Gordon Haycock: knowing the numbers.

• Author: Bjorklund, Todd
• Position: People

WHEN ACCOUNTING AND CONSULTING FIRM

Grant Thornton asked Utah native Gordon Haycock to return home from its Portland, Oregon office to manage its Salt Lake City office, he agreed, but with mised feelings. Although he and his family are happy to be back, he says, "It was as difficult for us to leave Portland as it was for us to originally leave Salt Lake City. Portland became our home."

Haycock attended Highland High School and the University of Utah, graduating with a degree in accounting in 1980. He fell into accounting, he says, through "dumb luck." He wanted to specialize in the business field, and in taking his first general accounting class, he recalls, it "just kind of clicked, it made sense." Haycock has never regretted his choice, and he believes firmly in the importance of his vocation. "It is the backbone of the business world, and accounting is keeping score."

After graduation, Haycock began his career with the local office of an accounting firm, which, through a series of mergers, became Grant Thornton in 1985. He chose to work with a mid-market firm because he wanted early opportunities to grow, have an impact on operations and have contact with clients.

In 1993, Grant Thornton asked Haycock to transfer to Portland, promoting him to both partner and managing partner of that office. In retrospect, he says, "I hope that never happens again to anyone in this firm. I was trying to learn to be a partner, and I just didn't have time to learn to be a managing partner at the same time." Despite that challenge, he realized within six months that the office was not positioned correctly in its market and not as profitable as it could be. Haycock embarked on a dramatic plan implemented over five years that...