National Accounting Day was on May 16 and we wanted to celebrate the brave souls who balance books, manage files, preform audits and lead the way through tax season. It is the perfect time to thank the pros who spend hours crunching numbers and bringing value to our clients every day. Learn from a few of our experts why they chose the career path they did.
Melissa Horne, Partner
Aspiring lawyer, turned accountant[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1456","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"133","style":"float: right; margin: 15px;","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"200"}}]]
I wanted to be an attorney until I took Intro to Accounting in high school. Accounting just seemed intuitive to me, and so my career decision was made (again). What drew me to accounting was pretty random; what kept me here was seeing early on that it is an avenue to help a variety of businesses and their owners achieve greater financial success. Working with entrepreneurial clients allows me to truly become an advisor in their various endeavors — from buying and selling a business, to financial and estate planning for themselves and future generations.
J. Sean Spitzer, Partner
Buy low, sell high[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1451","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"133","style":"float: right; margin: 15px;","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"200"}}]]
I wanted to be a stockbroker and was majoring in finance in college. But I eventually figured out that stockbrokers were full-time sales people, and that scared me away. I switched my major to accounting. My first internship was in tax. I liked it, but when I was asked to help on an audit, I really enjoyed being at the client site working with a team in the field. The next year I got an audit internship and have been in the audit field ever since.
Kimberly Bland, Senior Manager
Passion for nonprofits[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1441","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"133","style":"float: right; margin: 15px;","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"200"}}]]
My high school calculus teacher encouraged me to look into accounting. When I took my first accounting course, I knew it was for me. After college I went to a Big 4 firm before coming to Smith & Howard. As I worked on a variety of industries here, my passion for nonprofits grew. A wonderful partner taught me everything I know about nonprofits, and now I spend a large part of my time focused in this area. I’m an active member of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits and lead Smith & Howard’s nonprofit training.
Chris Conrad, Senior Manager
Business speak[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1446","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"133","style":"float: right; margin: 15px;","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"200"}}]]
My first few accounting classes sparked my interest, but the more difficult courses showed me it was the right career path. When, on the first day, your teacher predicts a certain percentage of students will fail, it raises the stakes. The tax field was a no-brainer because I wanted to solve problems and help people. We don’t simply prepare tax returns — we deal with diverse projects, clients and issues along the way. I realize now the truth of what my dad always told me: Accounting is the language of business; speak it, and you can understand the business world.
And there you have it! Here at Smith & Howard, we can only thank our accountants for their hard work that is demonstrated on a daily basis. We would not receive the accolades we do if it wasn’t for them. Happy National Accounting Day to all of those serving in the field of accountancy.