Audit Partner, Joe Hernandez was born and raised in San Antonio. After graduation from Judson High School, he chose to stay in San Antonio and attend the University of Texas at San Antonio. At UTSA, Joe received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 1993 and quickly jumped into public accounting, working for Ernst & Young in their audit department. In the almost seven years at EY, Joe steadily worked his way up to an Audit Manager. Seeking a change, Joe decided to work in the private sector as an Assistant Controller in the manufacturing industry. Joe believes his short time working in the private sector allowed him to grow immensely and better understand his field from the client’s perspective. In 2003, Joe joined Akin, Doherty, Klein & Feuge, PC (now known as ADKF, PC) and quickly got to work on expanding the firm’s audit department. Joe was promoted to Partner at ADKF in 2006 and has been in integral part of the firm’s growth and success since day one. I asked Joe what the best advice is he ever received when coming to ADKF was, and he cited a founding partner Tom Akin in his response, “Tom taught me that our line of work is all about client service. There are plenty of CPAs in this world, our job is to take care of each of our clients, be their community partners, be their friends. It’s our job to do it better than everyone else.” Advice that he has taken to heart and puts into practice every day.
Outside of the office you can catch Joe with his family. Most days you can find him spending time with his wife, Meredith, and relaxing at home. They enjoy visiting with their children, two sons and a daughter (20-year-old triplets). Joe and Meredith look forward to time at the lake on their boat and jet skis, traveling to see their daughter in North Texas, or watching their sons’ swim meets in St. Louis. Joe also enjoys playing golf with friends and clients if the weather and his calendar permit.
When asked what Joe was most proud of in his almost 20 years with ADKF, he was quick to smile and responded, “helping the firm grow from about a dozen employees in 2003 to over 100 in 2022. The audit department has expanded from four employees to over 25. Being a part of all recruitment efforts and hiring some amazing individuals to help us continue to serve our community is priceless.” Experiencing great success in his career, I shifted focus and asked him what advice he would give to someone wanting to start in the public accounting field? “Don’t be afraid to ask questions, it’s the only way you learn. Don’t put off the hard things that come with the job, and don’t procrastinate. Focus and be determined in what you set out to do and the skies the limit.”