Guy was planning to attend school to become an accountant, but, unsure it was the right path, pivoted and began working for his father’s construction company. He loved the tangibility of the industry, and seeing what he could accomplish with his hands filled him with tremendous pride. Fueled by being on construction sites, and building, Guy became a certified Red Seal Pipefitter, working with his father for nine years.
Eventually, he was introduced to project management, where he discovered a different type of building: business. Recognizing that construction didn’t fit his long-term plans, Guy decided to pursue his CPA certification while working at KPMG. While his career trajectory may have changed, he always knew he would end up back in the construction industry in some capacity or another. Today, he works as an audit partner in KPMG Private Enterprise™, where he delivers tailored solutions that help clients navigate complex challenges in an evolving business environment; many of which are in the very industry he started out in.
We have a strong, one team approach. Where a lot of competitors will say, ‘this is our audit team, this is our tech team’, we can say, ‘this is our Private Enterprise team’, and we can bring all of that to you.
Guy expected audit to be a total 180° from construction, but he’s found his experience to be an indispensable tool. “I know what business owners deal with on a daily basis,” he explains. He has learned how to foster collaboration between multiple teams to reach a common goal. “In construction, there’s a lot of different perspectives and personalities, and you have to learn how to collaborate to come to the right solution.” Guy’s experience also granted him great insights into the complexities and emotions inherent in a family business, “At KPMG Private Enterprise, we work with a lot of family businesses, and I know what it was like to work with my dad. I understand the challenges and opportunities that come with that.”
As a pipefitter, project manager, and now a CPA, Guy has experience in almost every business level, from manual labour, to management, to financial, and knows how the decisions in each can affect the other. “The operational side and the financial side are very siloed in a lot of companies. I come in to bridge the gap between those two, which helps them progress and thrive.”
It’s through walking the shop floors and asking questions of the owners that I know who on our Private Enterprise team we need to bring to the client to find the right solutions.
Guy’s experience allows him to give his clients a 360° view of their organization. He can pull them out of the day-to-day details and get them to look at the big picture. Though no longer in construction, Guy still maintains an active role in creation. He and his innovative, multi-disciplinary team, which includes technologists, tax specialists, and transaction associates provide holistic practical strategies that fuel momentum to help clients construct a better future.
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