Porte Brown Recruiting Booklet

Porte Brown Recruiting Booklet

www. portebrown .com

SMART PEOPLE WORK HERE.

PorteBrown ® ACCOUNTANTS & ADVISORS

04 CONTENTS Who We Are

Awards & Recognition

Training Programs

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06

Professional Development

Career Growth Programs

Employee Spotlight

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Business Development

Community & Events

Staff Benefits

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PB Personality

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Only dumb people try to impress smart people. Smart people just do what they do. – Chris Rock

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WHO WE ARE

F or more than 75 years, Porte Brown LLC has been providing top-quality accounting services and personalized assistance to its clients because of its strong culture of positivity and can-do mentality. The positive energy of Porte Brown is nearly tangible due to its pervasive presence in all aspects of its business. Porte Brown’s culture begins with its hiring process, only hiring recruits who are capable of filling multiple roles and feel comfortable tackling any challenge that comes their way. A CULTURE OF YES

Since a company’s culture is what makes it run, it is important to build the foundation with people who are not just good employees but good people. Our staff is full of go-getters who love to give their clients the best possible service by providing them with timely guidance and insight for their unique and specific needs.

We Help You Get to Your Next Level. ™

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ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING S ince 1946, when Jim Porte in order to acquire the in-depth company knowledge and understanding of their founded the firm, staff members have been expected to meet clients at their place of business

goals and expectations for the future. While the firm may have moved on to a hybrid-model involving virtual visits in conjunction with traditional in-person meetings, the basic idea is still valid and relevant today. Attitude is everything at Porte Brown, and it speaks volumes that the firm is still true to Porte’s original premise of providing personalized service for every client. Our staff is capable of providing such outstanding personalized service because of the independent nature of the firm and its partners. The partners of Porte Brown believe in guiding its employees by allowing them to pursue their projects as they see fit. Hand- holding is not allowed at Porte Brown nor is it needed because of the firm-wide attitude and willingness to handle projects independently and the desire to carve out niche specialties. Each and every Porte Brown accountant is a consultant, specializing in bringing the very best of service to their clients, while also providing insight and guidance.

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Creating an Environment of Total Success

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

B eing an all around successful firm is about creating an environment and culture that revolves around the mutual success and prosperity of our employees, clients, and our firm alike. Porte Brown is very proud of the awards it receives because it draws a direct connection to the overall happiness and effectiveness of its employees. Since happy employees tend to be more productive, it is in Porte Brown’s best interest to keep finding new ways to provide a better work environment and keep improving.

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BEST PLACES TO WORK IN ILLINOIS Ranked as one of the top mid-size employers in the state of Illinois in 2021

ACCOUNTING TODAY REGIONAL LEADERS Named by Accounting Today as one of the 2021 Great Lakes Regional Leaders

CHICAGO'S LARGEST ACCOUNTING FIRMS Recognized by Crain's Chicago Business as the 24th largest firm in the Chicagoland area

IPA BEST OF THE BEST FIRMS 2021 Named a Best of the Best Firm in the United States by Inside Public Accounting

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PROFESSIONAL & CAREER DEVELOPMENT

3RD PARTY TRAINING • Webinars & Seminars • Conferences & Expos

• Professional Sales Coaching • Specialty Software • PrimeGlobal Training & Resources • AICPA ENGAGE Conference • QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program • Path to Partner Program

• Training Academy • LinkedIn Learning

• Business Development • Leadership Bootcamp

STAFF MEETING TRAINING Porte Brown takes the training of its staff members very seriously, which is why we conduct monthly staff meetings, outside of tax season, that incorporate continuing education sessions as well as updates on current and changing tax laws and regulations. The monthly staff meetings also offer a great way to engage with other Porte Brown staff members and learn from the more seasoned and experienced accountants.

