Cray Kaiser Employee Spotlight: Ted Stoik

In Cray Kaiser’s Employee Spotlight series, we highlight a member of the CK team. We couldn’t be prouder of the team we’ve grown and we’re excited for you to get to know them. This month, we’re shining our spotlight on Ted Stoik.

Getting to Know Ted

Ted Stoik is a Senior Assurance Accountant at Cray Kaiser. In his role, Ted leads audit engagements and guides staff through planning, fieldwork, and reporting. During a typical engagement, he works closely with clients to understand their businesses, assess risk, review key estimates, and ensure workpapers and financial statements are clear, accurate, and well-supported.

Ted has a particular interest in improving audit efficiency and documentation quality. He’s always looking for ways to refine processes and strengthen the overall audit experience for both clients and the CK team.

Why CK?

Ted joined CK in January of 2026. He was drawn to the firm’s strong reputation for quality work combined with a genuine commitment to work-life balance. And, as he puts it simply, “I really like the people.” Since joining, it’s the team culture and camaraderie that continue to stand out most.

The CK core value that resonates most with Ted is Education. He believes there is always more to learn, especially in public accounting, and that mindset drives him to sharpen his technical skills and expand the value he brings to clients.

Before joining CK, Ted earned his master’s degree in accounting from the University of Missouri. He interned at Grant Thornton before spending two years at RSM, where he gained hands-on experience working with manufacturing clients. One of the most impactful moments in his career was leading an engagement from planning through issuance for the first time.

“It pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to think not just about individual workpapers, but the financial statements as a whole,” Ted shares. “It gave me confidence in my ability to lead and reinforced how important clear communication and organization are in delivering a smooth audit.”

His advice to anyone just getting started in accounting?
“Ask questions early and often. Don’t fall into the trap of spinning your wheels. Your team is there to support you.”

Looking ahead, Ted is focused on continuing to grow within the assurance practice and deepening his expertise to bring even more insight and value to clients. He’s especially interested in data analytics and automation within accounting and audit, leveraging technology to identify trends, anomalies, and risks more efficiently and free up time for higher-level analysis and client conversations.

More About Ted

What was your favorite CK group outing?
The company bowling party! Despite only bowling a handful of times in my life, I walked away with two strikes and a great time.

How do you spend your weekends or time off?
Right now, much of my free time is dedicated to studying for the CPA exam. When I’m not hitting the books, I enjoy spending time with friends, watching shows, and being outdoors. I often travel to Michigan or Oregon to help family on farms and vineyards. Part farmhand, part family guest.

Tell us about your family.
My dad is a writer and my mom is an event planner for senior living communities. I spent summers in Michigan working on my family’s fruit and vegetable farm, and in the fall in Oregon helping with the grape harvest. Safe to say, I know my way around both spreadsheets and vineyards.

Do you have a hidden talent?
Farmer.

Favorite vacation spot?
The Boundary Waters in Minnesota. You can’t top crystal clear water, almost zero light pollution, and unbeatable hiking and canoeing.

Favorite TV show?
Suits. I admit I’m drawn to stories about sharp young professionals excelling in their field.

What’s on your music playlist?
A little bit of everything: metal, jazz, rock, classical, rap, and R&B. Lately, I’ve been on a “divorced dad rock” kick featuring Nickelback, Foo Fighters, and Alice in Chains.