Local Firm Maixner & Maixner Accounts for Finances and Family

It’s been said that a family who plays together, stays together. But the Albert Maixner and his family works together and lives together as well.

Maixner is one half of the partnership that forms Maixner & Maixner, an accounting firm located at 4501 Telegraph Road in South County.

Maixner has been running the practice, along with his father, Albert A. Maixner, since the early '70s. A life-long South County resident, he graduated from in 1970 and then went on to University of Missouri-St. Louis where he earned a degree in accounting.

“Neither of my parents ever brought up going into the business,” Maixner said. “My dad was a CPA and my mom did clerical and secretarial work (for him). But it was never anything I was pressured to do.”

Still, he saw fortuity in the business that his father started in 1949.

“History was one thing I liked a lot. I thought about writing for a while,” Maixner said. “But then I was in college and I guess this was kind of an opportunity.”

He became a Certified Public Accountant and joined forces with his father.

Maixner & Maixner has since grown into a full-fledged family affair.

Maixner’s wife, Diane, is another CPA with the firm. Sister Christine Hearst runs the operations of the office.

“And when people stop by just to talk, she’s the one that’s first,” he said.

In addition, Heart’s oldest son, Nathan, is also part of the business.

Even Albert A. Maixner, the man who started it all, is still very involved.

“Dad, at 90, still works three or four days a week,” Maixner said.

But the family roots run much deeper in South County than just the business.

“My grandparents bought property (located near what is now Mattis and Lemay Ferry roads) 80 or 100 years ago as a summer place,” Maixner said. “Then they decided to move here.

“It wasn’t Ozzie and Harriet growing up, I don’t think. But it was as close as you can get,” he said. Maixner’s parents later moved in and the siblings grew up in that same house.

In expanding the family circle, they had an aunt and uncle who lived nearby.

“I guess now Chris and I are doing the same thing,” Maixner said. “Chris lives in that house and we live nearby.”

Between them, there are 11 children. Chris has seven and Albert has four.

“At this point, they all go to school together and all still live in St. Louis,” he said.

A hard-working business man, Maixner tends to define his success with less tangible assets.

“To me, family is the most important. To a certain degree, you cannot control your health, but if you have it everything is okay. Those are the kinds of things that are important to me,” he said. “I think we all have bumps. Every family does.”

But as Hearst explains, family closeness means enduring loved ones even when they are not at their best.

“Especially during tax season, when we’re around a lot, it’s a tiring time of year,” she said. “It’s probably easier to work around someone who really knows you well.”

Maixner has followed in his father’s footsteps in more ways than one. He has never applied any pressure upon his own children to enter into the family business.

In fact, they are all employed outside of the accounting firm.

“They have all found something they really like doing and they’re good at it,” Maixner said. “I think the main thing is that if they enjoy what they’re doing, they’re good at it and they’re happy, that’s what counts.”

That leaves the distant future of Maixner & Maixner up in the air, but that does not divide the family.

“We spend time together voluntarily,” Hearst said. “We still do the birthday thing. Our children have remained close.”

So while in business there is uncertainty, in family there is forever.

Despite the uncertainty, Maixner doesn’t worry.

“I guess, it’s like any other CPA. We’ll deal with it when it happens.”