Donna Spiconardi has been a constant at our firm for more than 35 years!

With her role, Donna has probably talked with pretty much everyone who is part of the B. Riley Tax family! She keeps us stocked with all the things we need - from pens to toner, from paper to hand sanitizer. She answers every email within minutes and takes care of business quick and efficiently! She loves her job and has always given it her all.

About 3 years ago, after having Covid, Donna ended up being diagnosed with Scleroderma. Though she has been quite sick all along, she has continued to work. (If you know Donna, that will not come as a surprise to you.) With her body in constant pain, her pulmonary functionality down to 49 and her energy level incredibly low, she has made the difficult decision to take a leave of absence. At this time, there is no known cure for her condition so we imagine this is retirement.

When Donna called to tell us this news, she told us about the "Spoon Theory". It's a metaphor used to explain the limited energy of people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. It uses "spoons" to represent units of energy, with each task requiring a certain number of spoons. People with chronic conditions may start the day with 10 spoons - a shower might require 3 spoons, getting dressed, another 2, and so on. Before long, the spoons are depleted, and the sick person is left with nothing. Our friend has made the decision to use her daily 10 spoonfuls of energy in ways that brings her joy. Stepping outside and soaking up some sun, spending time with her two children and her husband, maybe some chair yoga or going out for an ice cream with friends. We are proud of her for taking care of herself this way, but we’re going to miss her so very much.

We feel like we need to do something big for this woman who has been here for all of us for more than 35 years. She doesn't have the energy for a party, and we are all too far apart to celebrate her together. She can't travel much anymore, although she and her husband are hoping to be able to head south when the cold comes back. Cold weather makes her much sicker, and she can't take it another year. What we’d love to do is raise some money for her. We’d love to add to her savings, so she doesn't have to worry about no longer working. We’d love to bring her a little peace of mind and let her see how much she's meant to all of us here. To that end, we have set up a Go Fund Me page for Donna. Donate if you'd like, give what you can, send her a card if that's better for you. Connect to her as you see fit.

Thank you, Donna Spiconardi. You've been a rock star! We will all miss you tremendously. Wishing you peace in your future and contentment in your heart.