Co-Founders
The People
Behind the Firm
Matt
Cronin, MST, MSPFP
Co-Founder
Matt spent over thirteen years serving the special operations community — five years on active duty as a USAF Combat Controller, followed by eight years as a military contractor screening and mentoring SOF candidates. That career demanded a high level of attention to detail and an absolute intolerance for shortcuts.
He brings those same standards to his career as a tax advisor. After earning a Master of Science in Taxation and a Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning, Matt served as a Special Agent in IRS Criminal Investigation, where he investigated complex financial crimes.
Matt founded First There Financial with a straightforward goal: build a firm where exceeding the standard is the standard. When a client entrusts him with their financial picture, he takes that seriously — and works relentlessly to protect what they've earned.
Ryan
Schutz, CPA
Co-Founder · Certified Public Accountant
Ryan brings over a decade of tax experience built from two distinct vantage points: private practice and the federal government. That combination gives him an unusually clear picture of how tax returns are prepared, how they're scrutinized, and where things go wrong.
His private practice background includes more than five years at CPA firms, focused on tax planning and compliance for high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as business services for corporations and pass-through entities.
At the IRS, Ryan held three distinct roles over five years: Revenue Agent, auditing individual and small business returns; Fraud Enforcement Advisor, serving as a subject matter expert on civil tax fraud; and Special Agent in IRS Criminal Investigation, where he investigated complex financial crimes including money laundering.
Ryan is a licensed CPA and an active member of both the AICPA and the North Carolina Association of CPAs.