The corporate accounting, business advisory, and philanthropic communities of New York City are mourning the profound loss of Michael Sacco, CPA. A highly respected financial executive, dedicated mentor, and impactful civic leader, Michael passed away on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at the age of 50.
At the time of his passing, Michael served as the Managing Director and National Consumer & Industrial Products Practice Leader at CBIZ, one of the nation’s largest professional accounting and business services providers. Known throughout the tri-state area for his unparalleled expertise in navigating the complex financial landscapes of privately held companies, Michael was widely recognized as a brilliant strategic advisor, an elite deal-maker, and a warm, deeply network-connected corporate leader. Beyond his stellar professional credentials, he was an ardent supporter of New York City youth development and charitable healthcare foundations, leaving behind a legacy defined by professional excellence, professional integrity, and a lifelong commitment to giving back to others.
Life, Education, and Elite Professional Credentials
In Loving Memory of Michael Sacco, CPA (1976 - 2026)
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Hometown Residence : New York, NY (Long Island / NYC Metro)
Date of Passing : Thursday, June 18, 2026
Age : 50 years old
Primary Profession : Managing Director & National Practice Leader
Corporate Firm : CBIZ (Formerly Marcum LLP / Friedman LLP)
Specialized Segments : Fashion, Apparel, Luxury Goods, Consumer Products, Logistics
Alma Mater : Hofstra University (BBA in Accounting, 1999)
High School : St. Francis Preparatory High School (Class of 1994)
Professional Board : New York Banking and Finance Group / Contemporary Credit Club
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Michael’s journey into the upper echelons of the New York financial sector began with a rigid foundation of discipline and academic dedication. Born in 1976, he attended the historic St. Francis Preparatory High School in Fresh Meadows, Queens, graduating in 1994.
Following high school, Michael enrolled at Hofstra University on Long Island, a premier training ground for New York business leaders. He excelled in his rigorous coursework, earning his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Accounting in 1999. Shortly after graduation, he completed his rigorous licensing requirements to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of New York.
To maintain the highest standards of fiscal stewardship throughout his career, Michael remained an active, long-standing member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). His deep-set technical proficiency in auditing standards, tax law, and GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) regulations made him an immediate asset to corporate boards and financial groups across Manhattan.
A Corporate Career Defined by Leadership and Strategic Mergers
Michael’s professional trajectory over nearly three decades mirrors the modern evolutionary history of the elite mid-tier public accounting landscape in New York. His career was marked by progressive leadership appointments and a rare capability to seamlessly steer massive practice groups through major corporate consolidations.
Michael Sacco: Architectural Career Trajectory & Mergers
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[1999 - 2008] ---> Audit Manager, Mahoney Cohen & Co., CPA
[1999 - 2015] ---> Shareholder and Managing Director, Mayer Hoffman McCann CPAs
[2015 - 2022] ---> Partner-in-Charge (NYC/LI West) & Consumer Products Leader, Friedman LLP
[2022 - 2024] ---> Partner & National Consumer & Industrial Products Practice Leader, Marcum LLP
[2024 - 2026] ---> Managing Director & National Practice Leader, CBIZ
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Michael began sharpening his executive skill set in November 1999, operating concurrently as an Audit Manager at Mahoney Cohen & Co. and moving upward to serve as a long-term Shareholder and Managing Director at Mayer Hoffman McCann CPAs for over 15 years.
In July 2015, Michael joined the elite accounting firm Friedman LLP as a Partner. Recognizing his operational precision and client retention rates, he was quickly appointed Partner-in-Charge of the NYC/Long Island West region, while simultaneously driving the firm’s Consumer Products Practice.
