Michael T. Wolff, CIA, Advisory Services ("MWAS") provides internal auditing and claims auditing services to School Districts and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (“BOCES”). Michael is the sole owner/officer of the firm and is a Certified Internal Auditor. Michael has been performing internal audits since 1992 and has focused on school districts and BOCES since February 2011 while working for the Rensselaer City School District. With Rensselaer City School District, Michael was the Audit Manager supervising a part-time staff and completing the annual risk assessments for twenty-seven school districts. These districts ranged in size from 120 students to greater than 5,000 and having budgets exceeding 100 million dollars. Michael Wolff is currently the Internal Auditor for eleven school districts in the Capital District and Hudson Valley Region. In addition to internal auditing, Michael is the appointed Claims Auditor of Capital Region BOCES, Dutchess County BOCES, and four school districts in the Capital District area.
Prior to working with school districts, Michael was the Director of Internal Audit for the investment banking firm Gleacher Securities Group (formerly First Albany). As Director of Internal Audit, Michael oversaw the annual completion of the audit plan and all aspects of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Michael documented and tested the internal controls, recommended improvements to the design of internal controls, and provided training to staff and management on sound internal control processes. Michael was the liaison to the firm’s external auditor with the investment banking firm obtaining a reduction in audit fees by relying upon Michael's documentation and test work.
Prior to Michael’s thirteen years with Gleacher Securities Group, he performed supervisory audits for credit unions, and internal audits for the commercial bank, KeyCorp.
Michael Wolff is on the Advisory Board of the School District Internal Auditing Alliance (SDIAA) and is a Past President of the Albany Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors. Michael has been a speaker for training events held by the New York State Association of School Business Administrators and also provides school districts with training on extra-classroom activities, purchasing, and claims auditing.
Patricia Hutchins - Staff Auditor Patricia ("Patty") Hutchins has been performing internal audits of school districts with Michael Wolff Advisory Services since 2019 and is currently the Claims Auditor for local school districts. Patty has also assisted a large city school district that needed an interim claims auditor on an emergency basis.
Before working with MWAS, Patty worked for ten years as a payroll specialist for a local construction company for overseeing the performance of the payroll function for over 70 employees. Patty was also the Safety Administrator for all safety documentation and filing compliance with OSHA, DOT, and other government mandates.
Patty also worked as a Senior Staff Accountant for seven years with Gleacher Securities Group responsible overseeing many general ledger accounts and reconciliations. Patty's responsibilities also included compiling data and footnotes for the annual SEC filings, Proxy Statements, sales tax and income tax reporting.