Arizona CPA Firm Great Upward Mobility

 |  Firm Culture, News, Workplace culture

In 1996, three CPAs who met working together for a national CPA firm decided to form Wallace, Plese + Dreher (WP+D) to better serve the Arizona marketplace. Their vision was to build a firm tailored to the needs of Arizona businesses and their local communities.
Since then, they have grown from a team of three to more than 60 employees. Further expanding in 2016, they opened a second office in Scottsdale, in addition to their main office in Chandler. Today, employees work with clients from both offices and throughout Arizona.
In addition to being recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Best Tax and Accounting Firms 2021, WP+D has been recognized as a Top Workplace in Arizona. Right now, it’s also an exciting moment in the Firm’s history with the founding partners passing the torch to younger partners who are transitioning into management and leadership roles.
Within the Firm, this time of succession has created a great deal of upward mobility for existing employees and new hires.
Locally focused with a national and global outlook
Since its founding, the Firm has been deeply rooted in Arizona and driven to support the local business community. To their clients, they promise to be: “Your Arizona Accounting Firm.”
All employees live and work in Arizona, and along with the practical benefits of being in the same time zone or even zip code, the Firm also supports their clients through participation in trade and professional groups. Many of their partners and managers are also nonprofit board members for organizations benefitting Arizona.
While their clients are headquartered in Arizona, many have other locations around the U.S., and some even have an international presence. Their teams work with a wide range of industries, spanning from construction and real estate to manufacturing and technology, as well as health care, restaurants, and professional services, among others.
Like their client base, the WP+D team is diverse and inclusive. Employees come from an array of different backgrounds, speak a variety of languages, and possess a wide range of technical skills.
Getting to work with clients from the beginning
At WP+D, employees and clients both benefit from working with an Arizona CPA firm versus a regional or national one. At larger firms, one may never meet or interact with a partner until they are a manager. This is not the case at WP+D, where the culture is centered around approachability and accessibility.
No one at WP+D is stuck behind the scenes. Everyone is involved and engaged on client teams which are carefully balanced to include partners, managers, and staff accountants. Regardless of your position, all employees have opportunities to speak and meet with clients, and many work directly with business owners and their management teams.
“Our Firm is committed to creating and sustaining a culture that is engaging and motivating. Our people want to know their work is making a difference and has meaning. Exposure to different clients and industries is motivating and creates learning opportunities,” said Randy G. Brammer, CPA, Managing Partner.
The same goes for within the Firm as well. Partners are accessible to all employees regardless of their position. For example, a staff accountant can stop by a partner’s office to ask questions and hold a conversation. It’s an open-door atmosphere that makes everyone feel valued and fosters trust and belonging.
Encouraging professional growth and building relationships
Being able to grow professionally is a great advantage for employees at WP+D. For professional development, the company provides learning and training opportunities through local and national providers.
They also teach their employees about building relationships beyond their profession and networking. Through their careers at WP+D, employees engage with other professionals, such as bankers, attorneys, and financial planners, to help build their networks which can be a resource for clients.
To learn more about career opportunities at Wallace Plese + Dreher, go to Job Openings.
This story is from Top Workplaces 2021 azcentral.com.

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