Jason LaPlace: A CPA with a winning team

Meet Jason LaPlace. He’s a 26-year-old CPA who recently started a new position as assistant controller for the Columbus Blue Jackets?pretty cool for someone who’s always been a big sports fan.

But if you think that’s all there is to this young professional, think again. Find out about his experiences as an accounting major, what music he’s listening to right now, and what in the world gives him “cold feet.”

What is the coolest thing about working for the Blue Jackets?
I love the professional sports/entertainment atmosphere. It’s so much fun to be in the office with practice going on down on the ice, or hearing performers set up for events at the arena. The people are great too. It’s a diverse group since there are so many more departments than you’d find at a typical CPA firm.

Were you a fan of the team before you took the job? Do you have a favorite player?
I’ve been a huge fan since the first game. I attended Columbus Chill games all the time when I was growing up so I’ve always followed hockey. I wouldn’t say I really have a favorite player. I’ve met a few of them at different events and they’re all great guys.

You recently passed the CPA exam. Why was it important to you to have the CPA designation?
The CPA exam was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have been able to accomplish in my career. Being a CPA opens so many doors to where I want to go.

What is your advice to anyone looking to take the exam?
To anyone looking to take the exam my advice would be simple: Study like this is an exam that could change your life, because it really can. The key is to keep it in perspective and not to let it control your life. Set aside a specific block of time each day to study, and stick with it. Study harder than you ever have for that time period, and if you are able to do that then you’ll find you are able to keep your life relaxing.

What is something interesting about you that most people might not know?
This might sound more crazy than interesting, but I went to Arizona State University so I got used to wearing flip-flops year-round. I still wear flip-flops in Columbus during the winter unless I’m going to be outside for an extended period. You’ll still see me in flip-flops at a bar in January. 

Speaking of college, what do you miss most about it?
I miss the extra time I had to spend with friends, doing things like taking spontaneous weekend trips. Obviously college is very important and requires a lot of dedication, but it certainly was nice to have only three or four hours a day for classes, studying etc., as opposed to spending nine or 10 hours a day in the office or at a client. Of course I also miss the Arizona weather.

Why did you choose to major in accounting?
I realized that accountancy would create countless options for what I wanted to do. You can go into any area of business that interests you if you have your accounting degree. You have the skills to get your CPA and work in public accounting, and you are also qualified to work in the private sector, doing investment planning, management and so much more. Other business degrees don’t allow that much flexibility.

What would you tell a student majoring in accounting that you wish someone would have told you?
Stick with it?it’s well worth the effort. A lot of the college-level accounting classes seem mundane and boring. I remember preparing tax returns by hand or taking forever to write out journal entries. That isn’t really the way things work when you get into your career. You’ll do a lot of things in class that teach the basics of how things work, which isn’t always exciting. But when you get to your career you’ll finally realize how it all comes together.

Okay, enough of the serious stuff. Tell us the best movie you’ve seen recently?
I watch a lot of movies, but usually on DVD. I finally saw Blood Diamond. That was a great movie.

Name five songs playing on your iPod right now.

• Jimmy Buffett; “Fins,”
• O.A.R; “City on Down,”
• Kid Rock; “New Orleans,”
• Nas; “Hip Hop is Dead,”
• Ordinary Peoples; “Suitcase”

What would be your dream vacation if money was no object?
It would have to be Australia. I’ve never been out of the country except for Canada and Mexico, so I think that would be an exciting trip.

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