Vasquez + Company Newsletter - Issue 13

QUARTERLY

STRENGTHENING THE FIRM

DEAR VASQUEZ + COMPANY TEAM...

Welcome to the third quarter edition of our newsletter. We are excited to share the latest updates and achievements of our firm. Over the past few months we ’ ve conducted robust employee development initiatives to strengthen our service capabilities, collaborated with RSM US Alliance on an informational webinar focused on outsourcing services and the Vasquez Advantage Center, and celebrated our 10th year as a member of the RSM US Alliance.

As we move forward, I am confident that we will continue to build on our success.

Cheers, GilbertR.Vasquez ManagingPartner

A N N I V E R S A R I E S - L A

Vasquez + Company would like to recognize the employees below that have reached anniversaries with the Firm!

Cheng Portugal 17 Years

Lyn Labastilla 11 Years

Don Nino 19 Years

Cid Conde 17 Years

Shweta Mehrotra 7 Years Eva Aquije 5 Years

Socorro Mendiola 8 Years

Cassandra Bae 3 Years

Regina Prince 2 Years

Yvette Sibal 5 Years

Francis Eng

Year

Laura Mclaughlin

Francis Roque 2 Years

Jason Tagasa 2 Years Geli Matondo 1 Year 1 Year

Kenneth Bareng

Roger Martinez 11 Years

A N N I V E R S A R I E S - P H

Venus Sarmiento 5 Years

Lorielyn Gumansing 4 Years

Caitlin Manila 4 Years

Michelle Castillo 7 Years

Paul Gonzaga 6 Years

Faye Villanueva 3 Years

Judlouise De Leon 2 Years

Yvette Delos Santos 2 Years

Kristine Belleza 2 Years

Robelyn Lacorte

2 Years

Aryana Martinez

2 Years

Sophia David 2 Years

Alma Malveda 2 Years

Millicent Orilla 2 Years

Yhara Aviles 2 Years

Janel Rañola 2 Years

Jamar Lagarico 2 Years

Ian James 2 Years

Jerick Sanchez

2 Years

Ed Anenias

1 Year

John Karlo Caminero 1 Year

Lloyd Losanta 1 Year

Jim Morgia 1 Year

John Carlo Regaya 1 Year

Germaine Sakiwat 1 Year

Lamsey Sison 1 Year

Samuel Refuncion 1 Year Rey Czar Pajara 1 Year

Frances Verastigue 1 Year Jasmin Cang 1 Year

Christian Lidres 1 Year

Deanna Balawang 1 Year

Diana Araracap 1 Year

Michelle Marmolejo 1 Year

Nathaniel Sedano 1 Year

Jhelyn Raquepo 1 Year

Remi Castillo 1 Year

Mary Grace Blanco 1 Year

Angelo Parala 1 Year

Anna Veloso 1 Year

Jeanine Gayla

Korina Castillo

Jeanne Bernardo 1 Year Kathylen Tagud 1 Year

Sharifa Taji Vanessa Japson

Myra Galve Jennifer Magpantay

1 Year

Davina Sumalinog Kent Ceracas Eunice Prado Shiela Francisco

1 Year

Shaira Conos Jan Louise Baronia

Laureen Sanchez

Katrina Martinez Jenee Garcia

1 Year

Rubilyn Latorino John Minbert Dimaala 1 Year

Jenica Vidallo Angelic Bernardo Hing Gend Wan

1 Year

Jessa Sarimo

Elena Kasilag

Mitch Dichoso

Geleen Young

Teresa Sarmiento

Thank you everyone for your years of service to the Firm. Your dedication, commitment, and hard work are greatly appreciated.

Alex Miranda 1 Year

Rei Sanchez 1 Year

Marc Bauzon 1 Year

Ela Lavilla 1 Year

Joanne Mercado 1 Year

W E L C O M E !

