Our People

Andy Armanino: CPA Managing Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q & A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

While attending Santa Clara University, I considered a future in teaching history or math, or attending law school. After determining that academia was not for me, I switched my major to accounting. I liked math, accounting was easy to understand, and my father's influence over the years convinced me that it was a good career path. At that point, putting them all together seemed like a natural.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

When my father retired and I was able to stand up and talk about what he meant to the firm and to me.

Q. Make a prediction. Describe your vision of the business future.

The dynamics of our profession require constant change. Our products and services need to keep pace with those of our clients. Providing traditional accounting services only will prove ineffectual. What's needed is a best-of-breed approach to taking on current and future tax and accounting challenges if we're to succeed and our clients are to prosper.

Matt Armanino: COO, Consulting Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What role do you play at the firm?

I’m fortunate in that I get to play multiple roles. In addition to being a partner within our Consulting Group, I also serve as the firm’s Chief Operating Officer. In this capacity, I am engaged in strategic planning, budgeting, managing the firm’s administrative functions and working closely with our Managing Partner to help support the firm’s overall growth.

Q. Make a prediction. Describe your vision of the business future.

In the future, I think there will be increasing levels of consolidation in our industry, which remains fairly fragmented today. In this environment, the winners will be those professional service providers with deep industry expertise and the ability to truly deliver value-added solutions to their clients, as opposed to discrete, stand-alone services. Being a mile wide and an inch deep isn’t going to cut it. I think Armanino McKenna, with our reputation for being a trusted business advisor to our clients, is positioned to do extremely well in this environment.

Q. What do you enjoy most about working at the firm?

I love our entrepreneurial culture that encourages great people to find creative ways to help our clients. I really enjoy being able to work with so many good friends, including my brother. It is terrific to work at a firm that has a terrific history and such a strong, growth-oriented vision for its future.

Scott Borgia: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What fundamental business lessons have you learned from your experience as an accountant?

It’s very important to try to put yourself in your client’s shoes, to better understand his or her needs, so that you can be as responsive as possible. Sometimes we think we understand what our clients’ need but miss the target because we really haven’t done our homework. From my time in the industry and being on the client side, I know things are not always as they seem so take the time to know your client.

Q. Without naming names, tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoyed working with them.

Repeated among a few of my clients are those with the following characteristics: a public company with numerous interesting and challenging issues but few internal tax resources so that they’re very dependent on us; good people who are appreciative of our efforts and supportive of the work we do because they really see the value of it.

Q. What keeps you up at night?

I’m probably too organized at times (I know my family would agree), so I tend to focus on things that need to get done, both in my personal life and work. I like to have some type of plan for getting them done. Naturally, 9 times out of 10 nothing goes according to plan which, in turn then, keeps me up.

Daniel Bowen: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

As an engineering student, I struggled to understand Einstein's force vectors. Fortunately, my mathematical abilities transitioned easily into accounting. I liked the problem-solving aspect of accounting.

Q. What can we learn from the past in our profession?

Stay focused on integrity. The best thing we have is our reputation.

Q. Describe your work style

I'm a very hands-off manager. I manage people the way in which I like to be managed.

Q. If you could go back and change any aspect of your life, which would it be?

I would have played baseball for my university, rather than a semi-pro league.

Q. Who is/was the most influential person in your life?

My dad. He played pro ball, hence my huge interest in sports. Any way you look at it, he was a major influence in my life.

Matthew Chavez: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

While in school, accounting came easy for me. I had always liked math and was good at it – that’s why I stayed with it. I also consider myself more of a ‘people person’ than the actual technical-type. I’m able to combine something I enjoy doing, working and helping people solve problems, with my expertise – accounting.

Q. What’s the toughest business decision you’ve ever made?

My toughest business decision was my change in firms. I went from the safety/security of a larger firm to come to an emerging and growing firm; an environment where I thought I would be able to add more value.

