Professional Team

Jim Schmid, CPA/ABV, CFE, CFF, CCA

Jim Schmid is the founding member and managing director of ResX, PC. Prior to starting ResX, Jim was the partner at Grant Thornton LLP (“GT”) responsible for GT’s Michigan’s Forensics Accounting and Business Valuation practice and its U.S. Construction Forensics practice. Jim started ResX in 2013 with the goal of providing experienced professional services that are responsive, cost effective, and impactful.

Jim is an engineer and a certified public accountant (CPA) with over 40 years of forensic accounting and expert testimony experience involving business damages, business valuation, and construction claims. Jim has also performed hundreds of contract compliance audits for construction projects, royalty contracts, and purchase agreements. Additionally, he has been an arbitrator in commercial disputes, neutral accountant for the court, and compliance monitor of the DOJ in Washington DC. He is twice past Chairman of the MACPA’s Litigation and Valuation Committee, and a member of the board of directors for the Detroit Area Construction Association (DACA) and Life Directions, a Detroit based youth mentoring charity. Jim is a licensed CPA, accredited in business valuation by the AICPA (CPA/ABV), a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF), and a Certified Construction Auditor (CCA). Mr. Schmid has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Phone: (248) 533-0383

Melissa Maiorano, CFE

Melissa Maiorano is a senior manager with ResX, PC and a specialist in pricing and proving damages for commercial disputes involving lost profits, business interruption, intellectual property, construction claims, and diminution in value. Melissa is also highly experienced in fraud investigations, construction cost oversight, and construction cost auditing. She has over 10 years of experience in discovery and analysis related to commercial disputes, fraud, and construction contract auditing. Melissa is a Certified Fraud Examiner, has a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Detroit Mercy and a Master of Business Administration degree from Walsh College.

Phone: (248) 533-0381

Russ Agosta

Russell Agosta is the former partner with Grant Thornton LLP (“GT”). At GT, Russ was the National Partner in charge of the Construction Industry practice. Russ is a highly knowledgeable consultant and expert witness on generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and on generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS). At ResX, PC Russ provides consulting and expert witness testimony on GAAP, GAAS, and construction damages. He is a member of the national board of directors and the Chairman of the Audit Committee for the Associated General Contractors. Russ is also a member of the board of directors of Ziebart Corporation, a global consumer products corporation.

Phone: (248) 533-0380

Nancy Pelino

Nancy Pelino is a senior associate with ResX. She manages case documents, performs research on issues and markets, and performs analytical modeling on client engagements. Nancy has over 15 years of experience as an accountant/administrator with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Central Michigan University.

Phone: (248) 533-0384

Christopher J. Leisner, CPA, CMC

Chris is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Consultant with over forty years of accounting and consulting experience. He has held positions in industry (Inland Steel, GTE), public accounting (BDO Seidman, Partner) and national Financial Consulting firm, Managing Director). Equally comfortable in the courtroom, the boardroom, on the shop floor or at the construction site, his clientele covers a broad spectrum of large, medium, small and owner-operated entities in need of workable solutions.

His real estate and construction retentions (including consulting and expert witness services) relate to industrial, commercial, municipal, and residential projects, including super-regional mall, manufacturing, hospitality, commercial office, power generation, water treatment and Section-8 housing.

From the detail-level complexities of cost accounting, information systems design/forensic evaluations, and CFO management, to the top-down challenges of M&A, strategic planning, long-term project management and quality controls, Chris' corporate and professional achievements were always as part of a multi-faceted team. Those teams were guided by a common philosophy; 'It is better to fix the Problem, than fix the Blame'.