VASQUEZ & COMPANY LLP
Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
Message from our Managing Partner Dear Vasquez and Company Team Members, Welcome to the 2nd quarter edition of our newsletter. With the firm now global and continuing remote operations, our goal is to communicate relevant news and information to keep team members informed on events and activities taking place within our firm. Please take time to read our newsletter and let us know of any news that we can include in future newsletters. Enjoy! Gilbert R. Vasquez
Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
Lynn Boster Tax & Accounting
Lynn was born in the Andes of Peru and raised in Arizona, San Francisco, and Half Moon Bay. She also lived in Japan and Korea for 12 years and commuted from San Diego for the first 5 years she worked at Vasquez. She recently moved to La Crescenta, to be closer to the office. Lynn’s father was a metallurgical engineer where he utilized his bilingual abilities in Spanish throughout his global career. Her mother was an entrepreneur, businesswoman, and ordained minister. Both of her parents inspired her career. Lynn is blessed with 5 daughters. Lynn graduated from Golden Gate University with a degree in Accounting. She has been a CPA for 30+ years, starting her career in San Francisco with the Audit Department for KPMG,. She moved to Japan where she worked for PWC and Deloitte in Global Employer Services, specializing in Expat and Inpat Tax. Lynn is a past president of the Women’s Financial and Accounting Alliance in San Francisco where she worked with 100 + women accountants and provided network and professional development opportunities. She is in her fourth year on the Board Committee for the CALCPA Annual Women’s Leadership Conference.
Cristy Canieda Government Audit & Business Process Outsourcing Practice Leader
Cristy was born and raised in the Philippines. She was raised by a big family and is the youngest of eight. Cristy graduated from Enverga University with a degree in Accountancy and finished her Masters in Business Administration from Ateneo de Manila University Graduate School of Business. She started her career in PwC Manila where she spent around nine years of her professional life. She also led the accounting department for a multinational insurance company in Manila before immigrating to the US in 2004.
In the next few issues, we will feature two of our partners and three of our managers, so you’ll get to know them personally and professionally, and learn about them.
Cristy joined the Firm in 2007 and she is the Firm’s CFO and Government Audit Practice Leader. She also oversees the Firm’s business process outsourcing operations in Manila providing external and internal audit support services, financial management and accounting outsourcing, consulting, and administrative support services. She is a CPA and a Chartered Global Management Accountant in California. When she was growing up, Cristy wanted to be a civil engineer. Cristy prefers eating rather than cooking or baking. She also enjoys binge-watching television series, gardening, and online shopping.
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Jonathan Agot Los Angeles
Jonathan has more than 20 years of public accounting and consulting experience. He specializes in the audits of nonprofit organizations and employee benefit plans. Prior to joining the Firm in 2009, Jonathan worked as an audit manager in the New York office of Ernst & Young. Jonathan earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in Accounting, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of the East, Philippines. He also obtained his Masters in Management Degree at the Asian Institute of Management in the Philippines. Jonathan loves to sing and play the piano. He likes to binge-watch movies and television series during his free time.
Girlie Cabije Los Angeles
Venus Sarmiento Manila
Girlie joined Vasquez in 2015 and handles some of the
With over 10 years of audit and accounting experience,
firm’s nonprofit and healthcare clients. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Philippines. Girlie has previously worked at KPMGPhilippines and Ernst & Young-Qatar.
Venus is the lead Audit manager of the Firm’s business process outsourcing arm. She manages all aspects of financial audits and compilations of companies in a broad range of industries.
As if working in external audit for more than 15 years isn’t testament enough of her love for audit, Girlie also married a fellow auditor who used to work for the firm. She chose someone who is fluent with materiality, internal controls, significant deficiencies and material weaknesses --- a quality she finds very attractive. Hiking and visiting nature parks are right on top of the list of her favorite things to do, along with trying out all the Filipino dishes she can get her hands on. And if most of you haven’t noticed yet, she also loves a good laugh.
Before joining the Firm in 2018, Venus was an assurance manager from BDO International (Bahamas). She also worked as a senior associate with PwC Philippines and was a former bank examiner of the Central Bank of the Philippines. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy, was an academic scholar and consistent dean’s lister from the University of the East Manila. Venus likes singing and doing activities focusing on health and wellness. She acts as a Sunday school teacher for her 2 adorable kids and loves bedtime reading at night and role-playing with them on weekends. 2
Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
Audit Supervisors
Eva Aquije
Rhoda Dollaga
Jayson Tan
Your promotion is a huge milestone in your well-chosen career, and we are very proud of your achievements and accomplishments.
