John is responsible for Grant Thornton’s Great Lakes Market Territory (GLMT) employee benefit plan audit practice, which encompasses the firm's Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit and Pittsburg offices. John has over 35 years of public accounting experience including audits of public and privately held companies, non-for-profit organizations, government entities and benefit plans. For the past 12 years, he has practiced exclusively in the employee benefit plan audit area. John has extensive experience in audits of defined contribution retirement plans, defined benefit pension plans, and health & welfare plans. His experience includes audits of collectively bargained plans, plans that require filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as employee stock ownership plans. In addition, John routinely provides employee benefit plan audit quality control reviews and technical advice and assistance to offices throughout the firm. He has extensive experience in dealing with reporting and disclosure issues related to benefit plans. This audit specialty area requires a specified base of knowledge that is not typically found in professionals who specialize in corporate audits and reporting. His knowledge base and years of experience allow him to effectively and efficiently oversee the execution of an audit while providing meaningful recommendations upon completion of the work. John is actively involved with the ongoing process of updating Grant Thornton’s employee benefit plan audit methodology, tools and practice aids, and serves as a program leader and developer for the firm’s nationally developed employee benefit plan training programs. John is a team leader for the firm’s annual employee benefit plan internal practice reviews and has recently served on the Grant Thornton team responsible for conducting the employee benefit plan peer review of two Big 4 firms. In addition, John also serves as the firm’s designated liaison between the firm’s U.S. engagement teams and Grant Thornton’s shared services center in Bangalore, India with respect to employee benefit plan audit services. In his liaison role, John is involved in the development and oversight of process and continuous improvements in the areas of scheduling, training, work flow, work product, communication, and feedback, with the ultimate goal of increasing efficiencies with respect to the firm’s use of its shared service center on employee benefit plan audits, as well as providing a positive work experience for both the U.S. and Bangalore teams. John is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Cleveland Chapter of the Worldwide Employee Benefits Network. In the community, John is the Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Baseball Federation. John received his Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration degrees from Cleveland State University. Contact information: John E Soucie Managing Director Grant Thornton LLP 1375 E. 9th Street, Suite 1500 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Direct: (216) 858-3617 John.Soucie@us.gt.com