Northern Nevada Business Weekly: Tell us about Evans Nelson & Company CPAs and the responsibilities of your position.
Tim Nelson: We do dang near everything a regular CPA firm does, plus business valuation, expert witness litigation support, fraud investigation. Our preferred focus is the businesses that want to look forward as well as look back. As an industry, we are great at driving the bus by looking in the rear-view mirror.
As president, I interact with our clients, work on planning issues and mentoring our staff.
NNBW: How did you get into this profession?
Nelson: While I was in school I interned for Barnard Vogler, and then I went to work for Kafoury in December of 1991. I worked for about four or five CPA firms, and I was a casino controller for a couple of years. I later went to work for a frozen fruit company in Central California, and that company got bought by Dole. I came back here because my parents were getting older, and then I worked in business valuation traveling the country looking for companies to buy. In May of 2007 I formed a management consulting company and later bought out Mike Evans’ tax practice and merged the businesses in January of 2009. I knew I was going to go into business, but I got into accounting because I liked my accounting professor at UNR, B.J. Fuller, and I was good at it.
NNBW: What do you like most about public accounting?
Nelson: It’s the right thing for me because you can get into a manufacturer, a physician, a gaming or liquor group, and it feeds the diversity I like to have — I like to have 70 balls in the air at one time.
NNBW: You founded the firm in 2009 — as the local economy struggled during the next few years, how did that impact the start of your business?
Nelson: What’s really interesting about a CPA firm is that you see a really diverse cross-section of the economy. You knew that contractors were having problems, and that bankruptcy attorneys were starting to do really well. We got to be really good at short sales and foreclosures and cancellation of debt. I became an expert witness with the bankruptcy court in regards to Chapter 11 reorgs. We changed our business model to help clients get through whatever problems they had.
NNBW: What was your first job?
Nelson: Snack bar attendant at North Valleys Babe Ruth. My first real job was bag boy at Raley’s. I spent about seven years at Raley’s, and when I gave up my last job I took about a 35 percent cut in pay to go to work at Kafoury.
NNBW: What’s your dream job, and why aren’t you working it?
Nelson: I got to have those 70 balls in the air … but maybe advising entrepreneurs, or in some sort of angel group or at a small business development center. I love the passion and enthusiasm and blind faith of entrepreneurs.
NNBW: What are your favorite hobbies or pastimes? How do you spend your time away from work?
Nelson: With my kids — they always have something going on. I love to ride my road bike, and I used to like to run, but road biking is less impactful on my knees. I also like to go camping, fishing and hunting and just getting out into nature and seeing the stars at night.
NNBW: What did you dream of becoming when you were a kid?
Nelson: A cop. I wanted to be a police officer in the worst way.
NNBW: If you had enough money to retire right now, would you? Why or why not?
Nelson: Yes, but conditionally. I am too young, and I have to do something. I view retirement as more free time where I get to do the things I want to do.
NNBW: What’s the last sporting event or concert you attended?
Nelson: Probably an Aces game. For a concert, it was Bruno Mars at Harvey’s.
NNBW: What’s your idea of the perfect vacation?
Nelson: Because I like to decompress, either sitting by a pool in Cabo having someone bringing me chicken nachos and margaritas, or getting out into the hills and hiking and enjoying nature.
NNBW: Why did you choose a career in northern Nevada? What do you like most about working/living here?
Nelson: I was born here and am a third-generation Nevadan. It’s great because it’s a small community, and I love being able to know exactly who to send my clients to for whatever they need. We are big enough that you can have a diverse base in your clientele in regards to the things you get to work on, but small enough where you can have personal interaction and really get to know them.
To suggest a candidate for NNBW’s weekly question and answer column, look at our editorial calendar (http://apps.nnbw.com/utils/pdfs/9683736R.pdf) and contact reporter Rob Sabo at rsabo@nnbw.biz or call 775-850-2146.
