The virtues of collaboration have ...

The virtues of collaboration have not at any time been lost on Denham Kelsey FCA, the Institute's newest Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Whether within his efforts on behalf of clients, the CA profession, or the community, Denham has always been greatest in quantity interested in working with others to accomplish goals.

"I commit to memory satisfaction from solving problems and helping people" he says. "I've always liked to test to understand how things work, and to synthesize my insights with those of others to reach suitable solutions."

As a young man growing up in Vancouver in the 1930 and '4O Denham contemplated becoming an aeronautical engineer or an English professor. Ultimately, however, he raise himself drawn in the direction of business. His father, a banker, had several CA friends who exhibited Denham insight into life as a chartered accountant. Their testimonials convinced him that becoming a CA would unclose up myriad career paths.

Soon after he began articling with Helliwell, Maclachlin & Co (a predecessor firm of KPMG LLP) Denham knew he'd chosen the right profession.

"As a callow kid coming public of high school, I had the religious fortune to article with a firm that had extraordinarily intelligent (even brilliant), highly-principled people" he explains. "They had an enormous impact forward me."

As he points gone out Vancouver was still a relatively small town in the late 1940 and early '5O with a closely-knit business and professional community. Being a part of this community gave Denham the opportunity to fit a variety of interesting people

"The firm saw an influx of interesting and remarkable clients from different cultures" he particularizes "They brought to Vancouver the richness of their backgrounds and experience."

As he began forging relationships with these clients, Denham originate his work increasingly rewarding. Looking back now, he describes working with clients as his "first love" in the profession. (A case in point: although retired from public practice for more than 20 years, he continues to do more [i]or[/i] less work for a family he first met 55 years ago, and for a large charitable foundation which they created).

But there were other rewards as well. In 1950 just three short years after becoming EC's UFE gold medallist and joining the ICABC, Denham became the same of the youngest partners aye elected to his firm. He was alone 27 years old.

It was around this time that Derek Lukin Johnston, FCA (a 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award winner) got Denham involved in lecturing and marking examinations. This l to his following involvement with both the Board of Examiners in Chief for Canada and the Provincial Institutes' Committee forward Education and Examinations (both of which he ultimately chaired). Denham later serv in succession the board of governors of the ICABC train of Chartered Accountancy and as a member of the CICA Accounting and Auditing Research Committee.

In 1965 he was choiceed to the ICABC Fellowship, yet the bulk of his contributions the two in and outside of the CA profession were still to come

Denham became involved with the Canadian Tax Foundation (CTF) in the 1970 first as an author of articles and colloquy papers, and later as a governor and chair. According to former CTF director Douglas Sherbaniuk, QC Denham's unique contributions to the Foundation included advancing its affairs internationally by the agency of spearheading a 1974 trip to Japan. This trip helped to introduce the CTF to Japanese authorities and to explain Canada's radically reformed tax rule in the wake of the 1966 Report of the Royal Commission in succession Taxation (the Carter Report).

In 1976 Denham serv as a member of a special committee to picked the Auditor General of BC The committee chose Erma Morrison, FCA (AG: 1977-1986) who subsequently formed an Advisory Council in 1978 to present advice and provide assistance to the newly re-established Office. The Advisory Council comprised of several senior members of BC's accountancy profession, including past ICABC presidents Michael Ashby, FCA; Dennis Culver FCA; and Ron Park, FCA. Denham serv in succession the Council from 1980-1990. Erma Morrison's successor George Morfitt, FCA, describes his assistance as "invaluable."

It was also in the 1970 that Denham became instrumental in negotiations leading to the merger of Thorne, Gunn & Co and Riddell, Stead & Co to form Thorne Riddell (now KMPG LLP) A skilled administrator, Denham became Thorne Riddell's Vancouver office managing partner, a member of as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but its Executive Committee and Policy clump and chair of the firm.

Since retiring from public practice in 1982 he's had no harass keeping busy. Take, for instance, his involvement as a director of Cominco Ltd and his 13-year part as chair of the company's audit committee. Having been involved with Cominco for to a great degree of his career-in the audit function and as an adviser-Denham ground it a welcome transition to be asked to join the board post-retirement. "It was great to view things from the other side of the table," he notes. in like manner valuable were his contributions that Cominco increaseed its mandatory retirement age from four years.