Rochester, MN employees are on a mission

Rochester, MN administrative assistant, Sarah Martinak, partner, Dave Oeth, and client service representative, Julie Kaehler, recently returned from a week-long mission trip to Haiti. 

Sarah first traveled to Haiti in October 2012 and enjoyed the experience so much she planned another trip this year. When word got around the Rochester office she was returning, Dave and Julie signed up as well. To fund their trip, they raised over $1,400 selling cookbooks that included recipes from their McGladrey colleagues. 

The trip was organized through a non-profit called Visiting Orphans, located in Tennessee. A total of 15 volunteers from the United States went on this mission.

The group worked with and stayed with an organization called Respire, located in Gressier, Haiti. Respire is a free school for 500 students, as well as a transitional house for young women who need to get out of difficult situations. The organization is also building a medical clinic next to the school to provide children easy access to medical treatment.

Each day, the U.S. volunteers climbed a mountain to get to the school where they participated in telling children bible stories, planning activities for recess and spending time with children in the classroom teaching them shapes, colors and how to count. After school, they helped with adult English classes and organized community parties for children in the surrounding neighborhoods. 

Children at the school range in age from four to 10 years old. Many are restaveks, a Haitian term for child slave. The children have been sold or abandoned by their parents and given to other families to be used as slaves. Because the school is free, it has become the only educational opportunity for many of the children in Gressier. 

For more information on Visiting Orphans or Respire, visit their websites, www.visitingorphans.org, or www.respirehaiti.org.

Tales from an Associate - Oh, the places you'll go with McGladrey!

By Camille Hefner
Charlotte, NC
Assurance Associate

My first few months at McGladrey have been quite the adventure. As an assurance associate I have traveled within Charlotte and even to training in Chicago. In addition I have traveled to other local engagements and even some overnight trips out of town.

While at training in Chicago we learned about Caseware and working as an auditor. In addition we spent most of our time working in groups and talking through the examples and scenarios that we will have at work. This helped me get comfortable asking questions and working with others to problem solve at work.

At training we were also given the opportunity to build bikes for young children. At the end of the night we gave the bikes to the kids and the look on their faces was priceless. I also had the opportunity to try the deep dish Chicago style pizza for the first time and I am hooked. 

McGladrey has provided me with an opportunity to also travel back to my hometown of Hickory. I was fortunate enough to be on an engagement where I could spend time close to my family. Although it has only been a few short months, I have enjoyed all of the opportunities to travel with my job.

Deep dish Chicago pizza

McGladrey women leading the way in networking opportunities

Networking events have changed a lot over the years and McGladrey women have played a part in that change. Many of McGladrey’s offices have women’s networking groups they participate in, and some of the groups were even started by McGladrey women. 

Women’s Connection, a networking group in the Quad Cities in Iowa, offers excellent programs and speakers. The organization draws several hundred women to its lunch and evening events. McGladrey has participated as a sponsor of the group’s annual leadership conference, and many McGladrey women in the Davenport office and their clients attend the events.

In Dallas, McGladrey hosts an annual event called Champagne and Chocolate. Professional women come together to network while enjoying fine chocolates and champagne.

In Des Moines, Partner Susan Davis hosts an annual Professional Women’s Bike Ride and Lunch, which has been growing in popularity and attendance every year. The women, who include McGladrey professionals and clients gather for a group bike ride. A lunch follows—which allows additional women who don’t bike to be included. 

The Kansas City office recently launched Woman as Leaders (WAL). WAL’s mission is to strengthen our market stance and continue to strive for a culture where the best women (and men) choose to grow their careers. The WAL committee includes six women at different career levels within consulting, audit, and tax. They have already held several events in the short time they have been established. 

The first event “Dress for Success” kicked off at Ann Taylor. Ann Taylor representatives provided a fun, interactive presentation on appropriate dress attire in the work place. The attendees then had an opportunity to not only shop, but also network.

This past April, 10 WAL women attended the “Kansas City Go Red for Women Half Day for Your Heart” event sponsored by American Heart Associate.

Networking helps us build strong relationships. Making the events unique and innovating like the women of McGladrey are doing helps bring professional woman in our communities together.

How do you network and get involved in your community? Please leave a comment if you are interested in networking with McGladrey!

McGladrey women are raising the roof

A team of 16 women from Minneapolis recently participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program. Women Build is a program for women who want to learn construction skills and build homes and communities. The Twin Cities chapter builds two homes a year using solely women volunteers and project leaders.

After being involved in a Minneapolis Industrial Products team who worked on a Habitat house that was sponsored in part by a McGladrey client, assurance director, Kari Henry and assurance associate, Kayla Kirby learned of the Twin Cities Women Build program. They asked Minneapolis office managing partner, Mike Nelson, if he would support a team of women for a Women Build daylong event. His response was, “Absolutely!”

Together, the McGladrey team put up the garage trusses and started covering the roof while others cut and installed concrete siding trim in preparation for siding the house.

Kari Henry said, “It was a great day of team building, with a lot of laughter. It was empowering to see the progress we made in one short day and to know that we were helping a family who has worked hard to achieve a dream that many people take for granted—home ownership.”

The McGladrey bay area offices are growing significantly and hiring!

By Tim Tiefenthaler
Office Managing Partner-Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area is known for its beauty, entrepreneurship and diversity. The Bay Area is such a dynamic market that continues to experience significant population and economic growth.

