Partners + Napier Recruits Jennifer Rees as New CFO

The aggressively expanding Partners + Napier has hired accomplished financial leader Jennifer Rees, CPA, as its new Chief Financial Officer, beginning the week of Sept. 20. Rees is joining the Rochester-based, nationally recognized, integrated creative and media agency in the midst of business wins from new and existing clients, which in turn has led to several new hires.

With 20+ years of related experience, Rees most recently served as the CFO for CPL (formerly Clark Patterson Lee), a nationally acclaimed architecture firm also based in Rochester, now employing approximately 450 employees across 19 offices. During her nearly 8-year tenure at CPL, revenues more than doubled as Rees helped lead a transformational change within the organization to deliver significant organic and acquisition-related growth.

Among other career achievements, Rees held various leadership roles within the corporate financial planning and analysis team at Bausch + Lomb (a long-time Partners + Napier client), and technical accounting roles for Birds Eye Foods and Insero & Company.

“Hiring for the C-Suite is a balance of finding someone with proven experience and ambitious vision who can be a cultural addition. Jen's impressive history leading teams and driving results, all with a calm, measured demeanor, makes her the perfect person to help us achieve our next level of growth," said Partners + Napier CEO Courtney Cotrupe. “I am excited about the experience Jen brings to Partners + Napier; she will be an empathetic leader, having worked in a creative services environment at CPL as well as on the brand side at Bausch & Lomb and Birds Eye Foods."

Rees adds: “As the CFO of a firm that more than doubled in size during my 8-year tenure, with its sights set on achieving scalable exponential growth within the next few years, I appreciate companies that set and achieve big goals. That's why I'm happy to be joining Partners + Napier. They have broken through as a nationally recognized creative company right here in my hometown, with big ambitions of their own. It's exciting to be part of this leadership team where I can bring financial strategy and insights to help deepen client partnerships and drive further growth.”