Greene Publishing, Inc.

Effective with this week’s issue, the Madison County Carrier is pleased to welcome Mark Buescher, a local certified public accountant as guest columnist. Buescher, owner and principal of Buescher and Ruff, L.L.C. here in Madison, will be a guest columnist each Wednesday, contributing timely and informative articles regarding special tax and financial planning ideas, business strategies, and opportunities available under recent tax law changes.
Buescher feels that although the tax laws are very complex and ever-changing, opportunities exist through proper planning that can save tax dollars. “I feel that the more knowledgeable we are regarding our tax and business laws, the more we can use them to our benefit,” Buescher said. “I’m really excited about the weekly column. This is a means in which I can give back to our community.”
Buescher stated that this past year brought about sweeping changes with three major tax law changes and revisions. “These are the most sweeping changes since 1986,” Buescher said. He says there are pitfalls, and of course, opportunities, in each one of them. “Everyone needs to understand the effect each of these pieces of legislation may have on their individual tax situation and I will be offering information to help individuals and businesses understand and cope with them”.
Buescher and Ruff, L.L.C. is a local full service accounting firm specializing in tax preparation, business consulting and tax planning. Buescher has thirty years of public accounting experience in Valdosta and Madison and is dedicated to client service and satisfaction of their needs.
Buescher stated that he is grateful for the warm reception he has received from the Madison community since purchasing the firm in March 2010 from Frank Ruff upon his retirement. “I have been greeted with smiling faces and a warm welcome and have made many new friends,” Buescher stated.
In addition to his professional responsibilities, Buescher has had a strong desire to be very involved in the Madison community. He is a member of the Madison Rotary Club, the Madison Chamber of Commerce, and other community organizations. He says he plans on “rolling up his sleeves” and working with the United Way this year in particular.
In Valdosta, Buescher was a past President of the Valdosta area chapter of the Georgia Society of CPA’s. He was awarded the annual Georgia Public Service Award, presented by the Georgia Society of CPA’s, in 1993. Later, he was a National Semi-Finalist for the American Institute of CPA’s Public Service Award. In Valdosta, he was the 2009 Chairman of the Greater Valdosta United Way, a past president of the Boys Club of Valdosta, a former councilman for the City of Valdosta, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of First United Methodist Church and served on many other community boards and in various other positions.
He is also a Sunday school teacher and scout leader for the area Boy Scout Council. Buescher is a 1980 graduate of Valdosta State University and is married to the former Cathy Carter of Lakeland, Georgia. They have four children: Lane, Katie, Emma and Carter.
Buescher’s area of expertise is in individual and business tax preparation, business consulting, estate and retirement planning, business turnaround services, and cost controls analysis. He also offers computerized accounting services and payroll processing.
Buescher and Ruff, L.L.C. serves over 400 clients in the Madison, Lake City, Live Oak, Tallahassee and Valdosta areas. The firm consists of a staff of four experienced individuals, including Dale Stone, CPA, who has been with the firm for five years, Farie Blanton, a long time office manager at the firm for over 25 years, and Ashley Jones, a new staff accountant from Valdosta. Buescher and Ruff, L.L.C. may be reached at (850) 973-4034.