N E W H I R E S

A

U D I T

Lea Aure Senior IT Auditor

*LATeamMembers

Lucille Bessitt Junior Auditor

A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

Princess Andres Senior IT Auditor

Shaira Sotto Junior Auditor

Shairon Lubao IT Support Specialist

Malou Cabrera Junior Auditor

Kathlene Dauan Junior Accountant

Elijah Ceredon Junior Accountant

Schulaika Meniano Experienced Accountant

Exequiel Tamang Audit Administrative Assistant

Marjorie Quindoza Resource Support Assistant

Rachel Francisco Audit Supervisor

Joanalen Cacatian Senior Auditor

Regine Enrile Junior Auditor

Kae Almario Senior Recruiter

Mianca Prado Senior Recruiter

Marielle Dionisio HR Specialist

Kaith Ramores Audit Manager

Marjilyn Fulgar Audit Supervisor

Agnes Raagas Senior Auditor

Jam Tolentino Junior Auditor

Laurence Cabaces Senior Auditor

Kareen Tolentino Senior Auditor

8

J O I N O U R T E A M !

Vasquez+Companyishiring!

Checkouttheseopenworkopportunitiesatourfirm.Feelfreetorefer qualifiedcandidatestothefollowingpositions.

Auditor

All Levels, Junior to Manager Level

Auditor

Send

Staff and Senior Level Click

Please note that only California-based applicants will be considered for Glendale, CA openings; and Philippine-based for the Metro Manila, PH openings

Cheers to our exceptional administrative professionals! The LA Team celebrated the members' hard work through a delicious dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Pasadena last April. Our firm is lucky to have such talented and dedicated individuals who keep our operations smooth sailing. We're grateful for all that you do

Team Vasquez joined nearly 600 walkers at the Ronald McDonald House of Southern CA 2023 Walk for Kids! in Pasadena, California last April Through this event, the community was able to raise $347,306 to provide comfort, care, and support to critically ill kids and their families in Southern California.

We're grateful to have been a part of this special event, and to help build a community where children and their families embrace life and healing

Vasquez + Company is proud to be a sponsor to help bring more visibility to Latinx filmmaking and storytelling Let's celebrate the talent and creativity of inspiring artists! The event took place at Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles.

Attending on behalf of Vasquez + Company are our Marketing Supervisor, Cassandra Bae, who is also a Producers Guild Member, and our amazing guests:

Steve Bae, a Producers Guild Member, TV Academy Member, TV Producer, and a 2x Prime Time Emmy Award and NAACP Image Awards Nominee.

And Ashley Eakin, Writer, Director, and part of the DGA Women’s Steering Committee, Netflix “Created By Initiative” for underrepresented writers, and the DGA Commercial Directors Diversity Program.

Thank you for representing Team Vasquez!

C L I P P E R S S U I T E E V E N T

Our LA Team came out to show their support for the Clippers last March at the Crypto com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles! Cheers to another fun game!

Vasquez + Company LLP sponsored and attended the 2023 RSM Leaders Conference in Toronto, Canada last May 17-19, 2023. The event focused on staying ahead of the curve and preparing for the future of work. We gained a lot of valuable insights on modern and forward-thinking business practices surrounding talent recruitment and retention, the use of technology and automation, and evolving digital solutions

Vasquez Team congratulates RSM US Alliance, sponsors, contributors, and all those who made the event possible for another successful conference. We had a great opportunity to build connections and strengthen existing ones

We are looking forward to being a part of the next RSM US Alliance conference this year, exchanging insights, and creating more meaningful relationships.

Photos: RSM US Alliance LinkedIn

1 0 Y E A R S W I T H R S M U S A L L I A N C E

Vasquez+CompanyLLP celebratesamilestone10th anniversaryasamemberfirmof RSMUSAllianceThisachievement isatestamenttoourcommitment tocontinuouslycreatestrategic valueandconnectwithnationaland globalthoughtleadersto strengthenourcoreservicesforthe benefitofourclientsandourteam members.

TheVasquezTeamisgratefulfor thecollaborationandsupportRSM hasprovidedoverthepastdecade. Welookforwardtocontinuingour journeyandachievingevengreater successtogether

ViewpostbyRSMUSAlliancehere!

