“Everyone in accounting, regardless of level, is an educator”—Dan Perschke
BREAKING NEWS: Dan Perschke ‘01 (‘02 MAcc) has a message for everyone in the accounting field: We are ALL educators.
Perschke is senior vice president and controller for The E.W. Scripps Company, one of the largest broadcast companies in the US. Perschke has been working at Scripps since 2008, starting in financial reporting before taking leadership roles in the broadcasting and television segments, and rising through the ranks to his current position.
Scripps’ vision is “To create a better-informed world.” As Perschke describes, “For a company that is nearly 150 years old, we’re quite entrepreneurial.” Speaking about his role in general, he said, “What excites me is being part of trying to figure out what is ‘next’ for us. Our industry is changing rapidly, and finding where Scripps will thrive in and through consumer and advertiser shifts is both rewarding and scary. But how does one not get excited in helping a company like Scripps figure out what will drive the next 150 years?”
During many of his earlier years at Scripps, Perschke also served as an adjunct professor for Indiana Wesleyan University, and he’s recently been sighted at Miami as a guest lecturer in a few business and accountancy classes. “I love to teach! If I wasn’t in my current role, I could see myself as an educator. But I feel a deep responsibility to help instruct and inspire others, give them an opportunity to learn, and celebrate with them when they achieve learning.”
Perschke especially enjoyed teaching those with little business or accounting experience: “In my adjunct work, I often was assigned to teach finance in the MBA program, and often individuals in my classes were nurses, engineers, teachers—people with no finance or accounting experience. It was the longest and (for them) the most terrifying class of the program. But working with them through the course, helping them understand the principles behind the “math” and showing them how to understand and apply what they were learning was so rewarding. Helping people overcome fears and challenges to understand accounting and finance is a great joy.”
Accountants should always be on the lookout for ways to teach others, Perschke stressed. “It doesn’t have to be formal as an adjunct or in a classroom setting, but rather it’s a mindset. If we see ourselves as having something of value to share with others and see ourselves as educators, we can have an incredible impact in the teams we lead and the businesses that employ us.” He describes this philosophy as part of his accounting vision at Scripps: “Everyone, regardless of level, in accounting is an educator, and it’s our responsibility to help educate those we interact with—to build their financial acumen, grow their understanding of how our business works, and show them the value of accounting information.”
This exhortation is timely, as the accounting profession faces a “talent crisis” and declining enrollments in accountancy programs. Outside of Scripps, Perschke is part of the Workforce Talent Coalition of The Ohio Society of CPAs. “The OSCPA not only recognizes this problem but is actively seeking to do something about it. I’m privileged to have the opportunity to work with individuals like myself from industry, public accounting, and academia to reframe the value proposition of the accounting profession. This includes engaging students at all levels to debunk myths about accounting, bringing awareness of opportunities accounting can give individuals, and also being creative about making the profession more accessible.”
Speaking of the value of his Miami education, he said Miami professors gave him the tools to build a successful career by providing engaging and challenging coursework. “This foundation of knowledge and how to apply it built in me a well-rounded set of skills I could trust to help me approach challenges with confidence. That has been a value differentiator for me—Miami not only gave me knowledge but also the confidence to tackle difficult and ambiguous challenges where answers aren’t always clear.”
Outside of his busy work schedule, Perschke is a singer with his church worship team and enjoys road cycling, golf, and travel with his wife of 22 years, Kate.