Paceline Accounting Group

Our team

Experience passed from one generation of leadership to the next.

Paceline thrives on the adaptability, versatility and experience of our team at every level. Some have served this firm and its clients for more than three decades. Others began here as interns and grew into leadership.

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Partners

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Professionals

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Longest tenure, years

Teamwork sign and tulips in the Paceline office

Partners

Five partners, one continuous practice.

Ron Comes, CPA, Partner at Paceline Accounting Group00

Ron Comes

CPA, Partner

Founding partner · 35+ years

Ron graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. A founding partner of Paceline — formerly Thurman, Comes, Foley & Co., LLP — he has over 35 years of experience in public accounting and provides tax, accounting and consulting services to individuals, financial institutions, agricultural-related industries, nonprofit organizations and retail and wholesale businesses. He is a member of the South Dakota CPA Society, the Nebraska CPA Society and the AICPA. Ron and his wife Vicky enjoy time at their lake home on Lake Poinsett and with their two sons, daughters-in-law and six grandchildren in Chicago and Boston.

Mary Dally, CPA, Partner at Paceline Accounting Group00

Mary Dally

CPA, Partner

31+ years of experience

Mary graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting. With over 31 years of experience, her areas of expertise are wealth and tax planning for businesses, individuals, trusts and estates, qualified benefit plan audits, business consulting and attest services. She is a member of the AICPA and the South Dakota CPA Society, and presently serves on the boards of the Avera Foundation, the Better Business Bureau of Sioux Falls and Downtown Sioux Falls. Mary and her husband Nate have three children and enjoy family, sports and movies.

Cathy Harr, CPA, Partner at Paceline Accounting Group00

Cathy Harr

CPA, Partner

Tax, audit & assurance

Cathy graduated from Augustana University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Accountancy. She provides clients with tax, consulting, audit, review and other assurance services, serving a wide range of individuals and organizations — from small, closely held businesses to not-for-profit entities to large corporations. She is a member of the South Dakota CPA Society and the AICPA and volunteers for several nonprofit organizations. Cathy and her husband Andrew live on an acreage outside of Brandon with their two boys, and she enjoys family, sports and being outdoors.

Meghan Garry, CPA, Partner at Paceline Accounting Group00

Meghan Garry

CPA, Partner

Joined the firm in 2012

Meghan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Accountancy and Business Administration from Augustana University. She joined Thurman, Comes, Foley & Co., LLP in January 2012 after three years with a national accounting firm and three years in private accounting. Meghan serves large corporations, not-for-profit entities and small closely held businesses with tax, compliance, assurance and planning services. She is a member of the AICPA and the South Dakota CPA Society. Meghan, her husband Brad and twin sons Jackson and Brantley live in Tea, SD; she enjoys family, reading and camping.

Zach Hueners, Partner at Paceline Accounting Group00

Zach Hueners

Partner

Intern in 2014, partner today

After serving as a summer intern and part-time during the fall, Zach joined Thurman, Comes, Foley & Co., LLP full time in December 2014. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from South Dakota State University and a Master of Professional Accounting from the University of South Dakota. Zach has experience performing audits, reviews and compilations, along with income tax preparation for individuals and businesses. In his free time he enjoys friends, golfing and pool lounging.

Accountants & paraprofessionals

Long-tenured professionals who know their clients by name.

Marilyn Hurley, CPA, Staff Accountant at Paceline Accounting Group00

Marilyn Hurley

CPA, Staff Accountant

Joined the firm in 2017

Marilyn graduated Summa Cum Laude from Morningside College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Computer Programming and Math. After leaving the profession to raise her four children, she joined the firm in January 2017. Marilyn performs audits, reviews and compilations along with income tax preparation for businesses and individuals, and is a member of the AICPA and the South Dakota CPA Society. She and her husband Lynn live on a farm near Canton, SD, where she is actively involved in the family farm.

Alex Theisen, CPA, Staff Accountant at Paceline Accounting Group00

Alex Theisen

CPA, Staff Accountant

Tax, attest & QuickBooks

Alex graduated from Augustana University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Accountancy and Business Administration. She has experience in QuickBooks, income tax preparation for individuals and businesses, compilations, audits and reviews. Originally from a small town in southwestern Minnesota, in her spare time she enjoys friends and family, her siblings' sporting events, traveling and reading.

