Q. How did you get interested in an accounting career?
A. I first became interested in accounting when I took a couple classes in high school. I enjoyed the classes and did well.
A. After high school, I could not decide where I wanted to go to college. I chose to stay home and spent one year attending the Tuscarawas campus of Kent State University. I then transferred to Baldwin-Wallace College and graduated three years later. My degree is a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting. In 1998, I enrolled in Ashland University's MBA program and completed that in 2001. Looking back, it is obvious my parents influenced me quite a bit. They taught me discipline and the importance of a strong work ethic.
Q. What is your official job title, and can you give me a description, as detailed as you can, of your typical responsibilities and projects?
A. I am a shareholder with Rea & Associates and office manager of our Mentor location. My responsibilities include providing tax, accounting, and consulting services to my client base. My duties as office manager are broad and varied, but the primary ones are personnel, quality assurance, processes and procedures, the facility and equipment within it, production, financial results, marketing, vision, and growth.
Q. What are some of the most commonly dealt with issues in your department?
A. Personnel issues of all sorts. It has primarily been hiring and formal performance evaluations as well as informal or continuous feedback.
Q. What are the most challenging and rewarding elements of your job?
A. The most challenging element has to do with personnel — like deciding whether or not to hire a specific candidate for a position. It is also sometimes difficult to deliver critical feedback (constructive criticism), but it is necessary for an employee's professional development.
Q. When did you get started at your current company?
A. I started with Rea & Associates on June 26, 1995.
Q. Did you start in this position, or did you progress toward it?
A. I progressed towards it.
Q. If this was not your first position, can you describe how you made it here?
A. My transition from a staff accountant to my current position of shareholder was the fairly typical transition you see in a public accounting firm. However, I became office manager in Mentor by accepting a transfer from New Philadelphia (where I spent the first 11 years of my career) when we acquired an existing one-office CPA firm in 2006.
Q. If you started in this position, what other positions at other companies did you hold that prepared you for this job?
A. My entire career has been with Rea & Associates — I started here immediately after graduating from Baldwin-Wallace.
Q. Have you had any significant mentors or influential colleagues through your career?
A. It would be difficult to name one person that influenced me the most. As my career progressed in the New Philadelphia office, each of the partners I worked with had some influence on my career. I learned a lot from each of them.
Q. If so, can you name them and describe how and why they affected you?
A. Dick Longfellow, a retired partner of Rea & Associates — my office was next to Dick's for several years before I made partner. I listened to how he spoke with clients. He helped me tremendously as I began handling my own clients as well as those that he transitioned to me in anticipation of retirement.
Jeff Tucker, a current Rea shareholder in New Philadelphia — Jeff forced me to think on my own and trained me on a lot of technical accounting- and auditing-related issues. I have always felt like Jeff was "in my corner." He supported me and helped to build up my confidence.
Greg Goodie, a current Rea shareholder in New Philadelphia — I could always go to Greg with any issue — business or personal.
Mike Noretto, a current Rea shareholder in New Philadelphia — Mike was the office manager in New Philadelphia for many years. I learned from him and respected his business acumen and ability to develop new business.
Q. Can you offer any advice to students and/or anyone who wants to pursue an accounting position like yours?
A. Look for a firm that has a philosophy to train and develop young staff — a firm that thinks beyond the end of each one of the partners' careers. The partners should have a diverse knowledge base and age range.
Q. What are the basic keys to success in your field?
A. Motivation, interpersonal skills, and a balance between being detailed and efficient.
Q. What do you like to do outside of work?
A. Golfing, reading, walking, jogging, biking, and hiking. Spending time with my wife and seven-month-old son.
Q. Any odd hobbies/interests?
A. Not really.
Q. Can you explain a little about your personal life outside of your company?
A. I would describe it as pretty normal. After doing the things mentioned above and always "noodling" something related to work, I am normally exhausted and ready for bed.
Q. What CD is in your CD player right now?
A. I've got one in the dash, and I think it's Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits. I've got a six disc in the trunk [with CDs] that range from The Tony Rich Project to Live...with a little country in between.
Q. What is the last magazine you read?
A. I think it was Cleveland Magazine, but I peruse a lot of them...mostly business related.
Q. What is your favorite TV show?
A. I don't regularly watch any show. I do enjoy watching professional golf, particularly the major championships.
Q. Who is your role model?
A. It's my dad; how could it not be? He raised three boys and put them all through parochial grade school and high school. He put two through a private college. He did this on a very modest salary — actually, an hourly rate. He's worked for the same company for approximately 35 years. He really enjoys going to work. He coached all three of us in various sports. He's a one-woman man...he and my mother have been married for 40 years. He was the best man in my wedding.