McGladrey has been capitalizing on the momentum in this market by more than doubling our practice in less than a year. In 2013, we are proud to have transferred in 15 partners, directors, managers and other professionals from McGladrey offices from all regions of the firm along with recruiting many strategic local hires as well.

As our strong growth momentum continues, we are seeing increased interest from talented professionals who want to be part of the McGladrey experience. We continue to look for audit, tax and consulting professionals, particularly audit seniors who want to expand their skills and industry exposure.

Consider being part of our growing team and the energy and opportunity that comes from being part of a high growth practice. Experience a firm and practice that truly cares about you and your success and providing a professional and respectful culture. If you, or someone you know, would be a good addition to our San Jose or San Francisco offices, please contact Gordon Woo.

San Jose Office

San Francisco open positions

San Jose open positions



McGladrey Chicago office donates to Bear Necessities

By Catherine Berta
Manager
Chicago, IL

When I first heard about the Chicago office champion role for the firmwide Birdies Fore Love program, I could only think about the positives. This program supports children- and family-based charities by allowing participants to pledge by either dollar amounts or per birdie made at The McGladrey Classic. This role was perfect for me! I love helping others in need and was excited to lead my office of 787 employees to really make a difference in our community. With that many employees, just think about the collective impact that we could make on a local charity.  When I was chosen for the role, I was faced with apprehension. I had so many ideas; how was I going to have the time and resources to execute them?

My first challenge was to choose a charity for the Chicago office to support throughout the program. After reaching out to the Chicago office and receiving over 50 suggestions, we narrowed it down to a charity called Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Bear Necessities’ mission is to eliminate pediatric cancer and provide hope and support to those who are touched by it. When I first called Bear Necessities, I was baffled yet comforted by one of the comments that the woman on the other side of the phone said. She said, “We are working to hopefully be unemployed one day.” That comment reassured me that this charity was the right choice.

Next, I needed to communicate the details of the Birdies Fore Love program and the charity selection. Representatives from Bear Necessities assisted me in holding informational sessions with the Chicago office. One of the videos that Bear Necessities showed, in which young children spoke about their pediatric cancer treatments, touched all of us.

An amazing group of 22 employees from the Chicago office formed a committee to help me come up with ideas to raise donations and execute them. And we had a lot of ideas! We had friendly competitions between our four floors to encourage participation, a chili cook-off and manicures in the office. We had an NFL pick ‘em league, an ice cream social and a couple of jeans weeks. I learned a lot from these events, discovering what motivates Chicago employees and what necessarily does not work so well. I met a lot of people too. Whether they were annoyed with my constant emails or not, I think everyone appreciated the effort that was going into the program. I look forward to passing these lessons onto next year’s Chicago office champion.

Filming the PSA in Chicago

A week before the end of the program, there was a PSA filming in Chicago to feature the Birdies Fore Love programs across the country and I got to be on TV! Before we started filming, we had about 20 minutes of hair and makeup to make sure our faces, and bald heads for the guys, weren’t shiny. My lipstick was a lot brighter than I was used to, but was told that the camera would dim it out. I was amazed by the preparation of the scene before we arrived and the adjustments that they made after we arrived. There were dozens of lighting modifications and camera variations for a scene that was only six seconds long! I was honored to represent the Bear Necessities charity by holding a picture of a little girl that was battling cancer.  

The Chicago office raised over $24,000 for Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. We hope that our donation gets Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation employees one step closer to their goal of unemployment.




Thank you to the following McGladrey PSA participants:

Catherine Berta
Katsy Douangvichit      
Karen Wang
John Sweezey
Alex Bauer
Marlon Fortineaux
Nicole Baillie
Juan Barajas
Vivian Myers
Vanessa Kuo
Anthony Reo

Honoring those who serve our country

Today, we join the country in observing Veterans Day—a celebration to honor America’s military veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. 

We are honored to have many active and retired military members as part of the McGladrey family, including Davenport Supervisor Peter Pentland and Tacoma Senior Associate Shaun Cuthbert. 

Peter and Shaun are a couple shining examples of what it means to honor your country with a selfless act of service. We know that we count many more heroes in our ranks. We thank all of them for their stewardship to our country and for the values they represent—values that correspond with McGladrey’s values as a firm that are tied to our history and critical to our future success. 

McGladrey attends Working Mother Work Life Congress

By Stephanie Repke

Talent Management Associate

Minneapolis, MN

 

McGladrey is celebrating our seventh year as one of Working Mother’s Best 100 companies. And for the second time in my relatively short tenure here, I was privileged to join my McGladrey colleagues, teammates and leaders the last week of October at the Working Mother Work Life Congress in New York City, at the heart of Times Square. At this two-day conference event, we heard – and shared – best practices, ongoing challenges and newest trends in the WorkLife, wellness and flexibility arena. The culmination of the event was a gala dinner celebration of the Best 100 companies, where our own Working Mother of the Year Jill Reyes was recognized.

 

Particularly exciting, though, was seeing our Principal National HR Leader, Katie Lamkin, present the results of the McGladrey sponsored “How We Flex” white paper, a study on the workplace flexibility needs of working moms. One of the key points of the white paper showed that it’s better when managers flex. Katie shared the story of McGladrey’s own flex evolution, and brought to life the ‘pay it forward’ concept – that managers who flex their schedules help ‘lead by example’ for their employees to work flexibly as well. I would highly recommend checking out the full white paper, which includes the flex success stories that Katie shared about assurance partner Jim Smith and director Erin Peterson.

