Wilde Advisory Group Celebrates Sweet 60

Wilde Advisory Group Celebrates Sweet 60

Rosanne Fortier - News Correspondent

Wilde Advisory Group celebrated 60 years of serving the community with a party for their team, clients and friends on June 10.

Although the official anniversary is November 1, 2022, the event was held in June to ensure many of their farm clients could attend. In fact, an estimated 425 people attended the special anniversary celebration that was held at the Vegreville Social Centre.

Although the business has changed names and partners, the location has remained the same since they opened on November 1, 1962. Vegreville had a population of 2,908 back then and John Diefenbaker was Prime Minister of Canada. These are some of the facts in the commemorative book, created by Gordon Turtle and Lynda Olsen.

Jerry Wilde FCPA, FCA, the founder of Wilde Advisory Group. He was a young entrepreneur originally from Saskatchewan. He practiced in Camrose for a few years and left to open the first Chartered Accountant firm in Vegreville. Jerry said, “Those early days showed me that respect for others lies at the heart of any successful business.”

Their core values are accountability, respect, and abundance. They believe that success is not measured by charts and graphs, but by the impact a business has on people.

L-R. Curtis Palichuk, Colette Miller, Jerry Wilde and Ashley Bodnarchuk.

(Lynda Olsen/Photo)

This business started out as a modest oneaccountant shop. “A big step forward for the firm in those first years was when the Town of Vegreville and the County of Minburn hired me as their auditor. Simply put, having them sign on as clients made the firm.”

Jerry went on to say that a lot of other milestones followed, and one of these was when his daughter Colette joined the firm. “Colette, Curtis and a few other family members brought the firm into the modern era.” Jerry said. Jerry retired at 65 from the partnership, but remained active in the firm until just a few years ago.

Wilde’s grandchildren Ashley Bodnarchuk and Luke Miller have also joined the firm. Ashley said, “This anniversary is about honouring the builders, those who established the firm’s foundation and its core values.”

Luke said he looks at this firm as being a human potential incubator. “It’s this passion for people that has been the key to success over the firm’s 60 years.”

Today, the firm has values-driven leadership where this business is led by Managing Partner Curtis Palichuk and Partner Colette Miller for over a quarter of a century. “Treating everyone the same is important to us because every person is special,” says Colette. “As a firm, we’ve always been focused on betterment, not competition. We strive to support every team member so that each person here feels valued and understood.”

Curtis said, “The nature of the connection between Colette and me is a rarity in business. It’s vital to the firm’s longevity and it has been the highlight of my career.”

Former Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach added, “The firm has a well-deserved reputation as a dedicated community partner, a leading employer, and a full-service firm that puts its clients first.”