Accounting firm RKL appoints next CEO, welcomes new COO

Rachel Curry, Contributing Writer//September 4, 2025//

MPB Risk Services, LLC has completed the acquisition of Commonwealth Financial Group, Inc. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Rachel Curry, Contributing Writer//September 4, 2025//

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RKL LLP, the certified public accounting and business consulting firm with locations throughout Pennsylvania, appointed Mike De Stefano as the next CEO effective Sept. 1, 2026. De Stefano, who served as the COO and CFO at RKL for a combined total of nearly seven years, will succeed current CEO Ed Monborne upon his departure next year.

“I’m honored by the trust of our leadership and team in being named CEO-elect,” said De Stefano in a release. “At RKL, our people are why we are successful in serving our clients and communities. I can’t think of a better platform to continue to champion and build on.”

Moving into the COO spot that De Stefano previously held is Rachel Sargent, who previously served as RKL supervisor for more than five years ending in 2011, and departed a role as VP of Finance and Integration at distribution service company RelaDyne to rejoin the firm.

Regarding De Stefano’s preparation to enter into his new role, current CEO Monborne said in a release that he has been confident in his work for more than two decades. De Stefano first worked for the firm during a 14-year stint as audit manager. “Welcoming him back as CFO and then COO has undoubtedly made our firm stronger and more future-ready, and I can’t wait to see how the firm continues to grow and thrive under his leadership,” Monborne said.

For his part, Monborne served as CEO for 15 years, shepherding the company on a growth trajectory and earning himself the title of Accounting Today’s Managing Partner Elite in 2024. During his tenure, the firm also broke into the Accounting Today’s Top 100 Firms, launched multiple subsidiaries and earned a spot on the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania list for eight consecutive years. Monborne plans to retire at the end of 2026 after stepping away from the CEO role and ensuring a smooth leadership transition.

As De Stefano prepares to take the helm, he brings his own wealth of experience as well as an involvement with organizations like the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, Pennsylvania Institute of CPA and Leadership Lancaster.