 

Hearing threads of Katie’s presentation referenced by speakers and attendees alike throughout the sessions of conference was incredibly rewarding; McGladrey had a presence at this event like never before. And people loved hearing about our iPad program (all employees who work at least a 50% time schedule receive an iPad)!

 

For those who have been to their fair share of conferences, it can be pretty hit-or-miss in terms of quality – from the topics of breakouts to the richness of discussion. But I can safely say that this one exceeded my expectations. As someone who has been fortunate enough to work a flexible schedule (flexing my hours outside of traditional business hours) for my entire career, I’m still learning new things every day about finding success through WorkLife flexibility and wellness. Some of my favorite tidbits:

• Work is not a place; it’s something you do.
• Redefine the ‘badge of honor’ at work. Asking for flexibility and pursuing WorkLife integration shouldn’t make you feel guilty.
• “Tweak It” - small tweaks we make to the way we work and live can create impactful changes over time in how we manage our professional and personal endeavors.
• Manage your calendar as one, not work and personal.
• We as employees have an individual responsibility not only to ask for what we want, but to manage ourselves in a flexible and mobile work environment.
• Flex really is for everyone, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Having ongoing conversations, especially with your manager and teammates, is essential to ongoing success

McGladrey team at Working Mother Work Life Congress

"MudGladrey" Tough

by Jen Poklemba
Talent Acquisition Manager
Baltimore, MD

Are you MudGladrey tough? We are! Our team, Team MudGladrey, pictured below, can officially call ourselves “Tough Mudders.”  So what is a Tough Mudder - Tough Mudder events are hardcore obstacle courses designed to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie. On Saturday, October 19th, our team of 6 McGladrey females fought through 11 miles of mountainous, muddy terrain in West Virginia trenching through mud, swimming in 28 degree ice water and then passing through 10,000 volts of live electrical wires. We climbed 12 foot walls, crawled through a series of muddy water filled pipes, jumped from a 15’ platform in to cold water, and even took turns carrying each other in an obstacle called the “Wounded Warrior.”  You’re probably asking yourself – are they crazy? Well… yes, but we aren’t alone! We are now part of a family of over 1 million participants who have tested their limits and endured the challenge all for a good cause, to support the Wounded Warrior Project. I’ve done a lot of races in the past – 5K’s, 10K’s, half marathons, even a 210 mile relay race; but this by far takes the cake. The satisfaction we got by crossing the finish line as a team made the moment that much richer.

As a recruiter for McGladrey I spend a lot of time promoting the firm and talking about our family culture and how our teams work so well together. This experience couldn’t be more proof of what I preach every day. Represented on our team were members from audit, tax, HR and recruiting all coming together to accomplish the same goal. And we nailed it! I feel so thankful to have completed this challenge with such an outstanding group.

To learn more about what we went through, or to sign up for future Tough Mudder events, visit: www.toughmudder.com

Current HR trends and the impact to the employee

By B.J. Snelling
National Talent Acquisition Manager
Denver, CO

As a Talent Acquisition manager at McGladrey, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend this year’s annual HR Technology conference which was held in Las Vegas. It was a chance to see trends in the human resources space from other companies and from HR software providers. As I thought about my key-take-away items and what I could share, there were a few common themes that stood out. In an age where employees are a company’s most valued asset, there needs to be a commitment to making the most of engaging the employee and providing value to help develop them in their career. Even if their career isn’t at just one firm, the focus needs to be on an enriched employee experience – from the time the individual enters the arena as a candidate through their career life-cycle at the firm.  

There has been a culture shift amongst progressive companies, like McGladrey, from ‘what can I get out of the employee’, to ‘what can the employee get out of the firm’. When this is embraced at all levels in the company, the employee is able to achieve growth and excellence, which in turn makes for positive benefits all around for the firm when serving the needs of their clients and reaching their own goals. 

HR Software is evolving to encompass all phases and needs of the full employee experience, including on-boarding with a firm, goal setting and performance feedback, training and career development options, and even social components of the employee within the firm – such as learning about volunteer opportunities, office happenings, and other relevant social activities to nourish their personal development.

I came away from Vegas feeling energized and excited - excited to be an employee at a firm that strives to develop me as an individual contributor, but also to know that those we are working to recruit to join McGladrey will benefit from all the positive benefits of these trends along with me!

Campus Brand Champion at the University of Maryland

By Chris Waddail
Intern
Baltimore, MD

At the conclusion of my summer assurance internship in Baltimore, MD I was offered the unique opportunity to help represent McGladrey on campus for my senior year at the University of Maryland. My role as a Campus Brand Champion was described as assisting in recruiting efforts, attending networking events, and helping to improve upon the already successful McGladrey brand on campus. 

A month or so into the semester it’s been great serving in this role. I’ve attended career fairs, information sessions, and networking nights and anticipate the upcoming tailgate at the conclusion of our on-campus interviews. Throughout these events I’ve stood right next to full-time employees, answering eager questions and identifying talented prospects. At first it took me a second to realize how lucky I was that McGladrey trusted me, a senior in college, to talk on behalf of the company. This was yet another example of the care and effort the company puts into developing its interns into full-time employees. I was honored. 

