Kurt and Mindi Rickhoff of Rickhoff Accounting Honored with PASBA’s 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award

Accounting Firm Founders Recognized by Peers for Decades of Leadership, Service, and Dedication to the Small Business Accounting Community

Kurt and Mindi Rickhoff have been named the 2026 recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Professional Association of Small Business Accountants (PASBA). The award was presented at PASBA’s 20th Annual Awards Ceremony, held during the 2026 Spring Marketing & Technology Conference in San Antonio, Texas, on May 6, 2026.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is one of PASBA’s most prestigious honors, reserved for members who have consistently embodied the association’s core motto: Teach, Share, Learn. Recipients are nominated directly by PASBA’s Board of Directors, making this recognition a true reflection of how peers within the national small business accounting community view Kurt and Mindi’s contributions.

A Legacy That Started Over 50 Years Ago

Rickhoff Accounting has been serving small business owners across O’Fallon IL, Breese IL, and Chesterfield MO since 1974. As second-generation owners, Kurt and Mindi Rickhoff have built on the foundation laid by Kurt’s parents, Dennis and Jeanette Rickhoff, growing a firm now over 52 years strong into a nationally recognized practice known for personalized, technology-forward accounting, payroll, and tax services.

Kurt attended his first PASBA conference in May 1999 — and that trip changed everything. The way he thought about the profession, about clients, about what a great firm could be. Mindi attended her first conference that same fall, and the two have been active participants in the community ever since.

Kurt served as a two-time PASBA Board Member (2006-2009 and 2016-2020), including a term as President from 2018 to 2019. He also contributed to PASBA’s strategic planning efforts in 2016 and served on the Conference Planning Committee. Mindi contributed as a conference facilitator, a Payroll University speaker, and a member of the PASBA National Training Meeting Payroll Track Committee. Together, they are regular conference presenters, active members of their Financial Review Group, and in 2009 led Rickhoff Accounting to earn PASBA’s Large Firm of the Year award. They didn’t just benefit from this community. They helped build it.

What the Award Means to Kurt and Mindi

Mindi shared: “Professionally, this award means a lot because Kurt and I have continued to grow the business on the beliefs and work ethic his parents started over 50 years ago. We are lucky to be part of their story. Also, to be recognized by peers who understand the industry is a huge part of our journey, which is incredibly meaningful. It’s a place we all share success and can lean on each other for anything. Personally, it’s even more special because I get to share it with my partner in both business and life. Not many people get the chance to build a company with their spouse and raise our family alongside it. It means the world to me.”

Kurt added: “Receiving this award is something we honestly struggle to put into words, and that alone tells you how meaningful it is. Professionally, PASBA has been woven into the fabric of everything we’ve built. That one trip to my first conference changed the trajectory of everything. The knowledge, the relationships, the accountability of being part of this community, it has made us better practitioners, better leaders, and better business owners. To be recognized by the very organization that helped shape us, in front of friends who are truly among the best people we know, is something we will carry with us always. Personally, this award means even more. We are proud to be second-generation stewards of a firm now over 52 years strong, and we are actively preparing the next generation to carry it forward. That continuity, honoring what came before while building something lasting, is at the heart of why we do what we do.”

Kurt also described the evening itself: “The ceremony was one of the most extraordinary nights of our lives. Our children surprised us. There was a video tribute, there were tears, there was laughter. But the moment that meant the most was accepting this award together, as partners. In business and in life, Mindi is the reason any of this works. Our skills are different, our perspectives are different, and that is exactly why we are stronger together. Getting to stand beside her and share this recognition, that is the very best part of all of it.”

About PASBA

The Professional Association of Small Business Accountants represents Certified Public Accountants, Public Accountants, and Enrolled Agents who provide accounting services to small businesses throughout the United States. PASBA members have built a nationwide network of accounting professionals whose collective expertise allows them to deliver a level of service and insight that individual practices are often unable to match. For more information, visit community.pasba.org.

About Rickhoff Accounting

Rickhoff Accounting is also known as Rickhoff & Associates or Rickhoff Business in Balance. A third-generation firm serving small business owners in O’Fallon IL, Breese IL, and Chesterfield MO since 1974. The firm offers monthly accounting and advisory services, integrated payroll through Payroll Central, and proactive tax planning and preparation. Known for their personalized, client-first approach and year-round advisory support, the team at Rickhoff Accounting is committed to helping small business owners make confident financial decisions, reduce tax obligations, and build businesses that last. Learn more at rickhoff.com or call (636) 227-9320