Q&A
with Robert A. Reitman, Partner with Cornick, Garber & Sandler
LLP
Q:
When did you decide to become a CPA?
A. Originally, I wanted to be a physical
education teacher. However, my uncle had a successful business
and he was a public accountant specializing in the insurance
industry. I decided that pursuing a career in accounting would
be more lucrative than being a gym teacher.
Q: Which school’s accounting program
did you attend?
A. Herbert H. Lehman College of CUNY, where
I received my bachelor of science degree.
Q: Where did you get your start? What led
you to your current position at Cornick, Garber & Sandler
LLP?
A. My first job was with Norman Reitman Company,
which serviced the insurance industry and specialized in reinsurance
accounting and insurance claims verifications, among other services.
After five years, I decided to switch to a career in certified
public accounting, and started with Frank & Zimmerman. I
started as a staff accountant and worked my way to a partner
position with that firm. In November 1998, Frank & Zimmerman
merged with Cornick, Garber & Sandler LLP.
Q: What were your expectations in pursuing
an accounting career?
A. That I would be able to assist individuals
to manage their businesses, and provide tax planning strategies
to individuals. I also thought that being an accountant would
always be a marketable skill no matter what type of economy
we were encountering.
Q: What advice would you give to students
who might want to pursue an accounting career but are undecided?
A. Accounting is a profession where one constantly
is learning new things. Working with different types of industries
or different sizes of organizations within an industry makes
one’s career interesting on a daily basis. Accounting
is not “bean counting.” An accountant can be an
advisor to business owners, an investigator tracing assets,
a consultant to a not-for-profit organization, or can assist
a client in obtaining financing or provide many other services
besides “just the numbers.”
Q: How do you think recent accounting scandals
have affected the public’s perception of the profession?
A. The bulk of the population of small businesses
and individuals uses smaller practice units as their professionals.
I believe they still maintain a high level of respect for us
as advisors and consultants
Q:
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
A. The everyday interaction with different
people, and being able to counsel people to assist them to grow
their businesses.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy outside of
work?
A. Reading, golf and coaching youth sports
Q:
Please describe your committee work with the Society.
When did you get involved? Do you believe it’s an important
networking step?
A.
Over 20 years ago I was chair of the Small and Medium-Sized
Firm Committee. After that committee I was a member of the New
York, Multistate and Local Taxation Committee and served on
some of its subcommittees. I’ve periodically served on
the Real Estate Committee, which I currently chair, as well
as on the task force involved in finding new offices for the
Society. I believe committee service is an important networking
step, as our fellow professionals are always willing to assist
one another. Throughout
my 20-plus years of committee work, I knew I could pick up the
phone or e-mail someone with a question and would always get
a response. The experiences one has serving on a committee are
based upon participation. The more one takes part in a committee’s
activities, the more one will reap benefits. Also, committee
service helps build a network of colleagues with whom to share
technical and administrative ideas.
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