UMD Pre-Interview Reception

I was certainly elated when I found out I would be joining McGladrey full-time after I graduate. Part of my excitement was founded in the relief I felt of knowing I had a job. However, more importantly came the excitement to join such a wonderful group of professionals that truly care about each other, their clients, and the community. The campus recruiting process can be vigorous and overwhelming for undergraduates, but McGladrey made a point to help me along the way.

So, as I continue to assist in my role as a Campus Brand Champion on campus, I hope to be able to provide some of that same relief to my fellow peers. The company offers so many great opportunities for college students with the Pathways Program and Internships, both of which I participated in and enjoyed thoroughly. I hope to share with other students what made those experiences so influential, keeping in mind what it means to ‘Experience the Power of Being Understood.’

Pursue Your Passion

By Tara McGrath
Senior Assurance Associate
Baltimore, MD

In early 2013, Baltimore’s Culture Club announced a new initiative: “B-More at McGladrey – Pursue Your Passion,” which offered an employee from the Baltimore office, the opportunity to receive up to $2,500 and 5 additional paid days off to help pursue that individual’s passion.

Upon reading the details of the initiative, I was very excited and jumped at the opportunity to hopefully have the chance to do something I’ve always wanted to do – a Habitat for Humanity trip to Costa Rica. I was lucky enough to be the recipient of the award and before I knew it, I was on my way to Costa Rica for an experience of a lifetime.  

During my time in Costa Rica, I worked alongside a group of 12 volunteers from across the United States, two Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica staff, and the future homeowners, Lucy and Roger. Almost immediately, strong bonds were formed among the team and it was as if we had known each other for years! 

When we arrived to the site on the first morning, no construction had begun, so we quickly realized we had our work cut out for us. All week, we worked together digging holes, mixing concrete, and constructing the walls. By the end of the week, all the walls of the house were standing and the remainder of the construction will be completed within the next month and Lucy and Roger will be able to start enjoying their new home. Although Lucy didn’t speak English and our Spanish was very minimal, words weren’t needed. It was evident in Lucy’s expressions and body language – she was so grateful for our help in building her home and she was so hopeful for what the future holds. Seeing her reaction is something I will never forget. 

McGladrey Named to 2013 Working Mother 100 Best Companies List

We are excited to announce that Working Mother magazine has named McGladrey as one of the 2013 Working Mother 100 Best Companies for its commitment to progressive workplace programs, including flexibility, advancement and paid family leave. The 100 Best Companies are featured in the October/November issue of Working Mother and on workingmother.com. Also this year, in honor of the 100 Best Companies, Working Mother has declared October 15 as the first annual National Flex Day to encourage support for workplace flexibility.

"At McGladrey, we understand the needs of both our clients and our employees," said Richard Caturano, McGladrey's national leader of culture, diversity and inclusion. "Our goal is to provide employees with the flexibility they need to provide the most effective and efficient service possible to our clients, while also meeting their professional and personal needs. Just one example of that is our recent distribution of iPads to all employees – to make working remotely easier than ever before."

The complete list of Working Mother's 2013 100 Best Companies can be found on the Working Mother website.

Jill and family

We would also like to take this time to recognize McGladrey’s own working mother of the year, Jill Reyes. Jill is a consulting manager in our Melbourne, Fla., office. Mother to Antonio, 6, and Andrew, 5, she and her husband Noel work together to integrate personal and professional priorities. 

“I enjoy what I do,” says Jill. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t spend so much time trying to make it work! I do believe my family is a priority, but it’s a mutual strategy. I don’t want to have one without the other, and I don’t think that I have to choose.” 

At McGladrey, Jill takes advantage of an informal flexible work schedule that allows her to make time for her family, while permitting her the freedom to get her work done when and where it makes the most sense for her clients and her schedule. 

Jill’s ability to ‘wow’ her clients with outstanding service has not gone unnoticed. Assurance Partner Ryan Weber recently accompanied Jill to a meeting with a new client and was amazed by the way in which she balanced her dedication to family with a strong work ethic.

“Jill had to leave the meeting early to take care of her children, yet she simply did not miss a beat,” says Ryan. “She communicated effectively about her ability to fulfill the commitments made at the meeting in a way that reassured the client. In the end, Jill exceeded expectations and the client respected her for her honesty and devotion to family.”

Jill credits her own career advisor—Director Jennifer Murtha—for providing her with the support that she needed at crucial time in her life.

“I had just been promoted to manager and discovered that I was pregnant. It was kind of daunting,” says Jill. “I went to Jennifer’s office and told her the news and she said ‘hey, no problem.’ The confidence that Jennifer instilled in me has allowed me to pay it forward in my mentoring of others.”

For those looking for a few pointers, Jill offers the following:

• Your family is your family and your career is your career. You can’t do either of them well if you don’t consider them together.
• I wouldn’t be the success that I am today without my teammates. It’s important to make a connection and find someone who will have your back. And, in turn, it’s even more important to figure out a way to have someone else’s back.
• Talk to someone. Don’t feel like you have to go through it alone. 
• Some days are better than others, but every day is different!

Learn more about McGladrey’s culture of flexibility here.

Birdies Fore Love is about much more than golf

by Chris Parrish
Birdies Fore Love National Program Leader

Chris Parrish

McGladrey has undergone a transformation in recent years. As golf enthusiasts, you’ve likely seen and heard our brand in the golf arena more frequently. Now, on the heels of our national TV commercials and unique golf-related events, McGladrey will launch Birdies Fore Love next week. And this new program is about much more than golf.

