Chesterfield accountant retires after 48 years
Andrew’s career began on June 24, 1974, and he has seen many transformational changes within the accountancy profession since, yet one thing has remained consistent throughout – his place of work, having worked in the Chesterfield offices of Accountancy firm Shorts throughout.
One of Andrew’s first jobs was a bank reconciliation for a hairdresser’s shop in Brimington. Once he’d ‘ticked up the bank’, he was introduced to the concept of double entry bookkeeping and provided with various client records and ledgers to work on. All client records were hand-written at that time, which resulted in carrier bags and cardboard boxes full of client records everywhere you looked.
Andrew was promoted to the position of Accounts Director in 2012 and has been responsible for managing the accounting process for Owner Managed Businesses.
When asked about the changes he’s seen, Andrew replied: “The profession has transformed immeasurably, although the principles of accounting are the same whether you’re sat in front of an abacus or a computer. However, the technology we use has changed dramatically. The digital age has given the accounting industry new avenues to explore, created new services, and enabled its professionals to gain new skills and take on new responsibilities. What’s more, the advent of cloud-based accounting has allowed advisers to be mobile and reactive to the needs of their client – importantly, it has also put us in touch with clients that are not around the corner, but across the globe.”
Commitment
Andrew had a reputation of being one of the first to arrive in the office each morning. He was disappointed if he arrived later than 7am, and his personal best of 4.30am is something none of the team is looking to beat. He puts his continued success and longevity down to an uncompromising commitment to doing his absolute upmost in helping his clients and colleagues. He says: “Being a successful accountant is all about looking beyond the numbers. You just need to understand the rudiments of people and their business and be able to extend your accounting knowledge into offering sound and genuine advice.”
Andrew says: “I never thought I would retire. I always wanted to be a workaholic, and I can probably now say that I succeeded. But time moves on and circumstances change, and I (maybe reluctantly) think that now is the right time.
And what about Shorts themselves, whose roots go back to 1890? “The purpose-built offices, both in Chesterfield and in Sheffield are a far cry from the original premises in Glumangate and team numbers have grown from around 25 to over 125 today. Virtually everything is digital nowadays, so offices full of ledgers, cash books, pending trays and filing cabinets are now a distant memory. All information is available without needing to leave the desk,” said Andrew.
“My wife Catherine and I are looking forward to spending more time on hobbies, with our family and out in the fresh air,” He said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Shorts. I don’t know where the last 48 years have gone. It’s been a pleasure to witness the firm’s growth over my time and I take with me great memories of working with some lovely people. I will watch Shorts’ continued development with interest – even if it is from afar.”
A popular character amongst the team at Shorts, Andrew’s presence will be missed after his retirement. His experience and knowledge, coupled with his approachable and affable nature, have made him the first port of call for many questions or queries. An unflappable figure, he has always been a welcome sounding board when needed.
Managing Partner Andy Irvine commented “All of us at Shorts wish Andrew a very long and happy retirement and thank him for the years of dedication and service he has given to the firm and our clients.”
To find out more about the services offered by Shorts please visit their website here.