People

Robert Bernstein is a partner at Grassi and the leader of the firm’s Automotive practice niche. He specializes in providing business advisory, accounting and tax services to professionals within the automotive industry. His clientele includes owner/operators of both new (various franchises) and used car dealerships; full-service, exterior-only and subscription model carwashes; auto repair garages; auto body shops; gasoline stations (branded and unbranded); convenience stores; auto parts recycling centers, as well as car wash equipment manufacturers, distributors and installers.

Robert helps businesses navigate the many challenges of the automotive industry. His experience includes advising on the purchase and sale of auto dealerships, tax-advantaged entity formation, negotiations with floor plan finance companies and franchisors, technology assessments, operational efficiencies, and key performance indicators.

Robert got his start in the auto industry as the CFO of two auto dealerships, Ferrari Maserati of Long Island and Ferrari Maserati of New England. He was also an owner operator of a full-service car wash.

Robert is a member of the New York State Car Wash Association and the International Car Wash Association. He regularly attends various trades shows, including but not limited to, national and regional car wash shows, the National Association of Convenience Store Shows (NACS) and various auto shows.

Prior to joining Grassi, Robert owned his own public accounting firm, Bernstein and Seidman, which merged into Grassi in 2017. Robert graduated from Pace University with a BBA in Accounting and received his JD degree from Touro Law School.

He is a certified public accountant and was admitted to the Bar of the State of New York in1987.