Tom enjoys helping small to medium businesses grow and loves to share in the excitement clients feel as they move forward. He joined the team at GeersSullivan in October 2015.

5 MINUTES WITH TOM

Describe the path that lead to what you’re doing now

I did a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting and Marketing and I’ve worked in a number of accounting firms of a similar size to GeersSullivan.  As I moved up the ladder, along the way I learned about managing staff and had a team of people reporting to me.

What does your day typically involve?

Most of my day is spent liaising between Chris at a directors’ level and the staff. I review their work, organise training wherever needed and manage the flow of work in and out of the office. Outside of that I also do my own client work, for example due diligence and preparing cash flows, higher level consulting rather than compliance. I do a fair bit of practice management such as bills, correspondence, developing procedures and improving the way we do things. We’re really focussed on continual improvement here.

What kinds of clients do you prefer working with?

I prefer to work with small to medium business, especially those who are looking to grow. I’ve got a lot of experience with small business concessions, including business structuring and tax planning, based around maximising peoples’ ability to get those concessions. I have also developed a strong understanding of the application of Trust Law measures.

What do you like about working at GeersSullivan?

Everyone’s very friendly and professional. The firm’s procedures and controls are really well thought out, which means everything keeps moving very smoothly. I also like the fact that there are trainee accountants here – I quite firmly believe that’s a good way of developing the industry.

What do you do outside of work?

I like to play golf and brew my own beer. I’ve just finished building a new home, which took up most of my life for the past year.

Do you have any favourite movies or TV shows?

My favourite TV show is The Walking Dead and my favourite movie is Hot Fuzz. I like a bit of sci fi and fantasy.

Do you have any skills that people might be surprised by?

I’m not bad at cooking – I make a pretty mean Turkish pide and Thai green curry. I’m fairly handy around the house – I can do my own plumbing, tiling, building and plastering – and I can generally fix peoples’ computers for them. I like to write fiction – some young adult stuff and some adventure. It’s mostly just for myself so I can see if I can do it.