Haiti Executive Board’s Post

A little over a week ago, I celebrated my 25th anniversary of starting my journey as an accountant. In truth, I didn't expect to get this far (but am thankful I did!). Here's some things I learned along the way: 1️⃣ Change is constant. Embrace it, and you'll go far. In 1999, no one was credibly talking about climate change apart from my professional body, ACCA, the then-Prince of Wales, and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). How we respond to change is as important as the change itself. As accountants we can either bury our heads in the sand and try to ignore the tsunami of sustainability reporting and be left behind - or develop new strategies and thrive. 2️⃣ Comparison is the thief of joy. We are each on our own path, yet everything in society and our programming as humans is constantly comparing and contrasting ourselves and others. Others in my peer group are CFOs, CEOs, some re-trained as teachers or coaches. Instead, celebrate the personal wins and achievements, celebrate that we're better today than we were yesterday. Having survived homelessness and suicide earlier in my career, I'm just thankful to be alive today, married to my gorgeous husband, and in a job I love at MHA / Baker Tilly Ireland (formerly Roberts Nathan) working with brilliant and inspiring colleagues such as Mark J Lumsdon-Taylor, Ruby Schofield ACA, Anne Walton. 3️⃣ If it robs you of your peace, it's not for you. That's not to say, don't do things that scare you (this is how you grow), but rather don't do things that threaten your conscience. Integrity and ethics are everything and your intuition is usually a better judge than a prescriptive set of rules. To thine ownself be true. (But adhere to professional codes of conduct nonetheless!) 4️⃣ Variety really is the spice of life. I've been privileged to audit nuclear power stations, banks, dot-coms, OEMs, a grand prix, charities, German manufacturing giants; volunteer with refugees at the Calais Jungle camp, London's rough sleepers (I was one of them for a short while in 2015), teenagers exploring entrepreneurship through Young Enterprise UK; work in Malta, Frankfurt, Sydney, New York as well as the City of London. These have enriched my career, allowed me to challenge silo thinking, and bring fresh perspectives. 5️⃣ Be kind. (Ok, I'm still working on this!) We're all human, we're all at different stages with our career development. Making assumptions doesn't help anyone: recognise that talent is the intersection of passion, performance and potential - the leader's role is to find the right platform for those we are privileged to work with. Recruit the best people and then get out of their way. #esg #sustainability #leadership #integrity #ethics

Please help us in congratulating Brian Zucker, CPA, one of our Partners at Rosenberg Rich Baker Berman, P.A. and Managing Members at RRBB Advisors, LLC, on being named an NJBIZ 2024 “ICON” honoree! He said, “Receiving the 2024 NJBIZ ICON Award is a tremendous honor. I am truly grateful for this recognition, honored to represent our firm, and congratulate all the honorees.” Read more in our latest news post. #CPA #Accountants #Accounting

Meet the future leaders of accounting!

Opsahl Dawson was the first firm that chose to go their growth journey with Ascend. We are so grateful for that and so PROUD that they have been recognized as one of the fastest growing firms in the industry. CEO Aaron Dawson, CPA was a keynote panelist at Accounting Today's 2024 Growth Forum. Read more below about what Aaron and his fellow panelist have done to achieve incredible growth in the accounting industry! https://lnkd.in/edMJMPyN

Meet the future leaders of accounting!

Alum Highlight: Jackie Reckmann, MBA Meet Jackie, a purpose-driven alumna who earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and an MBA at St. Catherine University. Today, she works at Abdo as a manager of the nonprofit advisory team. Her professional journey speaks to the rewards of a career in accounting. In Jackie's own words: "Growing up, did you ever dream of becoming an accountant? Well, I can't say I did either. My childhood aspiration was to become Wonder Woman - to save the world, make a difference, and help people. Fast forward to today, and I’m proud to announce that as an accountant, I'm doing just that.   "I discovered that there are countless ways to make a difference, and I chose to do it through accounting. My journey to this career was unconventional. In my late twenties, I returned to school, fueled by a desire to contribute and support my husband's entrepreneurial journey, by gaining a deeper understanding of the complexities of business accounting. "I quickly realized that I could help other entrepreneurs who had the passion but lacked the knowledge to manage their accounting. I could assist them in navigating the maze of business rules and regulations, allowing them to concentrate on their passion - their business. In doing so, I could focus on my passion - helping others. "For years, I worked for non-profit organizations, drawn by the need to contribute to a significant mission. Recently, I transitioned into public accounting - a move I never thought I'd make. But guess what? I found that in public accounting, I could still connect with people and their missions. Now, I'm part of many great missions, not just one.   "While I may not wield the Lasso of Truth or wear the iconic gold tiara, I'm living my dream of being Wonder Woman in my unique way.   "So, here's to all the accountants out there making a difference - we are the unsung heroes in the world of business!" #Accounting #Superpower #WonderWoman #PublicAccounting #Accountant #KatieProud #UnsungHeroes #WomenInBusiness

