Featuring our Audit Operations Manager, Chris Pry
In our ongoing series of interviews with our management team, today we bring you insights from Chris Pry, our Audit Operations Manager. Chris plays a crucial role in ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of our audit processes.
Work-Related Questions:
1. What are your thoughts on the current and future trends in the audit industry, and how does Poole Audit adapt to them?
Chris: The only constant is change. PAC has adapted and adjusted our methods through the years to stay on top of the competition and be on the leading edge of technology. As more companies turn to AI to handle bulk work, PAC maintains that there needs to be a human element to the review, and I believe our recoveries and methods outpace even the most efficient AI when it comes to actual audit work.
2. How do you encourage collaboration and teamwork within the company?
Chris: PAC is a family-run company, so teamwork and collaboration are built in. We also foster that interpersonal connection with frequent gatherings outside of work. Whether it be a baseball game, golf outing, brewery tour, or just grabbing lunch, we’re always working together and building strong teamwork.
3. Can you share some of the proudest moments you've experienced while leading Poole Audit?
Chris: It’s always rewarding when someone finds a large exception on their own and does all the research to prove it to me. I’m always excited to see auditors get excited about their job and take ownership of the work. We audit like it’s our own money, and when a trainee begins to really believe and live that philosophy, it is rewarding.
4. What do you envision as the ultimate goal for Poole Audit, and what steps are being taken to achieve it?
Chris: An ultimate goal has a certain finality to it; at PAC we’re constantly growing and learning and adapting with the industry. I’d like to see our company grow, but still maintain that small family-run business feel and personality.
5. Are there any skills or lessons you've learned that you apply to problem-solving or decision-making in your role as a leader?
Chris: Every audit is different. There is so much nuance within the industry that you have to learn and adapt or get buried in the constant change. Establishing a set of your own methods and procedures (and sticking to them) is paramount to your success.
For more insights into Chris's leadership philosophy and our approach to teamwork, read on in our blog series.
Social Question:
6. Are there any specific activities or sports that you enjoy participating in or watching during your leisure time?
Chris: I really enjoy playing golf and watching baseball. Although, I’m much better at watching baseball than I am at playing golf!
7. How do you find a balance between your professional responsibilities and personal interests?
Chris: The nature of our work means we’re typically not buried in a particular audit for more than a month at a time. This makes it much easier to disengage from a project upon completion and spend time with family or hobbies.
To learn more about our management team and the unique approach we bring to auditing, stay tuned for future blog posts.