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From the Oct. 2007 Issue

A conversation between Greg LaFollette and Jerry Topp from Eide Bailly about the use of technology in tax and accounting firms

Gregory L. LaFollette, CPA.CITP

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Jerry Topp

Jerry Topp is a former high school teacher, a 25+ year public accounting practitioner, and, above all, a leader and a motivator. He heads a powerhouse firm headquartered in, of all places, Fargo, N.D. I met up with Jerry as he was in Sioux Falls, S.D. announcing the acquisition of yet another firm there — this one adding over $5 million in revenue, 45 professionals and swelling the Eide Bailly ranks in Sioux Falls to an astonishing nearly 200 people.

Editor’s note: In the spirit of full disclosure, please note that I am one of those 200. I office with Eide Bailly so I can continue to experience the joys of practicing public accounting. I just LOVE the smell of tax returns in the spring! ~ Greg LaFollette

Greg LaFollette: You have a lot of zeros to talk about — $100,000,000 in revenue, 1,000 staff members, and 100 partners. That’s very impressive. Tell me a little more about Eide Bailly and the markets you serve.

Jerry Topp: Eide Bailly LLP is a regional firm that operates primarily in the Great Plains and rocky mountain regions of the United States. This encompasses 13 offices in eight states — Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Arizona and Oklahoma.

Greg LaFollette: You’re quite disciplined geographically. What’s your strategy?
Jerry Topp: Because of the large number of regional accounting firms that operate east of the Mississippi River, our current strategy is to grow the practice west of the Mississippi and concentrate on the larger secondary and metropolitan areas in those regions.