Luke Childress, CPA

Bio

Luke has 20 years of industry experience, launching his public accounting career in 2002 at EY. He focuses on companies in the technology, manufacturing and consumer packaged goods spaces.

Luke left EY in 2007 to become a senior manager at Holtzman Partners, and became a partner in 2013. He led the firm’s people initiative and helped Holtzman develop its mentorship program for employees. He joined the Armanino team in 2021.

Luke is an accomplished pianist and patron of the arts. He serves on the Advisory Board of Zilker Theatre Productions. He does various speaking engagements about diversity, IPO readiness and the importance of soft skills. Luke received his B.B.A. and M.S. from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School. He is a member of AICPA and the Texas State Board of Public Accountants.

*Luke holds his interest in the firm through LWC Consulting, PLLC

Q&A

When I was in high school, I took an elective accounting class. I was always more into the creative arts, like poetry and prose readings. I went to a Texas academic meet where I was competing in poetry and one of the accounting team members got sick. They were going to have to forfeit, so I stepped in at the last minute. In the end, we won the whole competition. That was my turning point. I realized I was good at this.

It will become a more diverse industry. Not only in terms of demographics, but also in terms of how it serves our customers. The market is demanding diversity in thought, solutions and innovation. The world as a whole needs to embrace this movement.

I’m constantly thinking about the possibilities of the future: both the potential and uncertainty. I’m a very forward-thinking person about how best to serve our clients and better our industry. I like to anticipate what could happen tomorrow in terms of client and team member needs and develop solutions to make it a reality.

My participation in the firm’s inclusion and diversity efforts. It became clear we needed to do more. We took on an aggressive diversity campaign where we looked at all aspects of the business and figured out how we can increase inclusion and diversity in our field. We had hard conversations about what we could be doing better and as a result, launched more affinity groups, changed our recruiting strategy to broaden talent pools and participate in university forums and events, and developed a minority-owned business grant program.

My parents. I live every day trying to be more like them. They are unconditionally caring and giving, putting others before themselves. For many years, my parents have given time and energy to an under-resourced community near them, such as leading a campaign to provide running water to individual households and weekly food distribution. To them, giving of yourself and your own resources is a necessary action to help others.

Be open to new things, like perspectives and insights. When you don’t land on an answer and you listen, you’ll be amazed by how much better you can see the world and solutions. And you can bring those solutions to your clients and other people you work with.

Luke Childress, CPA

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