Finding Opportunities: What Leading Armanino in NorCal Means to Me

I recently did a Q&A interview on my new role as Northern California Market Leader and wanted to share here as well.

1. You recently became the Northern California Market Leader for Armanino , can you tell us about your role and what it means to you?

I am incredibly excited and deeply humbled to be the Northern California Market Leader for Armanino. More than twenty years ago, I took a call from Andrew Armanino who said, “Hey Dean, I have a job for you.” I haven’t looked back. At the end of 2022, I took a similar call from Matt Armanino , this time with a job bigger than I could ever imagine. While I am an accountant by trade, the experiences I’ve gained at Armanino has crafted me into a leader.

As Northern California Market Leader, I want to focus on three things: 1) The journey our clients are on and the challenges they’re facing, 2) The deep learning and advancement opportunities our people are excited about and 3) The continued growth of Armanino in the Bay Area and beyond.

Armanino was born and raised in the North California market and I remain bullish on the culture of disruption, innovation and continuous improvement that is in every company and every person here in The Bay.

As a person of color — the son of first-generation Filipino immigrants living in the diverse and vibrant Bay Area — I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that Armanino has provided me, and I am excited to be in a position to return the support I received through an unwavering commitment to our team and their development.

2. How are you looking to service clients in the Bay Area and Northern California in your new role?

Right now, it is important for me to make any business in this area know that they are not alone. Despite the current challenges firms of all types are facing, from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, Armanino can support you. As one of the most innovative consulting and accounting firms in the country, we have best-in-class solutions that help you take action.

From the newest in artificial intelligence to traditional business management services, whether that be through outsourced accounting, human resources and more or digital transformation, we can help you do what you do best, better.

We are at an inflection point in the future of work and productivity. One of the most important focuses for me is helping companies do more with less. Challenges will remain but the hurdles won’t be impossible to overcome; I want to instill that sense of strength in every client we work with in the Bay Area and beyond.

3. What are you hoping to accomplish in your new role?

I want to make sure that the pride of the Bay Area remains. We’re three years past the start of the pandemic, and the impact of the pandemic in the Bay Area and recent Silicon Valley Bank failure significantly disrupted business. We can also say it out loud: Many people and companies have relocated. That can place a dent in our psyche. Even still, I am firmly convinced that we will do what we have always done … adapt, innovate and change to create future opportunities. 

I want to continue to unlock the opportunity that the Bay Area offers to Armanino and our employees. If you are someone who feels the fire inside you to chase innovation and create a meaningful impact, Armanino is where you want to be. It is my job to connect the incredible opportunities the forward thinkers of Silicon Valley bring to the table with Armanino’s entrepreneurial and innovative mindset.

I owe it to our team to show them the road to success, just like I was provided 20 years ago. If employees tell me that they can’t wait to see how much change we can create in one, five or 10 years, I will feel like I have done my job.

On a personal level, I am making more of an effort to connect with other Bay Area leaders to work together and engrain myself with the individuals and teams that are leading the charge around the future of work, technology and more.

You will see me and my team use a hashtag more and more #WeAreTheBay ... this epitomizes that all of us still here are committed and believe in our bright future!  

4. What are some of the challenges you see and how can you overcome them?

Recently, my daughter asked me what I do for a living. Despite working for an accounting and consulting firm, the answer isn’t as straightforward as “I’m an accountant.” My response was, “I do a lot of things PQ, but my main job is to help people.” The honest response is that I do everything I can to empower the Armanino team to create a fearless workforce that makes the most of the opportunity the Bay Area has to offer.

The biggest challenge is the stigma around the accounting and consulting profession. We’ve seen the stories around fewer and fewer people entering these fields. I see it as an opportunity for those interested in the industry to take control of their future. I also see it as an inspiration to challenge the status quo in the industry, as well to engage the next generation and seize all the possibilities this industry provides.

If you believe that the disruptive spirit of Silicon Valley and the Bay Area remains as strong as ever, then, oh my gosh, there is so much opportunity for you here. We are so much more than just accounting or just consulting. As the most innovative and entrepreneurial firm in the country, we want to show young employees that there is more opportunity than they realize or might imagine.