Q. Without naming names, tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoyed working with them.

I really enjoy working with clients that are excited and enthusiastic about the future of their company. This is why I have always enjoyed working with start-ups. There is always a team spirit that emanates throughout an organization such as that. It’s the same spirit that drew me to AMLLP.

Q. Who is (or was) the most influential person in your life?

The most influential person in my life has been my constant adviser, my dad. More than anything he always taught me, by example, that there wasn’t a shortcut for hard work. If you don’t have time to do it right, you will not have time to do it over. My boys inspire me every day to try to live up to my dad's example. My sister has also taught me that it is okay take risks and enjoy your career.

Bill Brause: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

In college, accounting was the hardest degree in which to major. My friends and I all enrolled in it to see who could survive. You could say that the competition was my drive to succeed in it, but I found that I really liked accounting. I did well and got decent grades, plus I knew I would make a good living in the profession. I was the only one among our group to succeed in making it my major.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

Our managing partner at the time, Joe Moore, called me into the Conference Room. There were about half the partners there. He told me that they knew I had wanted to make partner and that before the news hit the firm tomorrow he wanted me to know that they had sold the firm to one of the Big Four and a partnership was not going to be available. My heart sank, then they laughed and said just kidding, welcome to the partnership, and we broke out the champagne.

John Brychel: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What fundamental business lessons have you learned from your experience as an accountant?

Being proactive and relating with your clients is key to business success. Have open communication year-round, not only during tax season or while doing their tax return.

Q. What is the toughest decision you have ever made?

At one point I left AM to go into private industry. Leaving was the toughest decision but I eventually came back—it was a very short interval. It really brought home the adage, you never know what you got until it’s gone.

Q. If you could go back in time and change some aspect of your life, what would it be?

My father passed away when I was very young, so if I could go back in time I would like to spend some time with him and just talk. Talk about what life is all about, where we were and where we are now and everything that has happened in between.

Q. What’s your proudest moment?

Professionally—when it was announced I made partner. Non-professionally—birth of my daughters.

Brad Cless: Partner-In-Charge, Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

It's very creative, like art. Most accountants just look at the numbers but you can take it to a much higher level. Numbers are only a small part of what we do. Every day is different and what draws me to this profession is working with people, giving them helpful advice, and providing solutions to financial challenges.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

I have so many. Our goal of making it to April 15th makes every tax season memorable.

Q. Tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoy working with them.
All of them are my favorites. A client once asked me if I provided the same level of service to all my clients. The answer was yes. I've been able to build a practice because whether clients are big or small, I do my best to help each of them.

Q. What nugget of wisdom would you offer aspiring accountants?

This is a profession that pays generous dividends—personally, professionally, and financially—over time, and affords you control over your destiny. It's not like working at a corporation. At AMLLP, you can be as successful as you want to be by developing strong technical skills and building solid relationships. People think that accounting is all about numbers and it's not. How you get to the numbers and what's behind them is where you find the real fun.

Lori Colvin: Marketing Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about marketing that first drew your interest?

What’s interesting about marketing is the ability to understand the pulse and trends of the market and deliver a message that generates a response from people. Marketing is creative and smart and it’s exciting to reside at the forefront of the message for both the internal and external audiences.

Q. What was it that first drew you to Armanino McKenna?

Andy Armanino, our Managing Partner. He knew me prior to working with this firm and said he needed a marketer. I told him I knew nothing about accounting, and he said, “I have a room full of CPAs. I need someone who understands marketing!” It has been stimulating and fulfilling to work with so many great people in my role.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

There are a couple. One involved the internal firm program “Mission Possible,” which was a lead-generation and cross-selling program. We invited the entire firm to a local movie theater to view the actual premiere of the motion picture, Mission Impossible III. That really kicked off the program and it was a great success.

My next most memorable moment happened within my first year. I put a call into The Wall Street Journal to pitch a story. I almost fell out of my chair when they actually called me back … and published our story on the front page.

Scott Copeland: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What accounting law or regulation would you like to see changed?

