When Director, Shaun Reeves and then owner Jim Skaines asked Heather McKenzie to interview for a position at their small accounting firm in 1993, no one could have imagined her commitment. “I was originally employed as an accountant,” Heather smiles. “Pretty much the same as I am now – except there were only six of us when I started – now there’s 70!”

Three decades later, Heather has become a senior accountant at SRJWW. And after all these years, she is still dedicated to providing her beloved clients with honesty, guidance and good old-fashioned common sense. “I don’t ever see myself as any sort of inspiration,” Heather blushes. “I just enjoy what I do. I like to sit, do my work, and help out where required.”  

This year, we celebrate Heather’s thirtieth year in the SRJWW family and discuss how the team helped her through private woes, health crises and professional growth.

A rocky start

After the birth of her youngest son, Heather longed to return to the workforce – not just for the added income, but for her mental health. “We needed the money,” begins Heather. “And I wanted to go back to work because I’m not good at staying home.”

Heather went on the hunt for work. After a short search, she found an advert in the paper advertising an accounting position in a tiny firm near her hometown of Dayboro. Although she had never heard of SRJWW, the company was just what Heather was looking for. “I liked the feel of the place,” Heather explains. “So I decided to take the job. And that’s what I did!”  

“I thought it might be a good fit – and it was. I’ve never looked back,” remembers Heather. “The team at SRJWW have been very good to me over the years. I’ve had some personal issues over the years – but they’ve always supported me.” 

But not all journeys begin smoothly. Heather’s first few weeks were plagued with stress and uncertainty regarding her children’s wellbeing. “I almost quit after the first few days,” nods Heather. “My youngest was in a daycare centre at Bald Hills, and they were horrible. So I took him out and brought him home.”

Luckily for Heather, a friend stepped up and offered a solution. “I was talking to a friend of mine a couple of days after I pulled my son out of daycare, and she said she could look after him. Otherwise, I never would have been able to continue working at SRJWW.” Unbeknownst to her, it was the beginning of a long and devoted career.

Now, with thirty years of loyal service under her belt, Heather can confidently say that working with SRJWW has been one of the best choices she’s ever made. “People have come and gone, which will happen in thirty years, but I’m just not one of them,” laughs Heather. “I’m glad that I’ve stayed. SRJWW has been a good place to work. Shaun and the team have been good to me. They’ve supported me throughout the ups and downs of my personal and work life. What more can you ask of your employer?”

Embracing new changes and opportunities

“If I weren’t doing this role, I would not be as technologically advanced as I am.” Heather, a self-confessed “dinosaur” when it comes to electronics, had to adapt and grow with new technologies over the years. “We’ve gone through so many different upgrades, and it’s sometimes challenging for someone my age to keep up. I do fall down occasionally, but there’s always someone around that can help.” 

When Heather started her role in 1993, the accounting industry was a very different place. “When I started at SRJWW, we didn’t have computers on our desks,” Heather starts. “We had a dedicated data entry person. We wrote out journals and gave them to her, and she put them through the computer. And when we did get our own computers, all we had was email. We didn’t have access to any of the processing systems. But gradually, over the years, we progressed to where we are today.”

Heather’s strength may not be in computers but in her vast and extensive understanding of finance and accounting. ”I’m happy to help anyone that I can. But it’s through knowledge, not through technology, that I can help.” 

And there’s one thing Heather can do that modern science can’t. In fact, she’s become quite renowned for it – writing touching, moving poems for her colleagues. “It started as a competition between me and Shaun,” laughs Heather. “He’s quite the Limerick writer. I wanted to ‘best’ him, shall we say. And it kind of just evolved from there.” 

“I’ve got every poem I’ve written in a binder. Now and again, I’ll go through it. Navin has told everyone at work how they shouldn’t cross me because he tried to do that once, and I wrote a poem about him!”

Getting by with a little help from friends

“SRJWW has always been accommodating with everything that’s gone on in my life,” says Heather. “Probably more so than any other employer. I’ve changed my working hours multiple times – from full-time to part-time – and the team has just been supportive.”

While Heather’s professional life was blooming, her home life took a hit. “When I found myself a single mother, I needed to work shorter days to accommodate my children’s school hours,” Heather elaborates. “Thankfully, the team at SRJWW gave me the flexibility to change the structure of my working day.”

Then, about eight years ago, Heather was struck with a terrifying prognosis. “In 2015, I ended up with cancer. Everyone at work was very accommodating. I was practically gone for eighteen months. I’d come in occasionally but couldn’t work as much as before. I’ve gradually increased my hours again now.”

With the support of her colleagues and friends behind her, Heather was able to continue her journey with SRJWW, resulting in unexpected yet deep friendships. “I’ve had some of the same clients for twenty or twenty-five years,” grins Heather. “I’ve become quite good friends with a couple of them and their families I feel comfortable with them because they feel comfortable with me.”

For Heather, being friends with her clients enriches her personal life and helps them professionally. “When you’re friends with your clients, they tend to tell you what’s going on in their business just in normal conversation,” Heather clarifies. “It puts you on the front foot instead of hearing about it six months later.”

SRJWW is honoured to have employees like Heather who have stayed dedicated to their careers. We look forward to many more years together!

Keep an eye on our careers page for career opportunities at SRJWW.