Congratulations everyone! 3
Senior 3
Erica Ong
Arvee Flores
Samuel Tolentino
Senior 2
Ana Banzuela-Flores
Melissa Ojeda
Christian Walawala
Daniel Espindola – Tax & Accounting
Senior 1
P R O M O T I O N S Los Angeles Personnel
Christopher Chan
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Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
N E W H I R E S
Manila Office
Danica De Ocampo
Karl Ibe Audit Senior
Audit Senior
Hardy Biton Audit Staff
Ciara Calangi Audit Staff
Kimberly Kabigting Audit Staff
Lei Alzaga Audit Staff
Elijah Wanagen Audit Staff
Rebecca Laygo
Christine Banayos
Angelica Telan
Accountant
Accountant/Horne
Accountant/Horne
Do you know someone who would be a good addition to our LA or Manila Team? Learn more about the Firm’s Employee Referral Program, contact Eden Marfori (LA Office) or Michelle Castillo (Manila Office) for the details. 5
The Firm would like to recognize the following employees that have reached milestone anniversaries.
Thank you everyone for your hard work and dedication!
Rhoda Dollaga
Jayson Tan
Erica Ong
5 Years
3 Years
2 Years
June 6
April 9
April 1
Joper del Rosario
Denice Abrenica
1 Year
1 Year
April 1
May 4
A N N I V E R S A R Y
Manila Personnel
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Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
Ways to Beat Stress
Everyone feels stress sometimes. It’s a natural response to a challenge or demand. Stress can come from the day-to-day pressures of work and family.
It’s important for your health and well-being to learn how to cope with stress. Here are 7 ways to manage stress. These techniques may help you to feel calmer and more relaxed.
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Be observant. Recognize signs of excessive stress. These include difficulty sleeping, being easily angered or irritable, feeling depressed, and low energy.
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Exercise regularly. Just 30 minutes per day of walking can help boost your mood and reduce stress.
Schedule regular times for a relaxing activity . Activities that use mindfulness or breathing exercises, such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi, may help.
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Get enough sleep. Adults need about 7 or more hours of sleep per night. School-age children need 9–12 hours, while teenagers need 8–10 hours
Set goals and priorities. Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much.
Build a social support network. Stay connected with people who can provide emotional support.
Show compassion for yourself. Note what you’ve accomplished at the end of the day, not what you’ve failed to do. Source: LifeCare, Inc. through ADP
EMPLOYEE WELLNESS To read more articles on health and wellness, log in to your ADP Total Source, click on Benefits – Discount Programs – Work-Life.
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Employees Featured Artist
Christie O’Rourke
I have been drawing all my life. I would randomly take art classes throughout the decades, hoping they would unleash some hidden genius -- hoping I would become a Michelangelo and my eyes, brain and arm would become one. My thinking was that all the hard work in the world would not help if I never unleashed “the mystical, artistic gift”. But I never found that magical catalyst. A couple years ago, I thought: maybe I have no “gift” for drawing. So I decided to quit chasing it and just draw. I would draw as much as I could to become the best I could. Like that person learning a second a language, if I stumbled over expressions, interpretations and things got a little clumsy, I would not let that stop me, I would just work hard and keep going. And then, something magical did happen: by drawing all the time, my work started to get better. I was never afraid of the work, but that mentality of needing the “gift” held me back. I have my theories regarding why I thought I had to have some ethereal gift of artistic enlightenment before I could draw, but that is not as important as what I now know: Forget “the gift,” just draw. I have found so much joy in the process and the learning. That is why I share the pictures I do. Everyone starts somewhere and progress is possible.
ARTIST CORNER
Our Firm is composed of not just smart and hardworking employees, but of talented individuals as well. Every issue, we will feature one artist from the Firm’s pool of talented team members. 8
Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
Continuing Professional Education APRIL
MAY
JUNE
The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential is a symbol of trust and professionalism in the world of business, and CPAs are considered the most trusted advisors in business. The Firm recognizes that the path to becoming a CPA is highly challenging that’s why the Firm encourages and supports team members who aspire to be one. Please reach out to Eden Marfori if you have questions on the Firm’s policies related to taking and passing the CPA exam, and the Becker reviewer.
Please note that RSM uses CDT. For a complete list of courses, log in to your RSM MyLearning . All audit staff must complete 80 hours of CPE every two-year period, with a minimum of 20 hours in each year of that period. Of these 80 hours, at least 24 hours should be Yellow Book CPE.