Sarbanes-Oxley. It just doesn't make sense for the small and middle market companies; it needs to be streamlined to make it more workable and practical.

Q. What's it like working for a company that's been around for so long?

I see AMLLP as being a young, nimble company. Our 50 years of existence simply shows longevity, that we've been around the block. The constantly changing dynamics of our industry keep us young. We're perpetual new kids on the block going head-to-head with Big Four and other regional firms on virtually any issue. Bigger firms are becoming increasingly hard-pressed to show that they have a resource advantage.

Q. Who is/was the most influential person in your career?

The guy who invented double-entry bookkeeping hundreds of years ago. I can't think of anyone in public accounting who has radically changed the profession.

Barbara Cyphers: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

I liked the professionalism and the logic. It's a profession that offers the flexibility to practice with a firm, in private industry, or hang out your own shingle. Being in a profession that has that much flexibility is a real plus.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment:

The 2005 tax season. We're structuring the Tax Department so as to give staff members more responsibility, including managing a designated caseload, and a clearer understanding of what it takes to run a tax practice. We provide tips on everything from client services to how to make favorable impressions on their client base. Our goal is to offer staff the type of opportunities that, eventually, will enable them to take on a partner role.

Q. What can we learn from the past in our profession?

Rely on your sixth sense to tell you when something isn't right. As you mature within the profession, there's a little bell that sounds and you begin to follow it instinctually. If something doesn't feel right, it generally isn't. Learn to trust that intuition.

David Davis: Consulting Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

What intrigued me most was the theory behind the accounting for complex transactions. Basic debits and credits are important but analyzing complex business transactions is what challenges me.

Q. What’s the most dramatic change that you’ve seen in our industry?

Sarbanes-Oxley, definitely. The emphasis on controls and testing those controls wasn’t something that companies put a high priority on before the legislation was passed.

Q. What is the toughest decision that you’ve ever made?

It was my first job relocation while working in the corporate world. The company was only moving from New Jersey to New York, but we were moving away from our parents when our kids were young—that was a tough decision for us. Relocating to California from New York, now that was an easy decision.

Jon Davies: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

Dealing with money. I like corporate business activity and being involved in activities such as mergers, acquisitions, and the like.

Q. What's the toughest business decision you've ever made?

Leaving the Big Four. My key reason for doing so was to be able to better serve the mid-market, something a Big Four firm isn't structured to effectively handle. AMLLP, however, is set up to serve mid-market clients, and to do so with a high level of expertise. AMLLP was my post-Big Four career choice because they have the tools, resources, and desire to pursue and retain mid-market clients in order to effectuate company growth

.

Q. What accounting law or regulation would you like to see changed?

Subpart F, which deals with the way that the US taxes income earned by foreign operations with US companies. It's very disruptive for companies.

Malcolm Ellerbe: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

My Junior High School aptitude test scores indicated that I was a good fit for all things accounting.

Q. What can we learn from the past in our profession?

Embrace change.

Q. Tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoy working with them.

My favorite type of client has a definite need that Armanino McKenna is able to serve, and recognizes that we can fill that void.

Q. Describe your work style?
Attention to detail.

Q. Who is/was the most influential person in your life?

My family, each in their own way. It’s all about family. If you’re held to a higher standard by those close to you, you’ll likely achieve it.

Q. What nugget of wisdom would you offer aspiring accountants?

Two things: Make your grades and strive to communicate effectively.

Vintage Foster: AMF Media Group Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. Why did you decide to partner with AMLLP to create AMF?

Several factors played a role in my decision to partner with AMLLP. I had already worked with the firm closely and I loved the people; specifically, Andy Armanino, Lori Colvin and Tammy Ferraez. Working with them piqued my interest. When Andy suggested a potential partnership, we had several discussions about the benefits for both parties. We concluded that a partnership would add value to the firm. It’s a wonderful working environment and we have a phenomenal staff at AMLLP. In the end, the people are what really made me feel at ease about my decision.

