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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Professionally—when it was announced I made partner. Non-professionally—birth of my daughters.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dealing with money. I like corporate business activity and being involved in activities such as mergers, acquisitions, and the like.
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
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.
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.
My Junior High School aptitude test scores indicated that I was a good fit for all things accounting.
Embrace change.
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.
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.
Two things: Make your grades and strive to communicate effectively.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Everything repeats itself, it's only a matter of time.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Persistent, diligent and organized.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Accounting for stock options, it's too complicated.
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. 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.
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.
I volunteered for the dunk tank at Oktoberfest in San Leandro. I got dunked…a lot.
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.
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.
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.
Jim McKenna. He always seemed to maintain a good work/life balance.
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.
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.
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.
My proudest business achievement would be becoming a partner and my proudest personal achievement would be becoming a father.
At Armanino McKenna, we understand you want a team that knows your business, doesn't waste your time and adds value to your organization. We come prepared with a team that communicates technical and business issues in a way that helps you become more efficient, profitable and well-managed. Armanino McKenna is renowned for outstanding audit services, quality and a consistent engagement team year in and year out.
Armanino McKenna has a unique position in the marketplace when it comes to our tax services. We have partners and managers who work with individuals and small to mid-sized businesses as well as resources formerly with the Big Four who can deliver the depth of experience needed to serve large private and SEC companies.
Armanino Consulting Services offer expertise in a wide variety of areas including IT, CFO Advisory Services, Governance, Risk & Compliance. Our Consulting teams are tailored to your needs with experience in a wide variety of subjects including SOX Readiness & Compliance, Financial Outsourcing, IPO Readiness, SEC Reporting and more.
Microsoft Dynamics offers a comprehensive business-management solution built on the highly scalable and affordable platform of Microsoft technologies. Armanino Consulting is the largest San Francisco Bay Area Microsoft Dynamics Partner for AX, GP, & CRM.
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