CLH, CPAs & Consultants recently promoted three of its longtime staff to management positions in recognition of their representative performance at the firm: Edward Simokaitis, CPA, Alexia Perez, and Katherine Dibkey.
Edward Simokaitis, with CLH since 2017, has been promoted to Manager and has a range of experience in accounting, finance, and capital markets. Ed is most interested in trusts, estate
projects, and investments and attributes his success to close relationships with his clients. He holds a B.S. in Finance and Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a post-baccalaureate certificate in accounting from Indiana University Northwest. Ed has served on the boards of several maritime-related organizations, including the Following Seas Foundation and the MaRiTa Foundation for Boating Safety.
It was while she was enrolled at Purdue University that Alexia Perez joined the firm in 2017 as an intern. She was promoted to Manager after progressing through other 
stages in her career. Since then, she has developed an interest in income tax and state and local use taxation and has taken on other responsibilities in staff training and business development. She graduated with a B.S. in Accounting from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Business in 2018. In 2022, Alexia was selected to participate in the Indiana CPA Society’s Young Pros Leadership Academy (YPLA), a top-tier leadership development program for CPAs in Indiana. A lifelong Valparaiso resident, Alexia’s lively personality energizes the team and helps facilitate relationship building with other professionals in the industry and the CLH network in the Valparaiso area.
With 17 years’ administrative experience, Katherine Dibkey is a CLH veteran, having first joined the firm in 2011. She was promoted to Manager of CLH’s administrative team. Her primary responsibilities include supporting the administrative team, as well as providing assistance to the IT department and aiding with electronic file management, among other responsibilities. Her educational background includes an A.S. in Computer Software Technology, which she earned from Brown Mackie College in 2008. Katy is a Michigan City native and loves the lake with its amazing beaches. She can often be found spending time with family and working on crocheting and crafting.
"Congratulations to Ed, Alexia, and Katy, on their well-deserved promotions,” said Tony Gillisse, CPA and Partner. “Their dedication, ability, and commitment to excellence have been instrumental in CLH’s success.” Added Kylee Fraze Norman, CPA and Partner, “We look forward to their continued leadership and the innovative contributions they will bring to their new roles.”