Congratulations to all of our new CPAs! It's taken hard work and dedication to get here, and you did it We are beyond proud of each and every one of you!

Joanne Mercado, CPA Mark Jandelle Gallardo, CPA Meryll Garcia, CPA Ma. Angelica Telan, CPA

V A S Q U E Z + C O M P A N Y W E D D I N G S

Heartfelt congratulations to the brides Tricia Toledo Porter (Senior Auditor - LA Office)

and Rhoda Dollaga Cruz (Audit Manager - LA Office) and to their lucky grooms!

We wish you a lifetime of love, happiness, and endless adventure as you embark on this new chapter together.

V A S Q U E Z + C O M P A N Y B A B I E

S

There's a new little bundle of joy in the world and we couldn't be more excited Congratulations to proud parents Madela Jane Latuga-Zafra, a Senior Auditor from our Philippine Office, and her husband Hernando T. Zafra!

Meet Max Vincent L Zafra!

Born on February 13, 2023

Fun Fact: You can call him Mavi! He loves tickles and hugs from mommy, and especially giggles at chin nibbles!

H O W D O E S M I N D S E T I M P A C T P E R F O R M A N C E ?

A mindset is a set of underlying beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that serve as the foundation for how you view, engage with, and interact with the world Mindsets are powerful: They create your realities, and shape your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in important ways. They can also create blind spots, fuel biased thinking, and when left unchecked, can be hard to change. For many, aspects of your mindset remain outside of your consciousness. It takes effort and intention to learn about and become more aware of how those mindsets show up in both productive and counterproductive ways in our personal and professional lives.

Awareness and acceptance begin with knowing what your mindsets are. Change is brought on by opportunities to practice subtle mindset shifts to benefit performance and well-being, both in and out of the workplace. Knowledge is developed through a deep and nuanced understanding of the complexity of mindsets and their role in shaping your everyday experiences

How Do Mindsets Work? It’s the Confirmation Bias

Your mindset acts as a lens through which you see the world. It impacts what you notice and how you interpret different situations. This takes place through the confirmation bias.

It causes you to notice the information that supports your beliefs and fail to notice anything that contradicts those beliefs.

The confirmation bias makes you only remember the evidence that supports your beliefs—and if you notice any information that contradicts your strong beliefs, you don’t remember it.

Finally, if somehow you do notice and remember information that contradicts your beliefs, you discount it by saying it’s the “exception to the rule,” so you can hold onto your beliefs.

What makes the confirmation bias so difficult is that you’re not doing it on purpose and you don’t even know that it’s happening So it seems like only the evidence that supports your beliefs is out there, and it’s as if the evidence that contradicts your beliefs doesn’t even exist. The effects of the confirmation bias happen to everyone all the time. People have a belief, and something happens that you interpret as an example that what you think is right, true, and accurate. Really, it’s just the confirmation bias at play.

The confirmation bias itself isn’t a bad thing. Your brain evolved to have the confirmation bias because there’s an endless amount of things you could be attending to at any moment in time. So our brains had to create a filtering system to let in the information that’s most important to our survival. Otherwise, they’d be overloaded with information

Most of the time, this serves you well Let’s say you deeply believe your spouse is the greatest person in the world You’ll notice, remember, and give more weight to all those things that confirm that they’re the best. And that's great because you’re already married. However, when accuracy matters, the confirmation bias can cause problems. For example, if you think your wife has an amazing voice, and you’re going to sell your things to move to Nashville to start her singing career and she really sounds like a drowning ostrich you’re in trouble.

The confirmation bias isn’t bad, but you need to be aware of your mindset (that is, your beliefs, values, and goals) and understand that it’s human nature that you’ll be more likely to notice, remember, and give greater weight to the evidence that supports your mindset That’s why it’s important to be aware of your mindset and make sure it’s helping you to be accurate and productive when it matters.

