What is your background?
I went to the University of Windsor and earned a Bachelor of Commerce, with the co-op program. This helped me get experience in the accounting industry. I was fortunate, completing all three of my co-op placements at Collins Barrow, now Baker Tilly. I have stuck with them ever since and today I am a partner at the firm. I have seen it all and done it all.
What keeps you busy outside the office?
My wife and I have adopted three dogs over the years from the Humane Society. This keeps me out and about, walking mostly. In addition, public accounting lets me take off longer time periods in the summer months. For two to three weeks, we will travel the world. I am at about 34 countries visited and counting.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
My proudest professional accomplishment is becoming a partner at Baker Tilly. I had to earn the respect of the other partners, some of whom still remembered me as a co-op student. It meant a lot to me to be recognized and included at the partner level.
I was the first partner to come up organically at the Windsor firm in a long time. This motivated me to blaze the trail, every step of the way. I kept my head down, I focused on the end goal and I relied on the knowledge and experience I was getting to ensure that I was always growing professionally.
What advice would you give someone starting a career in your field?
Keep your options open. Get exposed to all kinds of working conditions and work for as many different partners and managers as you can. At the end of the day, “You do not know what you don’t know.” The more you see and experience, the more you learn and pick up on different styles. That helps you along the way – you take the things you like from different people and throw away things you do not like. That is how you mould yourself as a professional going forward.
This is one of the strengths of Baker Tilly. You can work in different areas. At our firm, you do not start exclusively in one area, like audit or tax – you get a diverse experience.
What are the qualities that make Baker Tilly Windsor unique?
Culture is a big one. We are very open to interacting with each other. Title does not really matter in terms of discussions and who you associate with at the firm.
Additionally, we still have a “small firm feel.” As a student or staff accountant, you are working directly with the partners, which is not always the case at some firms. I find that you pick up things a lot quicker and get to benefit from their experience. With a lot of the partners being 20 to 30 years into their careers, I remember being able to absorb and see how they dealt with things which is invaluable experience.
How would you describe your contribution to Baker Tilly Windsor?
I look to bring a high standard of work ethic and be a role model for best practices at our firm. People see that I started as a co-op student – I made it this far. I do feel I need to do the right thing, rather than take the easy path. I think it is important to take the time to explain things to people to help them learn as well. Students and other staff come to me for advice on files or issues they are having (even though I am not involved in the file) because they know I will spend the time and show them the right way to do it.
Another area would be my role as a trailblazer and setting that pathway for others, guiding them to elevate their careers. I am happy to discuss and illustrate how others can become a partner or get to that role they really want at the firm.
If you were not in your current job, what profession would you pursue?
Maybe something to do with the stock market – I find that interesting. I am a numbers guy, so that always pulls me in.
As for something completely out of left field, I would possibly work in history or geography. I have always had a passion for geography growing up.
What does “Now, for tomorrow” (Baker Tilly’s mantra) mean to you?
For me personally and with respect to the approach I take with my clients, it means looking beyond the current situation and plan. It is setting the table with the right things now to make sure that you are in a proper position later and ready for the unexpected.
“Now, for tomorrow” is also about not taking shortcuts. It is putting that focus on longer-term relationships and planning versus the short term, which may be the less painful option or easier path to take, but in the long run it is not the right or most beneficial way.
“Now, for tomorrow” also applies to professional development. One of the hardest things to do in an accounting firm is to keep yourself in check and be patient with your career.
What does the future hold for you and your profession?
I think the future will be less compliance-based – a lot more analysis, consulting, helping clients understand these systems and processes, and doing more planning. It is going to be more about adding value to clients’ businesses versus just preparing year-ends and tax returns, which will keep becoming a smaller and smaller portion of what we do.
As the profession evolves, I think you are going to need a lot more diverse talent with more experience working in different industries. We have had success bringing on some people who previously worked in banking. It brings a different level of maturity, experience and background, and the ability to talk to clients and try to problem solve. We can teach the technical skills, but it is a lot harder to teach the soft skills that connect us to our clients.