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 Navigator of the Profession – Gary Remer, CPA, JD
Q. What made you decide to go into the accounting profession? When I started college I never considered going into accounting, especially in light of the fact that my father was an accountant. My view started to change once I took my first accounting class. Then after I took my first tax class I was truly hooked. No regrets whatsoever with the decision. Q. After getting your degree in accounting you went on to pursue your JD. What made you want to get into the practice of law? The idea to pursue the practice of law arose during my days as a revenue agent with the Internal Revenue Service. During that time I had the opportunity to interact with many different attorneys and was impressed with their ability to maneuver through and use the Internal Revenue Code to the advantage of their clients. Once I started law school I knew it was the perfect decision as I was one of those strange individuals that actually enjoyed attending law school. I guess that says something about my personality. Q. What makes your job great? What makes my job great is getting to know my clients and understand their goals. This goes beyond having the opportunity to work with them on tax and business matters. It is building trust so that the relationship goes from attorney to trusted advisor. Q. How does your accounting knowledge help in the practice of law? My accounting knowledge gives me a solid base to interact with business owners. Moreover, it provides me the ability to review financial information and work with other business professionals for the common good of our clients. Q. Explain any obstacles you had to overcome to get to where you are today. Over the last several years the economy was obviously the number one obstacle. However, the economy became a distraction to the real obstacle, forcing myself to challenge my own abilities to take my practice to a higher level. Q. What are your major professional accomplishments? Perhaps one of my proudest professional moments recently occurred. I was named by Chambers International as being one of the premier benefit attorneys in the U.S. Another great honor was having the opportunity to present at an AICPA conference. Q. What interests or activities are you involved in outside of work? Outside of work I coach my youngest daughter’s soccer team and for my other daughter I go driving with her so that she logs enough hours behind the wheel to obtain her license when she turns 16. Q. What advice would you have for those considering entering the CPA profession? I would highly recommend the CPA profession to anyone interested in mapping out a career path. First of all, it always seems that there are plenty of opportunities for employment. It also provides an excellent background for pursuing any professional passions someone may have, even if not in the traditional role of a CPA. Q. What do CPAs need now to be successful in the future? CPAs need to remember that their real strength is not the ability to have the best technology but to always remember to get to know their clients and interact with them on a personal level. Q. Are you reading any books right now? I am currently reading The Great Workplace – How to Build It, How to Keep It, and Why it Matters by Michael Burchell and Jennifer Robin. I am always looking for ways to make the place I spend so much of my time better. Q. If you weren’t in your current job, what would you like to be doing? If I could change jobs it would be to pursue being a full-time college or law school professor. Top
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| PO Box 5068 Troy, MI 48007-5068 Phone: 248.267.3700 Fax: 248.267.3737 E-mail: macpa@michcpa.org | |
