Leadership Spotlight - Sean Purple

Sean is a partner in the Richmond office of Brown Edwards. He has 25 years of experience in public accounting and specializes in tax.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University at Albany and a Master of Science in Tax (MST) from Golden Gate University.He is an advisor to a wide variety of clients, including publicly traded multinational and smaller growth oriented companies on tax issues related to the financial institutions, technology, telecommunications, and manufacturing industries.  He also consults on corporate structuring, stock-based compensation, mergers and acquisitions, accounting methods, R&D, consolidated tax returns, and pass-through entities.

We interviewed Sean to get to know him, outside of his profession, and we were surprised to learn that he was a competitive high school state wrestler.

Where are you from and where did you grow up?

Upstate NY, Chittenango - hometown of Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz.  Chittenango is Native American for "Where the water runs North."

What do you like to do in your free time and who do you like to spend it with?

In my free time, I like to go hiking and camping. I also enjoy reading and spending time with my family. 

What's the next place on your travel bucket list and what will you do there?

Yosemite National Park - I would love to see Angel Falls, Halfdome, and El Capitan while hiking and camping.

What's the last book you read or what is your favorite book/series you ever read and why?

I am currently reading Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd.  My favorite genre is definitely historical fiction and my favorite series is the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follet.

What is one food you can’t live without and why??

Tiramisu.... self-explanatory

If you knew you were going to be stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you bring with you?

A boat...  mic drop.

If you starred in your own hero action movie, what would be your superhero name and superpower? 

The Compass.  Using my uncanny sense of direction to fearlessly navigate the globe without a map.

Why did you choose a career in public accounting?

I wanted to save people from paying taxes.  The best part of the profession is the fact it is a people profession.  You're always meeting new people and solving new problems.