Pursue Your Passion: Patagonia

Peter Berns
Audit Manager
St. Louis, Missouri

Three employees were chosen to embrace “The Power of Being Understood” through the “McGladrey – Pursue Your Passion” program across the central region. Peter Berns, audit manager, St. Louis, was one of the three selected and pursued his passion in Patagonia, Argentina.  Peter has always had a passion for the great outdoors. From an early age, he has been involved in outdoor activities, experiencing camping with his family beginning when he was in the first grade.

Peter enjoyed his family camping trips and also learned to fish and shoot archery. Soon thereafter, Peter joined the Boy Scouts of America. His experiences with his Boy Scout troop only fueled his love of the outdoors. At the young age of 14, Peter achieved Eagle Scout status. To earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement rank in Scouting, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service, and outdoor ability.

During his high school years, Peter attended adventure camp in the Florida Keys. Peter’s adventurous spirit is rivaled by his respect for the environment. He traveled to a remote island in Canada and built a composting toilet as part of a service project. He took great pride in combining his love of adventure with the ability to improve the environment.

Soon, Peter began mountain climbing. He finds the experience of sustaining himself solely with items he can carry on his back to be very rewarding. In 2003, he and a friend set a goal to climb the 58 tallest peaks in Colorado. To date, Peter has summited 49, with 9 remaining. Some have been quite difficult, such as the Knife’s Edge portion of Capitol Peak. Knife Edge is a short, exposed section on the ridge that requires concentration and solid nerves. Conquering this portion of the Capitol Peak hike is one of Peter’s rewarding accomplishments.

Through his experiences, Peter has learned to be independent and resourceful…characteristics that have carried over into his career. As a client server, these attributes help him deliver excellent service and enhance his ability to manage junior staff.

While Peter has found his Colorado hiking experiences rewarding, he asked himself, “what’s next?” His answer---exploring the beautiful landscape of Patagonia. Peter and his cousin, who recently completed a Peace Corps assignment in Paraguay, hiked the mountains of Patagonia for 10 days and kayak for three to four days. Stay tuned for a recap of his adventures!