SMALL STATE, BIG IMPACT

Committed to Her Job, Country, and Fellow Veterans

Jennifer Freitas is giving back to her country these days, but no longer as a member of the U.S. military. Like so many others in her field, Jennifer did not set out to be an accountant.

She attended a vocational high school where she studied graphic arts. After high school, she joined the Army Reserve and worked as an operating room technician. Both fields held their draw, but neither fulfilled her professional and career desires.

“I couldn’t see myself working in the printing or medical fields, so I enrolled in some business classes at a community college,” says Freitas. “One of my first classes was Accounting 101 and it was during this class that I realized that accounting was the path that I wanted to follow. I am really fortunate to have found a job that I love.”

The job that she loves is serving as an accounting and auditing manager at Piccerelli, Gilstein & Company, LLP, in Providence. Freitas services clients from a variety of industries, but the majority of her time is spent working with not-for-profit organizations, manufacturers, distributors and companies that have an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

“I enjoy public accounting because of the diversity of work that it entails and also because I am a people person.  I enjoy the constant interaction with co-workers and clients,” she says.

As many know, it’s an interesting but challenging time to be in the profession, which means adapting your skills to help clients overcome current hurdles. 

“An accountant’s job is always important, but with a distressed economy we all face turbulent times,” says Freitas. “CPAs find themselves advising clients on a wide array of concerns, some of which may not have been strong areas of focus in the past. As an auditor, we must consider the additional risks of fraud and thefts in our audit due to possible changes in the cash flow of businesses and individuals. From a tax standpoint, we are always trying to maximize opportunities for reducing costs for our clients.”          

Clients aren’t the only ones that Freitas is helping overcome certain challenges. While Freitas has embraced her career, she has also discovered a way to pay homage to her military experience. She is a board member of Home for Our Troops, a non-profit organization based in Taunton, Mass. Its mission is to build specially adapted homes for service members who have been severely injured in combat operations since Sept. 11, 2001. The homes are built at no cost to the veteran, thanks to support from generous individuals, foundations, and corporate contributors. Homes for Our Troops is listed in the American Institute of Philanthropy’s top rated Veterans & Military Charities.

Despite choosing a different career path, Jennifer’s military experience, as well as a family comprised of many past and present service members, has helped drive her commitment towards helping disabled veterans. Freitas sees the board position with Homes for Our Troops as the perfect match for her.

“The organization is important to me because of the impact the completed homes have to the severely injured service members,” says Freitas. “It provides the service members with the financial support and a freedom of independence they wouldn’t necessarily have otherwise.”