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Raymond Pinglora

Principal
Van Duyne, Behrens & Co., P.A.
Pine Brook, NJ

 

In general, you don’t want to take too much career advice from a guy in an oversized cowboy hat. But then again, it worked for Ray Pinglora, Principal at Van Duyne, Behrens & Co., P.A. Here’s the story.

“I came into college as a communications major,” he remembers. “I didn’t want to work in the financial field at all.” But then this happened: Freshman orientation. Head of the accounting department walks up to the podium. He’s got a funny hat on. Ray doesn’t know what to think. Without a moment’s hesitation, the guy says, "Who out there wants to make some &f#!@ing money?!" Ray is stunned. He’d always thought of accountants as a little more soft spoken, but Mr. Bighat proved that wrong. Ray changed his major that day, got his degree in accounting, went on to a Master’s, and his career took off.

And today? “I actually wear many different hats,” Ray says. “I manage staff and workflow, handle major audits and research projects, and network to find new clients.” It’s a lot to juggle, and Ray loves it. “I never really refer to it as a job,” he says. “We’re a small firm, so it’s like a big family. And of course, I love working in the entertainment field.” Ray is on the financial front lines for some pretty interesting clients. “If somebody’s AMEX Black card won’t work at 2:00am, we get the call,” he points out. “And if a rock star is trying to renegotiate a contract, they look to us for financial ammunition.” (Ray’s love of the entertainment world lives on outside the office too – he’s the guitarist for his own rock band.)

There’s a lot to learn from Ray’s example. Mainly, he wants you to understand the benefits of becoming a CPA. “It’s not about being behind a desk with a calculator and computer,” he says. “It’s being a personality, it’s growing with your clients, and it’s a profession that opens the door to lots of different opportunities.”

Got questions of your own? Ask a CPA.