Kenneth A. Whittaker  |  CPA/PFS*, CFP^®, CLU/ChFC
Kenneth A. Whittaker is a principal with Whittaker Cooper and serves as branch manager with Raymond James Financial Services. He primarily concentrates his practice in the financial planning division. Ken has extensive experience in income tax planning, and compliance issues from his background as a field auditor and appeals officer for the Internal Revenue Service, where he began his career in 1977. Ken established his CPA practice in 1985 and located the office in Melbourne, Florida. In meeting with clients, the benefits of combining his background in tax with that of his knowledge in financial planning became increasingly evident. In 2000 he expanded the firm to include a financial planning division and in 2006 established Whittaker Cooper Financial Group.

Areas of practice consist of investment and tax planning for retirement, retirement plan design and implementation, estate and succession planning for businesses and the business owners. Ken has represented business clients in the medical, dental and legal communities as well as real estate development and heavy and light manufacturing industries.

Ken has earned the following two designations within the industry from The American College. The Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation reflects advanced study in economics, finance, government and employee benefits, insurance investments, taxation and estate planning. The Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation is awarded after the completion of studies relating to comprehensive financial planning and the application of insurance, investments and tax benefits to achieve long-term benefits for clients. The Certified Financial Planner (CFP^®) designation is earned by further study of all of the above followed by a comprehensive board certified examination, which demonstrates the command of financial planning strategies, and in so doing Ken earned membership in the Financial Planning Association (FPA). As a CPA he is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and holds the designation of Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) from that organization. He is also a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) and a charter member of The Association of CPA Financial Planners (ACPAFP).

Ken is a founder and has served as Treasurer of the Brevard Zoo; a founder of the Suntree Rotary Club and Suntree Rotary Foundation; and a founder of the Friends of the Children Advocacy Center. Ken currently serves as a board member of the Friends of the Children Advocacy Center and President of Brevard Business Leadership Network. Additionally, he currently serves on the board of the Florida Business Bank Board of Directors.

*Accounting and Tax services offered through Whittaker & Cooper, P.A. and are not a service of Raymond James

I. Wayne Cooper  |   CPA
Financial Advisor, RJFS
Wayne is a principal with Whittaker Cooper and holds CPA licenses in the states of Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. He has 30 years of experience as a practicing CPA dealing with various types of financial and tax issues for businesses, not-for-profits and individuals.

Wayne specializes in individual and business income tax planning, estate and gift tax planning, business consulting, government contracting*, litigation support*, family business issues* and divorce tax issues*. Wayne has represented business clients engaged in retail, wholesale, real estate, service, entertainment, communications and contracting, ranging in size from the small “mom and pop” operations to large international corporations.

Additionally, Wayne holds licenses for Life, Health and Variable Annuity from the state of Florida and a general securities license. He is a member of the AICPA, FICPA, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants and North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Presently, he serves on the Board of Directors of the West Melbourne Business Association and is actively involved in the Space Coast Early Intervention Center, Inc. (SCEIC). Wayne is currently serving on the Financial Committee and was the past Chairman of the Board for SCEIC during the 2005-2006 budget year.

*These services are provided by Whittaker & Cooper, P.A. and are not a service of Raymond James.

Karen D. Crain  |   CPA, CVA
Karen is a manager for Whittaker & Cooper, P.A. She has 28 years accounting experience, 21 of which have been in public accounting. She received her BS degree in Accounting from Rollins College in 1993. She is a licensed CPA in the State of Florida and she holds a certificate as a Certified Valuation Analyst from the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.

Karen is a member of the Business Valuation and Forensic & Litigation Services Section of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a member of the Valuation, Forensic Accounting, and Litigation Services Section of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and a member of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.

She has been a member of the Rockledge Rotary Club for over 10 years, and has held the positions of President, Treasurer and Director at Large, and is currently serving again as Treasurer. She is a member of the Brevard County Advisory Council for the Central and Northern Florida Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a Board member of Resurrection Ranch and a past member of the advisory council of the North Central Brevard Salvation Army.

Teresa “Bonnie” Chambers  |   CPA
Bonnie is a manager for Whittaker & Cooper, P.A. She has over 20 years of experience in public and private accounting dealing with various tax and accounting issues. She is a 1996 summa cum laude graduate of Rollins College with a BS degree in Accounting and also holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Central Florida. She is a licensed CPA in the state of Florida. She is a member of the AICPA, FICPA and Rollins College Accounting Society.

Lee Garner  |   CPA
Lee is a manager for Whittaker & Cooper, P.A. He has over 20 years of experience in public and private accounting dealing with various types of accounting, auditing and tax issues. He received his BS degree in Accounting from the University of Central Florida in 1989. He is a licensed CPA in the State of Florida and is a member of the AICPA and FICPA.

Richard D. Sutter  |   CPA
Rich is the audit manager for Whittaker & Cooper, P.A. He has over 20 year of experience in public accounting. He specializes in the performance of audits and financial reviews of nonpublic companies, not-for-profit organizations, homeowner and condominium owner associations, as well as auto dealerships and continuing care retirement communities. Rich also provides individuals and businesses with income tax planning advice and preparation.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Accounting from Hofstra University. He is a licensed CPA in the States of Florida and New York and is a member of the AICPA and FICPA.

Rich currently serves as the Treasurer of the Eau Gallie Rotary Club and Hope Lutheran Church.