Today I had the pleasure of meeting Holly and Jeff Burow at their tax office in West Concord. Now that the rush of income tax season has subsided, we were able to sit down and chat about not only the business they run, but I also learned a lot about Jeff's position as manager of the gambling aspect of the West Concord Historical Society, and their 5th generation family farm just outside of West Concord.
Holly is involved in not only personal taxes, but also prepares small business and corporate taxes as well. She is also an auditor and helps Jeff on the farm. Jeff runs the farm and also helps out in the tax office, and manages the e-tabs at the liquor store and the bowling alley, so these two are quite the team!
Holly grew up in Lake City, and after graduation, went to school for Ag Business in River Falls, Wisconsin. Her jobs included raising, farrowing and breeding pigs at MN Family Farms, then after a few years, she worked at a high-tech research facility in Rochester where research was being done on whole heart transplants from pig to humans. She began servicing mortgages in Rochester at Ag Star Financial Services. During her time there, she began taking classes to become a Certified Public Accountant. She began underwriting home loans, then writing mortgages for commercial properties, and finally got into accounting. When she earned her CPA, she left Ag Star to work with Reese, Winter & Associates, an accounting firm located in Northfield and Faribault.
One night she was serving meatballs at a church supper, and mentioned to a parishioner that she would like to open her own firm, and was told that the current accountant in town was looking to sell her business, and the rest, as they say, is history. So it was that in 2015, Holly began her own practice. I asked if Jeff was involved in the tax office, and she said he is her office manager. I asked what that consisted of, and she said he answers the phone, sets appointments, assembles the tax returns, vacuums the office and with a twinkle in her eye, said of course, he brings her coffee!
She met Jeff in 1998 in Kenyon, and they were married in 2005. I asked her, since he helps her so much, does she help him on the farm, too? She laughed and said she helps with the chores when she's not busy, and winked.
Getting back to the tax business, I wondered what keeps her busy out of income tax season. "I do accounting for small businesses, corporations and non-profits, as well as gambling audits," she replied. As if that wasn't enough, she helps Jeff with Bingo, meat raffles and other charitable functions that benefit West Concord in various ways.
When I spoke to Jeff, I learned about a bill that is currently up for vote that would eliminate all e-tabs at Wescon Lanes and the Liquor Store. I had no idea how important the revenue off pull tabs and other types of gambling keep a small-town thriving. I'm going to name a few benefits. The gaming fund benefits the Cardinal Club, which supports the upkeep on the softball field and the girls Venom softball league, Tritons post prom party, and Survival Days, just to name a few. It helps the, and does projects to beautify the town. It is a very important part of small-town sustainability.
One of the events the gaming contributes to is Survival Days on July 21-23. On the 22nd, there will be Bingo under the big tent, followed by none other than Lost Highway from Kenyon. There will be a beer garden for snacks and refreshments as well. If you'd like to know more about the gaming aspect of your town's funds, just ask Jeff. He is a wealth of information about the benefits, the steps we need to take to keep the revenue coming in, and what the West Concord Historical Society does for the town. He can let you know how you, too, can be a part of this important organization.
And if you are contemplating opening a new business, or are looking for a CPA for a current endeavor, Holly services many small businesses in the area and would love to help you, too. Call her at (507) 527-2898 for a consultation. You'll be glad to be in such capable hands!
