Jordan Miller, CPA, MaCC – 2016 40 Under 40 Honoree
Sep. 19, 2016
Jordan Miller, CPA, MaCC
Manager
CliftonLarsonAllen
Charlotte, North Carolina
CLAconnect.com
Q&A:
Aside from the accounting websites, which blog/website do you consider a must-read?
As a new mom (my baby will be 4 months in September), I spend a lot of time on Parents.com. When I need a quick little break I like to check out buzzfeed.com and read some of their funny lists!
In what ways have you contributed to your firm/company to make it better?
I like to think I am someone that staff can look up to and come to if they are having issues, whether it be technical accounting issues or team dynamic issues. I also help create a fun environment in our office, by helping to plan events, such as an outing to the U.S. National White Water Center, our end of busy season and holiday parties, and community service events.
In what ways do you participate in the professional community to change/improve the accounting profession?
During college, I had a summer accounting internship. I worked to obtain a full time offer once I completed school. Unfortunately, the firm was not extending offers to any interns. This crushed me! I thought I would never find a job and I would have to move back in with my mom. I went through recruiting again and found the best fit with CliftonLarsonAllen. Because of that experience I love talking to students and letting them know that everything will be alright! I am heavily involved in the North Carolina Association of CPAs and am the first chair of the student outreach, advancement, and recruitment committee. One of our goals is to promote the CPA profession to students of all ages. Baby Boomer CPAs are starting to retire, so we are looking to that next generation to take a leadership role in this industry.
In what ways do you participate in your local community to help others?
CLA is heavily involved in our community. I have personally volunteered at a local food bank, cleaned a domestic violence shelter, and performed beautification efforts at a local elementary school and raptor rescue center.
What changes do you foresee in the accounting profession of the near future (3-5 years)?
I find our industry is becoming more and more regulated. Our profession has always been great at navigating changes, but we will need to get even more proficient at it by embracing emerging technology and stepping out of our comfort zone. Also, due the changes in the CPA exam, future CPAs will have more technical knowledge at a younger age. However, we can’t forget to bridge the gap between technical and relational skills that our clients expect.
How do you see yourself participating in shaping the future of the accounting profession?
I am passionate about working with students, whether through recruiting efforts at CliftonLarsonAllen or at the state level with the North Carolina Association of CPAs. Through these efforts, I hope to promote careers in public accounting by energizing the student community through recruiting, training, and onboarding efforts.
I recently was appointed to a healthcare industry committee with CliftonLarsonAllen. This committee will allow me to gain even more industry specific knowledge and help set policies and procedures for our entire firm.
What is your career philosophy?
My philosophy is to ask questions and be kind. After six years of being an auditor I still ask numerous questions every single day. When I was an associate, most of my questions were to my mentors and colleagues on how to do something. Now, most of my questions are big picture items, whether it’s directed to my client (“What keeps you up at night?”) or directed to my firm (“How can we be more efficient? How can we impact those around us?”)
Being kind is a key to a long career. Bing an auditor doesn’t give one the authority to be rude or disrespectful. Do I have to be firm sometimes? Absolutely – but I can still do that in a kind respectful manner. I have found that clients, co-workers, and community members are more likely to assist you when you treat them with respect.
Describe one person who has been an important mentor to you and how that person helped change your life.
My biggest mentor is my mother. While she is not a CPA, she instilled in me important values that have been foundational in my career. When my parents divorced, she became a single mother of three with only a high school diploma. I witnessed her hard work for years as she enrolled in community college and onto the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to obtain her degree in teaching. She is now a very successful kindergarten and first grade teacher. I was able to see first-hand how hard you have to work in order to achieve your goals, but that the payoff is well worth it! Through my hard work, I was able to finance college entirely through scholarships and student aid so that I graduated debt free. I also was able to be promoted to manager at CliftonLarsonAllen after only four years of experience.
My biggest accounting mentor is Kevin Leder, a principal at CliftonLarsonAllen who I work with most closely. He interviewed me while I was still in school and was a key reason in CliftonLarsonAllen hired me. Ever since then he has allowed me to stretch my comfort zone and give me amazing opportunities. With only one year of experience he allowed me to in-charge my very first audit client. At first I was apprehensive, but he had complete faith in me. Since we work so closely together, I am able to see how he interacts and serves his clients.
Seeing this first had, he has instilled in me how important customer service is. His passion for CliftonLarsonAllen and the accounting profession ignites others passions as well. I love speaking to students and training new staff. He encouraged me to pursue that passion. With his support, I have now trained our new staff at the national level numerous times and am the 1st chair of the NCACPA’s student outreach, advancement, and recruitment committee. If I have an issue or a problem, I seek advice from Kevin because I know he will listen, without judgement. I am very fortunate to have him be a key part in my career.
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