WMC ACCOUNTING - Key Persons
You are here: Home > Who We Are > Directors & Staff > Brianna Mcgarrigle
Brianna joined the WMC Accounting team as an administration junior in September 2018, during our peak tax-season. She has since been appointed as administration officer and personal assistant to Directors Heath McCartney and Darren Slattery and the accounting team. She has a customer service background which complements our corporate vision of leadership and service excellence and utilises her experience to build strong and successful relationships with all our clients.
Brianna has a client-facing role here at WMC Accounting and is responsible for managing the calendars, appointments and incoming enquiries for the accounting team, and is the client liaison for all administrative matters. She is able to assist clients with ATO lodgement deadlines, setting up ATO payment plans, processing finalised business activity statements, instalment activity statements, income tax returns and financial statements, in addition to stepping you through the process of Docusign electronic signatures and setting up your Nimbus client portal login.
Brianna is involved with the community through her fundraising and volunteer efforts for Variety, the Children's Charity and e.motion 21, an Australian organisation dedicated to supporting children and young adults with Down syndrome through dance and fitness initiatives.
If you have a general enquiry or need to make an appointment with a member of our accounting team, contact Brianna to assist you.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Senior Accountant
- Treasurer for the Bluebird Foundation
You are here: Home > Who We Are > Directors & Staf f > Darren Slattery
Darren Slattery is a Partner and Director with WMC Accounting. Having started as a Graduate Accountant in early 2003, Darren completed his CPA qualifications before moving on to gain experience in a varied role. Returning to us in 2009, Darren took on a senior position, which involves executing complex accounting and compliance issues, in addition to mentoring and training staff to become highly qualified and fastidious accountants.
Darren has the experience and is committed to providing expert advice on self-managed super fund compliance, capital gains tax issues, trust distributions to minimise taxation, business turn-around, and analysing business results to introduce and improve efficiencies resulting in proficient business operations. He specialises in minimising the compliance burden for clients, in order to maximise value-added accounting output and guidance.
Darren has a broad range of clients, thanks to his professional and results-based accounting acumen. He can be relied on to offer tangible, direct advice ensuring that individuals and business owners achieve their financial goals and business success. He aspires to introduce new small to medium businesses to WMC Accounting, and build on existing client relationships.
Darren is Treasurer for the Bluebird Foundation and is the Finance Officer for Geelong Cement Bowls Club, aligning his knowledge of finance and accounting with the needs of his community. He is a pennant member of Geelong Cement Bowls Club and is active in the bowls community.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce, CPA
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of River 's Gift
You are here: Home > Who We Are > Directors & Staff > Heath McCartney
Heath McCartney is one of three Directors of WMC Accounting, rapidly moving up the corporate ladder following his graduation from Deakin University with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2000. He has continued building his education and financial knowledge throughout his career and holds post-graduate qualifications with CPA Australia, and a Diploma of Financial Planning. Heath is a registered SMSF Auditor, Tax Agent and an Authorised Representative of SMSF Advisors Network.
Heath specialises in the complex capital gains tax issues arising from property, land developments and large-scale investments. He is proactive in tax minimisation and can be relied upon at the onset of business development to offer innovative advice to support effective strategic planning advice.
Heath and his team have major clients in trade and construction, and provide support and advice to individuals looking to branch out on their own, through the development of business structures that provide asset protection and tax minimisation. This support continues throughout the business life, from start-up, business development and maintaining reporting obligations for taxation compliance.
Heath is a Director of River's Gift and has spent countless hours providing direction on fundraising efforts and advising on the intricate and very specific reporting requirements of running a not-for-profit registered charity, to fund research into SIDS prevention. Heavily involved with many sporting associations throughout his youth, Heath continues to be immersed in building strong community ties.
Qualifications: Diploma of Financial Planning, Bachelor of Commerce, CPA
You are here: Home > Who We Are > Directors & Staff > Jake Clark
Jake began his career at WMC as a Graduate Accountant in 2014 after completing his Bachelor of Commerce with the University of Ballarat and has now progressed into the role of Accountant, having satisfied numerous internal key performance indicators. Mid-way through his CPA post-tertiary qualifications, Jake is one of our rising accounting stars.
Working under Director Heath McCartney, Jake has superior knowledge in cloud and traditional accounting software, making him the ideal client resource when it comes to training and education in all aspects of bookkeeping. It is his goal to give clients the resources they need to faithfully complete transactions and reconcile accounts, giving them greater control and knowledge to fully comprehend personal and business finances.
Jake specialises in preparing financial statements and tax returns for individuals, partnerships, trusts, companies and Self-Managed Superannuation Funds. It is his diligent approach to the task at hand that ensures he completes work in a timely manner so that clients can use the information prepared to help with financial decision-making and tax planning rather than being primarily retrospective in nature.
Jake is heavily involved in the sporting community and utilises his accounting knowledge to assist the treasurer of a local football team and to provide support to the fundraising committee.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce
Memberships: Associate Member of CPA Australia
You are here: Home > Who We Are > Directors & Staf f > John Cleary
John Cleary is one of three directors of WMC Accounting. Highly skilled and educated in accounting, auditing and finance, John holds an Associate Diploma in Business Studies, a Bachelor of Commerce, and is a registered CPA and a registered Tax Agent. It is the application of this specialised knowledge that sets John apart from others in the accounting and business sphere, and as Director, John has instilled the values of leadership and service excellence across the entire practice, ensuring that our vision is upheld by all staff.
