Many of you may know I joined Bernard Robinson & Company, L.L.P. (BRC) in August of 2013 when Furr & Newell, LLP was purchased by BRC. The year 2013 was an interesting year for me. "I went skydiving, I went Rocky Mountain climbing," but no, I did not go "2.7 seconds on a bull named Blue Manchu!" For those of you who don't recognize the lyrics, they are from Tim McGraw's song "Live Like You Were Dying." I'm a big fan of Tim McGraw. I wish I could tell you I always engage in activities as exciting as skydiving and Rocky Mountain climbing, but 2013 was definitely an anomaly for me. The biggest challenge of 2013 was not skydiving or Rocky Mountain climbing, but rather in deciding how to transition Furr & Newell, LLP.

  

I had always worked in a small firm, enjoyed the environment, and cherished the relationships with clients and long term co-workers. I looked forward to seeing clients and catching up on their lives. The accounting standards and tax laws were always evolving, but like every aspect of our lives, the relationships were the North Star. For those of you who know Bobbie Furr, you likely experienced her selfless devotion to both clients and employees. It is not a stretch to understand how important the decision was to Bobbie and I to find the right firm, a firm that shared our devotion to our clients and employees. Accounting firms analyze various metrics including realization, utilization, billable hours, and books of business, but we wanted a firm whose priorities were its clients and its employees.

  

Bobbie and I had a relationship with BRC since they conducted our peer review, and we held a strong, mutual respect for Dan Hayes and Victor Blackburn. After months of talking, we determined BRC was an ideal fit for both our clients and employees. We were excited about the additional resources we could offer our clients, but it was still a big step of faith. Some days it was an even bigger step to learn the various software utilized by BRC, and quite honestly there were days I may have chosen riding a bull named Blue Manchu for 2.7 seconds versus learning one more software program! Four years later, I know we made the right decision. BRC truly values its clients and employees and has done so for 70 years. In my role as an assurance partner, I work with numerous nonprofits and am supported in BRC's commitment to our communities. As a partner, I can attest to the other partners' deep desire to always best serve our clients, employees, and communities. I feel blessed to be a part of the BRC family, and I treasure my relationships with clients, many of whom I have had the pleasure of serving for over 25 years.