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MANAGING PARTNER MESSAGE
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DEAR VASQUEZ + COMPANY TEAM... In 2024, we set our sight beyond boundaries. Building on our momentum from the past years, our dedication to growth remains unwavering and we are committed to continuing to expand our service capabilities. This involves welcoming new team members and understanding the vital role each individual plays in our collective success. We are also investing heavily in everyone's development through comprehensive technical training, engaging team-building activities, and firmwide and mini-town hall meetings. This approach ensures that our team remains at the forefront of industry expertise and exceeds client expectations. In addition to nurturing our employees, we plan to elevate our presence in the Philippines, continue to expand our client base in the US and increase our revenue through strategic and targeted marketing initiatives. Our journey toward success is a collective one, and it is through working as a team that we can achieve extraordinary growth. Our goal — a year of unparalleled teamwork, shared successes, and a future filled with accomplishments that reflect the quality of services we provide. Looking forward to achieving greatness together! Cheers,
Gilbert R. Vasquez Managing Partner
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NEW EMPLOYEES
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*LA Team Members
AUDIT GROUP
Emart Ulit
Mary Tanglao*
Jerame Sarmiento
Associate Manager
Supervisor
Senior Associate
Princess Jagmis
Dimple Escabarte
Senior Associate
Irish Navarro
Senior Associate
Senior Associate
IT AUDIT GROUP
Dexter Arreza Senior Associate
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NEW EMPLOYEES
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ACCOUNTING GROUP
Joanne Licmuan
Glayn Fermin
Andrea Cruz
Senior Accountant
Experienced Accountant
Associate
Associate
Arianne Cordova
Angela Siping
Leah Zaldua
Jana Panahon
Associate
Associate
Associate
Associate
Mary Grace Reprado
TAX GROUP
Camille Sahirul Associate
ADMINISTRATION GROUP
Maggie Guardado* Administrative Assistant/ Receptionist
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ANNIVERSARIES
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Vasquez + Company would like to recognize the employees below that have reached milestone anniversaries with the company!
17 YEARS WITH VASQUEZ!
9 YEARS
7 YEARS
4 YEARS
2 YEARS
1 YEAR
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ANNIVERSARIES
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4 YEARS WITH VASQUEZ!
3 YEARS
2 YEARS
1 YEAR
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JOB MARKETPLACE
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Vasquez + Company is hiring! Check out these open work opportunities at our Firm. Feel free to refer qualified candidates to the following positions.
JOB OPENINGS Philippines
USA
Auditor
Auditor
All Levels, Junior to Manager Level
Send your CV to
apply@vasquezcpa.com (PH)
Senior Level
Click here for
LinkedIn Job Openings (CA)
Please note that only California-based applicants will be considered for Glendale, CA openings; and Philippine-based for the Metro Manila, PH openings.
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COMPANY EVENTS & UPDATES
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HALLOWEEN PARTY Last October, the Vasquez Team had a Halloween celebration like no other! The festivities unfolded at the residence of our partner, Roger Martinez. Our Team members went all out, showcasing their creativity in a Halloween best costume contest. Congratulations to the winners! Your efforts and enthusiasm added a special touch to our Halloween bash.
THANKSGIVING LUNCH Last November, the Los Angeles Team gathered for a sumptuous Thanksgiving lunch at Fogo De Chao in Pasadena, CA. The atmosphere was filled with warmth, laughter, and the enticing aroma of a feast fit for the occasion.
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COMPANY EVENTS & UPDATES
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BETHANY’S BABYSHOWER As Bethany Pedro embarks on this wonderful journey of motherhood, the Vasquez family stands beside her in support! Congratulations, Bethany!
CONGRATULATIONS PAULA! We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Paulo and Paula Montero on their recent marriage. May the days ahead be filled with love, laughter, and all the wonderful moments that life has to offer!