John and his team specialise in high-wealth individuals, self-managed superannuation funds and construction industry accounting. Additionally, John is committed to servicing all facets of individual, partnership, trust and company taxation compliance, strategic and tax planning, ensuring that individuals and businesses are looking to the future to maximise wealth creation. He supports the use of cloud based accounting software so that information can be disseminated as and when needed, allowing him to give real-time advice to clients on their business operations.
John favours working on complex accounting issues to achieve tax minimisation and asset protection. He ensures quality control standards are maintained by reviewing work performed by team members, to achieve the best outcomes for clients. It is his professional goal to attract small to medium businesses to WMC Accounting.
John serves on the board of St Joseph's College, establishing policy and strategic direction for the school community and sits on the Finance and Planning Committee, capitalizing on his knowledge as a leading accountant within the Geelong community.
Qualifications: Associate Diploma in Business Studies, Diploma of Financial Planning, Bachelor of Commerce, CPA
You are here: Home > Who We Are > Directors & Staff > Kelly Smith
Kelly joined WMC Accounting as a graduate in late 2015, after completing her Bachelor of Commerce with Deakin University. She has now commenced her post-tertiary study and is well on the way to becoming a qualified CPA. With previous experience in the export industry, Kelly has a sound understanding of legislative requirements and liaising with government bodies. Progressing to the role of accountant in January 2017, Kelly will continue to expand her education to ensure clients realise superior results in their compliance and business advisory needs.
Working in Director Heath McCartney's team, Kelly spent her first year as a graduate focussing on the intricacies of accounting software, particularly cloud software Intuit, Xero and Reckon Hosted. She can be relied on to allocate GST, reconcile transactions, reconcile bank statements, create efficiencies and set-up payroll. She is certified in both Intuit and Xero and takes pride in training clients on how to use the software efficiently so that they can maximise their time outside the office.
Kelly is developing her accounting skills under Senior Accountant Darren Slattery, and has spent time working on the end of year accounting for self-managed superannuation funds, individuals, sole traders, partnerships and trusts, preparing balance day reconciliations, uptake of assets to the asset register, HP schedules, depreciation schedules and rental property worksheets. Kelly is able to help with a range of compliance matters, including preparation of Business Activity Statements, Instalment Activity Statements, Taxable Payments Annual Reports and PAYG Summary Statements.
Outside of WMC Accounting workplace giving programs, Kelly is proud to support The Cancer Councils Biggest Morning Tea, and the OCRF White Shirt Campaign. In the future Kelly would like to become involved with charitable foundations at board level.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce, CPA
Memberships: Associate Member of CPA Australia
You are here: Home > Who We Are > Directors & Staff > Nathan Robertson
Nathan joined the WMC Accounting graduate talent pool in December 2020, whilst completing his Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University. He also holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours). Working under Directors Tom Aldridge and John Cleary, Nathan will be developing his accounting skills by focussing on the preparation of financial statements and income tax returns for sole traders, partnerships, trusts and companies.
After undertaking extensive training in our graduate development program and covering the intricacies of individual tax returns, accounting for clients with rental properties, share portfolios, capital gains, business schedules and related tax affairs amongst other areas, Nathan completed his training and progressed as an Accountant. He will be introduced to structuring to suit small business entities, tax minimisation, and the preservation of wealth and security for our clients' futures.
Nathan has a solid account keeping background and is certified in Xero, QuickBooks and Spotlight Reporting, and can offer trusted advice when deciding which accounting programs suit clients' needs, and creating efficiencies in reconciling so that clients are able to spend more time in their business rather than on their accounts. His experience in managing a small business ensures that he can be trusted to streamline accounting processes and offer workflow management advice, in line with the Australian Tax Office lodgement program, and other compliance activities. Nathan is available to assist all businesses in their compliance needs.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours)
You are here: Home > Who We Are > Directors & Staff > Tom Aldridge
Tom Aldridge is a Partner and Director at WMC Accounting. Completing a work experience program with us in 2007 through the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Tom was offered a Graduate Accountant position on completion of his Bachelor of Commerce with Deakin University. Having completed post-tertiary qualifications, Tom is a qualified CPA and holds a Diploma of Financial Planning.
Tom has a wealth of knowledge in all areas of accounting and taxation and can be relied on to advise clients in achieving the best possible outcomes for their distinctive situation. A mentor to many of the graduates at WMC, he is passionate about disseminating information, training and educating, so that we can all realise superior results for our clients.
Tom has had many successes in his career, including building a vast clientele of self-managed superannuation funds. His specialisation in SMSF has commanded he seek to continually update his knowledge in this highly regulated field, which is an important sector in the Australian economy. This puts him in a distinctive position where he can be relied on to ensure your SMSF reporting obligations are met on time and with the highest attention to detail.
Tom has major clients in small business and new business start-ups and takes pride in guiding clients through the early stages of the business life-cycle right through to succession. Like all at WMC, Tom recognises the importance of timely advice and ensuring that taxation compliance is met, as our clients rely on us to be up to date with ever-changing tax law.
Tom is heavily involved in the local sporting community and continues to be seen on the field. He has served as Treasurer at his cricket club, and grows a moustache every November to raise money with the WMCMoBro team, in an effort to tackle some of the most significant health issues faced by men.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce, Diploma of Financial Planning, CPA