I just completed the American Corporate Partners (ACP) year-long program to help me prepare for my transition/retirement from active duty service. It’s ironic they’re giving me a Certificate of Appreciation; it should be the other way around. They are an incredible organization that helps veterans transition out of the military. I encourage anyone that’s transitioning, as well as anyone that would like to give back, to check out ACP. Not only would serving as a mentor be fulfilling from the assistance side, but it would also likely lead to great prospects for your organization. This journey started when I met James Flannery at a USCG Foundation Golf Event in May of last year. He spoke very highly of ACP, so I checked it out. I was impressed from the start. I heard back from Jasmine M. within a day of submitting my application. She paired me with Shaun Wurzbach with S&P Global after reviewing my background and conducting a thorough interview to find the best fit. And then Casey DeTamble tracked me through the program. I’d like to thank them all, but especially Shaun! Shaun and I met at least monthly. In addition to our scheduled calls, he encouraged me to reach out to him when I saw openings that interested me or for any other reason. I was all over the place with what I wanted to do. Shaun introduced me to handfuls of his contacts over the past year. He provided insightful feedback on my resume and reviewed the 12 pages of Executive and Technical Core Qualifications I wrote as part of the application process for the USCG’s Comptroller position. The best part of the process though, was getting to know and become friends with Shaun. I learned all about his family and two very successful careers. He even made time to meet for dinner when he was in town for meetings. It’s hard for me to believe that anyone will have as good as an experience as I’ve had going through the program; I cannot recommend it enough. So, what’s next for me? I’m looking to leverage the leadership and financial management experience I’ve honed the past 23 years of my professional life. I am targeting a leadership or sales role back in the world of finance, but I can’t ignore what I’ve been doing for the past 11 years, gaining broad experience that has put me on track for a CFO/controller position. I’ve also had intriguing conversations with impressive people leading teams at accounting/consulting firms. I am blessed to have several appealing options. While I don’t yet know what my next career will be, I do know two things: I start terminal leave on 27 January, and I am fortunate to have been able to learn and grow from many incredible people in my personal and professional lives.

❗ Big Changes at EY: Simplification Over Split Janet Truncale, EY's new Global Chief Executive, has announced a significant shift in strategy for the Big Four firm, opting to simplify operations instead of reviving the previously proposed split. In a recent memo to EY’s 400,000 staff, Truncale emphasized the need to "recommit to working together as one organization," aiming to reduce bureaucracy and streamline the global operation. This approach, dubbed "All in," contrasts sharply with the collapsed Project Everest, which sought to divide the firm into separate entities for audit and consulting services. However, the new strategy has faced some criticism for its lack of detail and clear direction. While Truncale has ruled out an immediate revival of the split, she acknowledged the underlying issues that led to Project Everest and hinted at potential future changes. EY partners and staff are watching closely, as are rival firms, to see if Truncale’s leadership can restore clarity and momentum. As the firm navigates these changes, the focus will be on retaining top talent and ensuring the new strategy addresses the evolving market needs. Key Takeaways: 🔹 Simplification Over Split: Truncale rejects the immediate revival of splitting EY, focusing instead on reducing bureaucracy and fostering unity. 🔹 New Strategy: "All in" aims to streamline operations, with investments in business transformation, managed services, and sustainability. 🔹 Market Reaction: Some partners express concerns over the lack of detailed plans, while others hold out hope for future changes akin to Everest. Let's see how this new strategy transforms the business over the coming years. #EY #Leadership #Strategy #BigFour #Consulting

What a great opportunity for a great leader To help build and lead this very important new organization that will create a truly independent approach to the continued establishment and evolution of appropriate accounting, auditing and sustainability standards for Canada as this mandate moves away from being directed by CPA Canada and the profession. These standards affect how business is done and reported in Canada. They provide the tools to help investors and other stakeholders understand the position and results of most organizations in Canada. #standardsetting #Boardofdirectors #capitalmarkets

Meet the future leaders of accounting!