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BV&CO Celebrates 35 Years of Service
By Ed Adkins
2004 is a very important year for Barnard, Vogler & Co. This year our city is experiencing a period of renewal and reinvention. Our country is voting on its future leadership in a time of great global change. This year BV&CO, one of Reno's largest local accounting firms, turns 35. Built on deep relationships and uncompromising integrity, BV&CO reflects on a rich legacy and a promising future.
The story of Barnard, Vogler & Co. begins with Dick Barnard. In 1966, after working for the city of Los Angeles and as an accountant for Coopers & Lybrand in Oakland, California, Barnard came to Reno in search of a more suitable community to raise his recently started family. He and his wife Ann found Reno to be a warm community, with great economic promise but still a small-town feel.
For the next three years, as Barnard and his wife settled in Reno to raise their family, Dick worked for a sole practitioner in town, gaining experience as an accountant. The Barnards immediately began meeting people and developing ties in the local community. Dick started the local chapter of the National Association of Accountants, now known as IMA, and became a member of several other local organizations. Ann joined the Junior League, meeting many of Dick's future clients. Dick's entrepreneurial spirit soon found footing, when in 1969 he had the opportunity to buy the practice of another local accountant who was retiring.
Dick was excited to go into business for himself. There was one caveat to the deal, though- he had to hire the accountant's secretary. She had been invaluable to the practice, acting as bookkeeper and performing many of the back-office duties. The secretary's name was Betty Vogler.
By day, Betty worked as secretary and office manager. By night, she attended UNR, majoring in accounting and eventually graduating at the top of her class. Shortly after receiving her CPA certificate, Betty was admitted as a partner to the firm which eventually became Barnard, Vogler & Co. This also began BV&CO's rich tradition of supporting women in business. Betty became the first woman president of the Nevada Society of CPAs, and over the years has covered the walls of her office with plaques representing countless hours devoted to various positions of civic leadership.
In the years after that, Barnard, Vogler & Co. continued to grow, taking on as a Director Pat Davis. Davis, a Stanford graduate, was one of the first two women hired in San Francisco by the national firm Price Waterhouse. Additionally, in 1987, Pat's son, Mike, joined the firm as a staff accountant. Later, in 1990, BV&CO made another leap when they acquired the Reno office of the national firm, Pannell Kerr Forster. This merger brought on future directors Janis Reams, Roger Stewart and Leslie Daane.
In 1998 Leslie Daane and Mike Davis both became directors, creating the future leadership of the firm. Current Managing Director, Leslie Daane, reflects that taking the reigns of such an esteemed practice was at first intimidating. Dick Barnard, though, knew that she was the right choice. As a staff accountant, he says that she was a highly motivated worker and had a thirst for knowledge. This moved Barnard to mentor her throughout her career to her current position.
As Managing Director, Daane brings a unique style of consensus leadership. Instead of forcing the firm in a certain direction, she is known for having an ability to "bring others along" as the firm moves into the future. This works well in a firm known for being a tight knit family. It also helps as BV&CO continues to venture into new territory.
In the last year, the firm has branched out into new directions to serve its clients needs. As part of a vision to become the most profitable, preeminent and proactive firm in Northern Nevada, BV&CO has taken on several new employees. Last October, Richard Teichner, CPA, CVA joined the firm as Director of Business Valuations and Litigation Support. Recently the firm saw the addition of Legacy Advisors, LLC, a financial services firm led by Robert Jorgensen, CIMA. BV&CO also expanded its services to cater to the specialized needs of fast food franchisees.
Barnard, Vogler & Co. is grateful for all of the relationships that have made 35 years of service possible and rewarding, and looks forward to many more years of fulfilling our mission to enrich the future of our clients, our employees and our community.
Introducing Robert B. Jorgensen, CIMA, and Legacy Advisors
Barnard, Vogler & Co. is proud to announce the expansion of our services by the addition of Robert Jorgensen, CIMA, and Legacy Advisors, LLC. This new alliance will increase our wealth management services as well as create even more ways that BV&CO can help businesses and individuals build more prosperous futures.
Robert is bringing a very different and fresh financial approach to the investment community of Northern Nevada and he has the knowledge and background to deliver the message. Robert has an MBA and is a Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Meanwhile, Legacy has over $600 Million in assets under management and over 1000 clients nationwide. Together they bring both powerful credentials and personal service to Northern Nevada.
Robert joins BV&CO from Lockwood Financial Services (a Bank of New York Co.), one of the nation’s largest providers of individually managed accounts, where he was Director of Western Sales. Previously, he spent 15 years on Wall Street with Solomon Smith Barney, Inc., leaving that firm in 1998.
Also an author, Robert wrote the book, "Individually Managed Accounts: An Investor’s Guide" which is available on Amazon.com. His articles have appeared in Forbes, Business Week, Money, Smart Money, The Wall Street Journal and Worth Magazine.
Legacy Advisors will be providing a wealth of services including: financial and estate planning, investment advisory, retirement services and money management. Also, in order to serve the community, Legacy and BV&CO will be hosting a seminar this October entitled, Global Finance & Investing Forecast for ’05-06.
