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Midwest CPA:
About Us

For many people, entrepreneurship is the American Dream. We support you in achieving that dream by providing a full suite of business accounting and advisory services.

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Leadership

Chris Barrett is on a mission to make small-business ownership less confusing and more successful. He founded Midwest CPA in 2022 after realizing that most accountants weren’t built to serve entrepreneurs trying to buy and grow companies.

Since then, he’s advised on hundreds of acquisitions, built a team that supports owners nationwide, and carved out a niche as a go-to advisor in the ETA community. Chris believes business owners need more than just tax returns and bookkeeping they need real financial clarity to drive decisions and growth. That’s what he and his team deliver every day.

Chris Barrett, CPA

Managing Director/Owner

Meet Our Team

Alyssa Harp, CPA, MBA

Transaction Advisory Manager

Alyssa Harp brings a wealth of expertise in financial analysis, accounting management, and internal controls to our team. 

With a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation and an MBA from the University of Minnesota, she has extensive experience overseeing accounting functions, implementing financial policies, managing cash flow, and conducting in-depth financial reporting.

In her free time, Alyssa enjoys playing pickleball, sand volleyball, hiking, and exercising. She also enjoys spending time with her husband, friends, and dog Cassius.  

Dillon Patterson

Accounting Manager

Dillon Patterson brings over a decade of experience in accounting and financial leadership to our team.

He has served as Controller and CFO for clients across industries including hotel management, real estate development, healthcare, and non-profits. Dillon’s background includes leading ERP system implementations, overseeing multi-entity financial reporting, managing teams of accounting professionals, and driving business development initiatives. His career began in audit before moving into controllership and outsourced CFO roles.

Outside of work, Dillon enjoys spending time with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.

Alison Work Pic
Alison Brennan, CPA

Accounting Manager

Alison Brennan, CPA, brings a strong background in accounting and financial reporting experience to the Midwest CPA team.

Prior to joining the firm, Alison spent her career at a Fortune 300 Company, where she progressed from Staff Accountant to Associate Internal Auditor before advancing into financial accounting roles, most recently as a Senior Financial Accountant. Her experience spans internal audit, financial reporting, and accounting operations within a large, multi-entity corporate environment.

Outside of work, Alison enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

Isabella Ward, MBA

Tax Senior

Isabella Ward brings a strong background in tax preparation and client service to the Midwest CPA team. Prior to joining the firm, Isabella worked as a Tax Associate where she prepared individual and business tax returns and supported tax planning and compliance projects across a wide range of clients

She is known for her positive attitude, organization, and ability to clearly communicate tax requirements and deadlines to clients. Isabella is currently working toward CPA eligibility.

Outside of work, Isabella enjoys baking sourdough, hiking and spending time with her husband and cat.

Neshat Javidpour

Tax Associate

Neshat Javidpour brings a strong background in tax accounting and compliance experience to the firm.

Prior to joining the firm, Neshat was a Tax Associate at a Big Four accounting firm, where she prepared individual and business tax returns and supported tax planning and compliance projects for a diverse range of clients. She is detail-oriented and committed to continued professional development as she pursues her CPA while completing her master’s degree.

Outside of work, Neshat enjoys spending time with her friends, attending Pilates classes, learning new skills, and trying new recipes.

Gonna Mae Bacla-an, CPA

Lead Bookkeeper

Gonna Mae Bacla-an is a seasoned CPA with a background in financial reporting, audit, and technical accounting. Prior to joining Midwest CPA in 2023 she held roles at EY and Scrubbed where she specialized in quality assurance, GAAP compliance, and process improvement.

At Midwest CPA, Gonna Mae leads with a client-first mindset and sharp technical acumen. Clients value her responsiveness, attention to detail, and her ability to make even the most complicated financials easy to understand.

When she’s not working, Gonna Mae loves relaxing with her cats and binge-watching episodes of Modern Family. 

Connor Murphy

Business Development Manager

Connor Murphy has more than six years of experience in service leadership and B2B sales. He is passionate about helping small business owners gain clarity and confidence in their financials as they grow and scale. 

At Midwest CPA, Connor brings an owner-focused mindset and a practical approach to relationship building. Clients appreciate his ability to listen first, understand operational pain points, and align solutions that move the business forward.

Connor graduated from Luther College, where he wrestled competitively. Today, he enjoys time with his wife and two children and trains in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Lauren Bredesky

Executive Assistant 

Lauren Bredesky is the Executive Assistant to Chris, Midwest CPA’s owner. She supports him with behind-the-scenes projects, scheduling, and administrative tasks, and enjoys helping find ways to make processes and systems more efficient.

