Steve Williams, Michael Parrish, and Dana Cook formed PWA in 2017. Their story starts years earlier though when Steve worked for Price Waterhouse in Dallas.

Steve began his career with Price Waterhouse in 1986. While there he observed that many small & medium-sized businesses might do better by outsourcing their accounting and tax functions rather than hiring an internal accountant to try and do everything. He calculated that some of his clients could reduce their personnel cost and be better served from bringing a team of specialists to the finance function.

After eight years he started his own firm to pursue that vision with mid-sized companies.  Years later he branched out and started a second practice serving small businesses.

In 2010, PwC invited Steve to return to the firm in Calgary, Canada as an associate tax partner supporting Canadian companies and individuals doing business in the U.S.  While there he gained additional cross-border expertise, and became aware of the need foreign companies and investors had for finance & accounting services when entering the U.S. market. More importantly, he developed deep friendships with clients and colleagues around the world.

Five years later he returned to the U.S. joining Hein & Associates as tax leader of their Houston office. This is where his path with Michael and Dana crossed.

In 2017 Steve left to pursue his vision of serving companies (particularly U.S. inbound internationals) needing outsourced CFO, tax, accounting, and strategy services and to focus his personal practice on working with individuals from around the world.  Michael and Dana shared the vision and had the complimentary skills needed to work well together.  

Prior to joining PWA Michael was a tax manager with Hein & Associates in Dallas. Before that he owned and operated his own tax firm in Kenosha, Wisconsin for more than 25 years.  Michael also worked for McGladrey in Janesville, Wis., Gallagher Flynn & Co in Burlington, Vt., and Richard J. Engel, PC, in Manchester, VT.

Prior to joining PWA, Dana worked for eight years in various accounting and finance roles for Delta Air Lines. Prior to that she was involved in financial reporting for Dynegy, Inc., and as an auditor for Arthur Andersen. Dana earned her MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas Lutheran University.