45 Years and Counting! Dan Fortman Looks Back on Decades of Success at Weiss!

How long is 45 years? To put it in at least a little perspective, the year Managing Partner Dan Fortman joined Weiss after graduating from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), MTV went on the air for the very first time. Nintendo introduced the world to Mario. Ronald Reagan was first sworn in as President. Prince Charles married Lady Diana. And recent graduate Dan Fortman had to choose where he would begin his accounting career.

According to Dan, “Believe it or not my father wanted me to be a pilot. My high school counselors said I should go into engineering. I thought about becoming a pharmacist or a doctor but ultimately decided that accounting was the right career choice for me. After graduating from UIC, I had 8 offers to choose from, 4 in industry and 4 in public accounting. I went with public accounting because I thought it would be the best way to continue to learn and grow as a recent grad. I interviewed with Frank Lee who was a partner at Weiss and I had a really good feeling about the firm after meeting him. Weiss had an energy about it even back then and I really wanted to be a part of it.”

With a career spanning decades, Dan has experienced monumental shifts in the industry. Dan noted, “The rise of technology is the most obvious change. 13 column paper used to be the go-to for every CPA and now the profession is 100% digital. We’ve moved from spending hours on manual compliance to digital which freed up time to serve clients in a consulting role. Now AI has entered our world and the changes will only continue. AI is going to impact the accounting industry like it will impact all industries but I don’t see it replacing our people. It’s a tool that will make our jobs better and give us more time to consult. Every time new technology emerges, there’s some fear about how it will change our role. I’ve seen it before with the rise of PC’s and software, the internet, and now AI. It’s another tool that we will all learn how to apply to our business.”

While technologies continue to evolve, Dan continues to focus on the things that make Weiss one-of-a-kind. “Our people are the biggest advantage we have. It’s really that simple. It’s been the same story since day one. If you have great people, you can do great things. I really believe that. That’s why losing founding partner Jerry Weiss was so difficult. We literally had to ask ourselves if we could stay in business. It was that serious. When firms lose a prominent leader like Jerry, they easiest solution is to merge or get acquired by a larger firm. We had to think about what we wanted to do. A lot of people had doubts and a number of competitors called us to merge or acquire us. When Weiss was founded, Jerry and the partners wanted to create an independent firm that could serve clients with absolute excellence. So instead of giving up that vision, we went to work to celebrate everything that makes Weiss uniquely Weiss. In the end, we only lost one client, a small out of state client that only worked with Jerry. We initially ran the firm by committee but soon realized it took too long to make decisions, I stepped into the managing partner role and over 25 years later, I’m still at it.”

What has kept Dan at Weiss for 45 years? “I know it’s cliché but it’s our people. We have an amazing group and we make sure they have every opportunity to get exposed to more clients and challenging opportunities quicker than they might at larger firms. We can create opportunities and experiences that the Big Four just can’t. And being independent means we can be more flexible with our people and with the clients we serve. If a client wants to talk to a partner, they can call and we pick up the phone. Not just the big clients, any client.”

During his time at Weiss, Dan has witnessed incredible changes to the economy, the industry and the firm itself, but through it all he remains focused on the people who continue to make a mark on his career. “Our people and our clients make me want to come to work each day. The greatest part of my job is dealing with our clients. It’s also amazing to mentor a young accountant and watch them take the next step in their career. And working with a new business owner and watching them grow, that’s a feeling you just can’t get enough of.”

“I maybe could have been a pilot, a pharmacist, or a doctor but I chose accounting and I wanted to be at Weiss. If I had to do it all over again, I would choose the same profession.”