted by the IRS to represent taxpayers directly in tax matters — audits, notices, and correspondence. It is the highest credential the IRS awards.
Yes. Four team members hold Washington life and health insurance licenses, and the firm holds CRIS (Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist) and MLIS (Management Liability Insurance Specialist) designations through IRMI.
CPA licenses are searchable through the Washington State Board of Accountancy. Enrolled Agent status can be confirmed with the IRS. Insurance licenses are searchable through the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Ask us and we will point you to the exact lookup.
Work with a credentialed team