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COMPANY EVENTS & UPDATES
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As the curtain drew to a close on another incredible year, the Vasquez Teams in LA and the Philippines celebrated a spectacular year-end party at Castaway in Burbank, California, and The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion, Taguig, Metro Manila, respectively.
LOS ANGELES
PHILIPPINES
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KEEPING FIT
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8 WAYS TO STAY FIT WHILE TRAVELING Most people don’t usually keep a good fitness routine while traveling — they try, but their fitness routines are never as good as when they are at home. Here are eight strategies to help you stay fit on the road: Focus on bodyweight exercises. Bodyweight exercises use your own body weight to strengthen muscles. They are ideal for travel because they require no equipment, can be done anywhere and anytime, and have variations to increase intensity and prevent boredom. In short, they eliminate pretty much every excuse you might come up with for not exercising. Common bodyweight exercises include: squats, push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, crunches, leg lifts, sit-ups and jumping jacks. Keep the workout short and minimal. Every day, alternate ten minutes of one travel activity (work if you’re traveling for business, something from your agenda for the day if you’re traveling for pleasure) with your exercise for the day — for example pushups or squats. Choose just one bodyweight exercise, and try to do four to six sets (not including warm-up sets) of as many as you can do. That’s it. Even with that minimal exercise, you’ll have maintained strength in those exercises. And because the workout is so simple, it’s hard to say no to it. Don’t give yourself a choice. It can be easy to procrastinate on exercise when you travel, mostly because travel workout routines may seem too difficult. By simplifying it to just one exercise, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate. Better still, make yourself accountable. Pick someone to report daily on what you’ve done for exercise. So every morning, do an hour’s worth of work, and do your one bodyweight exercise for the day, no excuses. That routine works really well, if you don’t let yourself off the hook. 11
KEEPING FIT
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Walk. Walk a lot, every day. Watch as you go from a walking wimp to a walking god in just a few weeks. Sure, you may take breaks to stop for coffee or ice cream or lounge around in public squares, but spend most of your time walking through winding streets; admiring buildings, statues and cafes; and exploring a new place. Run up every set of stairs. Most cities have lots of stairs: going up from subway stations, going up to an office or museum, etc. Run up every single flight. If you see a set of stairs, gleefully run up them, two or three steps at a time. Run up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Sometimes you may climb hundreds of stairs (the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower) and only run up some of them, but learn to love stairs! Sprint. Every day, sprint at least a few times. Race the kids to a statue or sprint down a small alley for fun. Make it a form of play. You may not have the opportunity to go on long runs while you’re traveling, but if you take the opportunity to sprint when you can, you’ll usually feel pleasantly tired at the end of each day. Try to be mindful and not overeat. Too often, the foods you eat while traveling aren’t healthy — pastas, pizzas, breads, ice cream, etc. That can be okay. Giving yourself permission to relax about what you eat and try new foods is part of what makes travel enjoyable. But make it your goal to eat mindfully, and not overeat too much. You may not be successful —but try to be pretty good. Hopefully the exercise will balance out the rest. Skip and dance with the kids. Hold your child’s hand and skip merrily along the streets. It is less embarrassing to skip merrily (or often, crazily) in public if you’re holding a child’s hand. Also, dance with your kids in public. You may not be the world’s best dancer, but you can get a good disco fever going, or do the Twist, or the ever-reliable Running Man. Copyright © 2022 LifeCare, Inc. All rights reserved.
