Page 16 - BusinessWest April 27, 2020

COVID-19/BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES >>
The New Math
Accountants Take on a Broader Role as Clients Cope with the Pandemic
By George O’Brien
Julie Quink noted that, at her accounting firm — as well as most others — it is tradition to have a large party on April 15, the tax- filing deadline, or perhaps the 16th.
These are celebrations of hard work well done, she told BusinessWest, adding that
staff members who have been under a great deal of stress and working long hours and long weeks can take a deep breath and relax, knowing that the worst is over for another year.
STEVE ERICKSON
PATRICK LEARY
JULIE QUINK
JIM BARRETT
This April 15, there was no party at Bur- khart Pizzanelli, the firm she serves as man- aging partner, or at most other firms. And it’s not just because the filing deadline has been extended to July 15 by both the state and federal governments.
It’s because there is still a great deal of stress, and the long hours continue as accounting firms
play a huge role in trying to help their clients get to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On a personal level, I’ve probably never worked as hard in my entire career as I have this year,” she noted. “I’ve put in many more hours than I have other years, and I know others have as well.”
Quink was one of several area accounting-
firm executives to speak with BusinessWest as part of the latest in a series of virtual roundtable discussions concerning COVID-19. Those at the ‘table’ said these are, quite obviously, different times for accountants. While some of the work hasn’t changed, like all those tax returns, some of it has, including efforts to help clients of all sizes and in virtually every sector file for disas-
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16 APRIL 27, 2020
COVID-19 SPECIAL COVERAGE
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