We pride ourselves on knowing all our clients personally and not treating them like a number. Like you, we know that ‘word of mouth’ is key. By providing professional, practical, efficient service to all our clients, our practice will continue to flourish. It’s a simple growth strategy and it works.
We have a collegiate approach to achieving goals, so let’s meet the team:
PRINCIPALS
Lynda McConnell, CA
Lynda was born in South Africa but raised in Te Kauwhata, (actually she grew up in Rangiriri but more people have heard of the other place).
She commenced her training with one of Auckland’s large international Chartered Accountancy firms in 1980. She says, “I learnt from experts who inspired my respect and taught me the importance of professionalism.” Although working fulltime, she successfully completed her professional exams. Her ability to interpret legislative regulations to provide practical solutions for businesses was deepened by her time with a prestigious tax specialist firm in Auckland. This included some overseas training. Not afraid to roll up her sleeves, Lynda has worked alongside clients, seeing them through the past twenty plus years of continuing change in the business world.
Stephen Stafford-Bush, JP, CA
Stephen was born in the Far North on the edge of the Hokianga Harbour, more years ago than he prefers to acknowledge. Whilst he travelled the country due to his father being a primary school principal, he was educated mainly in Auckland, at Auckland Grammar, Auckland University and AUT. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1985 having "learned his trade" with the leading international CA firm of KPMG, including 3 years in London. Whilst the middle part of his career was in auditing, he finally saw the light and became a compliance, tax and business advisor when he purchased the practice of Ed Wilson in Waiuku in 1997.
Since that time, Stephen has built up a reputation as a strong rural practitioner and has for a number of years now provided specialised advice to the farming sector, particularly dairying. He is currently Chair of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Primary Sector Committee and is also on the DairyNZ DairyBase Strategic Planning Committee.
He prides himself on his professionalism, his attitude of always wanting to do the best for his clients and likes nothing better than getting his boots dirty meeting his farming clients down on the farm.
Lynda & Stephen are dedicated professionals who have assembled a hardworking cohesive team to assist them to help you. Here’s what this modest bunch have to say;
Michelle McPherson – Practice Manager
Michelle was born and raised in the Franklin and Manukau Districts. She lives in Pukekohe with her husband and two children.
She has varied experience in Credit Control, Accounts Payable / Receivable and Office Admin and has worked in several different industries. The daughter, wife and sister of builders; she has a practical mind and a good understanding of the ‘nuts and bolts’ of business. Michelle started with the company (as Lynda McConnell Limited) in July 2004 and has built on her accounting skills since that time.
Michelle's hobbies include hockey, fishing, scrapbooking and tucking into a good book.
ACCOUNTING STAFF
Elysia Russell
Elysia has worked for the company for just over 3 years and during this time has expanded on what knowledge she originally entered the industry with. She has worked in a few different industries since leaving school. Starting as an office junior for a small accounting firm in Pukekohe, she then branched out into a few completely different fields, including Tourism, only to be pulled back into the accounting world to further her skills.
Elysia is willing to help all clients and staff members in whatever they need and is always learning new things in order to improve on the accounting process for clients.
Janet Harrison
Janet (known as Jan to all) has been involved in accountancy for most of the last 45 years. Originally from England (Essex!) she arrived in Putaruru in 1963 and gained employment with Mr Thodey - Chartered Accountant. The family moved to Waiuku in 1980 and she started with the company in March 1985 (having been through several ownership and names changes during that time).
Jan and her husband Mike have been involved in farming their entire married life, starting with 50/50 sharemilking, owning their own dairy farm and running dry stock.
Jan is a keen sportswoman, playing tennis, hockey, badminton and now doing both indoor and outdoor bowls. She has been married for 46 years, has 3 children and 5 grandchildren.
Kevin Griffin
Kevin was born in Drury and has spent most of his life in the Franklin area. After leaving school he gained a Diploma in Accounting at Manukau Institute of Technology and commenced working at a Pukekohe CA firm. Kevin also spent 2 years working as an office administrator for a local plant nursery firm so has a good general knowledge of office procedures and systems. Kevin enjoys the variety of work that the clients of McConnell Stafford-Bush & Associates bring to the firm. He is also involved in entering clients information into Dairybase, an invaluable benchmarking tool for dairy farmers.
Kevin has a daughter who stays with him on the weekends and they enjoy going on walks, bike rides and spending time at the beach (when the weather permits). When not spending time with his daughter he likes tinkering with computers and enjoys a good book.
Lisa Barnett
Lisa was born and bred in Manurewa and moved to Waiuku in 1994. She is married to Mike, has two children and one granddaughter. Mike and Lisa have their own business which is based in Waiuku, they are members of the Waiuku Hot Rod Club Iron Sands and have a number of classic cars. Lisa enjoys the car scene, killing herself at the gym and loves nothing more than entertaining friends in the weekends with a BBQ on their 5 acre lifestyle property in Waipipi. In her spare time she likes to read or do cross-stitch (although has realised that she obviously doesn't get alot of spare time as she has been working on the same small piece for the last nine years!!).
