Our Team
Meet The Alpha Team
Darren Szendre
President
Darren founded Alpha Retirement Consultants with Ben Szendre to create a local firm that can help small businesses identify the right retirement plan that best suits their needs. Darren has an array of work experience that will allow him to provide a high level of insight to help small businesses.
Darren’s diverse background includes more than 17 years of experience as a CPA in providing tax consulting, compliance, accounting and business advice to closely held owner-operated businesses as well as large multi-national corporations.
Darren has worked with companies in many industries, including high technology, consumer, industrial, manufacturing, and forest products; software developers, transportation, agricultural, and food processing. Darren has successfully completed research and development studies for companies in the following industries: roofing products, forest products, software development, biotechnology, mining products, food manufacturing processes and agriculture chemical development. Through Darren’s diverse work experience working in numerous industries, he will provide valuable guidance and insight to small businesses looking to maximize the potential of their retirement plans.
Darren holds a Masters of Accounting from Washington State University and a B.S. in Accounting from Brigham Young University. Darren is a member of the AICPA and WSCPA and is a licensed CPA to practice in the state of Washington.
Ben Szendre
Vice President
Ben founded Alpha Retirement Consultants with Darren Szendre in order to provide local assistance to small business in their retirement plan needs. Throughout his work experience, Ben has gained valuable skills that will be an asset to Alpha Retirement Plan Consultants.
Ben spent the first three years of his career working for the largest accounting firm on the west coast in their Spokane, WA and Albuquerque, NM offices. Ben supervised, planned, and performed financial statement and single audits in the following areas: banks, credit unions, not-for-profits, government agencies, casinos, Native American tribes, telecommunications, higher education institutions, and investment companies.
The valuable tax and audit experience that Ben has obtained will be used to help local businesses identify the retirement plan that best fits their needs while helping them understand the tax benefits and advantages of each plan. Ben was born and raised in the Tri-Cities and was happy to return to his home town in December 2010. His wife Lisa is also from Tri-Cities and they decided there could not be a better place to raise their family. They have four children, Zeke Nitro Szendre is 8 years old, Maxwell Haak Szendre is 6 years old, Hadley Davis Szendre is 2 years old, and Lucas Cash Szendre is less than on year old.
Jake Mayfield
Sr. Analyst
Jacob has extensive knowledge in trust accounting, defined contribution plans, including 401(k), 403(b), and Profit Sharing. He is gaining knowledge in corporate and personal taxes, cross tested 401(k)plans, DB/DC combo plans, payroll service, and becoming certified to issue ERISA Bonds.
Jacob graduated from Columbia Basin College with a Major in Business Management and a Minor in Accounting. He is currently working on his Masters in Accounting at Western Governors University and will be taking his Certified Management Accounting Exam in the upcoming years. He has also passed his first of four exams for his Accredited Pension Administrator certificate and will attain that qualification later in the year.
Jacob was extremely blessed to marry his best friend Courtney Mayfield. They have been married for five wonderful years and have two little rugrats in their lives. Jaxon is a four year old ninja turtle, paw patrol, nerf gun slinging active boy. He keeps them on their toes and has a wonderful playful active imagination. Aliyah is their little chubby ball of fun. She has a constant contagious smile that melts the hearts of everyone she meets. Together their family brings happiness and joy to the firm, which truly shows the foundation of Alpha RPC.