YPTC’s corporate culture is widely praised by our clients and staff for fostering a climate based upon six guiding principles: trust, support, education, integrity, community, and strong relationships. We embrace these cultural values every day, but in December we took it one step further in honoring eight “Champions of Culture” – staff members nominated by their peers for their ongoing dedication to these guiding principles.
“We believe our culture is so important that we spend time at our annual staff awards meeting talking about it and recognizing the individuals who embrace these values regularly,” says Jennifer Alleva, Managing Partner. “Linking our culture to what we actually do every day is important to us, and we’re happy to share these stories with everyone.”
By fostering a Culture of Trust, YPTC sees its employees as experienced, mature professionals who, in turn, earn our clients’ trust to be nonprofit accounting experts. Our Champions of Trust Award winner was Caroline Cheung, whose service as a “team player” with a client’s finance team was so invaluable and professional that the client has decided to not hire a Deputy Director of Finance and will continue to contract with YPTC instead.
By providing a Culture of Support, YPTC colleagues share their expertise, solutions and ideas so that everyone has a voice, and in turn our clients receive support and recommendations for improvement. There were two Champions of Support Award winners. Vanessa Thomas-Smith, “the voice of YPTC” who is the public’s first point of contact when they call our Philadelphia office, was recognized for her ongoing enthusiasm and making everyone’s first impression of YPTC an embodiment of our overall culture. Lara Meyer was cited for supporting a client by automating their annual giving campaign and monthly reporting systems and finding innovative ways to save the client money.
By encouraging a Culture of Education, YPTC invests heavily in providing continuing education opportunities for staff, enabling them to educate our clients on best practices and emerging nonprofit issues. There were two Champions of Education Award winners. Hyacinth Reid got “two gold stars” from Training Director Kerri Padgett for both educating clients and marketing YPTC by making sure that all seven of her clients signed up for YPTC’s “Are You Ready” seminars. Carolyn Jester was cited for having the “best client testimonial” for her work with Juvenile Law Center in organizing their financial reporting and educating the executive director on nonprofit accounting.
By championing a Culture of Integrity, YPTC guarantees honest and ethical practices in our business etiquette and expects the same in return from our clients. Our Champions of Integrity Award winner was manager Tracey Bible for helping associate Vivien Chang negotiate an unexpectedly lengthy series of investigations with a client. Bible provided honest guidance and helped Chang recover from numerous setbacks.
By enjoying a Culture of Community, YPTC nurtures a community environment with our staff and clients, celebrating each other’s successes, volunteering our time, and sponsoring charitable events. Our Champions of Community Award winner was Tesa Piccioni, who competed with her son and his girlfriend in the first annual 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk for a nonprofit. She, in turn, nominated all of YPTC’s staff “for the love, concern and generosity” they all showed for donating to the various hurricane relief funds in 2017. She delivered several car loads of donated items to the Norris Square Community Alliance, a Philadelphia organization that worked to deliver relief goods to people in need in Puerto Rico.
By building a Culture of Strong Relationships, YPTC builds mutually beneficial and lasting relationships with our colleagues and clients through clear and consistent communications. Jerilyn Dressler won the Champions of Relationships Award for her nine-year relationship with pioneering nonprofit client Philadanco who repeatedly recognizes her and YPTC both professionally and personally. “I’ve learned a thing or two about a thing or two,” says Dressler. “Working with a living legend has unbelievable perks. I am a better accountant, and a better person as a result.”