All in the Family
When Robert (Bob) Scorzo, CPA, was parking cars at a country club at the age of 18, he was told by a member that when he gets out of college, he needs to have a profession, such as CPA, doctor, lawyer or teacher. That advice not only stuck with him, he passed it on to his sons — and, surprisingly, they all listened.
More than 35 years later, Bob and his wife Annmarie are proud parents of three CPAs — Matthew, Stephen and Nicholas — and one Ramapo College student,
Robert, who wants to become one. After toying with other majors like criminal justice and psychology, the three older sons became CPAs and ended up working at one of the big four firms. The youngest, Robert, was a 2019 recipient of the NJCPA Scholarship Award for college students.
So how do you raise such a CPA-focused family? It starts early. To Bob’s parents, who were Italian immigrants, obtaining a profession seemed like sound advice. Bob’s twin brother, Michael, also took that to heart and earned his CPA, eventually becoming a partner at a CPA firm and leaving to invest in a glass business in Michigan. Today, he’s the president and CEO of several glass franchises in the Midwest.
Not to be outdone by his brother, Bob had his own entrepreneurial drive. “When I was 26, I started my own firm. From there, I eventually brought my small group of clients into another CPA firm,” explains Bob. One of the firm’s clients, the Windsor group of New Jersey-approved special education schools, offered him a job as the school Business Administrator. Years later, in 2003, he and his wife partnered with another couple to own and operate four of the schools after the original founder stepped down. As Bob explains, “when I left the CPA firm for the schools, I thought it was an opportunity to delve into private industry. Working at the schools was a niche position that interested me.”
Bob now helps operates Windsor Bergen Academy in Ridgewood, Windsor Preparatory High School in Paramus, Shepard School in Kinnelon and Shepard Preparatory High School in Morristown. “We are here if parents are looking for a more specialized setting for their students. We complement public school districts and charter schools,” he explains.
Bob and his wife find their day-to-day functions especially enjoyable due to the kinds of students with which they interact, from elementary to high school. “Our staff does an amazing job. We have dedicated educational professionals. Working in specialized education is very rewarding,” he says.
Putting Accounting Into Practice
Where does accounting fit into this mix? Just about everywhere, according to Bob. “Operating the schools and having an accounting background is very helpful, especially being self-employed.”
To him, having an accounting degree has opened doors. “Over the past 30 to 40 years, school districts are hiring CPAs more than ever. There is a need for CPAs in just about any field so accounting professionals have many options,” he adds. “And if my sons choose to operate their own business like my brother and I do now, the accounting background and CPA license help to steer through all types of financial turbulence.”
Always the Coach
Even though his sons are grown, Bob can’t resist the urge to coach town sports and still participates on Kinnelon’s recreational board. “For others, it’s golf; for me, coaching is my hobby,” he explains. When his sons were younger, he coached lots of sports. “As a dad, it was important to have time for my sons. Once the boys got older, I still stayed involved in the community, working with little kids.”
He also feels the need to “coach” young professionals about the accounting profession when it comes up in conversation. He reminds students that “if you apply yourself and work hard, you will have more opportunities when you graduate.”