Get to Know Bill Duke

On February 1, 2022, Duke CPA Inc., a small accounting firm in Cowansville, Quebec, located about an hour southeast of Montreal, merged with MNP. Founded in 1959 by William David Duke, Duke CPA Inc. has been providing clients from a variety of sectors with expertise in assurance, accounting, taxation, and estate services. Facing an increasingly difficult operational environment and a desire to offer a greater depth of services to their valued clients, managing partner William Gray Duke, who goes by Bill, and his partners decided to take Bill’s dad’s legacy to the next level by merging with MNP. We caught up with Bill to get to know him and his plans for the future.

Did you always want to become an accountant?

Nope, not at all. I started off wanting to be a marine biologist. I initially studied chemistry but was turned upside down by a physics course and switched to business. I got my commerce degree and then did an MBA at Concordia University, majoring in finance. I entered my father’s business and took accounting courses to obtain my professional accounting designation in 2001.

What do you like about accounting?

I like the analytical part of it and serving the clients. Every client has some kind of problem and it’s interesting to sort out those problems and get them back on track so they can achieve their goals.

How would you describe how you work with your clients?

I listen to them first. That sounds simple but it’s a learned thing. I listen to understand their objectives and to discern their personality, which helps me determine how I can best work with them. I also listen to identify what part of their problems are technical, what parts are tax or business related, and what parts are the result of how they’re running their business. Once I understand the heart of their issues, I work on a problem solving, analytical basis to help them. What I liked about MNP was this approach was very much a part of their culture.

How do you define added value?

Added value is a broad concept that can be put into many different slots. If you look at tax, added value to the client is almost always what can we do to help minimize what they’re paying in tax now and in the future. From an accounting perspective, a lot of clients think financial statements are just a necessary evil because they have to present them to lenders or for tax purposes, so added value is minimizing the cost and making sure statements are accurate so they’re also valuable for decision making. From our perspective, added value is identifying opportunities for clients that they may not have thought of.

Are you involved in the community?

Absolutely. Always have been. For at least 20 years I’ve been treasurer and director for the Butters Foundation, which provides services and programs for intellectually disabled and autistic people and their families in the Montérégie region of Quebec. My dad started fundraising for them in the 1970s and we’ve continued, raising millions of dollars for things like building houses, establishing summer camps, and funding research. I’m also the founder of The Acoustic Village, which provides an opportunity for musicians to perform in a concert format. Protecting the environment is another passion of mine, so I’m a director and treasurer of the Brome Lake Land Foundation and a member of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

What are you envisioning in terms of your future with the firm?

I joined the firm (My father's), in 1987, became managing partner in 1990, and have remained in that role ever since. MNP gives us a large support network and access to the technical staff we need, so it will allow us to serve our clients better. I’m also looking forward to promoting the firm. MNP’s name has been popping up pretty rapidly across Quebec and I want to help get our name known in this community. I know the firm is very involved in charitable activities and community involvement, so I’m looking forward to supporting the community that way as well.

What do you do when you’re not working or volunteering?

As much as I’m analytical, I’m also very creative. I like to play guitar and to write — I’m working on two books right now. I play squash and ski quite extensively and I enjoy golf as well as rock climbing with my youngest son.

To learn more about Bill or to find out how he can help you, contact him at 450.263.4123 ext. # 231 or [email protected]