Pros
I’ve been with ADKF for 8 years and could not be happier. I have seen a lot of changes, all for the better, during that time. Founding partners are at retirement age so the succession plan was activated a couple of years ago, naming a Managing Partner and a COO, which brought on many changes and streamlined processes for future changes. The firm just went through rebranding and will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. There is both a solid foundation and a solid vision for the future at ADKF. There has been a lot of growth in the size of the firm during the last several years and plans are to keep growing. There is plenty of work and opportunities for growth. Those individuals wanting to get additional certifications such as the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), Accredited Estate Planner (AEP), etc. are being encouraged and supported to do so. I like how we (the Tax Department) work in teams that include a staff or senior tax staff working with a manger and a partner. Our partners are hands-on, therefore we are always learning from their experience as we work and attend meetings together. Annually, we have the opportunity to sit down individually and discuss our Continuing Professional Education (CPE) selections for the year with a partner to ensure they are not only beneficial to the firm, but also meet our interest and personal goals. We also have a mentor program that is voluntary and rewarding which focuses on your personal career goals. Mentors and mentees are paired together based on the mentee’s application, which asks for their goals or needs. They meet at least monthly for a 6-month period to discuss the mentee’s progress toward their goals and to ensure their needs are met. Mentor roles are filled by managers and partners. ADKF is big on community service, with many of our personnel serving on boards for our community non-profits and other organizations. ADKF has an incredible group of women and is actively involved in the San Antonio Women’s Chamber. We have committees within the firm filled with volunteers from all departments who plan our events, including employee engagement and community service activities. The biggest change I’ve seen in the last eight years has been the switch to flex time and the ability to work remotely either from home or from one of our offices in Boerne or New Braunfels; which wouldn’t be possible without the investment in technology that makes working remotely possible. The thing I love most about ADKF is how family oriented they are. It is not just something they say, they back it up by ensuring you have the time needed to take care of not only family emergencies or situations that pop up, but also the flexibility to come up with any arrangements needed to accommodate family needs. I’ve seen this in multiple forms as well as my own personal experience.
Cons
I can’t think of any con’s, but we do have a few areas that need improvement; one is our training. It has come a long way since I started in 2013, when a training program was non-existent. Today we have a defined four-part program, but we are still tweaking it and there is always room to improve. Another area we are still improving is bringing the tax and audit departments together into a one-firm mentality. A lot of progress is being made here but we still have room to improve.
