Our ever-growing team of thought leaders has expertise in all areas of accounting, tax, regulations, audits, and more. Click through the profiles below to learn a little bit about the partners and senior managers. For insights from them and many of our other staff members, check out our blog, Beyond the Numbers.
Not all little girls grow up wanting to be accountants, but from a very early age Ellen Sas saw just how awesome they could be. Her father was an orthopedic surgeon, and she grew up around military bases for most of her life. Great doctors don’t always make great businessmen, so her Uncle Jan would arrive every few years to organize her father’s books, smooth things over with the IRS and keep him out of jail. Uncle Jan, a CPA, was quite the hero in her family’s eyes.
Ellen graduated from the University of Washington, became a CPA and soon was a successful business leader. She served as the CEO of two independent community banks, as the Chief Risk Officer of a $5 billion commercial bank, and as a special consultant to more than a dozen community banks. In 1999, Ellen was one of the youngest female audit partners in the audit practice of the firm currently known as RSM McGladrey.
Ellen is now the managing partner at Hauser Jones & Sas. She carries an impressive record of experience, background, and credentials within our practice. She also leads our financial services consulting group (Sync Financial Partners).
Now with 25+ years of experience, Ellen has figured out the “secret sauce” of being a CPA with trusted advisor status -Just like Uncle Jan. Every day she gets to help other individuals, families, businesses, and their owners find ways to minimize taxes, improve their business, increase cash flow, or help in other meaningful ways while seeing them achieve both personal and business financial goals. She enjoys using her financial expertise to help others succeed in their business and most of all, she values the relationships developed along the way.
Ellen is a member of the AICPA, a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and on the Board and Finance/Audit Committee Chair of Bellwether Housing and has been a member of the governing board of many different nonprofit organizations in varying capacities for many years.
A Puget Sound native, Ellen graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Ellen is a licensed CPA and graduated from the University of Virginia School of Banking.
Roger took his first accounting class and so because his father told him to … well, his father highly recommended the accounting profession.
From the age of thirteen on, Roger was working full-time when not in school by helping his dad’s construction business, working in the berry and fruit farms of Washington State or just mowing lawns. When he was 17, his dad told Roger he needed to plan on getting a desk job and suggested bookkeeping. Roger admired his dad and respected his advice, so he took a junior achievement accounting class and also learned typing (68 wpm!).
After graduating from Bellingham High School, Roger attended the University of Washington and joined the national accounting fraternity Beta Alpha Psi (yes, bean counters have their own fraternity). Upon graduation, he landed his first job as an accountant – working as an auditor at the national accounting firm of Coopers. & Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouse Coopers).
Roger’s clients included public companies, family-owned businesses and even a large number of construction companies and banks. He learned how real-world businesses worked and helped clients solve some of their complex problems. An added benefit was getting out of the office to see his clients in action at their place of business.
Since the beginning of his career, Roger tenured at several national CPA firms. He went on to hold several executive-level finance positions at lending organizations in Oregon and Washington; both as CFO of a $1 billion bank holding company and as a CFO /Founder of a De Novo community bank. During this period in his career, Roger was responsible for three different CUSO organizations that provided mortgage lending, settlement services and advice to its parent organizations.
Roger has been auditing credit unions and CUSO organizations for more than 25 years. As a recognized credit union expert, he is a frequent presenter at firm sponsored events, at financial literacy training sessions, CUES round table meetings, and the NWCUA annual convention. Roger served as an expert panelist on the D.F.l.’s round table discussion regarding the tax and internal control implications associated with Board of Director compensation programs.
Today he serves as managing partner at Hauser Jones & Sas, helping clients in a wide variety of industries as an auditor, consultant, CPA and overall financial resource. Most of the firm’s closely held business clients are under 500 employees; Roger helps them power the American economy by improving profits, minimizing taxes, and finding efficiencies.
Throughout his career, Roger has made friends with a lot of clients because they spend so much time together during each annual engagement – even today some of his best friends started out as audit clients; which is one of the main things he loves about being an accountant. It’s the people (not the numbers).
