Ops and finance chief with Napa's Dickenson Peatman & Fogarty wins 2020 North Bay Business Journal CFO award
After pivoting to remote working by all of its staff, law firm Dickenson Peatman & Fogarty adapted and grew its business.
North Bay Business Journal is honoring Shari Riggs with a CFO Recognition Award, one of leaders recognized from a variety of businesses and nonprofits throughout Napa, Sonoma and Marin counties. Award winners were honored Aug. 28 in a Business Journal Virtual Event.
Number of company employees: 43
Education: Bachelor of Science in accounting with honors, University of Denver ~ 1991 – 1995; Executive MBA, University of Denver ~ 2003 - 2004
How has the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic disruption changed how you carry out your job at your current employer?
Initially, it was the operational challenge of ensuring the entire staff could work remotely, which included IT resources, financial challenges, and logistical challenges. Now, several months into the pandemic, we are still operating remotely to keep our staff safe.
So, on top of my regular responsibilities, a significant portion of my time is consumed by simply trying to manage the logistics of keeping the organization fully functional, while maintaining our corporate culture.
We have a very congenial office, so while we cannot currently be together, we still get together virtually – zoom happy hours, staff meetings, etc. in an effort to maintain our working relationships and our close knit firm.
What changes have come because of the pandemic in the industry you work in? Identify which changes are temporary and which, if any, are lasting.
While we will definitely go back to an office environment eventually, we anticipate the office environment will look very different than it has in the past.
Whether that is because more people will work remotely, at least part of the time, or the safety measures needed, or the amount of space needed. No matter what the changes, the office environment will definitely be different than it has been in the past.
Tell us about a recent success your company has had: Navigating COVID! When the Shelter-in-place (SIP) went into effect, we were obviously not planning to transition to a 100% remote working environment – most of our staff didn’t even have laptops.
We seamlessly setup everyone for remote access and, not only kept the corporate wheels in motion, we have grown during COVID. During this time we have maintained our entire staff and on-boarded new employees!
What advice would you give to young emerging financial leaders?
Don’t sell yourself short. Especially as a woman in the workplace, don’t be afraid to ask for what you’re worth. You teach people how to treat you and if you don’t see your worth, neither will they.
How do you think your business will change in the next five years?
While we continue to operate remotely, we will eventually return to the office but I think the office of the future will look and feel differently than it has in the past. Historically, some managers have been reluctant to allow employees to work remotely because it can be harder to manage people in multiple locations.
However, under COVID we have essentially been forced to work completely at a distance, and I think the office of the future will provide for more remote work, virtual offices, and shared meeting spaces. Additionally, I think this experience will make these alternative work environments generally more accepted.
What is a decision you wish you hadn't made? What did you learn from it?
After high school, I decided to take a gap-year that turned into a six year gap! While there have been times in the past that I have wished the gap hadn’t been as big, I have learned that some things are better to do at different times in your life.
I ended up getting so much more out of my college experience when I did go because I was so much more mature and ready for the experience. Phrasing it differently, everything happens for a reason, and when you question why something occurred the way it did, think about the benefits you’ve received from the experience compared to what you would have if experienced if you had done it differently or in a more conventional way.
What is your most memorable business experience?
I was a director for a Fortune 500 company when I decided to go back to school to get my MBA. The MBA program truly made me question my planned career path. I then executed my grad school thesis (aka business plan) which led me to leaving Corporate America and opening up my own business.
That business ultimately led me to a significant career change that also led to a move to the West Coast.
What is your greatest business success?
The business I started based on my grad school thesis was truly a game changer. I left Corporate America to open a wine bar and restaurant and became a sommelier.
