Client variety accelerates employee growth

At RSM, we serve middle market clients in many different industries, from consumer products to financial services to government and healthcare. Even within an industry, no two clients are alike. Our middle market clients are especially diverse, as they account for a third of the US workforce and 40 percent of GDP. Two first year associates in our New York office offered their perspective on the client variety they have seen in the year or less they have been here at RSM.

Kristen G. works specifically in the financial services audit group and worked on about four clients just in her first busy season. Each engagement lasted from three weeks to three months. She’s had the opportunity to work on private equity, a hedge fund, a fund of fund, and an employee benefit plan. Just being here for a few short months, she had the chance to see a good amount of different clients and continues to see variety and she joins new engagement teams.

When asked the most challenging part of getting such a variety of client experience she noted you must learn to manage your time well and balance them all. There are times when someone will ask to do something and, although she wants to get it done in a timely manner, sometimes it’s harder with another client on your plate, so she communicates to her superiors. Another challenge is working on different types of clients. For example, sometimes there is certain testing that only applies to one client and may not be applicable to others.

On the other hand, Courtney K, another first-year associate, works specifically on Commercial clients in the Assurance group. During busy season, she worked on about seven clients, also ranging in different industries. Courtney spent most of busy season out at client sites. Being physically there made it easier to talk through questions and do walk-throughs. The industries she worked on ran the gamut, such as, technology, real estate, consumer products, pharmaceutical and manufacturing.

For both first year associates, RSM has provided them with the unique opportunity to see a variety of different clients. The assortment has given them a taste of the many different clients RSM serves.

Pursue Your Passion: A Legacy of Family

Editor’s Note: Amanda Brown was one of nine RSM US LLP (RSM) employees given an opportunity to “pursue their passions” as a result of the firm’s Pursue Your Passion (90-90-9) program. Through Pursue Your Passion, RSM is supporting personal and professional aspirations by providing nine employees with $90,000 ($10,000 each) and nine paid days off to fulfill their dreams. Amanda’s dream? Volunteer at The Bailey House and/or the Ronald McDonald House, facilities that provide respite to family members of hospitalized patients, and purchase “wish list” supplies. Read Amanda’s story:

I am a firm believer that with everyone there are moments, circumstances and people that fundamentally shape who we are, what we believe and how we move through this journey called life.

From the time that I was an infant, I knew what long-term illness looked like, through my father. As one of the pioneering patients in organ transplantation and associated medications, he taught my sister and me the power of hope and a positive outlook for any situation. Throughout his lifetime, he received four kidney transplants – some not the best fit when the need was dire and others a perfect match, as was the case on New Year’s Eve as a ‘present’ for a joyous new year. These operations, dialysis appointments and ongoing doctor visits brought my family far from home to the center of hope for us – UPMC Hospitals in Pittsburgh, PA.

It’s not easy or inexpensive to travel for long periods of time due to medical reasons. Families find themselves without their support structure and often times with large financial debt, as well. Over the years, my family has relied on an organization called Family House to help us along the way.

Family House provides housing and support to family members and patients facing difficult medical issues. It could be a few nights, a few weeks or even months that someone could be living at one of their houses, close to the medical facilities. The need to stay is often unplanned, which results in additional stress – like where to sleep, what to eat and even how to shower or clean your clothes. Family House provides support in all these areas and more through their facilities – like a large community kitchen, private rooms, and donations of items such as toiletries and food. More importantly, they bring together people in similar circumstances who can lend an ear, comfort, understanding and support.

Fast forward nine years from my last stay at Family House (and just over nine years since I joined RSM) and I now have two small children – ages eight and four. Although they will never have an opportunity to meet my father, it’s important to me that they know what kind of person he was, and how important it is to treat others with kindness, as so many others have shown to us.

With the opportunity presented to me through RSM’s Pursue Your Passion program, I was able to continue the fulfillment of my father’s legacy by helping others, getting extended family together and teaching my children first-hand the power of volunteering.

My husband, children and mother traveled together to Family House this December to volunteer our time. We were met there by siblings and cousins who lived in the area and also wanted to help honor my Dad.