Performance-EnhancingMindsets

Scienceshowstherearecertainmindsetsthatcanimproveperformance,increase yourwell-being,andenhanceyourresilience.Hereare3popularexamples:

Growthmindset.Agrowthmindsetisprobablythemostcommonlyknown mindsetIt’sthebeliefthatyourbasicqualitiescanimprovethroughhardwork anddedication.Intelligenceandtalentarejustthestartingpoint.Ontheflipside, thosewithfixedmindsetsbelievethattalentorintelligencearepermanent.You can’timproveit,andyoueitherhaveitoryoudon’t.Peoplewithgrowthmindsets aremorelikelytoperformbetteraswellaslearnandgrowfromfailure,and they’relesslikelytogiveup

StressMindset.Stressmindsetisthebeliefyouhaveabouttheroleofstressin yourlife.Thisgreatlyinfluenceshowstressimpactsyoumentallyandphysically, andhowwillingyouaretofacechallengesandreachoutforhelptonavigate throughadversityItturnsoutsimplybelievingstressishelpful(andthatitbrings outthebestinyou)canhelpyougrowfromtoughexperiencesandimproveyour performance,health,andrelationships.Ontheotherhand,ifyoubelievestress isbadforyourwell-being,performance,andabilitytogrow,thentheexperience ofstresscanbecomeastressoritselfandwilllikelyharmyourhealth, performance,andabilitytogrow

OptimisticMindset.Anoptimisticmindsetisthebeliefthatthingscangetbetter andyouhavesomecontroltomakethembetter.Incontrast,peoplewitha pessimisticmindsetaren’tabletoseewheretheyhavecontroltoimprovethings. Ifoptimisticthinkersdon’thaveanycontrol,theythenrefocustheirenergyon somethingwheretheycantakeproductiveactionThosewithoptimistic mindsetstendtohandlestressandperformbetterthanpessimisticthinkers. Theyhavestrongerrelationships,greaterresilience,andimprovedwell-being too.

Source:HPRC:HumanPerformanceResourcesbyCHAMP

Thispublicationisforgeneralinformationalpurposesonlyanditisnotintendedtoprovideanyreaderwithspecific authority,adviceorrecommendationsWhereyoudeemnecessary,wesuggestthatyouseekadviceregardingyour particularsituationfromtheappropriateprofessional.

Yourmindsetsmatter.Theyshapethewayyouseetheworld.

E M P L O Y E E S P O T L I G H T

SCYLA GACIS

Corporate Communication & Branding Manager

PH Team

HowlonghaveyoubeenwithVasquez+ Company?

I’mgoing5yearsthisOctober

WhatdoyoulikebestaboutworkingforVasquez +Company?

Ilovethekindcultureandthework-lifeboundarythat theCompanypromotes Plus,someofmycolleagues aren'tjustworkacquaintances-we'regenuinefriends, andthatmakeseverydayevenbetter.

Doyouhaveamottoorpersonalmantrathatyoufollow?

IwasstruckbyaquotefromWaltDisney,"Inbadtimesandingood,neverlosesenseof zestforlife"Thesewordshaveinspiredmetoapproacheachdaywithasenseofjoyand enthusiasm,takingpleasureineventhesmallmoments Bydoingso,Ihopetolivealife that'smeaningful,fulfilling,andrewarding.

Whatdoyouliketodoinyourfreetime?

Assomeonewholovesexploringvariousinterests,Ifindinspirationinotherswhocreate beautifulthings.Thiscuriosityleadsmetodothingslikecookingnewrecipes,filming,editing videos,andexperimentingwithfashion.Ialsolovetogocafehopping,asIamluckytolive bymanylocal,quaintcafes.

Whatisoneskillyouwouldlovetolearn?

ThemerethoughtofsittingdownandbringingsomethingtolifefascinatesmesoI’dloveto learndrawingorpainting.

What,ifanything,areyoucurrentlybinge-watching?Orreading?

IliketorevisitsomegoodoldModernFamilyandBigBangTheoryepisodes Ilove heartwarmingcomediesandfindthemtobeaperfectwaytorelaxandunwind.

What’sonyourbucketlist?