Also, it didn’t hurt that the office is conveniently three miles from my kids’ school and my house. That’s compared to my former commute – 45 miles one way.

Q. How would you compare your work style with that of your peers?

Historically, there is a persona that accountants lack pizzazz and aren’t very dynamic. I can tell you nothing could be further from that idea at AMLLP. I really like my partners. They are creative. They think outside the box and they constantly look for ways to make sure that people are valued. I have the same philosophies. Occasionally, I will break a rule, but mostly I simply enjoy having the flexibility to bend them. This is where I probably differ from my peers. They work in a much more regulated capacity.

Thomas E. Gard: Partner-In-Charge, Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

Seeing the recent and tremendous growth within our company, especially in the Audit Department, and the addition of public companies with multi-location issues; it's really exciting.

Q. Make a prediction. Describe your vision of the business future.
AMLLP will continue to grow and diversify.

Our recent increase in IT and risk management services, as well as the addition of public companies, has positioned us to become a formidable force within the accounting industry throughout the Western US.

Q. Tell us about one of your favorite clients and why you enjoy working with them.

One of my favorites is someone about my age that I've known for a long time. He's an intelligent businessman, runs a family-owned business that's quite successful, loves to laugh, and is genuinely fun to be around.

Lynn Henley: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about business consulting that first drew your interest?

It wasn’t so much accounting as it was taxation. I view tax as being more about words than it is about numbers. The Internal Revenue Code fascinated me because of the complexity of the language. Taxation is also fascinating because of its power to influence the behavior of entire segments of a population.

Q. What can we learn from our past in your business?

Our contribution to this society through the payment of taxes is one of the most important ways in which we participate in our system of government. Ironically, one of the reasons that democracy is difficult is that the connection between the payment of taxes and participation in government isn’t always easy to see.

Q. Make a prediction: describe your vision of the business future.

I predict that tax and accounting will become more complex. Practitioners will be moved toward even greater specialization. If we imagine a spectrum with complete specialization at one end and no specialization on the other, I see the movement away from the middle and toward both ends.

Tim Hourigan: Consulting Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about IT consulting that first drew your interest?

Solving challenging business and technology problems is what got me into it. I think what has kept me in it is the variety and opportunity for continuous learning.

Q. Describe your vision of the future of business.

People will surpass technology as the key differentiator. The most successful organizations will be those that create high-performance teams. Technology will always be important, but the people component of the solution will become even more critical.

Q. What keeps you up at night?

Nothing really; I sleep really well.

Q. What’s it like working for a company that’s been around for so long?

I’m impressed by Armanino McKenna’s continuous innovation. They have the courage to keep changing and adapting to what our clients need. Although the company has been around for a long time, it still has the feel of a very dynamic, growing, mid-sized company—much like the clients we serve.

Dan Jones: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

It always appealed to me that accountants were very much at the helm when it came to running a company. You get to delve into many different aspects of a given business rather than concentrating on a single area. I liked variety then, and still do today.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

My very first day on the job. I was brand new to accounting in the real world and I was helping Steve Love with a client audit. Joe Moore came in and gave us a 30-minute talk, then left for the day and we had to fend for ourselves.

Q. What can we learn from the past in our profession?

Everything repeats itself, it's only a matter of time.

Q. Tell us about one of your favorite clients and why you enjoy working with them.

I have a younger client who is ambitious and very good at going out and making things happen. He is a deal maker with lots of energy. It's fun to work with people like that.

David Lee: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

It was exciting to be here at the beginning of Armanino McKenna’s major expansion into Silicon Valley. The firm had a long and deep history in the East Bay with tremendous success, so it was exciting for me to be here as we expanded our presence especially with so many new Armanino partners who are deeply entrenched in the valley community. And of course my most memorable event was taking a tour of our newly leased SJ office – I knew we had arrived.

