Day in the Life

I have been with Beall Barclay since February 2009. I went to California State University, Long Beach where I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance and Financial Investments. I have been in the accounting profession for over 23 years.

I was inspired to pursue a career in accounting due to a friend in college who was studying for the CPA exam. He told me I didn't think like everyone else and accounting would be a great fit for me. Twenty-three tax seasons later, I guess he was right.

The answer is simple on why I chose to work at Beall Barclay. It was because of the people. The partners really do care about the people in the firm. They don't just say it, they back that up. Last January, I had a major family crisis. Not only were they there to help me through everything, but they also put me on a plane and told me to go take care of it no matter how long it took. Five days later, the crisis was handled and I went back to work with a greater understanding about caring for others.

As a tax manager at Beall Barclay, I have to be able to look at complex issues, break them down into manageable portions, teach staff and explain the technical issues and findings to the client. I have the ability to detach from the numerous details that can get in the way, then step back and take a look at the issue from 40,000 feet. It can be a huge task but something I enjoy managing.

There has never been a "typical" day in my 23 years in the accounting profession. This is what makes an accounting career my dream job. It never gets boring. During tax season, I may start off reviewing a few returns, answering some IRS letters, teaching a point of tax law to a staff member or taking care of a rush project from a partner or client. Every client is unique, so the work that I do is different from project to project.

There has never been a "typical" day in my 23 years in the accounting profession. This is what makes an accounting career my dream job. It never gets boring. During tax season, I may start off reviewing a few returns, answering some IRS letters, teaching a point of tax law to a staff member or taking care of a rush project from a partner or client. Every client is unique, so the work that I do is different from project to project.

I grew up in Southern California. I have two children, Travis, who is 19, and Kiersten, who is 16. I coached youth soccer and hockey for over 14 years. I also became very involved with their high school. I helped their soccer and wrestling teams raise money and was elected treasurer and tournament director for 3 years. In February 2009 I moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Travis is finishing up culinary school at Le cordon Bleu in Pasadena and plans on moving to Fort Smith soon. Kiersten has one more year of high school and plans on attending college. UAFS is on her short list.