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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
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CHER JIANG
Audit Supervisor LA Team Q: How long have you been with V + Co.? A: Six years Q: What do you like best about working for V + Co.? A: The friendly and respectful work environment; and the wise, optimistic, and big-hearted colleagues Q: Do you have a motto or personal mantra that you follow? A: Never make the same mistake twice Q: What do you like to do in your free time? A: Hiking and road trips Q: What is one skill you’d love to learn? A: Swimming Q: What, if anything, are you currently binge-watching? Or reading? A: None Q: What’s on your bucket list? A: Travel to Northwest China and Europe Q: What are the 3 places that you would like to travel to? A: Xinjiang Province in China, Spain, and Turkey Q: What are 3 words that best describe you? A: honest, thoughtful, and independent 13
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
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LECH PLAMENCO
Associate Manager - Audit PH Team
Q: How long have you been with V + Co.? A: 3 years and 4 months Q: What do you like best about working for V + Co.? A: Work-life balance, manageable workload, positive and friendly work environment Q: Do you have a motto or personal mantra that you follow? A: “Always show up” Q: What do you like to do in your free time? A: Working out and running Q: What is one skill you’d love to learn? A: Fall asleep faster Q: What, if anything, are you currently binge-watching? Or reading? A: Gyeongseong Creature Q: What’s on your bucket list? A: Skydiving and finishing a marathon with my wife. Having four (4) babies Q: What are the 3 places that you would like to travel to? A: Iceland, Antarctica, North Korea, South Africa Q: What are 3 words that best describe you? A: Sassy, Humorous, Reliable
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ARTIST CORNER
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KENNETH IAN LOPEZ AUDITOR PH TEAM
I have always enjoyed dancing, even as a kid. When I was still in kindergarten, I remember always being in front of the class whenever we had an activity that required us to dance, because I could pick up choreography faster than the others. In grade school, I always participated in activities where we needed to dance, which I did without my parents knowing. They don’t always approve, since all my brothers and sisters are excelling academically, and I’m the only one talented (lol). My first year in high school, I remember we had this annual “Highschoolympics” (which was our version of the sports fest) and one of the highlights of the event was the Cheer Dance Competition. I wanted to join so badly but was afraid that my parents would just scold me. I just watched the practices and did the choreography on the side since I could pick it up faster than the rest. One of the coaches saw me and approached me, asking if I wanted to join the team since I already knew the choreography. I refused, but promised myself the next year I would join, and so I did. When I was in college, there was this dance crew in our department that I wanted to join, but due to the strict grading requirements, I chose to focus more on my studies. In my third year, I got the courage to audition for the dance crew and I got in. I then felt that my college life was complete. In addition to studying, I got to spend time with what I truly love, dancing. Soon, I was able to enter my first competition. We were competing against all dance crews in the Manila region. I remember the first time I stepped on that stage I did not feel nervous at all. What I felt was excitement and the thought “Why did I wait so long to do this?” That night, we won. And not only that, but our team also made it to the National competition which we won as well. The first photo shows the certificate from the first time I won a competition. The second photo is from the National Competition, which we won. When I started working, I thought my dreams of dancing would be over. But thankfully, the companies that I have worked for have hosted events where you can showcase your talent. This is like what Vasquez BPO conducted last December 4, 2023. To enter, employees submitted a video to “Vasquez Talent Search” that showcased their talent. I got so excited because after so many years, I was able to dance again and show others what I can do. Even though dancing is my passion, I think pursuing it now as a career would be impractical. But I am still grateful that opportunities continue to come my way from time to time, where I can dance and do what I love. It just goes to show that, if you do what you love in life, you will feel truly happy and complete.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Ensure the CISSP is Right for you The CISSP is ideal for experienced security practitioners, managers, and executives interested in proving their knowledge across a wide array of security practices and principles. Register and Prepare for the Exam The CISSP exam outline provides details on the eight domains covered by the examination. If you’re ready to pursue the CISSP certification, commit yourself now by registering for the exam. Get Certified Learn more about CISSP Experience Requirements and how you may be able to satisfy one year of required work experience with a relevant four-year college degree or if you hold an approved credential. Don’t have enough experience yet? You can still pass the CISSP exam and become an Associate of (ISC)² while you earn the required work experience.
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Become an (ISC)² Member Once you are certified and become an (ISC)² member, you’re a part of a global community of certified cybersecurity professionals focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. In addition to that extensive network, a wealth of continuing education opportunities helps you keep your skills sharp, informed of the latest trends and best practices, and ensures your expertise remains relevant throughout your career. Learn more about (ISC)² member benefits.
