Michael S. Garelli
Co-president

Mike has more than 15 years of industry experience in both corporate accounting and financial recruiting. He helps set the direction of the firm he co-founded and now leads as co-president.

Mike's role extends beyond firm leadership. He is intimately involved in client work, continuously advancing his knowledge of the Chicago-area employment market and the challenges and issues employers encounter.

Before he joined with Jim to form Garelli Wong, Mike was a success story at the world's largest accounting and finance recruiting firm. As a recruiter and later as a manager, he earned numerous awards, recognizing his placement and leadership achievements. He also spearheaded the successful launch of a consulting division at two firm offices.

His recruiting experience followed a corporate accounting and finance career. He served in various accounting roles at Royal Sun Alliance Insurance and earlier as Senior Accountant at Household International. In these positions, Mike's responsibilities included financial reporting, statutory reporting, financial analysis, actuarial analysis, auditing, credit underwriting, and collections.

Mike earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from Northeastern Illinois University.

He is the former president of the Northwest Suburban Chicago Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants. Mike remains an active member of the IMA, and regularly speaks at their events on topics such as trends in accounting and fluctuations in the accounting job market.

James F. Wong
Co-president

Jim, a Certified Public Accountant, brings more than 15 years of accounting and recruiting experience to the firm he co-founded and now leads as co-president.

In his executive leadership role, Jim shares responsibility for ensuring that the firm fulfills a promise to deliver the very best to every client engagement. As a recruiting consultant, he directs search engagements with a passion that inspires client confidence and sets the standard of excellence for firm associates.

Establishing Garelli Wong was a logical next step for Jim. Previously, he had been an award-winning recruiter and manager at the world's largest accounting and finance recruiting firm. During his tenure, he was successively promoted and ultimately became Area/Branch Manager of the Chicago branch, one of the company's largest offices. Here he managed day-to-day operations and a staff of more than 100.

Jim's accounting career and education prepared him well for financial recruiting. As Staff Auditor in the Chicago office of Ernst & Young, Jim performed audits for client companies in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, real estate, financial services and insurance.

He joined this public accounting firm following graduation from Northern Illinois University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Jim is an active member of the Illinois CPA Society and the Northern Illinois University Department of Accountancy Board of Advisors. Recognized as a recruiting expert, Jim has authored numerous articles about the recruitment and retention of accounting professionals. He was named Northern Illinois University's 2003-2004 Outstanding Young Alumnus and has served as a keynote speaker at the 2005 IL CPA Society’s Business & Technology Solutions show.