| History of the Firm |
Bara Business Service was established in 1957
by Al LaGrone, EA, PA and operated out of his home
in Arab, Alabama for the first two years. During the following four
years, we shared office space with a Real Estate Office on North
Main Street. Mr. LaGrone built and occupied
our current office building in April 1962. In 1970 an addition was
made to our building, doubling the office space to approximately
10,000 square feet.Mr. LaGrone retired and sold the practice to
Greg Cook (an employee of approximately ten years) in December 1994.
The business operated under the name Cook & LaGrone during the
transition period. Due to state regulations governing Mr. Cook's CPA
license and the use of a fictitious
name, LaGrone was dropped from the firm name in March 1998 (two
years after the death of our Founder). Mr. Cook completely renovated
the building inside and out over the next five years. |
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| Present Day |
| Today we have a strong presence in
markets that involve our field of expertise. Cook & Co. serves clientele in all fifty states and approximately nineteen foreign countries.
We have many long standing relationships built on mutual respect and trust.
We offer services in four major
categories:
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Accounting
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Tax
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Financial
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Technology
We are proud of our heritage and
history. Let us share it with you.
THE FUTURE - Is bright
There have been many changes in the tax laws over the years
that have precipitated changes in the way we do business. However, technology
has had the biggest impact on changes in our operations. We think it is safe
to predict more tax law changes and further improvements with technology in
the future. |
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| What is Bara? |
Bara is simply Arab spelled backwards. Arab,
Alabama is a small town in Marshall County, nineteen miles south of
Huntsville, Alabama on U. S. Highway 231. Al LaGrone launched an
income tax return preparation business in January 1957 and called it
Bara Business Service.
More about our history and transition from Bara Business Service,
to Cook & LaGrone, to Cook & Co....
- 1957 - Bara Business Service founded by Al LaGrone
- 1962 - Bara Office Building constructed at 124 South Main
- 1970 - Addition made to building, doubling our size
- 1986 - Al hires Greg Cook, a college co-op student
- 1994 - Al semi-retires, selling the firm to Greg Cook
- 1995 - Name changed to Cook & LaGrone
- 1996 - Founder Al LaGrone dies at age 69
- 1998 - Name changed to Cook & Co.
- 1999 - Total renovation of business center completed
- 2007 - Company celebrates "50th Anniversary"
How did Arab, Alabama get its name?
The town was to be named Arad in honor of it's founding citizen Arad
Thompson. In 1886 when the letters for the Post Office arrived from
Washington D.C., there was a "B" instead of "D". The citizens put
the letters on the Post Office building and changed the name to
Arab.
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| Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1871 |
"If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon, or
make a better mouse-trap than his neighbor, though he build his house in
the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door." |
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