Special guest speaker for the seminar, Jonathan C. Arter, will be highlighting what investors should expect in the upcoming financial landscape. Arter is the Senior Global Analyst for Yelton Fiscal, one of the leading security analysis firms in the world, whose clients include Fidelity Investments, The Bank Of Singapore, The Tokeville Funds, The Royal Bank of Canada, and Felix Zouloff, one of the famous Barron’s 11 (Barron’s Global Roundtable).
Information for this extraordinary event can be found on this page and by calling Robert Jorgensen or Ana Bihler at Legacy Advisors, LLC (775) 324-7606.
Client Profile: Burger King of Reno
By Ed Adkins
Arriving in Reno in 1976 with all they owned packed into a U-haul, Don White and George Sorrentino set about establishing Burger King as a local name. “We brought Burger King to Reno,” reflects White, “Before we got here there wasn’t one in the whole city.” Now they oversee a web of 18 franchises stretching from Reno to Portland, OR.
White and Sorrentino became a BV&CO client shortly after opening their first restaurant in 1977. White, co-owner of the Burger King Franchise Group of Reno reflects on 28 years in the area. “The Truckee Meadows was a community of only 70,000 back then. We figured that it could sustain a few stores- we never imagined the success it’s given us.”
Both White and Sorrentino had previously worked with the Burger King Corporation, and were looking for an area that would support new franchises and be a perfect place to raise their families.
Ken Johnson, who manages operations for the franchises, has been with them for 14 years. Johnson says that working for White and Sorrentino has given him the chance to be successful both in business and at home, allowing him to truly focus on raising a family while growing the franchises. He says that one of the most notable changes lately has been the remarkable efficiency they have experienced since BV&CO launched its new back-office services for Burger King franchisees.
Recently, BV&CO hired Elaine Polli, who had been working as office manager for White and Sorrentino, in order to begin our new service of back-office work for franchisees. White describes BV&CO taking over their entire accounting and payroll function as “seamless”.
BV&CO is very excited to provide this new service to their Burger King of Reno client and look forward to helping other Burger King franchisees discover the efficiencies realized by the White/Sorrentino Group..
Employee Profile: Roger Stewart
He is a man who thrives on action and adventure and has benefited from what he calls a life of extraordinary chances- not what you’d expect to hear from an accountant of 42 years. After spending over four decades in public accounting, Roger Stewart is retiring and says he’s not sure what he’ll do. He may be known for his thoroughness and steadiness, but his life has been far from boring. If you want to understand Roger, he says, the first thing you should do is watch TV. “There’s a commercial for a supermarket where they show a tough looking cowboy,” says Stewart, “who goes on to say that he became a CPA because his allergies were so bad. That’s me.”
The first of his adventures began in 1956. Stewart had graduated from BYU with a degree in accounting and decided to go abroad to do missionary work and ended up serving 2 1/2 years in Germany. “I got a chance to see an extraordinary part of the world that was shut off to most US citizens.” Stewart’s time overseas included learning the German language and frequent trips into what was then communist Eastern Germany. The work, he says, was “dangerous at times, but rewarding.”
Once back in the states, Stewart entered the Army Corp of Engineers and experienced another grand opportunity which would set a course for his entire career. It was March of 1959 and as part of a chance encounter, Private Stewart was put in charge of an elementary school system located on a military base. “Due to my education in accounting and experiences in Germany, and the fact that I was in the right office at the right time, I ended up in a position I never dreamt of. I had a lot of control, and was able to make many improvements.”
Returning to Nevada, Stewart joined a local firm in Reno and earned the 173rd CPA license issued by the state. Here in Reno, he says, another extraordinary event occurred. “Due to my special experience with schools in the military, I was put in charge of all the school districts that the firm audited. It was an honor at such an early part of my career.” One of those accounts is current BV&CO client Mineral County School District who has been with Roger all 42 years of his career.
Soon Stewart was a partner with a National Accounting Firm. “I was amazed by how quickly my career had taken off, but much of it was due to so many extraordinary events.” Those who know Roger know that his hard work, determination and personality also had a lot to do with it.
In 1990, when the firm he was with merged with BV&CO, Roger Stewart was overjoyed. “It was at Barnard, Vogler & Co. that I found an entire firm whose culture reflected the same standards that I valued: hard work and uncompromising ethics.” As a Director at BV&CO Roger has been invaluable in his role in charge of Human Resources, encouraging staff accountants with direction in the kind of work and attitude it takes to become a Director.
As he reflects on 42 years of accounting, Stewart has timely advice for young accountants and students entering the field. “When I started accounting, you could generalize; we were able to handle the entire spectrum of business needs. With so many changes in regulations and new industries, students must specialize.” Stewart goes on to say that students need to gain skills in specific areas they like most. “If you pick taxation, then leave no stone unturned. Learn as much as you can in that area.”
Now that he is retiring, Stewart has plans to travel with his wife and also visit his son Jeffrey and his grandchildren who live in Utah. For right now, though, he says he’s just getting used to retirement. "I love working with people. I'll miss my clients, but I know they're in great hands." He loves all things outdoors including hunting, fishing and water sports. “Wherever the action is,” Stewart says with a flash in his eye, “that’s where I like it.”