Trey Henning, CPA, Staff Accountant at Paceline Accounting Group00

Trey Henning

CPA, Staff Accountant

Joined Paceline in 2023

Trey joined Paceline Accounting Group in February 2023. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting & Business Administration from the University of Sioux Falls in 2018 and a Master's degree in Business Management in 2020, also from USF. He works with individual and business tax returns as well as attest work. Trey and his wife Kaylee are both from small towns in southwest Minnesota; he enjoys being outdoors, sports and family time.

Jeff Letcher, Staff Accountant at Paceline Accounting Group00

Jeff Letcher

Staff Accountant

Tax preparation & attest work

In 2016 Jeff received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in accounting from the University of South Dakota. He works with individual and business tax preparation as well as attest work. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, music, movies and TV.

Heather Petersen, Staff Accountant at Paceline Accounting Group00

Heather Petersen

Staff Accountant

QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Heather holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Sioux Falls. She joined the firm in 2015 with nine years of bookkeeping and payroll experience. A certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, she trains new staff and clients in QuickBooks and performs audits, reviews, compilations and income tax preparation. Heather and her husband Keith enjoy watching their two boys play sports and traveling; she also teaches Sunday School, serves on several boards and volunteers.

Karen Wallenstein, Paraprofessional / Staff Accountant at Paceline Accounting Group00

Karen Wallenstein

Paraprofessional / Staff Accountant

37+ years with the firm

Karen has been with the firm for 37-plus years, providing internal support services including accounts receivable, software installation and implementation, and staff support. She also assists clients with bookkeeping, payrolls and individual tax service. In her spare time Karen enjoys art, music, being outdoors, walking, hiking, exercise and spending time with her large family.

Renee Hardy, Paraprofessional / QuickBooks ProAdvisor at Paceline Accounting Group00

Renee Hardy

Paraprofessional / QuickBooks ProAdvisor

20+ years bookkeeping & payroll

Renee has an Associate degree in Computer Information Systems & Accounting from National Business College and over 20 years of bookkeeping and payroll experience. As a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor she brings a wealth of knowledge in QuickBooks consulting, payroll and reporting, and bookkeeping. Renee and her husband Brian spend time with their grandkids and watching football, and she is an avid quilter.

Kelly Hicks, Paraprofessional / Staff Accountant at Paceline Accounting Group00

Kelly Hicks

Paraprofessional / Staff Accountant

28+ years of experience

Kelly graduated from Nettleton College with certificates in Accounting and Computer Science and has 28-plus years of experience in the accounting profession, with extensive work in tax returns, payroll and sales tax returns, monthly bookkeeping, QuickBooks consulting and Sage software consulting. Kelly enjoys spending time with her two children and being outdoors.

Candice Breneman, Paraprofessional / QuickBooks ProAdvisor at Paceline Accounting Group00

Candice Breneman

Paraprofessional / QuickBooks ProAdvisor

14+ years bookkeeping & payroll

Candice holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Master of Professional Accountancy from the University of South Dakota, with over 14 years of bookkeeping and payroll experience. She is a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and a member of the South Dakota CPA Society, Minnehaha Sertoma Club and PEO Chapter CH. Outside of work Candice enjoys family, reading, bowling and cooking.

Cory Johnson, Paraprofessional / Staff Accountant at Paceline Accounting Group00

Cory Johnson

Paraprofessional / Staff Accountant

20+ years bookkeeping, HR & payroll

Cory has over 20 years of bookkeeping, HR and payroll experience. He joined the firm in 2019 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from South Dakota State University. Off the job his interests include golfing, DIY projects and spending time with his wife and two sons.

Shelly Ransom, Paraprofessional at Paceline Accounting Group00

Shelly Ransom

Paraprofessional

25+ years bookkeeping & HR

Shelly has over 25 years of bookkeeping, payroll and human resources experience and holds an Associate degree in Accounting. She is working toward her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and joined the firm in 2021. Shelly lives in Sioux Falls and enjoys time with her grandkids, husband and family, reading and gardening.

Suad Smajlovic, Team Member at Paceline Accounting Group00

Suad Smajlovic

Team Member

Bio coming soon

A profile for Suad is on the way — we'll add role details and background here as soon as they're confirmed.

Nina Pottebaum, Office Manager at Paceline Accounting Group00

Nina Pottebaum

Office Manager

20+ years office management

Nina has over 20 years of office assistant and manager experience. As the first face clients see when they enter the office, she handles much of the firm's administrative duties. Outside of work she enjoys time with her husband Denny of 30 years, their two daughters and their families, and grandsons Tate and Cooper — and cheering on the Minnesota Vikings and Twins.

Several of our professionals are certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors, and our partners and CPA staff bring tax, assurance, compliance, planning and consulting experience across the region.