Q. What is the toughest decision you have ever made?

At one time in my career I strongly contemplated leaving public accounting for private industry with a technology company. I am passionate about the sector so it was tempting to join a tech start-up and be a part of that history. But ultimately I stayed in public accounting because I loved the variety, the work, the people and the opportunity to work with so many different companies.

Q. If you could change one thing here at Armanino McKenna what would that change be?

I would accelerate our growth outside of our Northern California home base. We are such a great story and such an exciting firm that I feel like there is a great opportunity in Southern California and other regions for us to expand.

Joan Liebscher: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q. What is it about accounting that first drew your interest?

I came to accounting in a roundabout way. After I graduated from UC Berkeley, I worked for a number of startups and closely held companies in Silicon Valley where I had opportunities to touch many parts of the business, including accounting. Through my industry experiences, I began to understand operations and I realized that through accounting, I could have a positive effect on operations. So I decided to go back to school to study both business and taxation at night while working full time. It was challenging but well worth ending up where I am today.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

A senior partner that I worked for had to take an unexpected extended leave. He is a leader in our department with a very large practice. During the partner’s absence, our tax team was able to carry everything forward and managed to deliver excellent service to keep the practice thriving. Our ability to pull together and be a true team was my greatest moment here thus far.

Q. Make a prediction; describe your vision of the business future.

Other countries will outpace the United States in growth for the foreseeable future. Business will be even more global and technology will continue to transform the way we do everything. That said, I believe the personal touch will be even more important. Because there will be fewer opportunities to meet personally with clients, we need to create and take advantage of those occasions as they arise. You better have great manners, listening skills and a great sense of humor in addition to technical prowess.

Bruce Kirschenbaum: Consulting Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q. What is it about consulting that first drew your interest?

Prior to getting into Consulting, I was a CFO in private industry. What drew me to consulting was my involvement with streamlining business. I was equally involved with integration and IT reporting, and felt I brought real value to organizations through this expertise. I actually enjoyed this process more than day-to-day accounting and knew that was the direction I wanted to go.

Q. Describe your work style.

I wake up every day thinking about how I am going to satisfy the two most important groups in my business - my employees and my clients. I work with that consistent focus, as satisfaction within these two groups is paramount.

Q. What unique qualities do you bring to the firm?

The best quality in my background is my twelve years of experience in private industry before I began working in IT consulting. This gave me the opportunity to understand the challenges, responsibilities and operations that my clients face day to day. I also bring my ability to really understand business. This has given me a unique insight when working on IT systems.

Tom Mescall: Partner-In-Charge, Consulting Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

My first management offsite meeting; it was awesome just getting to know the quality of the people who work here, very impressive.

Q. Make a prediction. Describe your vision of the business future.

The business world is going to become more complicated. Companies will need to constantly review, adjust, and remain focused on their core business. Information Technology is becoming a bigger and bigger part of a company's competitive advantage. The companies that will succeed going forward will be those that focus on their core business but continue to embrace the latest technological advancements. The global economy and the Internet are changing the way businesses operate almost daily. Companies are being challenged to embrace this new world marketplace, yet compete effectively within it. Working smarter is becoming an increasingly complicated endeavor.

Q. Tell us about your favorite clients and why you enjoy working with them.

My favorite clients are those that we help get to the next level in the business world, whether they are expanding operations or expanding top-line revenue. These clients have recognized that growth comes from a solid strategy, executing and utilizing technology in more and better ways than they have in the past.

Takashi Midorikawa: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

I was first drawn to accounting and consulting while I was still in college, where I continually excelled in accounting and computer science courses. Additionally, I had always dreamed of owning my own consulting business; I’ve been driven to find a way to merge my love for numbers and business together while creating value for my clients.

Q. Without naming names, tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoyed working with them.

My favorite client is one that I’ve been working with since 2008. This particular client is both my largest and most complex, which is part of the reason I relish them so much. They present me with extraordinary circumstances, and I thoroughly enjoy the unending challenge to explore appropriate solutions that meet their particular needs.

