Patricia Likogiannis.

• Position: Tax Executives Institute member

Teachers really do make a difference. Just ask Patricia Likogiannis how she got interested in tax as a career. "We had excellent tax instructors when I was an undergraduate majoring in math and accounting at the University of Waterloo," she says. "Those teachers explained the structure, history, and reasons behind the rules in such an enthusiastic and engaging way. They provided us with research assignments that I truly enjoyed. I remember that those first tax classes really sparked my interest. After this, I decided to continue on with a tax specialty in the MAcc program, with those same instructors, and this cemented my interest and also gave me confidence to succeed in my first tax role at KPMG."

Likogiannis, now tax director and treasurer at General Motors of Canada, worked previously at KPMG and Molson Canada, where she tackled many stretch assignments that at first left her feeling quite overwhelmed. "I was so fortunate to work for leaders who challenged me and had confidence in me early on in my career," she says. "By successfully managing through each of these challenges, I built confidence in my abilities and developed a lifelong desire to be challenged and for continuous growth and development, which has led to a very rewarding career. I've learned to leave my ego at the door when I'm handed a challenge; people provide much better explanations, and you're able to ask a lot more questions when you're honest about your lack of knowledge in a certain area."

Moving On to GM

How did she wind up at General Motors of Canada? "I joined General Motors of Canada because they offered a lot of opportunity for growth. Not onl are there a lot of different areas to work in, but move people around a lot to provide growth an development opportunities," she explains. "I ILk be challenged and to keep learning and growini I never thought that I would stay with one com for more than a few years. But I have stayed wit GM for twenty years because of the opportunit: that they have provided to me."

According to Likogiannis, the most interest! tax issue she's worked on at General Motors of Canada was a difficult valuation dispute with tr. Canada Revenue Agency. "I really enjoyed worl through this issue because I learned so much al the business, and it involved a lot of creativity a resourcefulness," she says. "The CRA had devel an aggressive valuation position that was based incorrect assumptions. Given that valuations ar such an inexact science, and the...