MSCPA Student Member Spotlight: Brian Balduzzi, J.D.

Teacher, Lawyer, Writer or CPA? How About All

Many children grow up with a chosen profession in mind. Someday they will be a lawyer, teacher, writer or even a CPA. Each career is a long arduous path that takes much time, school and effort to complete. People seldom tackle more than one field. MSCPA Student Member Brian Balduzzi is accomplishing them all.

Balduzzi graduated from SUNY at Genesco in 2009 with a degree in English, Secondary Education and Theatre (with an impressive 3.9 GPA). He taught kindergarten in Medfield, MA for a year and enjoyed it, but felt the draw of law school.

He entered Boston University’s Law School and there gained a passion for accounting and particularly tax. Balduzzi said, “I was working for a non-profit who got involved with lobbying and they wanted to make sure they weren’t breaking any laws because of their tax status. I researched it for them and started to fall in love with tax code. BU had a great tax program that really opened up the tax world to me.”

Balduzzi completed his law degree, passed the bar, but was not done with the accounting world. He worked for Feeley & Driscoll, P.C. preparing tax returns for high net-worth individuals. He then decided to obtain his CPA.

“Gaining a CPA, besides the prestige of the title, will allow me to look over financial statements and give my clients confidence when it comes to knowing tax code and estate planning. The CPA and law degree complement each other well.”

He will sit for the first section of the exam in November while working full-time for the law firm Wilchins Cosentino Friend LLP. With such a full plate you wouldn’t expect him to fit much else in, but Balduzzi also oversees a staff of 25 that write and review theater in Boston for an international website, My Theatre. He often writes reviews himself.

Asked how he has time for everything he replied, “ Coffee is a very good friend of mine.”

Balduzzi, who will soon have enough credentials to last a lifetime, is still not satisfied. Next up, completing an MBA. He stated, “I think that completing an MBA will give me deeper knowledge of the business world and allow me to understand and serve my clients better.” With his drive and passion, don’t be surprised if PhD isn’t next on his list!

Student Member Spotlight: Ali Ghorbi

MSCPA Student Member and Univeristy of Tampa class of 2014

Recent hire at PwC!

1. Could you please introduce yourself, tell us your name, where you are from and a little bit about yourself?

Hi there. My name is Ali Ghorbi, I’m originally from West Roxbury, a neighborhood in Boston and I graduated from Boston Latin School in 2010. After high school I relocated to Tampa Florida, where I got my Bachelors of Science degree with a focus in Accounting from the University of Tampa. I currently work at PwC in their Tampa office working in the Tax Delivery Center.

2. So how did you get interested in studying accounting?

Like most 18 year olds entering college I really had no idea what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. But after taking fundamentals of financial accounting, with an extremely charismatic professor I believe I have found my calling.

3. What do you like the most and least about the field?

What I like most about the field is the learning opportunities. There are so many branches of accounting and so much to learn, so if I don’t like my particular branch, there most likely will be a spot in another field. What I least like about the field? That’s tricky because I just entered the field, but I am about to enter busy season for partnership tax so I’ll be working 60+ hours a week all July so that’ll be a blast…

4. You attended the University of Tampa…To all us Northerners who were freezing last winter could you walk us through what the weather and the general atmosphere is like?

Well from February to May the weather is consistently 80 degrees and sunny and it’s pretty much the same from September to November. But the real reason for me staying down here was the atmosphere; it is extremely relaxed and people down here are a lot kinder than Boston.

5. Did you miss the snow?

I miss the initial snow fall, but the week of brown slush following the snow is not missed at all.

6. You had a unique experience as a student member of the MA Society…you worked for us last summer in our Continuing Professional Education department and for our CEO. How would you describe that experience?

I learned a ton about the behind the scenes of the Accounting field. I met a lot of great people and learned a lot. I miss those morning talks with Ted!

7. Last summer I asked you what your goal was and you said to do tax at a Big Four. I understand you got hired by PwC in Tax…How does it feel to meet your goal?

Kind of surreal. If we’re being honest here, I was not a straight A student in college and for the most part, down in Tampa at least,the Big Four only hire people with 3.5+ GPAs. Going into the interview I knew that so I just tried my best to sell myself and it worked out.

8. Do you feel prepared to enter the workforce and what are your longtime goals?

I’d say I am definitely ready to enter the workforce. I’ve spent the past 4 years learning about what the workforce is like, so to finally enter it and get the real world experience is exciting. For my long term goals I plan on taking the GMAT and enrolling into graduate school next fall for either Accounting or Business Administration, and then going on to get my CPA.

9. What advice would you give MSCPA Student Members that are still in school looking to follow your footsteps and gain entry at a firm?

Go on as many interviews as possible. When applying for jobs the HR person you’re meeting with will virtually have identical resumes for everyone that applied for that job. The way to differentiate yourself is through what you say. The only way to get better at this is through going on interviews. I had dozens before I got hired by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, some where I thought I did great and others I just BOMBED. But the interview experience is priceless.

10. Final question, what are the Patriot’s chances next year?

Defense wins championships and the Patriots defense is reloaded. Super Bowl or bust!! Revis and Browner in the secondary is huge and Spikes leaving is great news.

11. Second Final Question, Best thing to order at your father’s bagel shop? (Editor’s note* His father owns Kupel’s Bakey in Brookline…Mouth is watering thinking about it.)

Wow that’s tough. To be honest I really don’t have a favorite, I pretty much eat whatever my dad puts in front of me. But if I had to pick I’d say an everything bagel toasted with veggie cream cheese with cucumber, tomato, and onion on top.

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Welcome to On The CPA Track! The official blog for MSCPA Student members. Here you will find student member spotlights, recaps of our student member events and helpful information that will help you on your CPA journey.

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