When Marcum LLP acquired Friedman LLP in September 2022, Michael was tapped to scale his regional practice to a macro level, becoming Marcum’s Partner and National Consumer and Industrial Products Practice Leader. His masterful navigation of this merger caught national attention, positioning his sector for massive expansion. Consequently, when CBIZ completed its landmark acquisition of Marcum LLP in November 2024, Michael transitioned seamlessly into the role of Managing Director and National Practice Leader at CBIZ, where he commanded the consumer and industrial products division until his untimely passing.
Architect of Growth for Consumer, Retail, and Luxury Brands
As a specialized business advisor, Michael possessed a unique ability to look past the cold balance sheets and intimately understand the creative and operational realities of the business owners he represented. He managed a vast and diverse portfolio spanning manufacturers, importers, logistics companies, distributors, traditional retailers, and modern e-tailers.
His primary market segments represented a comprehensive index of the consumer goods landscape:
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Apparel & Luxury: Fashion houses, textiles, footwear, and accessories.
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Beauty & Jewelry: Cosmetics, beauty products, diamonds, and high-end jewelry.
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Tech & Household: Home goods, toys, and personal consumer electronics.
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Logistics & Consumables: Food and beverage manufacturing and distribution networks.
Michael's Core Advisory & Deal-Structuring Framework
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[Operational Optimization] ---> Benchmarking, cost/expense reduction, inventory mitigation.
[Capital Extraction] ---> Connecting clients to third-party financing & asset-backed loans.
[M&A Due Diligence] ---> Structuring deal mechanisms and vetting potential acquisition targets.
[Network Activation] ---> Leveraging a massive professional network to secure specialized resources.
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Michael took profound personal pride in addressing the highly specific, nuanced business needs of privately held businesses. He routinely revolutionized his clients’ operations through advanced benchmarking, specialized inventory management controls, and the restructuring of third-party financing options to maximize cash flow. When clients faced pivotal inflection points, Michael acted as the master architect for their merger and acquisition (M&A) strategies, driving thorough due diligence processes and leveraging his immense professional network to connect business owners with capital resources that altered their corporate destinies.
Philanthropy and Civic Board Commitments
What truly distinguished Michael Sacco from his contemporary peers was his belief that professional success should directly fuel community enrichment. He was a familiar, deeply respected presence in corporate finance boardrooms and charitable fundraising galas alike.
Michael sat as an active member of the Contemporary Credit Club and served as an influential board member of the New York Banking and Finance Group, helping shape regional commercial lending and financial policies.
His philanthropic footprints were wide and profoundly impactful across metropolitan New York:
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC: Michael was a passionate Senior Board Member of the Accountants and Bankers division of Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC. He advocated relentlessly for youth mentorship programs, leveraging corporate financial networks to fund educational and developmental resources for underprivileged youth across the five boroughs.
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The Needlers Foundation: Serving on the Steering Committee, Michael aligned his deep ties within the garment and fashion industries to raise critical funds for pediatric medical care and specialized children’s hospital charities.
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The Mann Charitable Foundation: Through his active service board work, Michael helped secure vital corporate donations directed toward funding research and care for individuals battling cancer, Crohn’s disease, colitis, and other debilitating illnesses.
Professional Tributes, Final Legacy, and Arrangements
The shocking news of Michael’s passing on June 18 has triggered a wave of mourning across the regional commercial banking, private equity, and accounting networks of New York. Former colleagues from Friedman, Marcum, and CBIZ have expressed their heartbreak, consistently remembering Michael as a leader who possessed a rare combination of brilliant financial acumen and authentic, approachable human warmth. He was known as a mentor who took time out of his frantic M&A schedule to train junior associates, review technical audit papers, and guide next-generation accountants on the path to partnership.
Michael is remembered by his family, friends, and coworkers as an industrious leader who lived his life with distinct purpose. His financial contributions, structural business strategies, and community impact will be felt across the New York business world for years to come.
Information regarding the establishment of memorial scholarship programs at Hofstra University in his name, corporate tribute statements from the executive leadership at CBIZ, or public visitation and funeral arrangements will be communicated via authorized family channels once finalized.