Devon Huber began his accounting career as an articling student with Crowe MacKay and 11 years later is now a trusted Partner in the firm’s tax group.
Being someone who loves to be challenged, I naturally gravitated toward the area of taxation. As a tax specialist, I am constantly expanding my technical knowledge so that I can provide comprehensive and proactive solutions to my clients. One of the greatest lessons I have ever learned was early on in my career. It was that the learning process is never done and you should constantly strive to improve and grow professionally and personally. I have kept that with me throughout my career and have witnessed first-hand that the learning process is never-ending and the work is constantly changing. No two days are the same, and I love that.
Obtaining a Chartered Professional Accounting (CPA) designation takes commitment, perseverance, and discipline. All of these traits I developed at a very young age thanks to my 10 years as a competitive gymnast. Although I had the mental skills to receive my designation, I can definitively say I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my family, friends, and my colleagues.
There are two individuals at our firm that have been impactful mentors of mine throughout my professional journey. Bill Gill, a partner in our Surrey office, hired me and has been there for me ever since. His guidance has helped me grow as a professional over the past 11 years. Matthew So, a member of our tax group, has also been a very impactful mentor in my development as a tax professional. His knowledge and experience in tax is unparalleled and I have been extremely lucky to grow as a tax professional under his mentorship.
Like many of my fellow CPA’s, one of the greatest moments in my career was waking up to the UFE exam results (aka the professional exam of nightmares) and, thankfully, seeing “Pass” beside my name. It is one of those professional rites of passage that you are grateful you only have to go through once.
If not accounting, then what?
Unlike the other kids in my preschool class that set their sights on “police officer” or “firefighter” as a career path, mine was a bit more unconventional. Believe it or not, I had my sights set on being a “garbage man”. The reason, I was fascinated with the big hydraulic truck they drove. Furthermore, the thought of getting to stand on the back of the truck as it drove around the neighborhood was just too cool to pass up.
Unsurprisingly, my childhood convictions of being a garbage man were very short-lived. As with many individuals, I began thinking about the possibilities university had to offer. I started my university education thinking I wanted to go into computer sciences. Within two weeks of my first programming courses, I knew I was in the wrong place. I realized business was more my speed and explored the area of accounting during that shift. I found that I both excelled at my accounting courses and enjoyed the material. I’ve never looked back since.
Out of Office
I am someone that loves the outdoors, traveling, exploring new places, and having new experiences. When I am not in the office you can often find me out hiking, camping, or exploring a new corner of the globe. As a national level gymnast that competed all over Canada, I caught the travel bug early. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to a number of amazing places, one of the most memorable being Longyearbyen in Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago. Longyearbyen is situated just 1,316 km south of the North Pole and is one of the world’s northernmost permanent settlements. Having the chance to kayak fjords and trek snow-covered mountains in this remote and raw landscape was unforgettable.
I am excited for what the future has in store for me here at Crowe MacKay. The firm continues to grow and expand its service lines and I intend to be active in that expansion. I believe we have amazing opportunities to develop our international and cross-border tax advisory services and I intend to focus my time building this area of practice.