We cooked a stir fry dinner for approximately 50 guests, while my children made sugar cookies and decorated them with family members and guests. Throughout the day, we talked to a family who had been staying there since April, waiting for a transplant. We spoke with a father whose daughter had received a stem cell transplant just the week prior, after a very long hospital stay. My brother-in-law, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma five years ago, manned the wok, which brought tears to some of the guests’ eyes, as hope that normal lives can one day resume again.

We came back early the next day and cooked breakfast, which included ‘to-go’ containers so guests could take their meals to the hospital to make morning rounds or in the car for those who were fortunate enough to travel home.

Our intention is to not let this be our only trip to help at Family House, but to continue the tradition each year.

Also, the Pursue Your Passion program has introduced me to a local organization, The Bailey House, which provides the same type of facilities, close to my home. Through this program, I’ve been able to get the ball rolling with the Women’s Auxiliary, which I’ve now joined as a lifetime member. We’ve implemented some ideas, based on my experiences at Family House that directly impact the guests. These include magazine subscriptions, a library, stationary and stamp center and small gift cards to purchase meals (as the Bailey House does not have its own kitchen facility as Family House does). I look forward to continuing my relationship with the Bailey House for many years to come and to exposing my children to the good work that they do as well.

I joined RSM just a few weeks short of what became one of the most difficult times in my life. In times of struggle, I’m reminded of a quote from my childhood, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ I’ve found my helpers at Family House over the years, at RSM through the tough times and now I have had an opportunity to be a helper and teach my children to be a helper as well.

On the move: Principal helps three team members grow their careers through internal transfers

At RSM, we work hard to ensure our clients and our employees are successful, because that makes the firm successful. Karen Wiltgen, technology and management consulting (TMC) principal, is a big believer in that theory and a great example of how to make it a reality.

Over the last year, Karen has helped three high-performing team members transition to other parts of the firm, based on their career aspirations and interests, as well as the needs of the firm.

"I think that a big part of our role as leaders is to help our employees and clients achieve their goals and be more than they ever imagined they could be, " said Karen. "If that means encouraging one of our team to move on to opportunities in other areas of the firm, then that's what we will do."

Karen admits that it's not always easy. When there was an opening on RSM's infrastructure team, Karen knew that, then TMC Director, Drew Faries would be great in the role of infrastructure director. "Drew didn't ask for the move, we went to him," explained Karen. "Selfishly, I didn't want him to leave. I knew it would set my team back a bit. But there were such clear growth opportunities for him and he had the right experience to be successful in the role. It was the right thing to do for Drew and for RSM."

Little did she know that Drew would ask another TMC resource on her team, Patricio Cadena, to join him on the infrastructure team. "Drew wanted Patricio because he had the right skills and knowledge to move the infrastructure team forward. Again, it was the right thing to do," said Karen. "It's really been a win-win for all of us. Collaboration across consulting teams continues to grow, providing greater opportunities for success and growth."

Not long after Drew and Patricio moved into their new roles, Alex Stone, an associate in TMC, came to Karen to share an opportunity he wanted to pursue to move to RSM's international services office (ISO). The ISO never had a team member join from the TMC area and it would open up a new dimension for them.

"Alex came to RSM right out of college and has been an asset to our team since day one," said Karen. "He steps up, raises his hand, comes up with ways to improve processes; he's an out-of-the-box thinker. You look at someone like that and see this great experience ahead of them; you can't hold them back. It's going to be good for him, the firm and our clients."

Karen's mindset is that she would much rather have employees move on within the firm than leave RSM to achieve their career goals. "These people are great assets to the firm. They can help us build bridges between groups and prevent silos that can keep us from collaborating," said Karen.

"I want them to stay and make their career here. To do that, they need to see opportunities. And they need to know they can come talk to us and tell us what they want for themselves and that we will

This is a great example of how RSM employees are encouraged to talk about their short- and long-term career aspirations with their leaders, including interest in rotation programs, global work and flexibility.