Manager Spotlight: Get to Know James Edwards

James Edwards III, CPA, was recently promoted to senior manager. James said about his promotion, “I am proud of the accomplishment and grateful for my mentors in the firm who helped me along the way. I am excited to continue building my expertise, and I look forward to the next chapter of my career at Yeo & Yeo.”

Let’s learn about James and what makes his career meaningful and enjoyable.

Tell me about your career path.

Yeo & Yeo was my first professional job out of college. As I gained experience, the assignments became more challenging. Looking back, I realize that each new responsibility helped build my skill set to further assist others in the firm and advance my career. I had to learn a lot at first, and I worked hard to become effective at bookkeeping and tax preparation. Once I had enough knowledge, I could help train new staff accountants and began reviewing work, billing clients and developing a book of business of my own. I’ve enjoyed taking on new responsibilities and challenges throughout my time at Yeo & Yeo.

What advice would you give to an aspiring accountant progressing in their career?

All aspiring accountants should develop their communication skills. Working with clients, we interact with many individuals in various contexts every day. We need to provide understandable answers to complex client questions, update team members on project statuses, give feedback on staff performance and much more. If you can communicate effectively with clients and colleagues, it will open many doors as you progress in your career.

What makes being an accountant fun?

Working on different clients and assignments every day makes accounting fun. No two days are alike from a work standpoint. One day, I could be preparing a tax return, and the next, I could be helping a client with a new business endeavor. I really enjoy the work variety, interacting with clients and helping them maintain and grow their businesses.

James leads the firm’s Client Accounting Software Team and is a member of the Manufacturing Services Group. His areas of expertise include tax planning and preparation, and business advisory services with an emphasis on the manufacturing sector and for-profit entities. Edwards holds a Master of Science in accounting from Grand Valley State University. He is a 2021 Leadership A2Y graduate. In the community, he serves as treasurer of the Ann Arbor Track Club and is a member of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation Network of Professional Advisors. He is based in the firm’s Ann Arbor office.