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KPMG Might Be the Next Big 4 Firm Ditching Its Downtown Atlanta Office

In March, Atlanta Business Chronicle reported Deloitte did not renew its 260,000 square foot lease at 191 Peachtree St in downtown Atlanta. Now KPMG might be joining them in looking to downsize from downtown space. Deloitte’s decision may have something to do with this: Violent protests over long work weeks tonight at Atlanta’s Deloitte office […]

Looks Like Deloitte Is Ditching Its Downtown Atlanta Office

Before anyone gets too excited, Deloitte isn’t going fully remote in Atlanta. Atlanta Business Chronicle reports Deloitte has not renewed its 260,000 square foot lease at 191 Peachtree according to loan documents reviewed by the Chronicle. It’s suspected that the firm is downsizing. Multiple sources with knowledge of the market say Deloitte is eyeing Midtown. […]

Ex-BDO Atlanta Employee Who Shot and Killed Her Former Boss Was Indicted on Murder Charges

A Fulton County grand jury on Nov. 11 indicted Raissa Kengne, a former IT audit manager at BDO USA in Atlanta, in the August shooting deaths of her ex-supervisor at the accounting firm and the property manager of the condominium building where she lived. Kengne, 34, was charged with two counts of murder, two counts […]

There is a GoFundMe for the Wife of Murdered BDO Atlanta Managing Director Wesley Freeman

Wesley Freeman with his wife, Alicia. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported today that a GoFundMe campaign has been started for the family of Wesley Freeman, the BDO Atlanta managing director who was shot and killed by his former BDO colleague Raissa Kengne on Aug. 22. Here is a Facebook post from Beth Lee Garner, national practice leader […]

Ex-BDO IT Audit Manager Raissa Kengne Charged in Deadly Atlanta Shooting (UPDATE)

[Update at bottom of post with charges filed against Raissa Kengne; internal email from BDO about the shooting.] A woman who was arrested earlier today after allegedly shooting three people, killing two of them, in Midtown Atlanta is reportedly a former audit manager at BDO USA. As of 11:40 p.m. ET, police have yet to […]

2022 Projected Public Accounting Salaries In Eight MCOL Cities

Earlier this week we looked at public accounting starting salaries in five of the most expensive US cities to live in and how much higher they are than the projected national averages recently published in the Robert Half 2022 Accounting & Finance Salary Guide. A discussion you often see among professionals on Fishbowl and Reddit […]

ACCA-Going-Concern-Accountingfly-gig-economy

Hey Atlanta, Come Hear Us Yak About the Gig Economy and the Accounting Profession

If you’re an accountant in the Atlanta area and aren’t busy on October 18th, don’t make plans; we have you covered. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants USA is hosting representatives from Going Concern, Accountingfly, and Beech Valley Solutions will be there in the flesh to discuss how the gig economy is affecting the hunt […]

Stephen Chipman’s Latest Blog Post: Atlanta Knows How to Party; The End of Suffering

Last week, we were a little disappointed in Stephen Chipman’s debut blog entry; A) it’s not public for the whole world to read and B) it reminded us of a journal except all the good stuff like morning bathroom routine, the wife’s headache, compensating for said headache, etc. was left out.

This week is a little better (no Lost recap and 1,200+ words are big negative points), as he shared with the GT troops about his little excursion down to Atlanta to do some glad-handing at the open house for the new office space there. Chip was impressed not only by the new LEED facility but by the willingness of a fair amount of people in Atlanta that had nothing better to do on a Wednesday night:

What struck me was that these were not people who came through obligation; they clearly wanted to be there. I met many clients, and they all had warm and wonderful things to say about our Atlanta office partners and people. Where some business receptions can be deadly if the mix and tone aren’t just right, people were really enjoying themselves — they stayed, they mingled, they had fun, many enjoying themselves well past 9 o’clock at night. (It kicked off at 5).

Okay, so where are these deadly receptions occurring? We’ve been to some wild get-togethers where some people might not get along but there was no risk of anyone ending up dead. Perhaps he just means “shockingly awkward.” That’s way more believable than a party where a homicide may or may not occur.

And why would he be surprised if people could booze for free for over four hours? If there’s free beer and wine to be had in the middle of the week, that probably is the best thing you could do on a Wednesday.

The only other tidbit worth mentioning is that Steve-o got a little redemption that was over two decades in the making. Back in the 80s when Chip was a manager living in Dallas, chasing SMU tail and starting to network, he was courting a prospect that ultimately went with a “large competitor.” Since that point in time, he has not taken it well:

For years — and this was more than two decades ago — I’ve watched this company from afar, and it’s become quite successful. I felt a pang every time I saw their signs (which were everywhere), and also their advertising at NHL games and sports arenas. With every sign sighting, I got increasingly frustrated that they were not a Grant Thornton client.

Many times SC could be caught looking off into the distance, dreaming about the one that got away. A tear. A lone tear…

Well you can rejoice now bitches! Turns out a current GT client recently purchase this prospect that broke our hero’s heart and is now a client of GT. “After almost 22 years of misery, my suffering has ended,” SC utters. This was his White Whale.

And to wrap it up, SC threw in a nice little pep talk for all of you GTers out there feeling down and out, “We don’t need to be the biggest to be the best.” He’s still thinking about you; even if you’re not in Atlanta.

Still no Lost recap.