Her past employment has ranged from mum, Shop Assistant, Office work to Office Manager.
Lisa joined the McConnell Stafford-Bush team in April 2010.
Pauline Alexander
Pauline has been with McConnell Stafford-Bush and its forerunners for all of her working life, having joined straight from school, following in her sister's footsteps. She has lived in Waiuku her entire life and is very well known in the town. Pauline enjoys work and the variety she has.
Having been unable to "beat him" she now enjoys joining her husband Bruce fishing on their boat or relaxing at their holiday home in Tairua. Pauline has two adult children and much to her dismay, no grandchildren.
She is still waiting to win that elusive Lotto prize.
Rachel Brown, ACA
After graduating from Pukekohe High School, Rachel started her career with an accounting firm in Glenbrook. She built up her experience of small businesses, farms, income tax etc and gained a Bachelor in Business and the ACA qualification. After a brief time out to have her children, Rachel decided to contact Chartered Accounting firms in Pukekohe to see if she could find a new job close to home (we're very glad she knocked on our door).
In her spare time Rachel plays netball, enjoys fishing and enjoys socialising with friends when the demands of two small children and studies (towards full CA status) allows. She and her husband could also be described as 'petrolheads' being members of the Franklin Street Rodders Inc.
Ruth Langley
Ruth was born in Hamilton and lived there until early 2002, when she moved to the Franklin area. She lives next door to her youngest daughter and family, and enjoys taking "long weekends" to visit her older daughter and family who live in Christchurch.
For the last several years Ruth has been studying for her diploma in NZ Business, and has just successfully succeeded in finishing and attaining her diploma (July 2009). Her next step is to attain her Accounting Technician qualification.
Ruth started working in accounting in her teens, then when she married became a courier in Hamilton alongside her late husband, and 10 years ago took an opportunity to go back into accounting which is an occupation that she enjoys.
Ruth joined the team at McConnell Stafford-Bush & Associates in April 2009.
Sylvia Whiteford
Sylvia is a local girl. After leaving Pukekohe High School she studied law for two years at university. After these two years she realised accounting would be more exciting!! Sylvia is now studying accounting at AUT working towards becoming a CA (Chartered Accountant). She enjoys being able to work close to home and hopes to use the skills she is learning to benefit her local community.
In her spare time she enjoys soccer, puzzles, reading, cooking, golf, spending time with friends and family and fishing. (Her colleagues are regularly fed details of fishing trips but are yet to see any of the catch!)
OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS
Heather Gaskell
Heather is the receptionist at our Pukekohe office, which is where she was born (Pukekohe, we mean not the actual office!). She grew up on a farm in Pukekawa and now lives in Waiuku with her partner. Heather has had several admin roles including during her two year OE stint in the UK. Of course her number one logistics challenge has been bringing up three daughters and keeping up with all their various activities.
Heather has been with McConnell Stafford-Bush since September 2010 and has said that her biggest challenge is keeping the sweet bowl filled. Heather says she's not sure who eats the most sweets - the clients or the staff. She has said it is a close call.
In her spare time she enjoys the outdoors, running to keep fit (certainly not for fun) and spending time with her family.
Jennie Crane
Jennie was born in Wellington and raised in a small English village in Wiltshire until the age of 5 when the family moved back to New Zealand in time for her to start her education. She was educated at Plimmerton Primary School near Wellington and Tawa College where she was a foundation pupil.
Jennie worked in a variety of roles for a local accounting firm for almost 27 years before joining the team in March 2009. She has varied experience in office administration, accounts payable/receivable and most aspects of computer work within an accounting firm,
Married with two adult sons, one grandson and a most delightful daughter-in-law, Jennie is totally committed to her family and very involved with her grandson's social and sporting activities. Jennie's hobbies include walking for health, pump classes, rugby league, karate (for the grandson) and she is heavily involved with organising school reunions (the latest being the 50th reunion for her college).
Marilyn Crosby
On leaving school Marilyn worked in two offices in Waiuku for a 9 year period before ceasing paid employment to raise her 4 (now adult) children. Whilst raising her children she also assisted her husband with his business. In May 1997 she joined the company (as Wilson Stafford-Bush) as a part-time receptionist. This position soon became full-time as the business grew, and in the intervening 12 years her role within the accountancy practice has grown, as has her interest, to encompass most aspects of a medium sized accountancy practice.
Marilyn's family history in Waiuku spans five generations and her local knowledge has been an advantage to the practice and the clients.
Michelle Hodgson
Michelle joined the team in July 2009. She works part-time performing some of the essential behind the scenes administration. Michelle grew up in the Wairarapa before working in Wellington then headed to England for her OE where she met her husband Vance. He is a Waiuku boy through and through, so this is where Michelle, Vance, the three children and a menagerie of animals make their home.
Michelle has done the book-keeping for the family business (town planing) for a number of years, and since joining the McConnell Stafford-Bush team she has learnt that good accountants have an expertise that goes way beyond the book-keeping world of debits and credits.
Michelle is in a local hockey team and has the bruises to prove it!
