Community News - Recent Promotions in Ottawa’s Accounting Sector
In our very first edition of the Blachford Brief, we included an article about recent promotions in Ottawa’s accounting sector. Now that we have published over 10 editions of our e-newsletter, I’m circling back to this fun and encouraging topic.
Every time I speak with senior leaders of Ottawa’s accounting firms, they share how challenging it is to hire and retain top-tier staff to serve the needs of their growing client base. Even highly reputable firms are now learning how it feels to send out eight job offers during hiring season and have only two accepted.
That is why it is great to see firms identifying, fostering, and promoting their internal talent. In this article, I spotlight a few Ottawa accountants who recently received promotions from their firms. I focus especially on women who have received promotions because gender equity in the senior ranks is still an issue that warrants our attention.
How and why to improve Gender Equity in the Senior Ranks
Research shows that having women in the senior leadership roles matters. One researcher from Deloitte’s project on gender equity in the financial services industry was told, “She did not mentor me. She did not sponsor me. But she absolutely inspired me. Because she was there.”
Leaders of the project recommend that financial services businesses:
Nadia Daskalova of McCay Duff
Address persistent challenges, such as childcare needs and remote work options to demonstrate commitment to recruiting, retaining, and supporting women.
Ensure leaders offer continued support through sponsorship, mentorship, and allyship programs and networking opportunities for women at all levels.
Evaluate and refine succession-planning and promotion practices to ensure each opportunity is pulling from a diverse slate of candidates to build a diverse pipeline of future leaders.
Welch is also exploring these themes through its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Community Alliance (EDICA), led by Jessica Zhang-Chapman. The group, which is made up of representatives from about 30 professional services businesses, knows that intersectionality and EDI improve belonging, innovation, collaboration, recruitment, and productivity.
With that, here are 5 women who were recently recognized and promoted by their firms for their leadership, technical abilities, and contributions to their firm’s culture and the community at large.
Chelsea Logan of Logan Katz
McCay Duff moves Nadia Daskalova on up to Manager
First and foremost, Nadia has a deep expertise in accounting, assurance, and taxation. She is also enthusiastic and passionate about mentoring and sharing her knowledge with others. McCay Duff admires how she balances her work at the firm with her role as a part-time instructor at the University of Ottawa, all while raising a young family.
Logan Katz promotes Chelsea Logan to Senior Manager
Chelsea started at Logan Katz as an intern in 2011 and then joined as a co-op student in 2015. She has seamlessly progressed due to her dedication, leadership, and strong commitment to client service. Logan Katz values her understanding of the importance of team culture and her ability to make everyone feel welcomed and part of the team.
McIntyre and Associates plucks and promotes Tanya Ridgway-Reinke
One year after recruiting Tanya to the firm, McIntyre and Associates is already promoting her to Director. Tanya joined McIntyre and Associates in 2022, brining a thriving practice she had built over 13 years. The firm values her tax compliance and planning expertise.
Tanya Ridgway-Reinke of McIntyre
Hendry Warren doubles down on Michelle Bouchard and Shaina Watt
Hendry Warren has promoted Michelle and Shaina to Partner, brining its partnership numbers to four women and five men. Michelle and Shaina both joined Hendry Warren as co-op students and now specialize in assurance and accounting. Michelle is the Vice Chair and Treasurer of Roger Neilson House and Shaina is on the Board of the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Michelle is currently completing her CFP designation.
Excitingly, Shaina received her promotion while on parental leave. The “motherhood penalty” still hampers women as they advance in their careers. Ensuring that women (and men) receive promotions and raises while on parental leave signals to other employees that they do not have to choose between their family and their career. (Encouraging men to take parental leave also helps advance this goal.)
Other Promotions in Ottawa’s Accounting Sector:
Michelle Bouchard of Hendry Warren
GGFL promoted Greg Boddy – who lives and breathes the core values of the firm – to Partner. They have also promoted Adam Aronson to Associate Partner and Zachary Bronstein to Associate Tax Partner.
McIntyre and Associates promoted Travis Scott to Director. He joined McIntyre and Associates in 2012 as a student and now manages the assurance group.
Logan Katz promoted Alèxe Dumais, Danick Genest, Dryden Lloyd to the role of Manager and Jasmin Atwal and Leah Du to Supervisor. The firm also hired Nadia McKinney as a new Senior Manager.
Hendry Warren promoted Spencer Brooks to Partner in their tax team. Spencer has completed the In Depth Tax and TEP designations and manages Hendry Warren’s Estate Planning Practice.
Other positive HR Stories
The following CPAs have launched their own firms:
Shaina Watt of Hendry Warren
Shawn Roussy, Roussy Tax Services
Congratulations as well to all those who recently received their CPA designations, including Jackson McCully of Baker Tilly.
Finally, big, big shout out to Mildred Verhallen, who is retiring, after 47 years working for Baker Tilly (and its prior iterations), most recently in their tax group. One can only imagine all the stories Mildred could tell from her nearly half-a-century in the field. Her colleagues at Baker Tilly wish her all the best in her next chapter.
These are surely not all the promotions and positive HR stories that occurred in the last year. Email me if I missed something that should have been on this list.