Grant Cooper, a Partner at SRWC LLP Chartered Professional Accountants always knew he wanted to pursue a career in business. As a high school student, he would watch and learn from his father, one of two original founders of Manitoulin Transport, a company that has grown to become one of the largest trucking companies in Canada.
Grant Cooper says, “At some point I wanted to run my own business, I just wasn’t sure what it was. When I was in university I was leaning towards accounting and here we are.”
Upon graduation from university, Grant worked for the federal Auditor-General’s Office in Ottawa where he articled, a requirement to receive his Chartered Accountant certification. Newly married, Grant was longing to return to Sudbury where he grew up and has deep roots. He says, “I went to all the accounting firms in Sudbury and there weren’t any jobs available, so I started my own accounting practice from scratch, working out of my house.”
Taking initiative
Cooper picked up the phone to see if companies were looking for an accountant. Pope Restaurant Supply was his first client. As a demonstration of confidence in him, Pope Restaurant Supply left one of the national accounting firms and joined Grant Cooper. He says, “It was a big step for them. They were a family friend and I slowly started to build my practice going forward.” Grant also reached out to various organizations, offering to share his accounting knowledge and expertise. He taught part-time at Cambrian College and Laurentian University while still operating his accounting practice.
In 2003, Grant Cooper joined SRWC LPP Chartered Professional Accountants, becoming a full partner a year later. His main area of practice is annual compliance services for owner-managed businesses. Grant files corporate and personal income tax returns for individuals who own their own business.
A passion to grow businesses
Grant Cooper has been a mentor to many in Sudbury interested in launching their own business. In earlier years, he tutored individuals at the former Toronto School of Business. As part of a federal government initiative to support Employment Insurance recipients Grant helped guide and motivate EI clients to start their own business. Grant still has clients who started their companies while on EI more than 30 years ago. He says, “I had a gentleman who rebuilt fuel pumps at gas stations. I tutored him when he was on EI back in 1992. He went on to have a successful business and just retired last year.”
Grant Cooper is proud of the clients who took his advice and succeeded. He says, “I have several clients that I’ve had since the mid 1990’s and some of those clients have businesses that are now run by 2nd and 3rd generation family members. That’s a significant part of what we do at SRWC is grow the business through generations of company owners.”
SRWC LLP professionals provide their clients with much more than the ability to crunch numbers. They offer clients a range of skills and expertise including human resources, payroll, and they’re even willing to play the role of amateur psychologist. Grant says, “We do a bit of everything for our clients.”
Following in his father’s footsteps
Growing up in Sudbury, Tyler Cooper, Grant’s son, was immersed in the sports of soccer and hockey. Through grade school Tyler played hockey year-round and after years of early practices and travelling with his team around the province Tyler was drafted to the Ontario Hockey League and played junior hockey across the country.
Tyler says, “From that point on, I was away from home between the ages of 16 and 20. I was all over the place, including playing hockey in B.C. for two years.”
Laurentian University’s offer of a varsity scholarship set Tyler on a path to studying finance. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in the spring of 2020, right at the start of the pandemic. Tyler says, “When I graduated, there weren’t many businesses hiring, so I decided the best route for me was to work at SRWC and during that period I decided to get my CPA.” Tyler passed the September 2023 Common Final Exam and will complete his 30-month experience requirement for the CPA in March.
Tyler Cooper spent school breaks working in the SRWC office. He watched how the partners interacted with their clients. Tyler says, “I saw how the partners were dedicated to their jobs, they cared for their clients, and looked for opportunities to help people. That’s when I decided I was going to take over my father’s practice.”
Tyler believes that his experience playing on competitive sports teams has given him an edge on how to effectively communicate and connect with other people. He says, “The skills I acquired in team sports has helped me in my interactions with clients and client management overall. It’s an all-important skill.”
A passion for sports runs in the Cooper family. Tyler’s sister Samantha plays professional basketball in Europe. At the height of the pandemic lockdown, when sporting events were suspended, Samantha returned to Sudbury to help organize the 2020 tax season under rigid pandemic restrictions. She continues to work in the SRWC office when she’s home.
At SRWC people matter
SRWC’s success and longevity as an independent accounting firm over the past 70 years is attributed in part to the value it puts on its employees. The firm has shaped a workplace culture where the children of current partners want to work. The Coopers have 2nd generation representation in Tyler while the Sostarich family has three generations at the firm. One staff member has been there more than 40 years.
Professional experience, passed down through generations, has allowed SRWC LLP to provide excellent service to Sudbury’s business community. SRWC LLP’s success story in Sudbury is a remarkable journey bolstered by its ability to build trust with clients, foster employee loyalty, and be a firm that younger generations want to join. SRWC LLP’s story is a reminder that ethical values are not just good for business, they are the foundation upon which enduring success is built.
Contact the chartered accounting professionals at (705) 522-2400 Email: hello@srwc.com or visit www.srwc.com.