The CPA Journal

GUEST EDITORIAL

If I Could Do It Over Again

By Barry B. Seidel

Is it really 35 years since I sat in a cafeteria at Brooklyn College contemplating my future?

I started out as an education major but really wanted to be an architect. Somehow the excitement of working in the construction industry and changing the landscape of this country had always stirred my interest. However, I was the product of depression-era parents who always drummed security into my head: “Be a teacher, work for the government, be a bookkeeper.” After speaking with friends and deciding that taking just one accounting course might help, becoming a bookkeeper developed into becoming an accountant. After all, here I was 20 years old and it was time I started balancing my own checkbook. Yes, being an accountant might be a choice for the future.

I took to accounting as the proverbial duck takes to water and immediately became interested in the profession. I was a pioneer in the Brooklyn College Accounting Society, taking my group on a field trip to the Budweiser Brewery in Newark, New Jersey. Our outing was well attended because it involved not only a review of the company’s internal accounting system but also unlimited free beer at the end of the tour. I knew at that moment that my career was in high gear.

My then–significant other, Linda (who subsequently became my wife and the mother of our two children), also joined us that day. She was a teetotaler, but the world of accounting fascinated her; she later received her own master’s degree in accounting.

Since college, I have been employed in public accounting firms of all sizes, from a sole proprietorship to a Big Eight. The accounting profession has been very good to me, allowing me to learn a great deal about the world of business and, more important, how to interact with people. Being a people person, the idea of consulting, helping, and counseling people about their financial lives has been greatly rewarding—it’s sort of like practicing as a financial psychologist.

I have found even greater satisfaction in the opportunity to mentor young people by speaking in high schools and colleges and helping undecided individuals pursue careers as CPAs. Early on, I became involved in the NYSSCPA, the AICPA, and other professional organizations, and I am pleased to say that it has been 25 years of mutually beneficial active service.

Being a CPA carries with it a century of trust and reliability. Countless surveys show how highly the public regards our integrity and honesty. Compared to other professionals, CPAs consistently rate top scores. You cannot buy a good reputation; you earn it. How gratifying it is when you share a special place in society created by a group of colleagues whose sole occupation is to secure the trust of the financial markets and the general public.

I remember dreaming of my future back in those early days in the 1960s, and hoping that it would be financially rewarding as well.That part has been easy. I have reached high levels of financial success, and even more, this profession has allowed me to pursue another passion: travel. Through the NYSSCPA, the AICPA, my firm’s international group, and other activities, I have traveled around the world. In many cases, I have given speeches and seminars and have enjoyed the benefit of seeing how accountants practice in other countries. At one time, such travel was available only in the big firms. But now, with international associations, firms like ours participate in global activities and enjoy the benefits of worldwide exposure.

My most recent undertaking, as a member of the New York State Board for Public Accountancy, has brought me full circle. I now have the opportunity to view the profession from the public’s perspective while working with people both inside and outside the profession. The board ensures the integrity of what we do and advocates for the public in the areas of licensing, discipline, and legislation. This is by far the greatest assignment of my career. I hope to meet that challenge and be up to its requirements.

So what’s the downside? Well, tax seasons aren’t fun. Since starting as an intern at age 20, I’ve just gone through my thirty-fifth tax season. The hours are long and the work sometimes seems like drudgery. But by and large, the camaraderie of working with your colleagues—even very late into the night—and helping people are the ultimate gratifications. I am proud to be a CPA and a guide and confidante to my clients. I’m also very gratified to work with young people and tell them the story of my career. While mine is no Horatio Alger tale, it is the story of hard work and a profession that has paid me back beyond what I have given to it.

So you ask, “Would I do it all over again?” You bet!