Before joining Midwest CPA, Lauren spent six years as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, working with couples and families. After a desire to try something new, she landed in administrative work, bringing the same care, organization, and people skills to her role here.

Outside the office, Lauren enjoys reading, baking, tending to her plants, and playing volleyball and pickleball. She also loves spending time with her husband and friends.

Claire Santiago

Administrator

Claire Santiago brings a versatile background in administrative operations, tax support, and client services to the Midwest CPA team. Prior to joining us, Claire worked at Baker Tilly, where she specialized in organizing complex tax documentation, coordinating with clients, and preparing workpapers for both individual and business returns.

With over seven years of administrative experience, she’s known for her sharp attention to detail and positive attitude. 

When she’s not keeping the office running smoothly, Claire enjoys traveling the world with her husband, practicing taekwondo, and relaxing at home with her cats.

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Ready to get Started?

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Who We Are

Midwest CPA is a virtual CPA firm based out of Janesville, WI.
We pride ourselves on providing premier accounting services in Janesville WI as well as to our clients throughout the country.

Our mission is to provide acquisition entrepreneurs and small business owners with confident decision making, peace of mind, and outstanding levels of support so they can build a business they love.

We do through our comprehensive CPA services in the areas of tax preparation, tax planning, outsourced accounting, and advisory.

Integrity

This is the cornerstone of Midwest CPA. We believe all the talent in the world is nothing without integrity. With us you are getting a partner in your corner who holds the interests of you and your business as a top priority.

Dedication

When you become a client at Midwest CPA, you become apart of our family. We want to help you reach your goals and grow your business. You’ll find we routinely go above and beyond to make sure we earn your business each and every day.

Professionalism

Your business deserves the attention of experts. At Midwest CPA, LLC we are committed to staying up to date on developments in the accounting world and passing that knowledge onto you in a way that makes sense.

Industries We Serve

Regardless of your industry, business owners require reliable support. Midwest CPA is dedicated to making your financial processes straightforward. 

  • HVAC
  • Consulting
  • Professional Services
  • Retail
  • Landscaping
  • E-Commerce
  • Dental
  • Manufacturing
  • Plumbing
  • Trucking
  • Restaurants
  • Real Estate
  • Marketing Agencies
  • Electricians

Client Testimonials

Chris has been an invaluable resource during my SMB acquisition. He started as my financial due diligence provider, putting together a comprehensive QoE, and has become a trusted partner that I plan to use for all bookkeeping and financial operations post-acquisition. Highly recommend to anyone looking to acquire an SMB!
Ethan Reznikoff
Ethan ReznikoffCEO | D'vine Taste Promotions
Been working with Chris at Midwest CPA for a few months now. Whenever we have a question Chris is quick to respond. We find him to be very meticulous and efficient in all aspects of our business. Our only regret is that we didn't find him sooner.
Richard Allen
Richard AllenCEO | Reptile Rapture
Chris is the real deal. He is efficient, thoughtful, and great to work with. He helped me with financial diligence, including q of e, for a manufacturing business.
Will Gano
Will Gano President | Bear Stewart LLC
Chris is very knowledgeable, responsive and easy to talk to. His firm added a lot of value during the due diligence period and helped in closing the transaction successfully.
Andri Teneqexhi
Andri TeneqexhiCEO | Gregg Communications Systems, Inc
Chris is an absolute top notch M&A financial due-diligence provider. He and I have worked on many, many deals together and not only has his advice and services been reliable, accurate and very actionable, but he has been very responsive to client needs and requests. I always am happy to send clients over to Chris because I know that they will be treated and served very well.
Eric Hsu
Eric HsuManaging Partner | Clear Focus Law, PLLC
Chris is awesome. Super knowledgeable, professional, and incredibly responsive. He assisted me with my QoE for my business acquisition and he and the team performed the task efficiently and effectively. I am excited to continue to work with him for years to come.
Jacob Forbis
Jacob ForbisOwner | The Customer Story

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! We provide Quality of Earnings (QoE) analysis for financial due diligence, tax planning to optimize the deal, and post-close support for accounting integration and financial management. We’ll guide you through every step of the process.

We provide strategic financial guidance through our advisory services, helping you optimize cash flow, improve profitability, and prepare for acquisitions or other growth opportunities.

We are different from other accounting firms in that we have deep financial expertise. We focus on providing business owners with the accounting and advisory services they need to achieve their goals. 

Yes, we handle business tax preparation and proactive tax planning to help you minimize your tax liability and stay compliant.

While based in the Midwest, we provide accounting and advisory services to businesses nationwide. Our team operates remotely to provide flexible and efficient support wherever your business is located.

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