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In honor of five decades of visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to excellence, Squire CEO Jonyce Bullock pays tribute to the remarkable innovators and hardworking individuals who have made Squire a true success story. Learn more at squire.com/50.
When I think of the remarkable growth and successes of Squire over the last 50 years, I think of how it all started—with the extraordinary vision and business philosophy of founder DeLance Squire who said, “When you become friends with those you serve, you create a different, stronger relationship with them.”
That idea remains a cornerstone of Squire’s philosophy today; the bedrock on which our company values are built. Squire’s commitment to personal connection, proactive ownership, and thoughtful innovation continues to play a crucial role in our work culture and employee and client satisfaction.
It takes me back to my own beginnings at Squire, and the pivotal moment that defined the trajectory of my career, leading to where I am today.
I started at Squire as a tax intern in 1999, while still in college and working toward completing my degree. We were deep in the busy season leading up to the tax deadline when I experienced a health emergency. I was scared to mention it and didn’t know what to do, when a partner who knew about my situation pulled me into his office, telling me I needed to go home and take care of myself.
I was reluctant to leave, thinking it would reflect poorly on me to leave during such a busy time. But he told me, “If our clients don’t understand family and personal issues, then they don’t align with our values.”
And at that moment, Squire’s value of personal connection solidified my desire to stay with the company and make a career here.
By the time I graduated, Squire offered me a full-time position. I stayed full-time for six months until my son was born, and then Squire allowed me to move to part-time to balance my career and life as a new mom. Over the years, with another child and other life changes, I was given the flexibility to move back and forth between full and part-time as I needed.
What makes Squire stand out compared to other companies is that we show up to support one another, both personally and professionally. Our company values were put in place to not only help the company grow and succeed, but to set each individual employee up for continued success.
Squire is also known for nurturing a culture of innovation, which has opened many doors of opportunity over the years. For instance, Squire was an innovator in piloting a hybrid work option long before the rest of the working world was forced into it, and I was able to even work from home a couple of days a week.
The company invested in me, knowing I would eventually be at a point where I would return to full-time permanently. In 2006, I was able to fully lean into my career and eventually became the company’s first female partner in 2011.
Working for a company that allowed employees massive flexibility was incredibly inspiring to me, and I’m proud to say that Squire continues to prioritize this idea to this day. It’s where our “thoughtful innovation" core value comes in, and it is definitely why remote work was a smooth transition for us during the Covid pandemic.
I’m proud to say that Squire’s innovation in workplace flexibility has been recognized over the years. Utah Business named us in the “Best Companies to Work For” category five times since 2014; Forbes named us among “America’s Best Tax Firms” in 2021; Accounting Today included us six times among “Best Accounting Firms to Work For”; the Healthy Worksite Wellness Council has recognized us four years in a row with the Healthy Worksite Award; and many other honors that reflect the extraordinary company that Squire is and will continue to be.
Valuing our employees is what makes all the difference in our client relationships. Squire has grown from three employees in the beginning to now more than 200, reached $10 million in revenue after 37 years in business, and now 50 years later, is set to reach $40 million in revenue.
As challenges and obstacles continue to arise, Squire will meet them head-on with the spirit of innovation and adaptability that it always has. Increased regulation that can go into effect any time Congress passes a new law, a growing trend of a lack of seasonal downtime, and a diminishing pipeline of accounting graduates are just some of the things that are going to keep us on our toes as we look to the next 50 years and beyond for Squire.
I’m especially proud that in 2022, Squire joined the major firm’s group of the AICPA, which is a significant leap forward for us in the industry. My goal is that we will truly grow into that status and become a thought leader among our peers. I’m looking forward to further growth for this company while also retaining our culture, being an employer of choice, and growing the impact we have while remaining true to our roots.