NACCSE
Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP (HA&W)
How do you describe your job to people outside the industry?
I make sure companies can report their results to their owners / shareholders as well as keep their auditors happy.
Who are your main competitors and what differentiates you from the competition? What makes you unique?
Accounting firms that can serve Dutch clients and / or provide financial reporting / accounting advisory services. There are not many that do both well. What sets me apart is the following:
– HA&W has the most Dutch clients of all the accounting firms in the market and is growing this client-base rapidly;
– I am the only service provider in the Southeast that provides these services who was born and raised in the Netherlands and holds both a CPA and a RA (Register Accountant) license;
– With my ex-PwC background I can provide the same quality of service with a better economical consequence for my clients;
– I have an excellent team of people with all “Big Four” backgrounds;
– HA&W is the most entrepreneurial firm in the market – we think like you!
How was the business started?
Habif Arogeti & Wynne, LLP (pronounced “hāy-bĭf, ărogetee and wĭn”) was founded in 1952 by Issac Habif and Jimmy Arogeti. They started by offering accounting and tax services to businesses and individuals in Atlanta.
How did you end up in Atlanta?
I worked on the Randstad account for the PwC audit practice in Amsterdam and since Atlanta is their US headquarters the PwC Atlanta office called me to see if I wanted to come here to serve the account in addition to helping out at Eastman Chemical (Kingsport, TN) with Sarbanes-Oxley (internal controls regulation from the Securities and Exchange Commission).
What is your number one business goal over the next year? Becoming the provider of choice for Dutch companies in the Southeast as well as all clients looking to get financial reporting assistance. I would like to grow my practice from 4 to 8 people, providing ample opportunity for growth and career advancement.
What is the best advice you have received regarding doing business with Americans/Dutch?
Most advice that I have received about doing business in the US proved to be untrue and here is why: the US is so large and diverse it cannot be generalized – this is probably the best advice I can give anyone – don’t assume what you read in the media in the Netherlands to be true and representative of the entire US and Americans – find out on your own by being yourself and opening up to others – just be your own “Dutch” self.
Any other personal information you would like to share, e.g. hobbies, special interests, family etc…
When I’m not working I enjoy spending time with my kids (two daughters and one son – they are American born), sports (Feyenoord, Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Georgia Bulldogs) and music (HipHop, Trance, Reggae, Rock, Blues).
Contact details:
Ramon Scheffer, Director of Financial Reporting Advisory Services Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP
Five Concourse Parkway | Suite 1000 Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: +1 (770) 353-4763
Cell: +1 (404) 663-9793
Fax: +1 (770) 351-1364
eMail: Ramon.Scheffer@hawcpa.com
Website: : http://www.hawcpa.com