46
COMMUNITY
eye on business
glenn burdette anniversary showcases secrets to success By Maggie Cox, Barnett Cox & Associates
2013 brought a fresh new look and a round of leading edge technology that seamlessly connects the SLO office with Glenn Burdette additional locations in Paso Robles and Santa Maria. Glenn Burdette today employs more than 50 people in its three offices and offers a full range of tax and audit services.
W
hen Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian stopped by the San Luis Obispo offices of Glenn Burdette on Friday, April 10, the visit marked more than just another crazy day close to the April 15 tax deadline. It was also a day celebrating the 50th anniversary of the venerable certified public accounting firm, and it included activities that tell a great story of how a 50 year old manages to stay
young. Glenn Burdette knows a thing or two about keeping one foot rooted in tradition and one leaping ahead into the future. Tradition begins with a quick look back. The firm was founded by Fred Glenn on March 15, 1965, in a small office on Marsh Street in San Luis Obispo. Fast forward to 1985 and a move to the present headquarters location at 1150 Palm Street. A sweeping remodel in
As for the future: it arrived 13 years ago when Glenn Burdette became the first California CPA firm to create an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). An ESOP offers employees ownership interest and the opportunity to directly benefit from company success. The pioneering move to an ESOP warranted Glenn Burdette a front cover and special coverage in a leading trade magazine in 2002, and did more than generate publicity. Firm Principal Dan O’Hare says the ESOP structure continues to drive innovation and teamwork and is an attractive benefit for recruits. The Glenn Burdette team is using its 50th anniversary to showcase the firm’s penchant for excellence-packaged-in-fun, a move that helps attract new legions of young professionals. An anniversary scholarship for local high school students offers a $15,000 pool of funds and challenges applicants to best identify 50 reasons why “being an accountant is awesome.” Nothing button down about it. The proclamation presented by Assemblyman Achadjian was accompanied by a logo cake, a lunch celebration, and a quick group photo. Not your standard fare for the final days before tax deadline. The celebration culminated in a late afternoon gathering in the company conference room (some joining remotely) to watch the debut of “The Bean Bag Series,” a group of humorous videos created to capture the unique spirit of GB. The videos, launched on YouTube on April 15 (no other date would do), pounce on everything from cubicle etiquette to chickens at a holiday party. The takeaway: Glenn Burdette shows that success doesn’t mean serious business all the time, and the firm has a half century marker to prove it. Happy Anniversary.
M A Y
2015
Journal PLUS