Brian obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire in 2003, where he double majored in accounting and finance.  He is a certified public accountant and is a member of the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.  Brian grew up in a competitive family with two older brothers.  They each shared similar interests but quickly realized that each was stronger at different activities than others.  Brian’s passions were football, fishing, and chess, all of which helped mold the CPA that he is today.  Chess helped Brian see beyond the current move and look into the future to setup the best strategies.  Once he started playing football, chess became less of a focus and Brian enjoyed being part of a team and saw the benefits of hard work as it allowed him to play collegiately.  Brian still enjoys catching the occasional football game, but he would rather fish any day.  Brian has fond memories of growing up sitting on a boat and having conversations with family when the fish weren’t biting, which often involves business and tax saving strategies.  Many of those conversations were with his father.  As CFO of a fortune 500 company, Brian’s father discussed many topics that were too complex for Brian to understand before he was able to drive, but those conversations sparked an interest in accounting, finance, and tax and his interest has been growing ever since.