Since 1979, DHG has been providing Asheville area clients with tax and advisory services with a “future-focused approach.” In addition to their tax services, the company is focused on being a pillar of the business community and giving back to the community they serve.
Read more about DHG in our interview with Amy Bibby below…
Tell us about your business and the role you play in it.
DHG is a top 20 professional services firm offering assurance, tax and advisory services to clients across the country and internationally. I am the Office Managing Partner of our Asheville office, where we serve clients in a number of sectors including healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, real estate, non-profits and local brewers.
We are proud of our technical knowledge, industry intelligence and future-focused approach, which help us best serve our clients, both today and tomorrow. Our 2,000+ professionals are passionate about providing an unparalleled client experience and fulfilling our mission, which is to build valuable careers with our people and help our clients achieve their goals. This really highlights our two most important priorities: our people and those we serve.
Where did your vision begin? How has it grown?
Dixon Hughes Goodman, now known as DHG, has been in business since 1959. In fact, our firm was founded in Western North Carolina! Through several strategic mergers over our 60+ year history, we now have 30 offices across the U.S. We’ve grown from a firm that provides traditional audit and tax services to one with extensive advisory offerings that is able to be agile and help our clients in new ways as challenges arise.
For example, as COVID-19 has changed so much about the business world, we have adapted our approach and services too to help companies navigate the CARES Act, understand the Employee Retention Credit, conduct PPP Loan Forgiveness calculations and more. In our goal to be a trusted advisor, we have also evolved our Knowledge Share program to include even more webinars and resources that assist clients in staying on top of the constant changes in accounting and their industries.
What made you choose the Asheville area?
DHG’s first Asheville office was established in 1979 and the firm has a long-standing presence throughout North Carolina. We have since grown the Asheville office into a significant hub with a unique and quirky vibe to match our city.
We love the wide variety of types of clients we serve here and getting to know the individual character and story of each one as we help them work through business problems and success strategies. Our Asheville teams really support and enjoy working with one another, and you’ll often find them celebrating professional milestones, doing community service or enjoying the outdoors together.
What has been your greatest challenge? Your greatest victory?
Friday, March 13, 2020 was a very challenging day. We, like many companies, made a decision to close our ‘physical’ doors, send employees home and work virtually. It was a time of great uncertainty. Over the past 14 months, DHG—like so many other businesses—has learned to operate differently, think differently and re-define what the ‘normal course of business’ really looks like. In doing so, we have emerged stronger in how we are able to provide valuable careers for our people and serve our clients in a more meaningful way.
If you had to give one piece of advice to someone just starting out in public accounting, what would it be?
Be a sponge. Seek every opportunity to learn new things. Ask questions and seek feedback. Don’t be afraid to give suggestions or contribute to innovation and growth. Most importantly, adopt and live a spirit of perpetual optimism. Having an optimistic outlook is so important and foundational to what drives long-term success.
What does the word “community” mean to you?
DHG values a sense of community on multiple levels. It’s critical to have an internal community and company culture that is collaborative and where people want to stay and build valuable careers. We have internal programs like our IMPACT initiative that focuses on the well-being of our people across health, finances, sustainability and community service.
We are also dedicated to being a pillar of the business community and giving back to the larger geographic communities where we live and work. We give our time, talent and support to the Asheville community, contributing to many different philanthropic organizations like the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, MANNA FoodBank and the United Way of Asheville & Buncombe County. Since volunteerism is an integral part of our Asheville office culture, we have given 450+ volunteer hours throughout the community since 2016.
Do you have anything else you’d like to share?
Another thing we are very proud of is our firm’s work around inclusion and diversity. We are passionate about fostering an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity and creates a workplace where everyone can experience belonging. We have common interest groups for our professionals such as Women Forward, the African American Network, PRIDE+ (LGBTQ), the Latin American Network, Parents Professional Network, Eldercare and others that help us facilitate crucial conversations while promoting greater awareness through connections.
Using the pillars of awareness, action, accountability and allyship, we strive each day to actively seek to understand others and be the support they need as they encounter challenges.