Brian grew up on a farm outside of American Fork, Utah. He later received a Master’s Degree in Accounting with an emphasis in Tax from Brigham Young University. In 1993, he passed the CPA exam in one sitting and began his career working with KPMG in Chicago, Illinois and reached the title of Manager where he worked with tax and audit clients all over the Midwest. He then worked as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Tax Officer for a publicly traded insurance company in the Chicago suburbs.

Brian and his family moved to Sherwood in 2004 to help grow a business he started with engineer friends they named Ascentec Engineering. That business continued to grow rapidly until Brian sold his ownership in 2010 to outside partners with additional access to capital. He then became the Chief Tax Officer at Standard Insurance Company in Portland and remained there for 8 years.

Brian joined Want & Emery CPAs in 2020 and is excited for his clients to benefit from his experiences in public accounting, growing a business from concept to sale, and real experience buying and selling both commercial and residential real estate. Brian is active in his profession and volunteers in the local area. Some affiliations currently include:

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants
• Voices for the Performing Arts, Board Member and Treasurer
• Cantico Singers, Board Member and Treasurer

Deanne Platter grew up on the family farm near Grand Island, Nebraska. She received her degree in Accounting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and began her career at Arthur Andersen in Omaha concentrating on banking and insurance. She was licensed as a CPA in 1989. She relocated to Houston, Texas working as an Accounting Manager and later Controller of Western Indemnity, a property and casualty insurance company.

Deanne moved with her family to Oregon in 1998 and began working at Want & Emery CPAs in 2006. She enjoys the Pacific Northwest and working in the small community of Newberg. She appreciates the opportunity to get to know her clients on a more personal level to better understand and help with their tax and financial planning needs. Her affiliations include:

• Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants
• Newberg Kiwanis Club Treasurer

Sara grew up in Eureka, California, before graduating summa cum laude with a degree in Political Science from Wheaton College (Illinois). While she was in college, her family of origin relocated to McMinnville, where she met her husband and first worked in tax preparation. She also worked for many years in the Portland metro area tutoring students to take standardized tests such as the SAT.

Sara and her family moved from Aurora to Dundee in 2013, where she home-schooled her children and then went back to school herself. Sara earned a degree in Accounting from Western Governors University in 2018 and began her career with a CPA firm in McMinnville. She worked in a variety of areas, including accounting and tax preparation for individuals, small businesses and non-profits. Sara was licensed as a CPA in 2022 and joined Want & Emery CPAs shortly afterwards.

Sara appreciates working in a small community, where her public accounting knowledge allows clients to focus on their areas of expertise. Her affiliations include:

• Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants

Terry Emery has worked in the tax profession for over twenty years. Originally from Canada, Terry has a Master of Taxation degree from Portland State University. She is an integral part of the Newberg community both as a tax planning advisor and community leader. Her affiliations include:

• Newberg Morning Rotary Club-past president
• Newberg Chamber of Commerce-past president
• Newberg City Club-past president