By Douglas Esser
Is it part of your job to hire new employees? Even if it鈥檚 not, ask yourself this question: Would you hire yourself?
Howard Snow was the controller for a large Seattle mechanical and electrical subcontractor. As an accounting hiring manager, he was struck by that question.
鈥淚 was getting to the point where I was posting positions with basic requirements beyond my own in terms of education and background. I had no CPA, no master鈥檚 degree,鈥 Snow said. 鈥淚 realized even though I had 20 years of experience that maybe I should expand my tool set.鈥
But going back to school didn鈥檛 seem plausible while Snow was holding a pivotal position that often required 50 to 60 hours a week. Then, in a 鈥渟erendipitous moment,鈥 he received a flyer in the mail from UW Bothell for the Master of Science in Accounting program at the Eastside Learning Center.
鈥淣ot only was it in Bellevue, but it was at night,鈥 he said. 鈥淏eing an Eastside resident, I said geographically it works; time works.鈥
Back to school
Snow became part of the MSA program鈥檚 first cohort in 2014. 鈥淭hey made it easy to take on something that was hard,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he way they structured it 鈥 so that people who worked full time could take advantage of the opportunity 鈥 was huge.鈥
To ease back into the student mindset, he took only one course his first quarter, Accounting Theory, taught by Professor P.K. Sen. They started by reading research papers in accounting, 鈥渄igging into the issues, figuring out where we are today and how we got here,鈥 Snow said. 鈥淚t was fascinating.鈥
Sen and other professors 鈥渕ade you think 鈥 uncomfortably sometimes,鈥 Snow said. He learned analytical skills he鈥檚 still using today, such as evaluating the intrinsic value and financial stability of a company by moving beyond just the obvious indicators. It鈥檚 worth knowing when you want to be certain subcontractors are capable of performing and clients are able to pay.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of risk management in what I do,鈥 he said.
Snow completed the MSA program in a year and a half, graduating in 2016.
鈥淚 learned a lot I could apply not only in my current role but in my future roles. I鈥檝e always thought big picture, but now I have tools that bring that picture into focus,鈥 said Snow, who added his CPA in 2019.
High-octane accounting
Accounting is far from the common, unexciting portrayal of CPAs filing tax returns. Instead, Snow said, it鈥檚 a high-pressure profession with deadlines for data, driven by multiple tasks, financial cycles and stakeholders.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to get payroll out. You鈥檝e got to get books closed. You鈥檝e got to get taxes paid,鈥 Snow said. 鈥淭he bus keeps going, and you have to make sure all these tasks get done.鈥
Project managers and the ownership group need to see performance results. Banking, bonding and insurance companies need to see figures. And then there are all the regulatory agencies. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e always trying to satisfy somebody,鈥 he said.
Since June 2019, Snow has been the controller at ABBOTT Construction, a privately owned company operating in the Puget Sound and Los Angeles regions. He manages a staff of 10. He鈥檚 also looking for accountants who are curious and able to think critically.
鈥淚 like people who are really good at digging in. They鈥檙e self-starters. They ask the right questions. They unravel things to find solutions,鈥 Snow said.
Snow loves the construction industry but takes his own advice for a self-assessment every four or five years: Am I ready to make that next four- or five-year commitment? Am I happy? Do I need to change things up? Go back to school?
鈥淵ou have to have that attitude.鈥 Snow said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 get so stagnant that you鈥檙e not ready to change your direction.鈥
Back at UW Bothell
Snow still returns to UW Bothell to speak to accounting classes and to serve as a member of the Master of Science in Accounting Advisory Board. He likes the program鈥檚 real-world focus.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a real eye-opener when you realize there are niches to this profession,鈥 he said, pointing out the many job options other than CPA. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 something UW Bothell is doing.鈥
The , which satisfies the fifth-year education requirement for the CPA, is a self-sustaining, fee-based program administered by the School of Business. Students can complete the MSA in one year full time or in two years part time. Core classes are held two evenings a week in Bellevue at the Eastside Leadership Center. Some electives are held on the UW Bothell campus.
MSA students have access to many campus resources, including library and career services. Details about the program and application information are available online or by talking with an adviser. An is scheduled Wednesday, Feb. 19, from 6 to 7 p.m. in Founders Hall (UW1-103).