Iamnotanadventurousperson,soIwanttopushmyselftotrymorethrillingoutdoor activitiesandexplorebeyondmyusualroutine

Name3placestowhichyouwouldliketotravel. Switzerland,Japan,Korea.

Whatare3wordsthatbestdescribeyou?

Sincere,Perceptive,Homebody.

CASSANDRA BAE

Marketing Supervisor

LA Team

HowlonghaveyoubeenwithVasquez+Company?

3yearsinAugust

WhatdoyoulikebestaboutworkingforVasquez+ Company?

Theconsistency.IleftanindustrywhereIwastraveling for1-3monthsatatime.I’veworkedinNepal,Hong Kong, Macau, Jamaica, Canada, England, Greece, SouthAfrica,andallovertheUS.Itwasalotoffun! AndwhileIamincrediblythankfulfortheopportunityto travel,theretrulyisnoplacelikehome.

Doyouhaveamottoorpersonalmantrathatyoufollow? “Asmoothseanevermadeaskilledsailor” –PresidentFranklinD.Roosevelt

Whatdoyouliketodoinyourfreetime?

Asyou’llseebelow-IoftenspendmyfreetimewatchingscriptedTVorreading.

Whatisoneskillyouwouldlovetolearn?

Howtomaketheperfectdirtymartini

What,ifanything,areyoucurrentlybinge-watching?Orreading?

Iusedtobinge-watchshowslikeapro!Iwatchedall5seasonsofBreakingBadin4days, watcheddecadesworthofDoctorWhoepisodesinamatterofmonths,andwatchedseven yearsofStarTrektheNextGenerationwithinafewweeks.Aftermydaughter’sarrival,Ino longerhavebigchunksoftimetospare,soI’vestartedwatchingshowsastheycomeout,one episodeatatimevsbinge-watching

CurrentlyuptodatewithTedLasso(AppleTV),ForAllMankind(AppleTV),TheRighteous Gemstones(HBO),Succession(HBO),StrangerThings(Netflix),TheLastofUs(HBO), TheGreat(Hulu),HouseoftheDragon(HBO),TheCrown(Netflix),andTheMandalorian (Disney+).

I’vebeeninthesamebookclubsince2002!Wereadanewbookeveryquarterandour currentbookis“HelloBeautiful”byAnnNapolitano.

What’sonyourbucketlist?

Attendawhitetieevent-preferablyinEngland

Name3placestowhichyouwouldliketotravel. Monaco,Positano,Malta.

Whatare3wordsthatbestdescribeyou?

Compassionate,assertive,creative

Our very own Senior Auditor, Artist, and Writer!

I’ve been making art since I first got my hands on a computer. I taught myself how to use Photoshop and other editing softwares, watching Youtube tutorials almost everyday My art style has also changed a lot through the years I decided to show you my most recent ones because I feel like they best represent my art style today

These artworks were made in 2019 That is so because I can never make art from a happy place And that year was probably the worst year for me mentally and emotionally These paintings were based on Black Swan (2010) and The Double (2013), both tackling mental health

I also started writing in college I would write on my ride home from school, when I’m alone, when I’m up on the roof – basically anywhere. I decided to include these two to show how much I’ve grown personally. The English one talks about the nonstop cycle of remembering The Tagalog piece is my most recent one I believe, where I talked about being at peace with the fact that you don’t have to love a person when you don’t feel like it.

I can never write from a happy place And that’s pretty evident in my art But I hope you enjoy these pieces as much as I enjoyed making them

H O W T O U S E L I N K E D I N L E A R N I N G

LinkedIn Learning is an on-demand library of instructional videos covering the latest business, technology, and creative skills. It provides personalized course recommendations and is designed to help you achieve your full potential.

LinkedIn Learning releases 25 to 30 new courses each week so take advantage of the endless learning opportunities!

