As we continue to celebrate 10 years of the Bachelor of Business Administration: Sustainable Business Practices program, we look back at one of our alumnae – Ashely Tanner – whose education, combined with her incredible work ethic, earned her a partnership at a local accounting firm.
When Ashley Tanner enrolled in College of the Rockies’ Bachelor of Business Administration, Sustainable Business Operations (BBA) program, she was already working at local chartered accounting firm, Hryciuk Gallinger & Co. Having worked her way up from bookkeeping to Junior Accountant and Intermediate Accountant all while simultaneously completing her Certified General Accountant (CGA) designation.
As a result of the accounting merger, Ashley wished to obtain her degree to meet the requirements of the Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. A colleague mentioned that College of the Rockies had a BBA degree.
“It was a great option for me to be able to go to the local college and get the degree,” she said. “That, in turn, allowed me to complete my CPA.”
Ashley helped to implement a paperless office environment at Hryciuk Gallinger & Co., thanks to a research project required for the BBA program. The office continues to be paperless today.
“We were considering transitioning to a paperless office at Hryciuk Gallinger & Co. so I decided to make that my project. I thought I could do some of the research, with the partners also doing their own research, into what programs were available, how you go about transitioning to paperless, as well as the challenges that others who had moved to paperless had encountered.”
Ashley’s hard work and commitment to her clients did not go unnoticed. With the retirement of founding partner, Bruce Hryckiuk, she was named a partner at the firm, alongside Donna Gallinger.
Settled into her new career, Ashley is grateful that the College offers degree-level options in the East Kootenays.
“I think it is a great program and it is amazing that the College is offering it at a local level and at an affordable price. I know so many people who would like to get a degree but can’t necessarily afford to go to an expensive university.
“Also the teachers there are amazing. I still have great contacts with all of the teachers that I went through the program with. Now as a partner, it is wonderful to be able to recommend the program to employees we’ve hired here.”