Roger is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors Ill- Financial Services Group, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants (WSCPA).
Roger earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Washington.
Jiyon received her BA from Yonsei University in Korea before relocating to Seattle. Her practice encompasses tax and consulting services for various types of business entities as well as high net worth individuals. She represents and supports clients during IRS examinations. Since starting her career in 2000, she has built a portfolio of clients in a wide range of industries including professional service, construction, real estate investment, restaurant, and manufacturing.
Jiyon lives with her husband and two children in Sammamish and enjoys watching pro sports in addition to her children’s games.
Lindsey was born into an accounting family. After graduating college and obtaining an MBA, she made her own way for six years by working for two well-regarded Seattle area accounting films: Moss Adams and Shannon & Associates. At Hauser Jones & Sas PLLC, Lindsey serves more than 40 financial institutions, along with other clients in the heavily regulated financial institution industry. She audits businesses and non-profits, consults on employee benefit plans, and works with closely held and emerging businesses. No matter what the project or industry, clients trust that Lindsey has their best interests well covered. “Among my many memorable client projects, I loved contributing to the revival of the Pierce County Chapter of Credit Unions. I’ve been a board member and the treasurer at PCCCU for the past several years and it’s extremely gratifying to volunteer my time to support the credit union movement. In addition to the work, I enjoy hanging out with many of our clients.”
When not crunching numbers, Lindsey enjoys sewing and crafts with and for her daughters, camping with family and friends and supporting the economy by shopping all over town. She is a proud member of Tacoma Parents of Multiples.
Jennifer brings to the Hauser Jones & Sas family more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry. Her favorite part of being a CPA is the ability to work directly with people; helping with their tax planning and consulting needs. She has worked with several attorneys to assist with specialized reports required to help resolve legal cases involving partnerships, estates, and trusts. Jennifer leverages her past experience as an IRS auditor by representing her clients throughout the entire IRS audit process, allowing her to help resolve numerous issues.
In her free time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with friends and family, including her son attending college. She also enjoys hiking, gardening, traveling and wine tasting.
Jen graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.
Jen is a Certified Public Accountant in Washington state, and is a member several professional organizations, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Heather brings to the Hauser Jones & Sas family more than 25 years of experience in tax and audit. Her favorite part of being a CPA is learning a client’s story and building a solid relationship to best understand and help with their tax planning and consulting needs. Heather enjoys being a trusted tax and financial advisor to her clients. Her prior experience also includes several years with a national accounting firm and serving as the financial accounting manager for a local nonprofit organization. Heather has expertise in providing tax, audit, business advisory and consulting services to individuals and small businesses, as well as assisting with trust and estate taxation.
In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking, biking, dancing, gardening, reading, volunteering for her local community and wine tasting.
Heather graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration, concentration in accounting.
Heather is a Certified Public Accountant in Washington State and is a member several professional organizations, including the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Steve’s career in accounting started January 1976 in Anchorage, Alaska at one of the “Big Eight” firms. In January of 1980, Steve came back home to the Pacific Northwest and went into partnership, forming the firm of Abramson and Hauser. After 20 successful years with A&H, Steve struck out on his own and founded Hauser & Associates in December 1999. In 2016, Hauser & Associates joined forces with Jones & Sas to become Hauser Jones & Sas.
Steve was raised in the Bellevue area and his intimate knowledge of the local economy, and its business leaders is an invaluable asset to the firms’ clients. Steve retired January 2019 but continues to provide tax counsel for his long-time clients.
AICPA, WSCPA, PNFOA, WOA
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I have enjoyed over 30 years working in public accounting providing accounting and tax services for my clients, individuals and small to medium-sized businesses. Preparing business, individual, and payroll tax returns, I provide all-around services for my clients. I am involved in Business Planning to help my clients grow their businesses, including budgeted financial statements, finding their target market and goal setting by holding strategic planning sessions. I am a QuickBooks Pro Advisor, a member of the Washington State Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Born and raised in Washington, I graduated from Central Washington University in 1987.