How to Qualify for a CPA License (California)
Source: California Board of Accountancy 9
Professional Development
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Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
California Vineyard Orchard and Groves • Audit Services • Tax Services
Davis, Cedillo & Mendoza, Inc. • Consulting Services (Litigation Support) Agnetix, Inc. • Audit Services https://agnetix.com/
Montez Group • FAR Consulting Services • Audit Services https://www.montezgroup.com/
Borrego Community Health Foundation • Audit Services • Tax Services
Padilla & Associates • FAR Overhead Rate Audit Services https://padillainc.com/
Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority • Audit Services https://vvwra.com/ Our Firm has a New Client Acquisition Incentive program. Please reach out to Eden Marfori for the details.
NEW CLIENTS Partial list of clients acquired from January to March 2021.
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Client Acquisition / Marketing Email Drip Marketing Campaigns 101 & Why The Firm is Using Them
Why are we using them as part of our marketing effort? ➢ Pairing marketing automation and email drip campaigns can lead to 20% more sales opportunities.
Marketers automate the release of emails to contact potential sales leads on a set schedule.
Also called email marketing, drip marketing, or automated email campaign.
➢ 86% of business professionals prefer to communicate over email rather than over the phone or face to face. ➢ By proactively sending relevant material directly to your prospects, you remove a lot of the legwork they need to do to find your content. Essentially, you shorten the sales cycle by accelerating engagement and moving leads more quickly through the sales funnel. ➢ The results speak for themselves: Targeted drip emails generate 18 times more revenue for businesses than general email blasts. Source: Brafton, a creative content marketing agency https://www.brafton.com/blog/e mail-marketing/email-dripcampaigns-explained/
Every response, or lack of a response, kicks off another round of emails. These correspondences trickle out over a period of time to maintain communication without alienating leads – hence the “drip” in email drip marketing.
If drip campaigns are so great, why isn’t everyone using them? ➢ There’s a fine line to walk with drip campaigns. Take too heavy of a hand with your efforts, and you’ll risk bombarding prospects with content and overwhelming them. Go too far in the other direction, and your leads may forget you even exist. It takes finesse, and knowledge of customer habits for a successful campaign. ➢ Drip campaigns take time to plan and require copywriting knowledge with some tech knowledge for proper deployment. ➢ Sending to a larger number of email addresses will yield better results- it takes time to build out an email data base or money to purchase one. 12
Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
Retirement Insights
Step Up Your Game
Our Firm, through Mutual of America, has an Employee Benefit Program (401k) for our Los Angeles employees. Please reach out to Eden Marfori for the details. If you have questions about saving for retirement, please contact our local Mutual of America representative or call 800.468.3785. For more retirement insights, visit www.mutualofamerica.com.
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Insights and Resources
Read the Article
For the latest news and events FOLLOW US
Read the Article
The Ancient Accountants Before a standard numbering system was developed, ancient accountants used clay tokens to keep track of animals and grain.
First CPA Exam The state of New York gave its first Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination in 1896.
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Apr – Jun 2021 Issue 4
Birthdays A P R I L
M A Y
*
6 - April Chen
10 – Michelle Castillo
15 – Lyn Labastilla
20 – Girlie Cabije
20 – Carmela Gacho
26 – Arlene Pingul
3 – Jayson Tan
3 – Faye Villanueva
20 – Scyla Gacis
J U N E
11 – Selene Xiao
25 – Sam Tolentino
13 – Soc Mendiola
28 – Erica Ong
2 – Christopher Chan
2 – Roger Martinez
2 – Suzette Wenseslao
5 – Tonette Santillan
5 – Arshley Conos
15 – Michelle De Guzman
15 – Jovel De Guzman
20 – Lani Santos
Manila Personnel
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Events April 22
Holidays
Thank you Apr 1 – Maundy Thursday Apr 2 – Good Friday Apr 9 – Araw ng Kagitingan May 1 - Labor Day May 13 – Eid Ul Fitr May 24 – Memorial Day * Jun 12 – Independence Day * Los Angeles Holiday
Administrative Team for all your hard work, dedication, tireless effort, and every day enthusiasm. Your work is a key to our success!
Happy Administrative Professionals Day!
To All the Wonderful Vasquez Mommy / Mama / Nanay & Daddy / Papa / Tatay
May 9
June 20 16
We would like to thank our wonderful Vasquez team members for your efforts and for continuously contributing to the Firm’s success. Working together will enable us to achieve all our goals! Contact us at hr@vasquezcpa.com
Vasquez & Company LLP
Vasquez BPO, Inc.
www.vasquezcpa.com
www.vasquezbpo.com