Q. Describe your work style.

I do whatever it takes to get the work done – Get it done! I’m always looking for the best solution and try to work smarter and faster with every passing task.

Chris Moore: Consulting Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q. What is it about consulting that first drew your interest?

I decided consulting was a fit for me back in college at UCSD. I had a friend who was working for an international consulting firm and the job sounded just up my alley. I was attracted to the travel, the variety of clients, the diversity of work and learning about different industries. It was a perfect fit for me. I have been consulting my entire career and I thrive with the challenges of each new project.

Q. What unique qualities do you bring to your clients?

My leadership qualities. I like guiding my clients on the path of success, helping them avoid key pitfalls and providing insight to make their business more successful. I think my clients appreciate that I am not afraid to tell them the answer even in difficult circumstances. My clients seem to respect that.

Q. Without naming names, tell us about your favorite client?

My favorite client is also my most challenging one. They are a global organization all over Asia and the United States. In order to be successful, I needed to understand how different cultures approached business and what success looked like for them. I had an opportunity to travel to places like Singapore and Japan and learn about other cultures. It was my first exposure to Asia and it helped me understand people better. I am thankful for that.

Q. Who was the most influential person in your career?

The most influential person in my career is one of my partners, Bruce Kirschenbaum. He forces me to think through issues and circumstances in a different way. He taught me not to settle for comfortable. He also allowed me to be entrepreneurial and take risks.

Josh Nevarez: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What are you most proud of at Armanino McKenna?

I am most proud of having built a thriving Mortgage Pool practice and helping the firm grow to one of the top 40 largest firms in the country. It has created great opportunities for me to speak at related industry conferences, work with top mortgage pools across the country and establish this firm as an industry leader. But the greatest pleasure truly comes from developing staff and building their knowledge and expertise so that we can continue to be the preeminent firm in the country providing accounting and consulting services to the mortgage pool industry
I am also proud of the work I do in the non-profit and private education sector that offers personal balance and great satisfaction.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

My most memorable moment at Armanino McKenna was and is more akin to a journey with some distinct highlights rather than a moment. Certainly every promotion from staff to manager was a highlight along the way but none was more memorable than my being promoted to partner.

Q. Make a prediction.

Describe your vision of the business future.
 My vision of the business future is one that includes a once-little San Leandro firm becoming one of the largest accounting firms, not only in California, but the entire western region of the United States. I see Armanino McKenna becoming a Top 25 firm in the nation during my professional career.

Monika Pelz: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What can we learn from our past in your business?

Trust your intuition and don’t be afraid to disagree with the majority.

Q. What is the toughest decision you have ever made?

Leaving Ernst & Young to join Armanino McKenna because it was a big unknown for me. But Andy Armanino, Tom Gard and Paul O’Grady convinced me that Armanino McKenna was a special place.

Q. Without naming names, tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoyed working with them.

I like privately held companies that tend to be smaller to mid-sized because I can get my arms around the whole company. And I like to work with owners who are passionate about their business.

Matthew Perreault: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What can we learn from the past in our profession?

Quality is better than size. Misperception that the Big Four firms have greater quality control measures in place. People are more important than process.

Q. What accounting law or regulation would you like to see changed?

Sarbanes–Oxley, to provide relief to mid-cap companies.

Q. Tell us about one of your favorite clients and why you enjoy working with them?

I have quite a few favorite clients. They share the same characteristics— they're cooperative, fun, and understand the value that we provide.

Q. If you could go back and change any aspect of your life, which would it be?

I would have practiced public speaking at an earlier age.

Q. What nugget of wisdom would you offer aspiring accountants?

If you're in a constrained environment, take a chance, move on. Find an employer whose view of you is as limitless as your own.

Paul O'Grady: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting that first drew your interest?