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Certified Public Accountant PAY FOR THE BECKER REVIEW AFTER JOB OFFER Porte Brown will provide Becker's CPA Exam Review course free of charge following a job offer. Becker delivers current exam content and software functionality that "mirrors the exam in every way" to help candidates attain the CPA license. Porte Brown also partners with Becker to provide additional continuing professional education (CPE) courses for accounting professionals. Becker's CPE courses are taught by industry leaders who "demonstrate how to turn proven concepts into real results."

COMPENSATION FOR THE TIME TAKING THE EXAMS Porte Brown will compensate you for completing the CPA exams. Becoming a CPA is long and an arduous process, and Porte Brown believes that staff members who put in the time and effort should be rewarded for their hard work and dedication.

BONUS WHEN DONE WITH THE EXAMS The CPA designation represents the gold standard in the financial industry, and as such, Porte Brown thinks its important to not only highlight the accomplishment but also provide a bonus for completing the certification.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT B ecoming a successful public accountant starts with a great education and continues with professional training and guidance. Continuing to hone one's skills and knowledge is vital to providing the best possible service to clients, which is why Porte Brown asks for all of its employees to remain focused on their professional growth. By developing new skill sets each year, Porte Brown ensures its employees are constantly pushing their limits and always looking for new and better ways to help their clients.

® BP

Making an Investment in Our Greatest Asset: Our Employees

Training

Mentoring

Coaching

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From day one the employees of Porte Brown are given the tools and resources to succeed independently because they will be the ones closest to the issues that matter the most to the client. To help staff excel and increase their knowledge base, Porte Brown places great importance on continuing one's education. Porte Brown has a robust mentoring program to help employees stay on track with their professional development and also identify a course of action to help them overcome future challenges.

Complete more than 200 hours of training & shadowing in their 1st year

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CAREER GROWTH PROGRAMS O ne of the ways Porte Brown helps its staff members succeed is by providing robust and comprehensive career development programs. We want our employees to excel and progress over the course of their careers into areas of greater responsibility, which is why we devote so much time to the development and growth of staff. This development process can be broken up into three general areas: training, mentoring, and coaching.

INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE TRAINING PROGRAM

12 Like most accounting firms Porte Brown invests lot of time in the training of its staff. While many firms only focus on the very basics of accounting, Porte Brown believes it's important to be well-versed in many different areas. Not only does this help our staff members be more versatile in what they do, it allows us to provide a higher level of service to our clients. Porte Brown offers training in the following areas: ACCOUNTING | TAX | AUDIT | LEADERSHIP | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

DEVELOPING CAREER GROWTH GOALS MENTOR PROGRAM Setting up clear goals and creating a realistic course of action to achieve them is a cornerstone of our mentor program. By listening closely to the mentees' needs and then providing them with substantive feedback, our mentors are able to help their mentees develop into true professionals and tackle any challenges that arise.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES COACHING & SUPPORT While training and mentoring programs are vital to the development and growth of an employee, there's no substitute for real- world experience. And to that end, Porte Brown supports its employees by providing on-demand assistance and support.

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

P orte Brown has given me the strength and knowledge in all aspects of accounting to project my professional career forward. I have had the opportunity to work with clients in multiple industries on unique tax, accounting, audit, and implementation issues. PB has a small firm attitude with large firm resources. If gaining knowledge and exposure is the goal, this is the place for you!” " — Kevin Coppin, CPA, Sr. Accountant

“One of my favorite things about working at Porte Brown is that they foster an environment of continuous personal and professional development. This environment gives me the tools needed to advise my clients in ways that benefit their business and builds a relationship with them.” — Marie Straka, MBA, Sr. Accountant

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Achieving Success EXPLORING NEW OPPORTUNITIES “It’s great to be a part of the Porte Brown team. Senior management cares and treats staff as people, not just as employees. They are committed to fostering an environment where staff can accomplish both personal and professional growth. The opportunities that you’re presented here are amazing. The sky’s the limit to what you can achieve at Porte Brown.” — Kylee Johnston, Sr. Accountant

