Rose Report: Issue 11

A Chat with RFS Senior Controller Tim McGarrity

Why did you join Rose Financial Services?

I joined RFS because I’m a firm believer in the business model at Rose. Outsourcing finance and accounting functions is a prudent thing for organizations to consider. Outsourcing allows a company to access a broad set of finance and accounting skills and expertise in a cost effective manner.

I was also attracted to the fact that RFS has that scalability in terms of the sizes and types of organizations it works with, and the varying degrees of services it can provide. Finally, a key driver for me was that RFS believes in building long term relationships with clients. I didn’t want to be a hired gun. I wanted to be part of a team that really considers themselves to be partners with their clients.

Has RFS lived up to the expectations you had when you arrived?

Very much so. What we offer our clients is unmatched in the marketplace. Particularly for small and midsize organizations, bringing in the diverse expertise, skill-sets, and experience of our firm is something they generally wouldn’t have been able to do internally.

Describe your role at RFS.

I manage three teams that all specialize in different sizes and types of clients, and I work directly with clients to provide CFO-level support. I provide guidance to my team leaders to strive to become trusted advisors to our clients. Through the analysis of key performance indicators, I help them quickly identify both risks and opportunities to enhance the success of the organization. It’s a very rewarding role.

What’s the best part of your job?

Constantly adding value for my clients by helping them to work through challenges and seize opportunities. We measure our success by the success of our clients. That’s number one. A close second is that I really enjoy building and managing teams. My goal is to put team members in a position to maximize their potential in both assisting clients and developing professionally.

What was your career trajectory before joining RFS?

I started in public accounting after which I spent nearly 20 years with Jones Lang LaSalle in a variety of finance and operational roles. My last role there was as part of a team that built a new government contracting division within the firm. Our team assisted the Army in improving the quality of service member family housing on active military installations. It was extremely rewarding to, in a very small way, contribute to improving the quality of life for our dedicated service members. As I like to say, this opportunity released my inner entrepreneur and it was part of what appealed to me about Rose. I wanted to be a part of helping grow Rose Financial by helping our clients grow their own businesses.

What do you do for fun?

I spend as much time as I can with my family, with Cathy and our two boys. I love the game of lacrosse and have coached for a number of years. Coaching has been extremely rewarding for me personally, not just in spending time with my boys, but also in helping to develop the values of hard work, teamwork and sportsmanship that will be important throughout their lives. Both my boys are also very good golfers, and together with their mom, we always have a built in foursome for a weekend round of golf. It doesn’t get any better.