LEARN MORE HERE 16
BIRTHDAYS
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Wishing you all the best on your birthday and a wonderful year ahead!
LOS ANGELES
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BIRTHDAYS
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PHILIPPINES
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HOLIDAYS
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NEW YEAR'S DAY
First day of the new year. It is usually marked by rites and ceremonies that symbolize casting off the old year and rejoicing in the new.
15 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY
Honoring the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr.
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VALENTINE'S DAY
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PRESIDENTS DAY
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DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Observed in honor of St. Valentine as a day for the exchange of valentines and other tokens of affection.
A federal holiday primarily honoring the lives and accomplishments of U.S. Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln but has been expanded to include the honoring all U.S. Presidents.
Daylight Saving Time begins, and clocks are set forward one hour.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION
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The following training sessions, insights, and resources on the following two pages are examples of interesting and educational discussions that await participants in future months.
Industry Control Testing for Financial Statements of State and Local Governments 1/11/2024 3:00:00 PM SLG: Review of New Audit Templates 1/18/2024 1:00:00 PM
Taxes Private Equity Tax: Advanced Hot Topics 1/10/2024 11:00:00 AM Form 1042/1042-S Training 2/8/2024 9:00:00 AM Substantiating charitable contributions: A practical guide 2/8/2024 11:30:00 PM WNT Advisory Series: Enabling Client Conversations 3/12/2024 02:00 PM Please note that RSM uses CST (Central Standard Time) For a complete list of courses, log in to your RSM MyLearning 20
INSIGHTS & RESOURCES
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AI has become every organization's top challenge—and their top opportunity. Appian interviewed industry experts across top consulting Firms, including our own George Casey.
Learn how donor-advised funds have become a critical vehicle for fundraising, with projected assets of over $1 trillion by 2029.
The Federal Reserve signaled at its meeting on Wednesday that it is done raising its policy rate and is poised to reduce it by 75 basis points next year to support the expanding economy.
The Security Exchange Commission (SEC) requires public companies to implement strategies to ensure timely and effective disclosure of security breaches. 21
FEATURED INDUSTRY
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Learn about Vasquez Finance and Accounting Outsourcing (FAO) services and how we bring value to our clients. We enable nonprofit organizations to scale finance and accounting resources as needed. At Vasquez + Company, we are dedicated to empowering nonprofits with financial solutions that drive success. Visit our brochure here and explore these articles designed to enhance financial strategies.
Financial Best Practices for Nonprofit Organizations
Tax Preparation Services Exclusively for Nonprofits
Navigating the financial landscape of nonprofit organizations requires a tailored approach. Discover the best practices that can drive financial efficiency, transparency, and sustainability within your nonprofit.
Taxes can be complex, especially for nonprofit entities. Explore our specialized tax preparation services exclusively crafted for nonprofits. Ensure compliance, maximize deductions, and streamline your tax processes with dedicated expertise.
4 Ways Nonprofits Can Stay Agile
The Importance of Restricted Funds
Adaptability is key in the ever-evolving nonprofit landscape. Learn four strategies to keep your nonprofit agile, enabling you to respond effectively to changes, seize opportunities, and drive sustainable growth.
Delve into the significance of restricted funds and why they play a pivotal role in the financial health of nonprofits.
Key Factors in Hiring a FAO Service Provider Embarking on the journey of outsourcing your finance and accounting functions? Know about the crucial factors to consider when selecting the right FAO service provider. Our article provides valuable insights to guide you through this important decision-making process.
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TESTIMONIALS
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Here's what some of our clients shared about their experience with the Firm. Thank you for all the hard work, team!
If I was to score from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, Vasquez would score 10s in every category.
Auditors were able to complete the audit which made it possible for us to submit the audit reports timely to the Federal Audit Clearing House. They worked under a tight timeline and were able to get the job done timely.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent services you have provided to us... We look forward to working with you again.
Shout out to the Vasquez CPA team for making it a pleasant and easy experience.
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