I started out as Personnelman for the U.S. Navy in 1996 and was transferred to Washington, D.C. In addition to various administrative roles, I maintained Naval Personnel Service Record Files. That is what brought me to enjoy working with client files (paper and electronic).
We moved to MN from Washington DC in 2000 where my wife, Lin Shurtleff, started work as a bookkeeper for a real estate & mortgage company and I continued as a Personelman for the U.S. Navy at the Reserve Center by the MSP airport. In 2003 my original contract with the U.S. Navy was up. Had I chosen to extend my contract, we would have been sent to New Orleans, however the mortgage company Lin worked for needed a loan processor so I decided to stay in MN and I learned how to process loans.
In 2004, Lin branched off to start Common Cents Bookkeeping and I went on to be an administrative assistant for a financial advisor. While I was always involved with our company, it wasn't until the Fall of 2006 that I became involved full time. The company had grown so much in a couple years that it was more than Lin could handle on her own.
My greatest strength is learning new systems quickly as well as taking a complicated task and breaking it down into a system of steps to ensure accuracy and consistency. Because I enjoy being organized and detail-oriented, bookkeeping fits right in with my personality.
I look forward to helping you make sense of your cents!