Staff

Howard helps his personal and corporate clients manage their relationship with the Canada Revenue Agency in order to minimize the amount they pay and maximize the amount they keep for themselves, while at the same ensuring that all of their reporting and filing obligations are properly met. Howard also works with his clients to monitor and grow their net worth so that their day of financial freedom arrives sooner rather than later.

Howard spent the first six years of his accounting career working in Price Waterhouse’s Small Business Department followed by 3 years with a local, mid-size CA firm. In 1995 Howard joined forces with Sonya Bekken to form Bekken, Bickford & Associates Inc.

Howard enjoys working with all types of small business owners and has a special interest and expertise in real estate-related ventures. Howard also helps individuals with their US personal tax filings.

Howard enjoys working with and helping small business owners grow their businesses and their personal net worth. He also enjoys helping them as they go through the various phases of their business lives such as entry and exit of business partners, mergers and acquisitions, and ultimately sale or succession.

Howard is married and lives in Lynn Valley with his wife Karen (also a CA) and their three wonderful sons. The whole family is involved in music with Howard playing piano and guitar, Karen playing the piano and bass guitar, and each child playing an instrument or two as well. Howard is also an avid mountain biker and skier.

d. (604) 637-9762
t. (604) 685-9843
f. (604) 685-9856
e. howard@bbagroup.ca

Patrick brings to the table a great mix of public practice and industry experience. His clients are largely privately owned corporations, and it is no wonder why he excels at providing the services they require, as he too has been the entrepreneur he now represents. Understanding where his clients are coming from makes the professional relationship with his clients sound.

Patrick likes to help his clients by assuming the role of the “external controller”. A good accountant will ensure your filings are done on time and help to minimize tax, but as an “external controller” Patrick also focuses on becoming a part of your company. He has helped his clients by re-working their accounting systems and procedures for gathering and inputting information in order to ensure decisions are being made with the most relevant information, identified areas where outsourcing, or taking services in-house, would be beneficial, and helped to structure and achieve long term plans for the individuals behind the corporations. Putting your mind at ease is his highest concern.

As a Business Advisor, Patrick will ensure your Companies are structured correctly to facilitate proper asset protection, tax minimization, estate planning, as well as succession planning. Patrick has also successfully assisted his clients with other services such as negotiating for the purchase of various companies, hiring of key personnel, and the successful financing of business expansions with transactions over $1M.

His public-practice accounting experience dates back to 1997 when he started with Bekken, Bickford & Associates Inc (“BBA”). With them, he has gained the confidence and earned the respect of his clients and peers. In addition to his daily work, he also participates in seminars and workshops in conjunction with other financial professionals and advisors.

Patrick’s own industry experience includes owning a manufacturing company with high volume customers such as 7-Eleven Canada and Weston Bakeries, and a high-end European bakery. At any given time, Patrick would be responsible for managing over 40 employees and all the logistics of having two companies that ran literally 24 hours a day.

Patrick is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC and the Financial Planning Standards Council. He received his professional designations from CGA-BC in 2002 and CFP in 2009.

Personally, Patrick and his wife are the parents of two beautiful girls, He enjoys golf, boating (Power Squadron member), the occasional cigar and has an unquenchable affection for cars.

d. (604) 637-9763
t. (604) 685-9843
f. (604) 685-9856
e. patrick@bbagroup.ca

Jess joined the BBA team in March of 2009 and became a partner in 2013. Having returned to public practice after several years in various industry positions, Jess brings a wealth of experience in financial systems, operational management, as well as taxation and accounting matters. He has been a designated Chartered Professional Accountant (previously CGA) since 2000, after having graduated from the BCIT Financial Management program with honours in 1997. Prior to BBA, as Controller of a local high-tech firm in Vancouver, he developed systems to support a rapidly growing, recurring subscription client-base in the Point of Sale industry. Jess has a passion for cost control and leveraging financial systems to provide reliable information to stakeholders in a timely manner. While at BBA, he has been able to combine this operational experience with a focus on creating elegant tax structures that result in efficiency on both corporate and personal levels.

Recreationally, Jess enjoys tinkering with anything on two or four wheels and an engine, generally being a self-professed computer geek, and taking apart and fixing nearly anything. He enjoys the outdoors and getting his hands dirty in his organic community garden plot in East Van with his long-term partner April.

d. (604) 903-6654
t. (604) 685-9843
f. (604) 685-9856
e. jess@bbagroup.ca