I believe one of our biggest and proudest accomplishments was establishing The McGladrey Classic. It’s a beacon for McGladrey’s brand. But it’s also a vehicle that allows our people—including me—to show the world how much McGladrey cares about contributing to the community through charitable giving and stewardship.

For that reason, McGladrey’s core leadership team has made it a priority for our firm to become more involved in the Davis Love Foundation’s Birdies Fore Love (BFL) program. This program supports children- and family-based charities by allowing participants to pledge by either dollar amounts or per birdie made at the Classic.

This year our 75 offices and more than 6,500 employees will support the BFL program in our own unified way. Employees will show the world the collective impact McGladrey can have on each one of our offices’ local communities. Thanks to the Davis Love Foundation, McGladrey’s Birdies Fore Love program provides us with the opportunity to do so.

Service Project at Ronald McDonald House

by Kelly McLaughlin
Tax Intern
Orlando, FL

In July, the Orlando interns and a few audit staff prepared lunch for the families at the local Ronald McDonald House. My navigator Mari, who is the person who oversees the internship and makes sure you’re getting the best experience possible, brought all of the food we needed to make our Italian themed menu: four pizzas, pasta with Alfredo sauce, pasta with spaghetti sauce, salad, and garlic bread. While our lunch was cooking, we were taken on a tour of the house and were told a little about the history of the foundation. I had no idea it was started in 1974 by a Philadelphia Eagles player, whose daughter had leukemia, and along with the owner of the Eagles and McDonald’s regional manger they were able to raise the funds to build the first house using the proceeds from the sale of Shamrock Shakes! Today there are over 309 houses and 44 mobile units across the world.

After the tour, lunch was ready for all of the families. We were overwhelmed with the friendliness and appreciation we received from the families staying at the house. We heard from several families that a nice, hot, home-cooked meal was their favorite part of staying at the Ronald McDonald House, as opposed to the hospitals or hotels in the area. The experience was definitely one of my favorites from the summer; knowing that a little time from my day could help someone that much was very rewarding. I’m looking forward to taking part in more volunteer events at Ronald McDonald house in the future, and possibly getting a group of students to go once a semester.

McGladrey Participates in Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon

By Anne Hoang
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Chicago, IL

At McGladrey, lending our helping hand to the community is one of our top priorities. Recently, the 20th Annual Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon took place, an event in which McGladrey employees, friends, and families participate in each year. This event is the largest single day of community service in Chicago, and it was kicked off in the heart of downtown with an inspiring welcome speech by Chelsea Clinton.

Following the morning welcome ceremony, McGladrey volunteers headed to a low-income school for children Pre-K through eighth grade. Once at our volunteer site, we were split into different projects which included mural painting, hallway painting, and outdoor landscaping. Although no skills were required for any of these jobs, our employees did an excellent job of making each and every corner of the school look professional! 

Here at McGladrey, we are proud to make a difference. From the East Coast to the West Coast, we are always looking for opportunities to positively impact our local societies. We have always promoted, and will continue to promote, volunteer projects that transform local neighborhoods and improve the well-being for our fellow neighbors and underserved communities. Although we have just celebrated the success of this community service event, we are already looking forward to the next opportunity to show our commitment to others!

One of the murals the team painted in the cafeteria.

Consulting Summer Internship

By Justin Kleifield
Transaction Advisory Services Intern
Chicago, IL

As I finish up my summer as a consulting intern at McGladrey, I would like to reflect upon my time here and how it all started. I was first introduced to McGladrey in the fall of my senior year at one of the finance/accounting career fairs at Indiana University. After having conversations with some of the recruiters and staff members there and giving them my resume they contacted me a few days later to conduct a phone interview. The next step was an in-office interview in October and then I was eventually given an offer in November.  

While at McGladrey I was exposed to a wide range of projects. The highlight though, would have to be conducting my own webcast to 60 members of my group nationwide on the research I had been working on the whole summer. This proved to me that McGladrey truly does treat their interns like full time associates and you are relied upon for important projects. Even as an intern I was included in the week long corporate training which was a great learning and networking experience as well. 

Looking back, the opportunity to be a consulting intern at McGladrey instead of being at strictly a consulting firm was a good one. Since I am an accounting major and McGladrey is a public accounting firm there were many similarities from what I had learned in school to the projects I worked on and I felt I could help in more ways than one. Also, most of the employees here in the consulting group have had audit experience and they were able to share some things with me about their experience doing that as well as some great insight in numerous areas.

Some advice I would like to share with both future interns and new hires is to get involved and meet people in other groups. McGladrey is filled with so many great people that have many years of experience in the industry and are always willing to help. I have established great contacts from being here and look forward to applying their advice to my last year of school and my everyday life. 

Find Your Zebra

Written by
Jaclyn Muddiman – West Chester University
Seth Lengel – Penn State University
Assurance Interns
Blue Bell, PA

Picture yourself driving to school. You take the same way, everyday, and you reach that point where you’re just going through the motions, not really paying attention to your surroundings. Then, one day you notice a zebra in a horse farm (this actually happened!). After that moment, every time you drive to school you can’t help but look for the zebra among all of the horses.              


Seth and Jaclyn

For us, McGladrey was our zebra. Over the past two years of college we have been pressured by both our peers and professors to follow in the footsteps of their career path, they were driving the bus and we were just a passenger. We were on the highway of attending events, talking to the right people, and getting our name out to specific firms until we noticed the zebra.

