Newsmakers: Leventhal's Gittelson Sees Opportunity in Health Industry ...
The recession was good for the national accounting firm of Kenneth Leven-thal & Co. and its Washington office. The Los Angeles-based firm and its D.C. office attracted a steady stream of customersÛÓreal estate developers, financial institutions and the Resolution Trust Corp.ÛÓwho needed help with troubled real estate projects and tons.</br></br>The company developed what turned out to be a tool for the timesÛÓa method to evaluate portfolios of nonperforming loans. Its Washington office grew from 11 people in 1989 to a staff of 43 professionals and 10 administrative workers today.</br></br>ÛÏIt's been a good market," said Alan M. Gittelson, who last month was named managing partner of LeventhalÛªs Washington office.</br></br>Gittelson takes over at a time when the regional economy appears to be moving again and the number of troubled real estate projects and loans has plunged. As the economy improves, Kenneth Leventhal is beginning to focus on developing business in areas that aren't related to bad economic times.</br></br>ÛÏThe market is starting to change,Û said Gittelson, who said that the companyÛªs realestate expertise had overshadowed some of the company's other traditional practice areas. The