My stepfather, who was a real estate developer, always told me that good accountants and good lawyers are worth their weight in gold. So I thought it would be an interesting career, and a profession that I could be passionate about pursuing.I also wanted a diversified business exposure which I felt public accounting could provide. It is a very dynamic profession and career. It's constantly changing and every day is different. As a result, it's exciting and something you can be passionate about.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment:

When we became the fifth largest firm in the Bay Area, just behind the Big Four, making us the largest regional firm in the area and the largest California-based firm. It was the culmination of lots of hard work on behalf of a staff of extremely dedicated and talented individuals.

Q. Make a prediction. Describe your vision of the business future.

I expect to see large opportunities in Asia and China and a continued migration of labor out of the domestic economy to places like India in response to the continued availability of competitive sources of labor. Technology will continue to be a major player in making day-to-day business activities more effective and efficient.

Paul Peterson: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

It actually came easy to me and I just liked it. It was an opportunity to use my skills in a way that could be helpful to others.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

The first time I pulled an all-nighter with Joe Moore, our former managing partner. I remember him at 11:30 p.m. saying something like "Okay, it looks like we will be here for awhile. Shall we get dinner?" The only nearby business that was open turned out to be a 7-11. We dined on chips and donuts that night.

Q. What's the toughest business decision that you've ever made?

Leaving the apparent stability of working for a Big Six accounting firm to join AMLLP which, at that time, was a local, 40-person firm. Since then, one Big Six member is gone and others have undergone mergers. In contrast, AMLLP has grown 500%. It just goes to show that in a dynamic economy, what may appear to be the safe path or the risky path is not necessarily so.

Q. What accounting law or regulation would you like to see changed?

I'd do away with employee income tax withholdings and make everyone pay their own taxes quarterly, so they would really see how much they're actually paying to the government.

Gary Pitchford: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What can others at Amanino McKenna learn from you?

We should never take our clients for granted; we should strive to stay more involved with them throughout the year, not just during tax season. They’re our friends and colleagues, not just our clients.

Q. Make a prediction. Describe your vision of the business future.

I don’t feel that tax laws will ever be simplified, as you can’t have a simple and fair tax system in a complex society. In the future, I feel that smaller firms will eventually dissolve or disappear due to the increasing complexity in the tax and accounting areas.

Q. What is the toughest business decision you have ever made?

The toughest business decision that I’ve ever made was deciding to merge my business with Armanino McKenna. This decision was also one of the easiest because I believe it was the best for my clients, my staff and myself in the long run.

Q. Describe your work style.

Persistent, diligent and organized.

Q. Who is (or was) the most influential person in your business?

My father, who was also a CPA, influenced me the most. He taught me a lot about this business, and to always think outside the box.

Esther Ratterree: Consulting Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

It was at my mother's suggestion. I really enjoyed math, and this seemed like an area in which I could enjoy putting those skills to good use.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

That's a tough one. With so much diversity, in our offices and among our clients, there are lots of moments from which to choose. Although helping clients and watching them become successful would be among them, I can't put my finger on one definitive moment.

Q. Tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoy working with them.

I have a couple of favorite clients. I enjoy going out to their offices and working with them. The work atmosphere is friendly and they view us as trusted advisors, generally taking our suggestions and implementing them. The company will often seek us out for advice, to prevent potential problems from becoming real ones. They like to stay ahead of the curve, so before moving into a new area of business, they talk to us to understand what they should be aware of from a tax and accounting perspective.

David Sordello: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

Originally, I wanted to become a veterinarian, but I disliked lab work. Instead, I took up business and found that I much enjoyed the required math and memorization aspects of it.

Q. Make a prediction. Describe your vision of the business future.

An ever-increasing restraint on accounting resources. With more firms going off-shore for professional talent, there will be fewer trained people available to do the work in the US. Accounting practices will also continue to grow more complex, further compounding the need for, and the shortage of, talented resources.

Q. What's the toughest business decision that you've ever made?

Deciding not to take on a substantial client. While the financial opportunities would have been very beneficial to the company, the client didn't really fit our business model and would have overburdened the staff.

Q. What accounting law or regulation would you like to see changed?

Accounting for stock options, it's too complicated.