Both of us participated in a McGladrey presentation, at our respective schools, and we felt that initial “click” which now put us in the driver’s seat. Going through the interviewing process we were able to build relationships with people of all levels, which set McGladrey apart from other firms. Entering the office for our second round of interviews was like walking onto a college campus and knowing it was the perfect school – it just felt right. 


Northeast Intern Orientation Olympics

Going into the internship we had very high expectations. We knew we wanted to learn what accounting was really about – not just the textbook version. We wanted to build relationships around the firm, while still being able to enjoy summer. Our first three days at the Northeast Intern Orientation was a great start to our summer. We were able to meet other interns from different cities, talk to McGladrey professionals, and attend fun events such as a barbeque and office Olympics. This experience helped us feel comfortable before the real work began. 

Throughout the summer we were exposed to a wide variety of co-workers, clients, and projects. Between the exposure to different industries and different fieldwork, such as planning or auditing, we felt we had a range of learning opportunities which helped us understand what public accounting is about rather than a problem from our textbooks. We finally were able to apply our education to the real world – we had that “click” moment of understanding. We can all agree that accounting work won’t be the best part of the summer; however, it was the mixture of the experiences we received which have made it worthwhile. Most importantly, we learned the stereotype of boring accountants couldn’t be more wrong.

The highlights of the internship have been the times we relaxed and had a good time with the rest of the office. Through various happy hours, a Phillies game, and other firm-sponsored events we have been able to make connections with our co-workers both inside and outside of the office. It’s a great feeling when you realize how well you can “click” with people. Aside from the fun events, we have participated in a couple different service projects. There was a heated competition between interns to raise money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a childhood cancer research foundation, and during the Pathways Program we sorted through donated clothing for Cradles to Crayons organization with the extern students. Overall, McGladrey has done a great job of making sure we had an enjoyable summer.

Our advice to other students is to put yourself out there, talk to all different firms, feel for the “click.” But in the end, sit in the driver’s seat and find your zebra.

Making the Most of Your Internship

Written by Greg Cohen
Consulting Intern
Miami, FL

Eight weeks into my internship, I can say I have learned more through my time with McGladrey than I have in my last three years in college. When you walk into your internship, be open to everything and anything you are exposed to, meet as many people as possible and excel at every task you are given. By following those simple guidelines, you will get the most out of any internship you get.

Working at a public accounting firm is a very eclectic experience. It doesn’t matter if you are a tax, audit or consulting intern, you will leave everyday learning far more than solely about your line of business. We serve clients and to do so, we have to learn and understand their business to provide them with the highest quality deliverable. Especially in consulting, where you breakdown a client’s internal processes, you end up understanding much more than testing internal controls, but about the nature of that business and what they do. The spillover to everyday life is incredible. I have spent a large portion of my internship working with financial institutions, and I did not know a fraction of what I have learned in regards to what goes on behind the scenes. Opportunities are always there for you to take, even as an intern, and you should take advantage of them whenever you can. Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet with an industry or line of business that you are not familiar with; it can only help you in the long run.

Here’s a quick fact about McGladrey: we have more than 6,700 people in 75 cities nationwide. With a reach as far as McGladrey, you are bound to cross paths and work with someone from another office or state. Luckily, on my most recent engagement I had the opportunity to work with over 15 people from 5 different offices and even someone from an international RSM partner firm. Despite the fact that you are hard at work, you build strong friendships with the people you work with. Between Cuban coffee breaks and acquiring an appreciation for “truck music,” I have had a great time meeting such intelligent and diverse individuals. Don’t be hesitant to befriend the people you work with or engage in a conversation with them; you never know what will come from it. That leads me to my next point— put yourself out there! As an intern, everyone wants to meet and learn about you, and you should want to do the same. If there’s a networking event or company social, make sure to attend it. This entire experience isn’t just about proving that you’re a hard worker, but it is your chance to find out if McGladrey is a good fit for you. Get yourself out there and make sure that people know your name. Remember if you choose to go full-time, you will be spending a lot of time with the people you work with. Get to know them and let them get to know you.

You aren’t expected to know all about tax, audit or consulting when you start your internship. That’s why you are here; but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try your hardest to excel at everything you do. At the end of the day, you want to get as much exposure to your future career as possible and determine if it is for you. The best way to do that is give it your all. Most importantly, always strive to get as much feedback as possible from your supervisors. If you know what you need to improve, you can work on it right away. If you’re on an engagement that extends over two weeks, set up periodic feedback meetings with your in charge manager or supervisor. It shows initiative and that you’re open to constructive criticism. Showing that you are interested and engaged is a good indicator of your performance when it comes down to it. Remember, there’s more to your internship than just showing up to work on-time everyday—take advantage of each aspect and make the most your internship!

Florida Gator associates, interns and externs

From Day 1 on…

by Kelly McLaughlin
Tax Intern
Orlando, FL



Kelly McLaughlin

Hello! My name is Kelly McLaughlin, and I am currently pursuing a Masters in Taxation degree at the University of Central Florida. To pick up where my fellow intern, Greg, left off, I would like to begin with my first day as a tax intern at my home office in Orlando, Florida. I was familiar with the office through recruiting events I attended, but in the days following orientation in Baltimore and leading up to our first actual day at work I was extremely nervous about walking into the office and making a mistake or looking like I didn’t know what I was doing. 

