Tom Wagstaff, CPA
Contact information
Tom Wagstaff is a Senior Partner with PP&Co. Tom started with PP&Co in 1980 as a staff accountant, becoming a partner in 1994. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and both a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master’s in Business Administration from San Jose State University.
As senior partner at PP&Co, Tom is responsible for providing tax and business consulting for closely held businesses, their owners, and families. At PP&Co he has worked on numerous projects for clients in a variety of industries, including the implementation of tax planning strategies, compensation planning and incentive stock option planning. In addition, he lectures extensively on real estate and options strategies and provides presentations and training sessions on income taxation to industry and professional organizations. As well as being a CPA, Tom holds both Life Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 66 and 7) and is responsible for guiding the firm’s human resources department.
We asked…Tom Answered
Who was the most influential person or mentor in your life?
Influential person – My father, who raised five boys, fought in a war, and who succeeded in his professional life by treating people with respect and good humor.
Mentor– Jim Petrinovich, because he taught me that respect isn’t demanded, it’s earned.
How do you keep staff encouraged and motivated during busy season?
By creating a work environment that encourages and rewards performance and new ideas. We try to make them feel like they are members of a team and that we are all working together. Moreover, we try to keep things in perspective; even in the height of tax season you will hear laughter and feel a sense of ‘esprit de corps’ throughout the office.
How do you measure success?
I measure success by the degree to which I have changed people’s lives for the better and made a difference; both with our clients and co-workers.
Professional Affiliations
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- California Society of Certified Public Accountants