A BBD Success Story: Eric Stephen, Partner

Congratulations to Eric Stephen, who was promoted to partner as of January 1, 2010!  Eric is a partner in BBD’s Commercial Enterprise Group and primarily serves manufacturers & distributors; construction & real estate enterprises; life sciences & technology companies; and the service sector.

BBD: Where did you go to school?
ERS: I went to DeSales… well actually I went to Allentown College… they changed their name to DeSales the year after I graduated.

BBD:  Why did you choose to come to BBD?
ERS: Honestly… it really had to do with the interview process.  I met with Ron Scaramuzza, and he painted a really good picture of the firm. Then I met with Tom Bunting for about an hour.  Someone told me once that the longer you interview with Tom the better… so I had a good feeling.

BBD: How did you know you wanted a career in public accounting?
ERS: At first… I didn’t.  When I was in high school, I wanted to be a doctor.

BBD: Really?
ERS: Really.  I also wanted to be a chef at one point… but that is another story.  So I did a “ride along” with an emergency room doctor… I got a pager and when he was paged to come in to the hospital, so was I… It didn’t take too many 3 a.m. calls to “shadow” him before I realized being a doctor wasn’t for me.  That same year in high school… my junior year… I took my first accounting class.  I loved the teacher and the structure… so in college I decided to make accounting my major.  The rest is history!

BBD: So when Mike Boyle and Tom Bunting told you that they would like to make you a partner, what was the first thing that popped into your mind?

ERS:  This is going to be a real busy, busy season.  I was so excited, but a lot of my new roles ran through my head… client work… marketing… administrative duties… definitely more going on that just being an employee… but it fulfills a goal I have had for myself for a long time… so I can’t complain!

BBD: If your team played a sport together what sport would describe the work style of your team the best?
ERS:  Basketball.  The best way to sum that up would be that in basketball if your star player is hurt… everyone pitches in to fill in that gap… same with us… if one of us is swamped… or out sick… or whatever… everyone pitches in to help… no one is an island on our team.

BBD: What is your favorite part about BBD?
ERS:  Definitely the family atmosphere… I grew up in a very close knit family, and it is really important to me to surround myself with supportive people… both professionally and personally.  Everyone at BBD definitely does that.  Our partners always have an open door.  You can talk to them about anything… work…sports… family… you name it.  Then on top of all of that our firm really does a lot of fun stuff together.

BBD: What is the coolest thing you have done since you joined BBD?
ERS:  DEFINITELY the coolest thing I did so far at BBD was when I went to France for a client!  It was such a whirlwind.  I would go for 3 days at a time… 3 years in a row.  It was for a client who had a subsidiary over there.  Chance of a lifetime, definitely.

BBD: Describe your career at BBD in 3 words.
ERS: Advancement, exciting, and rewarding

BBD: What do you still hope to achieve here at BBD?

ERS: obviously to grow the firm both as a whole and the commercial group… continue to build our team and our service to our clients… even when you are a partner and that is the highest position you can achieve you never stop learning… growing…