WHO WE ARE

Andrew Cohen and Robert Hovden are not your typical accountants. Each has built a career combining an innate talent and love for numbers with expertise in a second area: for Andrew, corporate general and financial administration, and for Robert, the technology that powers accounting and business functions.

Both are entrepreneurial, adept problem solvers and effective managers. They’re also rather good at math. Both have a keen sense for systems and processes that facilitate accounting – skills that have helped build their long track records of helping companies, non-profits and individuals organize and master their finances.

Both are also dedicated to their communities, volunteering their time and leadership abilities at local non-profits.

• ANDREW R. COHEN

  For nearly three decades, Andrew Cohen has been helping companies, non-profits and individuals successfully manage their finances. He has held titles including controller, compensation and contracts manager, director of development, director of administration, financial consultant, and vice president of finance and administration.

  Andrew has designed and administered budgets in excess of $15M, negotiated and managed government contracts in excess of $1M, managed debt and complex AP issues, directed development teams, secured payment resolutions, designed operations infrastructures, allocated limited resources using advanced cash management techniques, and prepared companies for audit. He has also co-designed a product to monetize Internet transactions.

  Before joining Robert Hovden in forming CoHo accounting, Andrew’s most recent role was VP of Finance and Administration at a healthcare start-up, for which he helped raise angel funding. He has also held senior finance roles at several other high-tech ventures. Andrew started his career in fund development and administration at non-profits including the Art Institute of Boston, the Boston AIDS Action Committee, and Northwest AIDS Foundation.

  Andrew is an active member of the community, serving on many boards and committees. He is the chair of the finance and administration committee and treasurer of the board for the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, which recently honored him with the Dr. Charles & Lillian Kaplan Board Chair's Award for Outstanding Service. He is actively involved with his synagogue as a board member, fundraiser and service leader.

  Andrew earned a BFA in Music from Boston University, with a minor in Business. He has performed as a singer and soloist extensively over the past 30 years and enjoys performing enormously.

  Andrew makes his home in Seattle, with his partner of 15 years James, a hydrologist, and their big grey cat, Yishai. Andrew is very grateful for James’ support.

• ROBERT J. HOVDEN

  For more than 25 years, Robert Hovden has blended his accounting acumen with a passion for technology. His first consulting practice, Hovden & Associates, was a full service bookkeeping and accounting firm specializing in small businesses, closely held corporations and 501(c)(3) corporations.

  The firm helped set up bookkeeping processes, software and controls, and provided services including tax preparation and filing, business license compliance, auditing support and accounting staff development. For the 501(c)(3) corporation, H&A provided grant compliance metrics, grant request support and internal controls for charitable status maintenance. For the small business, H&A offered receipt processing, accounts receivable and accounts payable support, budgeting, forecasting and software selection support and training. Services for individuals included household budgeting, tax preparation and compliance assistance.

  Robert focused increasingly on the IT of accounting, and expanded H&A services to include computer programming support (he “speaks” 10 computer languages), including software module customization, process and dataflow streamlining and user experience enhancements.

  After 11 years running H&A, Robert held technical positions at Edmark Corporation, Destiny Software and Blank Law + Technology. He used his database, application and technical operation expertise to develop and manage sustainable IT solutions to complex business requirements. Returning to his entrepreneurial roots, he then consulted to school districts on student information systems prior to joining Andrew Cohen in forming CoHo Accounting.

  Originally from Southern California and Hawaii, Robert majored in Speech and Communication at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. He has been a resident of the Emerald City since 1989, where he lives with his partner of 19 years, Ron.

  Robert is on the board of Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS), a Seattle homeless youth advocacy organization, where he manages the non-profit’s accounting on a volunteer basis. Robert and Ron are both active volunteers at their synagogue.