PRESIDENT - Patricia J. Mensch, CPA, CGFM

Patricia Mensch is the founder of Mensch & Associates, Certified Public Accountants -- providing comprehensive and integrated accounting, tax and management advisory services catering primarily to the specific needs of government contractors. Ms. Mensch has over 25 years of extensive experience involving government contract costing issues including: review and design of accounting and estimating systems for compliance with applicable regulations, claims, termination and price proposal preparation, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Board Disclosure Statement preparation and CAS compliance. She also serves as an expert witness in government contract and construction litigation and cases involving allegations of fraudulent conduct. Her practice is involved with large manufacturing and service companies as well as small business, including numerous 8(a) contractors.

Formerly a Supervisory Auditor with the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), Pat was involved in various complex government contract accounting issues. While with the agency she managed the audit of millions of contract dollars, and frequently appeared as a guest instructor at DCAA’s training center in Memphis. Ms. Mensch is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, the American Woman’s Society of CPA’s, the Association of Government Accountants and the National Contract Management Association. She was recently the recipient of the Government Financial Manager award from the Association of Government Accountants.

- View Patricia's Resume

Sr. Associate - Jill Haynie

Ms. Haynie is a Senior Consultant for Mensch & Associates, providing advice and counsel on issues related to the pricing, costing and administration of Government contracts and Government property administration. She reviews and designs cost accounting systems for compliance with applicable rules, regulations and laws and for cost recovery. She develops rate models and assists in preparing contract claims and termination proposals.

Prior to joining Mensch & Associates in 2005, Ms. Haynie was Vice President of Finance for Predicate Logic, Inc. She was responsible for implementing a job cost accounting system, a web-enabled payroll system, and Government Property Procedures. Ms. Haynie supervised the accounting, human resources and contracts departments, served as the Facility Security Officer and systems administrator and as the primary interface with DCAA and DCMA.

Ms. Haynie served on the Board of Directors of the Associations of Government Accountants.
Ms. Haynie received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree, with an emphasis in Accounting, from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She obtained a Professional Certificate in Unix Operating Systems Programming from University of California, San Diego.

Tax and Accounting Manager - Martin D. Alter, CPA

Mr. Alter is a Tax and Accounting Manager for Mensch & Associates bringing with him over 30 years of experience in consulting and planning for businesses and their owners. He believes that all business decisions must consider the current and future potential for tax impact, or else those decisions are being made with incomplete information.

He believes tax laws are made to be used for the benefit of taxpayers, and only a broad knowledge of the myriad laws and rulings can allow the professional to offer sound advice.

A graduate of the University of Oregon, Marty had offices in Oregon and California for many years, and clients spread across the USA and several foreign countries. He has testified as an expert witness before courts as high as the Federal District level, on all manners of business. He is a licensed CPA in California and Oregon, and a member of the AICPA, CalCPA, and the OSCPA. He enjoys his work and has a true passion for negotiating the tax laws for the benefit of our clients.

Sr. Associate - Liz Gautier, CMA

Ms. Gautier is a Senior Consultant for Mensch & Associates, providing advice and consulting on issues of GAAP compliance, system designs and mergers & acquisitions. Ms. Gautier has over 20 years experience in contract compliance, cost accounting and manufacturing. She assists with rate models and government contracting.

Formerly the Senior Director of Finance and Operations for LION Bioscience, Liz has an extensive background in the life science and software industries. She has also taught the Becker CPA & CMA Review programs since 1998.

Ms. Gautier served on the Board of Directors for the Institute of Management Accountants for five years. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Langston University in Oklahoma, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She received her MBA from Webster University, San Diego.

Sr. Associate - Thomas Salyers

Mr. Salyers is a Senior Consultant for Mensch and Associates, providing advice and counsel on issues related to costing, pricing and administration of Federal Government contracts and grants. He reviews and designs cost accounting systems for compliance with applicable rules, regulations and laws for cost recovery. He prepares and reviews Incurred Cost Proposals. He performs inspections of management systems (i.e. Estimating, Compensation, EVMS, MMAS, A/P, A/R and Labor Timekeeping etc.) for adequacy and compliance with Company Policy and applicable government regulation.

Mr. Salyers joined Mensch and Associates in July 2006 and has 27 years of accounting experience in the research, manufacturing and defense contracting environment. He has extensive experience with CAS Disclosure Statement preparation, cost classification and allocation, and has served as the primary interface with the DCAA and DCMA. Mr. Salyers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from San Diego State University.