Betty Bunn would undoubtedly be proud of the honour bestowed upon her son.
Mike Bunn recently received his peer association’s highest accolade by being named a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario in recognition of both his professional work and long-time community involvement.
“It’s really a very big honour for me to be recognized for the work,” said Bunn, who has worked at Grant Thornton LLP for the past 35 years, including the past nine as principal, and is a past president of the Georgian Bay CPA Association.
“I’ve been an accountant for over 40 years. I’m quite proud to be a member of the Fellows. It’s the highest designation of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.”
Bunn, who will formally be recognized during a reception in Toronto in December, was nominated earlier this year by area residents Doug Lewis and John Mayo.
The nomination package included seven letters of recommendation from not just Lewis and Mayo, but also from local MP Bruce Stanton, area MPP Doug Downey, Big Brother Big Sisters of Orillia & District CEO James Maxwell as well as other business and community leaders.
“I have witnessed first-hand the positive impact that Mike has made to his profession and his community,” wrote Wendy Timpano, general manager of the Orillia Area Community Development Corp.
“Mike has earned a reputation for being a highly valued and sought after accountant by many businesses, individuals and community organizations.”
Bunn said his late mother, who once worked as a bookkeeper, provided a great deal of inspiration toward his eventual decision to enter the profession.
“She has passed away, but she was a great support,” said Bunn, whose interest in the field was further spurred after he took some accounting courses while attending the University of Waterloo.
Although originally from Lindsay, Bunn regularly visited his family’s cottage in the area as a boy and has always felt a strong connection to Orillia.
And while Bunn has enjoyed a stellar career in his field, he said he’s especially proud of his volunteer endeavours that have allowed him to provide help and fiscal expertise to numerous organizations over the years.
As an example, Bunn has served as past chair of both YMCA Orillia and YMCA Simcoe Muskoka and currently serves as treasurer of the Orillia Museum of Art & History’s board, a director on the CDC board and a member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of Orillia.
“I like giving back to the community and spending time with people,” said Bunn, who with his wife Lori, has two adult daughters and four grandchildren.
In his nomination letter, Lewis noted that Bunn has continued to enhance the profession through both his leadership and his ongoing volunteer community contributions.
“The accounting profession has benefited from the fact that Mike is not just an accountant that one visits at tax time,” he said, “but rather a community-minded person who is always making a contribution to business and the community.”