Jeff Stegner: Consulting Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. What is it about accounting and consulting that first drew your interest?

I showed some aptitude for it in school and it seemed to fit my personality. I first took computer science courses and did just okay. Then I took an accounting course and got the highest grade the instructor had given in the last five years of teaching. It's been a great career. It's interesting and I'm helping people; I like helping people resolve their problems.

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

It was at a 1999 management retreat. They were looking for someone to help the partner in charge of business valuations, and I raised my hand. Andy said, "Jeff would be great at this." I agreed to look into it and the following Monday, Andy reassigned my audit clients and made me the firm's point person on business valuation. Three years later they voted me into the partnership. Raising my hand was certainly a good choice and is a reflection of the entrepreneurial spirit of our firm. It's been an amazing run, and I only see bigger opportunities in the future.

Q. What accounting law or regulation would you like to see changed?

Sarbanes-Oxley has become too regulatory. It's putting an undue burden on some companies and proving limiting to capital markets. It generates plenty of work for us, there's no denying that, but, honestly, I think the excess regulations hamper the United States' ability to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

Mark Tanaka: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.
My most memorable moment was when I first walked into the office and realized that the group of people with whom I worked with were close friends. I really think we are accomplishing what we set out to do – servicing clients well and not getting caught up in the bureaucracy. Most of us came to Armanino McKenna for a reason. We wanted to accomplish great things in an ideal working environment. So my moment was walking through the office and seeing my colleagues and friends. That was a great moment.

Q. Make a prediction; describe your vision of the business future.
My prediction is that we’re going to live in controlled chaos. In the future, there will be an even greater increase of information available. We’ll have to manage and break down that information into useful pieces. We are currently in a period of time where we’re providing almost too much information. We’re going through an exhaustive level of detail to provide something that may or may not add any true value.

Q. What’s your proudest moment?
My proudest moment was recently receiving my son – and holding him for the first time. My next proudest moments were seeing my first 10K footnote and being made partner.

Robert Tuvell: Audit Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Mark Wagner: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. Describe your most memorable Armanino McKenna moment.

I volunteered for the dunk tank at Oktoberfest in San Leandro. I got dunked…a lot.

Q. Tell us about one of your favorite clients and why you enjoy working with them.

One of my favorite clients is understanding, smart, and pleasant to work with. Our staff goes out to their audit and they're always friendly. We've been through a lot of their ups and downs together; they've been our client for a very long time.

Q. Describe your work style.
Detail-oriented.

I stay attuned to what's going on in the department, and have good organizational and administrative skills. I like to be prepared to take on things and get them done.

Q. If you could go back and change any aspect of your life, what would it be?

I went to school, then to work, and I worked during the holidays – work, work, work. To do it over again, I'd get more involved in outside activities and have an expanded social life.

Q. Who is/was the most influential person in your career?

Jim McKenna. He always seemed to maintain a good work/life balance.

Kevin Wise: Tax Partner

The following is a short inside look at this partner's views on business as well as some personal insight. To view their entire profile, click the read more link at the end of each short bio.

Q and A

Q. Tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoy working with them.

What is interesting is that this company was probably my worst client initially. They had a turnover in the VP of Tax position and it really showed me how the right people in the right positions can have an effect on the entire organization internally and externally. Initially, I was having a very hard time; we struggled over the project scope. When they brought in the new VP in tax, everything changed. This person was a very collegial person who was a team player and worked with us to get the project done. It really turned into a win-win situation and really showed how the right person can make a difference.

Q. If you could go back and change any aspect of your life, which would it be?

I made a pact with myself a long time ago not to regret anything from the past. Some decisions are unwise, but I do not believe in looking backward and wishing I had done it differently. We make the best decisions we can based on the knowledge and information we have at that point in time. I would not want to change anything.

Q. What's your proudest achievement?

My proudest business achievement would be becoming a partner and my proudest personal achievement would be becoming a father.