“I want to actively contribute to society by having a fulfilling career and continuing to serve” - Larry Chan
"The army taught me teamwork, communication, and how to lead by example” reflects Larry Chan. “These skills shaped me into a soldier, the person that I am today, and the business professional that I’m aspiring to be.”
Larry started his military career as an infantry soldier in the reserves. After transferring from the infantry to become a medic in the army, he eventually joined the Special Forces. When his term of service came to an end, he decided to focus on spending more time with his family, and launching a new career. “I watched friends and colleagues struggle with their transition from the military to civilian life, and wanted to arm myself with the tools to succeed. That’s why I came to SCS.”
Larry decided to pursue his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation, taking CPA preparatory courses at SCS. “The program was very flexible and gave me the opportunity to learn quickly and efficiently. It connected me with expert instructors like Bartosz Amerski, who acted as a mentor to me and helped shape my career” says Larry, who won a 2018 Marilyn Booth Award of Excellence from SCS.
Today, Larry is an Auditor in the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, and aims to complete his CPA in 2021. “I want to actively contribute to society by having a fulfilling career and continuing to serve” he says. In the future, Larry aims to earn an MBA and continue growing as the industry evolves. “The development and implementation of artificial intelligence and automation will change the future of accounting” he says. “People will need to bring deeper meaning to the numbers, and do what machines cannot do, in order to remain relevant.”
“The development and implementation of artificial intelligence and automation will change the future of accounting."
The skills and values Larry gained in the military are still in full force. He is now involved with Treble Victor, or 3V, an organization that connects past and currently serving soldiers to help ease the transition from a life of service to civilian life. “It’s important to turn around and lend a hand to the person behind you, to help them over that wall” he says. “Everyone hangs up their uniform eventually. We need to be reminded not to dwell on the end of one journey, but to focus on the exciting challenges ahead.”
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