Title: Senior Vice President
Company: Valuation Research Corporation
Length of FEI sponsorship: It will be one year in August
Work email: [email protected]
Work phone number: (823) 463-8513
Tell us a little bit about your career, educational/professional background and how you got to where you are today.
I started my career in the valuation industry with a chance referral to Steve Schuetz – Managing Director of Valuation Research Corporation – while finishing my undergraduate degree at the University of South Florida. I was originally looking to get experience in commercial real estate valuation, and got a call for an interview for a financial analyst position working in the field of business valuations.
The underlying concepts of valuation in real estate overlapped, and the prospect seemed broader and very interesting to me. Valuation is a relatively small field with few players, and I knew an opportunity like this was rare and I was not going to let it pass me by. I eventually accepted an internship at Valuation Research Corporation and haven’t looked back. The first few years were tough, working another full-time job while interning and being enrolled at USF as a full-time student. But I loved every minute of it.
Over the last 15 years I’ve learned so much spanning several industries including education, communications, healthcare, manufacturing, retail trade, software, technology, and transportation. The work is always fresh, with new challenges to solve on a daily basis. I’ve never looked back and look forward to the challenges ahead.
Have you ever done anything out of the ordinary to apply for and/or get a job?
I really pushed myself out my comfort zone when I was looking to gain experience in my field. Traditional paths dictate that you wait until you are done, or close to being done, with your undergraduate studies to start working in your field. I started networking aggressively well before my graduation date and looking for a position in the field.
Most interviews ended the same, with the interviewer telling me that they wanted me to come back when I was further along with my degree. But I wouldn’t take no for an answer, which ultimately led to more doors being opened and being invited to regional professional conferences.
Those conferences led me to meet Mr. Schuetz who was looking to hire an entry-level analyst who already had a degree. The fit was great, but the technicality of not having a degree yet was an obstacle. Thankfully, he took a chance on me and created an internship position that got me started. We have been working together for the last 16 years and it’s been one great ride.
What do you love most about working in the finance profession?
The diversity of our client base is one of my favorite aspects of the work. I’ve enjoyed working with small local companies to large publicly-traded industry leaders and being able to talk to the key decision makers. Having those in-depth interviews and gaining a deep level of understanding of the companies we value has given me the type of experience it would take several lifetimes across different industries to achieve.
One of my main drivers has always been figuring out how systems work, and this career gives me insight into local and even international businesses that I would have never been able to attain otherwise.
Do you think it takes a certain kind of personality to thrive in your field? What traits are most important?
Being a pragmatist, or someone who is practical and focused on reaching a goal, is a definite plus. We see all sorts of personality types that are successful, but they usually share a handful of common characteristics which include:
- Being an extrovert.
- Being both a sensor and intuitive thinker, as we work with concrete ideas and data as well as more abstract ideas as finance and valuation theory evolves.
- Being someone who values work that challenges their intellect.
- Being someone who enjoys working with different teams and having a genuine interest in our clients’ interests.
- And lastly, being someone who truly takes ownership and pride in their work.
I can’t emphasize the last point enough, and it is something I see evolve in our new hires over time.
What are some activities you participate in to advance the profession or your career?
One group I actively participate in that specific to the valuation industry is The Appraisal Issues Task Force (AITF), which is a voluntary group of valuation professionals who specialize in the field of valuation for financial reporting and who seek to improve the practice.
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are increasingly looking for information regarding Fair Value or Fair Market Value, yet there is a lack of authoritative guidance on best practice in these areas. The AITF is designed to help establish and interpret existing rules specific to valuation for financial reporting.
We meet a few times a year in Washington, D.C., which is a great opportunity to meet and share ideas with professionals in the industry. We also sponsor Florida Institute of CFOs (fiCFO) and of course, FEI.