Business consulting to plan, implement, and achieve your goals.
The Four Leaf Business Consulting process helps identify your management goals in order to effectively determine, advise, and implement the appropriate strategy for your unique business or project initiative.
We understand the importance of cultivating meaningful relationships with our clients to ensure the maximum return on investment over time. Through a foundation of communication, transparency, and understanding, Four Leaf works alongside company leadership to implement a shared plan of suggested changes to meet goals with quantifiable results.
Meet Thomas J O’Brien, CPA
With over 30 years’ experience in business leadership and growth, Tom has the expertise needed to support clients and their businesses in the areas of finance, accounting, strategic planning, operations, administration, succession strategy, mergers, and firm integrations.
Executive Leadership in Wealth Management
Tom is the President and lead advisor for Four Leaf Business Consulting and brings decades of experience as a partner and Chief Financial Officer of a NY based wealth management firm.
Tom was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and an Executive Partner of EMM Wealth for over twenty-five years, leading the financial and administrative services of the firm. He was a member of EMM’s executive, investment and strategic planning committees. EMM was a NYC based Registered Investment Adviser (“RIA”) with nearly $3 billion of assets under management (“AUM”) across multiple families, wealthy individuals and proprietary investment funds. As one of the executive partners of the firm Tom was primarily in charge of finance, operations, compliance, firm productivity and profitability and other “non-client-facing” matters. Toms’ partners successfully “managed the clients” while Tom “managed the firm”. Most recently Tom, his EMM partners and employees merged with Cerity Partners a rapidly growing RIA with AUM in excess of $30 billion. Tom worked on the sales process from the pre-sale preparation, negotiations, due-diligence, deal documentation, and closing of EMM’s sale to Cerity Partners and then on a successful integration of the two firms. EMM had a long history of providing investment, financial and tax advice to its clients, but also a history that included several corporate level transactions, all of which Tom was a part of. In 2001 EMM sold to Neuberger Berman (“NB” a public Company) and then later EMM became a subsidiary of Lehman Brothers (“LB”) after that’s firms acquisition of NB. Tom remained CFO of EMM during those transitions and was lead on integration into both NB and LB as well as the “EMM Liaison” into NB and LB management. During part of his tenure as the CFO of EMM Wealth, Tom served as the CFO and Treasurer of the Lehman Brothers Trust Company, N.A., and LBTC Delaware. In his role with the LB trust companies Tom prepared and presented financial data quarterly to both the Lehman Brothers National and Delaware Board of Directors. Following the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy Tom was part of a key employee group that purchased and transitioned the EMM business out of Lehman Brothers. Throughout its many transitions the EMM company continued to grow, while retaining its client base, a testament to the hard work and strategy of Tom, his partners and colleagues.
Public Accounting, Education and Interest
Earlier in his career, Tom worked as an audit manager at MR Weiser & Co., LLP (now MazarsUSA) and J.R. Beyda and Sons, spending over seven years in public accounting with a client focus that included financial services, real estate and import wholesalers. Tom is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He received his Master of Science in Accounting from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and his Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from the State University of New York at Oneonta. Tom currently serves on the board of directors of the State University College at Oneonta Foundation, a $70 million endowment.
Tom’s wife Joan is an interior designer, and he has two boys John (college) and Finn (HS), and they rate their trips to Wyoming, Outer Banks and Costa Rica as top family memories. Tom enjoys time at the beach, hiking, kayaking, live music, and after retiring from rugby, Tom has “come to golf” late in life and is trying to catch up to everyone else on the course.
Thomas J. O’Brien, CPA
Meet Tom
With over 30 years’ experience in business leadership and growth, Tom has the expertise needed to support clients and their businesses in the areas of finance, accounting, strategic planning, operations, administration, succession strategy, mergers, and firm integrations.
Tom is the President and lead advisor for Four Leaf Business Consulting and brings decades of experience as a partner and Chief Financial Officer of a NY based wealth management firm.
Tom was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and an Executive Partner of EMM Wealth for over twenty-five years, leading the financial and administrative services of the firm. He was a member of EMM’s executive, investment and strategic planning committees. EMM was a NYC based Registered Investment Adviser (“RIA”) with nearly $3 billion of assets under management (“AUM”) across multiple families, wealthy individuals and proprietary investment funds. As one of the executive partners of the firm Tom was primarily in charge of finance, operations, compliance, firm productivity and profitability and other “non-client-facing” matters. Toms’ partners successfully “managed the clients” while Tom “managed the firm”. Most recently Tom, his EMM partners and employees merged with Cerity Partners a rapidly growing RIA with AUM in excess of $30 billion. Tom worked on the sales process from the pre-sale preparation, negotiations, due-diligence, deal documentation, and closing of EMM’s sale to Cerity Partners and then on a successful integration of the two firms. EMM had a long history of providing investment, financial and tax advice to its clients, but also a history that included several corporate level transactions, all of which Tom was a part of. In 2001 EMM sold to Neuberger Berman (“NB” a public Company) and then later EMM became a subsidiary of Lehman Brothers (“LB”) after that’s firms acquisition of NB. Tom remained CFO of EMM during those transitions and was lead on integration into both NB and LB as well as the “EMM Liaison” into NB and LB management. During part of his tenure as the CFO of EMM Wealth, Tom served as the CFO and Treasurer of the Lehman Brothers Trust Company, N.A., and LBTC Delaware. In his role with the LB trust companies Tom prepared and presented financial data quarterly to both the Lehman Brothers National and Delaware Board of Directors. Following the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy Tom was part of a key employee group that purchased and transitioned the EMM business out of Lehman Brothers. Throughout its many transitions the EMM company continued to grow, while retaining its client base, a testament to the hard work and strategy of Tom, his partners and colleagues.
Earlier in his career, Tom worked as an audit manager at MR Weiser & Co., LLP (now MazarsUSA) and J.R. Beyda and Sons, spending over seven years in public accounting with a client focus that included financial services, real estate and import wholesalers. Tom is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He received his Master of Science in Accounting from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and his Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from the State University of New York at Oneonta. Tom currently serves on the board of directors of the State University College at Oneonta Foundation, a $70 million endowment.
Tom’s wife Joan is an interior designer, and he has two boys John (college) and Finn (HS), and they rate their trips to Wyoming, Outer Banks and Costa Rica as top family memories. Tom enjoys time at the beach, hiking, kayaking, live music and has “come to golf” retired from rugby, late in life and trying to catch up to everyone else.