Upon entering the office, we could hear the HR Manager, Sherri, talking to the two other interns. We knew Sherri from several recruiting events at school, so she was a familiar voice we were happy to hear! When we walked into the conference room, I saw that the interns from Jacksonville were streaming live on TV! It was exciting to see that they, as well as, 60 other interns were going through the same thing at that same time.

The day turned out to be very easy going and I had nothing to worry about, as Sherri and the other managers we met were so helpful. We mostly did administration items, such as getting a tour of the office, meeting everyone, seeing where my desk was (exciting!), learning how to navigate through the Intranet and filling out a few online forms for our employee profile and payroll (woohoo!). Everyone we met told us to not hesitate if we had any questions, and that they were all there to help us. We were taken out to lunch by a few first and second year staff, which was a great opportunity for us to pick their brains and to get to know the people we would be working with for the next two months.  

The following day was completely different! As the only tax intern in the office, I no longer had the comfort of being with the other interns, and I was sent off on my own. My buddy, who is the person you are paired with during the entirety of the internship to answer any questions and help get you situated in the office, was ready with items for me to work on and we jumped right in to preparing a tax return (scary!). The client has several timeshares in each of the seven states they were located, and each individual location has to submit a tax return. After a few walkthroughs I was allowed to handle the rest on my own. The day flew by, as did the next two weeks, as I was busy learning the tax software, learning about the client, and learning how to actually process the returns, albeit easy returns. My buddy was there through every step to answer any questions or explain any information I didn’t understand. 


ZOOm Air

On Friday, June 28th, the office had “The (Way) After Busy Season Summer Outing” at the Central Florida Zoo. Our first event was a Scavenger Hunt through the zoo. We were split up into groups of ten, given a team name (we were the Two-Toed Sloths!) and handed 25 clues. Each one described an animal in the zoo, which we had to locate and write the name of the animal on our sheet of paper, within 50 minutes. Some of the clues required us to take a picture in front of the animal’s exhibit; one even required all 10 of us to be in the picture while someone from our group took the picture. Talk about getting close to your co-workers! Following the Scavenger Hunt we had lunch, while a few partners talked about their annual partner meeting that recently took place, goals for the upcoming year and the new committees we would be starting in the office. It was pretty exciting to see where the company was going in the future, and how eager everyone was to help the company reach that point. After lunch, we split up into groups according to the activity we wanted to take part in: Zip Lining, Outdoor Laser Tag or a leisurely stroll through the zoo. Having gone to the zoo several times before, I chose something new: Zip Lining. The zoo has different ropes courses through the tree tops in what they call “ZOOm Air Adventures,” consisting of platforms attached to trees throughout the property, which you reach using rope bridges, zip lines, suspended disks, rope ladders and many more. The ZOOm Air really gives you the feeling of being an animal in the tree tops looking down at all of the zoo visitors!

Laser Tag

Another intern and I were done with the zip lining around 2:00 PM and were on the way out of the zoo when we saw some of our co-workers at the laser tag course, put on by Battlefield Live Orlando. It was like no laser tag I have ever seen. The course was set up similar to a paintball course: with tents on each end to hide in, barrels and walls in the middle to hide behind and a flag to capture behind each tent. The participants wore camouflage hats and vests that had sensors and they held laser guns that made shooting sounds. Once someone was hit three times the gun would play “Man down!” indicating the player was out. It was very funny watching the teams fight each other and take the objective of protecting their flag so seriously. Who knew working for an accounting firm would be this fun! 

A Day in the Life: Tax Senior Associate

Interview with Shaun Cuthbert
Tax Senior Associate
Tacoma, WA
by LoriAnn Boyer, Sr. Talent Acquisition





Shaun Cuthbert, CPA

As a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist for McGladrey, it’s my job to share with prospective hires what life at McGladrey is like. I’m sure candidates must think “She’s just saying that life at McGladrey is so amazing because she wants to hire me.” Yes, I want to hire you; however, if you’re serious about a career in public accounting, who better to get to know than our employees! I recently sat down with Shaun Cuthbert, Tax Senior Associate in our Tacoma office. Here’s what he had to say about his career with McGladrey.

How did you first come to be a tax professional with McGladrey?

After separating from the Army (I served as a Combat Medic in A Co., 2/3 Infantry from 2001-2007), I began my career with McGladrey in Internal Client Services as a receptionist/ backup production processor. Through exposure to tax returns, I became curious about the profession itself, and expressed interest in exploring it further. The partners and directors in the tax department were very supportive, and gave me the opportunity to do some basic data input into ProSystem. The powers that be must have seen some potential, as they increased the difficulty and complexity of the work they were giving me to do, and decreased my admin workload to accommodate the tax work. I decided to pursue an undergraduate degree with a Business Admin minor in order to satisfy the requirements needed to sit for the CPA exam (I had well over 100 semester hours from previous schooling) so that I could make official my decision to pursue a career in accounting. And here I am - now a CPA and a Tax Senior Associate in the Tacoma, WA office.

Which tax group do you work in?

I am in the Family Wealth Services/High Net Worth group, so I prepare a lot of 1040s, 1041s, 709s, and 1065s.

What is a typical “Day in Life” at McGladrey like?

My day normally starts with my rolling out of bed after a second or third slap of the snooze button on my alarm clock. After my showering, ironing my shirt and getting my gym bag together, I usually head down to the kitchen to make my morning smoothie, which I try to enjoy as I look over my days upcoming activities and appointments via my firm issued iPad.