EXPLORING NEW OPPORTUNITIES A t Porte Brown, the opportunities for personal and professional advancement are endless. One of the things that is most rewarding for me is developing relationships with my clients and assisting them in reaching their business objectives. " — Ray Kraus, CPA, Sr. Accountant

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TAX SEASON & BONUS

• 54 – 60 Hour Weeks - Sundays Not Required; Flexible Work Hours • Bonus Based on Hours Worked • Free Food - Catered Meals; Food Truck Deliveries •Happy Hour Events

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Commissions, Cash4Connections, Cross Selling/Servicing

FIRST-RATE COMMISSION PROGRAM Many accounting firms offer its staff a commission when they bring in new clients. It's a great way to reward staff who go above and beyond their typical work duties. Porte Brown has a very robust and lucrative commission program for its staff. While most firms typically offer a 10-15% commission for one year, Porte Brown offers an unheard of rate of 25% for 4 years! C4C PROGRAM Earn $100 when you connect with a new referral source, or if you introduce a client to a new service that results in a signed engagement. You can earn $100 cash for every connection, e.g., introductory meeting or lunch/breakfast meeting with a Porte Brown staff member and a new referral source , or a secured engagement to cross sell a service to a client. How do you get paid? The $100 payout will be delivered at monthly staff meetings.

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STAFF BENEFITS Quality Benefits to Enhance Our Employees' Quality of Life

Health Insurance – BCBS of Illinois – Employee Premium Covered at 100% – $1,500-3000 HRA Cont.

Life and AD&D Insurance (Paid for 100%)

STD/LTD Insurance (Paid for 100%)

Vision Coverage (Paid for 100%)

Dental Coverage

Flexible Spending Accounts

Annual On-Site Health Screenings

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ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Quality Benefits to Enhance Our Employees' Quality of Life

401(k) Plan

Paid Time Off

Profit Sharing

Paid Holidays (8.5 Days)

GET SMART...

Flexible Work Policy Our Flexible Work Policy is one that is built around our firm's culture of trust and confidence in our employees. Giving our employees the ability to balance and integrate their work lives with their personal lives is essential in creating long term and sucessful careers for our employees. Flexible Dress Policy Our Flexible Dress Policy is one that embraces our employees differences. Giving our employees the independence to choose the attire that fits their day and allows them to feel and perform at their best just makes sense.

Flexible Dress Policy Dress Smart

Work Smart Flexible Work Policy

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PORTE BROWN PERSONALITY

"Life is short. Work somewhere awesome." – Unknown

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"I'm a big personality. I walk into a room, big and tall and loud." – Adele

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COMMUNITY A key focus of Porte Brown is to provide and they go to great lengths to gain a full understanding of their organization’s specific challenges and goals. The focus we place on our clients’ needs goes beyond providing financial and accounting assistance; it extends to supporting their interests and activities within the surrounding community. Many of our employees volunteer their time to support charities of all walks of life. From sponsoring 5K charity runs to attending not-for-profit events, Porte Brown believes it is paramount to stay active within the community and give back to the people who provide the foundation to Porte Brown’s business. unparalleled service that is fine-tuned for each and every client. This is possible because many of Porte Brown’s staff work at our clients’ offices,

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COMPANY EVENTS Having FUN at work is a core value!

• Annual Staff Appreciation Day • Tax Season Party • Holiday Party • Monthly Catered Staff Meetings • Team Building Events

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PorteBrown ® ACCOUNTANTS & ADVISORS

www. por tebrown .com

Elk Grove Village 845 Oakton St Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Phone: 847-956-1040

Elgin 1752 Capital St, Suite 400 Elgin, IL 60124 Phone: 847-695-1775

Evanston 909 Davis St, Suite 500 Evanston, IL 60201 Phone: 847-866-6800

McHenry 4123 W. Shamrock Ln McHenry, IL 60050 Phone: 815-385-1120

Tinley Park 18400 W. Creek Dr Tinley Park, IL 60477 Phone: 708-429-1040

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