Personalized recommendations

Learn skills trending in your profession

Explore course suggestions based on your experience and LinkedIn profile

On your schedule

Watch courses when it’s convenient Access content from your computer or mobile device anytime, anywhere

Industry experts

Learn from passionate instructors

Stream courses taught by experts with real-world experience

Start your free month

B I R T H D A Y S - L A

Wishing you all the best on your birthday and a wonderful year ahead

JULY

Bryant Cheng Shweta Mehrotra Bethany Pedro

Karl Ibe Linda Narciso Arcely Peran

Pam Tolentino

Paula Alfonso

May Yap Barbara Lascona

Kira Matsuno

B I R T H D A Y S - P H

Paul Gonzaga Venus Sarmiento

Lei Alzaga Sophia David

Janel Rañola Ian James Kim Armonia Sherlyn Paredes Clydel Carandang

Jay De Guzman

Julie Eduardo Louisse Sinaguinan Jhelyn Raquepo Eunice Prado Laureen Sanchez

John Minbert Dimaala Biel Quinsayas Lady Salvatera Ira Reyes Markie Dobles

Dave Carciller Ranjan Balajadia

Jam Tolentino Jana Narral

Yhara Aviles Jamar Lagarico

Darrel Caballegan James Villamejor Jessa Molina Kriezl Patalinghug Meryll Garcia

Judlouise De Leon

John Carlo Regaya

Samuel Refuncion Christian Lidres Mary Grace Blanco Angelo Parala

Jessa Paningbatan Sarah De Jesus

Kenneth Hernandez Dianne Dimaano

Malou Cabrera

Mianca Prado

Kareen Tolentino

Marylle Lavandero Robelyn Lacorte

Stephanie Herrera Edilyn Monasque

Mark Gallardo Diana Araracap

Joane Mercado Vanessa Japson Shaira Conos

Jerick Sanchez

Jenica Vidallo

Lea Aure

Geleen Young

Kristine Oane Krisha Monis

Ces Curameng

Argem Red

Anshirly Pangilinan

Rina Obille

Joanalen Cacatian

Sofia Tumbokon

Krizia Aguilar

Hardy Biton

Kimberly Kabigting

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Also called the Fourth of July in the United States

It commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776

NINOY AQUINO DAY

The Filipino community celebrates the life of Senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr., keeping his legacy alive. Before Aquino’s untimely death, he was regarded as the flag bearer for the progression of modern Philippine democracy.

NATIONAL HEROES DAY

National Heroes Day is celebrated in honor and in remembrance of unknown valiant Filipinos who sacrificed their lives as a foundation for Philippine independence from foreign rule.

LABOR DAY

Rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America's strength, prosperity, and well-being

C O N T I N U I N G E D U C A T I O N

The following training sessions are examples of the interesting and educational discussions that await participants in future months

Audit & Accounting

Risk Assessment: Identification of RMMs and Relevant Assertions (GAAS & PCOAB)

07/20/2023 10:00 AM

Q2 Audit Update 2023

07/27/2023 11:00 AM

Risk Assessment for Private Companies (webcast)

08/22/2023 11:00 AM

Taxes

Topics in Estate, Gift, & Trust Taxation: Powers of appointment and estate inclusion

08/02/2023 09:00 AM

Workshop: Forms 926, 8865 & 8858

08/07/2023 05:30 AM

Please note that RSM uses CST (Central Standard Time) For a complete list of courses, log in to your RSM

For middle market businesses, the path to greater diversity, equity and inclusion can be difficult to navigate But it helps companies gain a competitive edge.

Digital transformation is critical for modern manufacturing operations and the factory of the future

Faced with labor shortages and an unsteady economy, more organizations that used to perform internal audit functions in-house are turning to outsourcing.

Critical to effective risk management is the flow of high-quality data and information that feeds processes and decision-making

T E S T I M O N I A L S

Here's what some of our clients shared about their experience with the Firm. Thank you for all the hard work, team!

I had a great time seeing everyone and exchanging stories. You are a great team of people and so glad that we were brought together seven years ago This will be our 8th year of audit with you.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent services you have provided to us.

Thankyouforthefinal reportandforyourvery good,thorough,and persistentworkonour auditWelookforwardto workingwithyouonnext year'saudit.

If I was to score from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, Vasquez would score 10s in every category The entire team has been great to work with.