Once I get to the office, my morning routine usually consists of firing up my computer, putting my lunch in the fridge if I didn’t forget it at home (which happens more often than I care to admit, but gives me a great excuse to eat at the awesome Thai restaurant down the street), and grabbing my first cup of coffee for the day.

I try to organize my workload for the day so that I self-review returns the morning after I prepare them. This lets me see them while I am fresh, separated a little bit from the prep. During my late mornings/early afternoons I try to clear review points I have received, or review returns I am scheduled to review. Afternoons are usually new/continuing prep work. 

Lunch time varies – depending on whether I remembered my lunch or not. A decent sized group of us frequently have lunch together, with an open invite to anyone else who would care to join us; and others frequently do. Thursdays are especially good days for lunch during the spring and summer as there is an open-air farmer’s market two blocks away that is always bursting with great food, trinkets, and locally grown fruits and vegetables (as well as fresh, locally grown, beautiful flowers to earn some brownie points at home, too!).

I am the Northwest Tax Process & Technology Program Lead, and a Navigator to a new staff person, so my days tend to be filled with more admin time and meetings than is typically normal, but I enjoy the additional tasks. I field a number of client phone calls during the course of a normal day, from requesting information, to answering questions about current year returns, to helping identify potential future planning opportunities and issues.

How does your day typically end?

My days ends with a coworker and I attending a gym to engage in some high-intensity interval-training. My drive home is usually fairly quick (albeit a bit sweaty) as I miss most of rush hour because of the gym.

What do you like about the variety of work you do?

My days are so different it’s difficult to really describe a typical one, which is really what keeps the job itself fresh and interesting. No day is the same, and each presents its own unique challenges. And I must say, my military training has really come in handy for those late-night nerf-gun battles that may or may not randomly break out during busy season :-)


If you’d like to work alongside of people like Shaun then be sure to join our Talent Community and review our job openings at Join The McGladrey Talent Community.  

We currently have the following openings in our Washington state offices.
Tax Senior Associate
Senior/Supervisor Accountant w/CPA or EA
SALT Director
Consulting Senior Associate - Risk Advisory
Assurance Supervisor - Commercial
Assurance Senior Associate - Commercial

Is McGladrey a Good Fit?

By Robyn Brooks
Sr. Talent Acquisition Specialist
New York, NY

I receive a lot of great questions from students at career fairs, but one of my favorites to answer is: 
What differentiates McGladrey in the marketplace? The answer is simple – it’s our clients. McGladrey is the largest U.S. provider of assurance, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market. 

That response usually raises a few eyebrows and questioning looks by those who aren’t familiar with the term “middle market.” When I explain that, by most estimates, the middle market is composed of roughly 200,000 firms across the country that together are responsible for one-third of our annual gross domestic product (GDP) and one-third of our total workforce, heads begin to nod. And when I continue by explaining how that market is growing – adding two million jobs during the 2007-2010 recession, and another two million since then – I can almost literally see light bulbs going off and students realize that McGladrey has strategically chosen to focus on a dynamic segment of the business population.  

Given McGladrey’s focus, you might wonder whether it’s a good for you and your skill set. That’s a great question because, just as you look for the best fit when selecting a college (taking into consideration class size, courses of study, extracurricular activities, location, etc.), you need to find the best fit for you when choosing a firm.

While McGladrey has clients of various sizes, again, its focus is on the growing middle market. This market encompasses family businesses, entrepreneurs, international companies and many brands that are household names. If you are looking for a firm that offers unlimited career possibilities but that also offers smaller culture “feel,” where your partners know your name (and a lot more about you), you might have just found you’re a good fit at McGladrey. We offer assurance, tax, and consulting services to more than 20 different industries. Just as we offer a full spectrum of services to our clients, we offer a spectrum of opportunities to our employees.

Sound good but you’re still not sure? My advice is to anyone trying to select a firm to work for is to use some of the same criteria you used when choosing your school: Consider the environment, career paths available, the people, and the firm’s positioning in the marketplace. The best fit for you is up to you, but by doing your “homework” and learning about the firms you’re considering, you can make an informed decision.

Pathways Leadership Program

By Anne Hoang
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Chicago, IL

Each summer, the different regions of McGladrey host a leadership conference for aspiring and ambitious college individuals seeking a career in public accounting. These students are chosen from hundreds of applicants after completing successful interviews; so here at McGladrey, we take much pride in bringing the brightest and most high achieving individuals across many states!

One of the goals of Pathways is to expose students to the public accounting industry and to provide them insight into what a day in the life of a McGladrey employee would entail. In the Great Lakes Region, the program was held in Chicago and was filled with various panels, job shadows, and team building activities. 

Along with classroom instruction, each year we want to give our participants a chance to relax in a casual setting and see the sights of the city, as many of them are not from Chicago. Our outing this summer was held at Navy Pier, where the students participated in a boat tour along the Chicago River, followed by dinner at a famous local staple. 

On the last day of Pathways, our participants were engaged in a group simulation in which they had to create their own accounting firms and work together to attain new clients. By the conclusion of the leadership program, our students left with knowledge of work-life and culture at McGladrey as well as a bigger professional network - from partners and associates, to peers and new friends across many colleges and universities!

Group simulation

If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity in the future, please remember to visit us on campus and connect with your local Talent Acquisition Specialist. Cheers to the future leaders of public accounting!