SANTA ROSA -- “How spirited and enthusiastic can an accounting firm be?” said Jeff Gutsch, partner in charge of the Moss Adams LLP offices in Santa Rosa and Napa for the past year. He has been with the company 18 years. The firm is the largest accounting firm in the area.
Mr. Gutsch chuckled. “We make meetings interactive,” rather than having long lectures, he said.
“It’s the high caliber of clients and very talented staff that make it a great place to be,” Mr. Gutsch said.
The two offices have about 85 total employees. To generate and maintain camaraderie between the two offices, “We try to do things together,” Mr. Gutsch said. North Bay regional partner and staff meetings are also held. He holds monthly joint meetings combining folks at Santa Rosa and Napa.
Employees are invited to the front of the room to present biographies of themselves, to help them get to know each other. “It’s usually pretty funny,” Mr. Gutsch said. “Somebody will spend six or eight minutes.”
Moss Adams bestows a quarterly “Pillar Award” on certain employees to reflect the company’s value system. It’s a trophy plus a gift certificate, usually to dine out.
The six pillars are: passion for excellence; intellectual curiosity; lifetime learning; leading by example; accountability; and respect. “Somebody may go above and beyond” to help a co-worker on a project, he said.
Accounting firms can become internally intense during the periods approaching tax filing deadlines, especially in April and September. “A lot of people are working a lot of hours,” Mr. Gutsch said. He noticed one senior employee whose workload was under control still working extra hours. He asked her why she was in the office on the weekend. “She said other people still have a lot going on, and she wanted to help,” he said. “She’s helping her team. I thought that was pretty cool.” She will likely win a Pillar Award.
The company holds a summer picnic, a day at AT&T park, wine tastings, office dinners and retreats.
Moss Adams also donates and encourages volunteering by employees at Redwood Food Bank, Charles M. Schulz Museum, United Way, Sonoma Regional Parks, local Boys & Girls clubs, Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue, Sonoma County Legal Aid and the American Heart Association.
