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.