In April 2023, Troy Varenchik ’97 was honored as Accounting Alumnus of the Year at the LMU Accounting Society Spring Banquet. For this former Accounting Society president, it was a night to remember and a chance to reflect on the impact that both LMU and Deloitte have had on his life and career.
“I am truly honored and humbled to receive this recognition,” said Troy during his acceptance speech. “I have amazing memories from my time at LMU. Those were some of the best years of my life.”
LMU not only impacted Troy’s professional career, but it also gave him some wonderful personal gifts. Troy met his wife, Alicia ’97, on the bluff and made lifelong friends in the dorms (several of his college buddies surprised him at the banquet). Troy’s younger brother, Jonathan ’01, an executive director at Morgan Stanley, is also an LMU graduate along with his wife, Kimberly ’08. Troy’s first-born daughter, Hailey ’26, is following in her family’s footsteps and is a current sophomore business major.
“I couldn’t be more proud that Hailey will graduate with LMU letters on her diploma,” he said.
Troy joined Deloitte soon after graduating from LMU and has spent his entire career with the firm, an extraordinary journey spanning over 26 years. He’s risen through the ranks and today serves as a partner at Deloitte Tax LLP, where he’s responsible for implementing tax compliance and consulting work plans for clients. Troy also serves as the tax managing partner for the Orange County Office, where he leads the day-to-day activities of the tax practice including talent, marketplace, DEI, operations, and learning & development for a team of over 200 tax professionals. Troy is a member of the California Society of CPAs, AICPA, and is on the board of directors for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.
In his banquet speech, Troy shared valuable feedback with accounting students who will soon embark on their own careers.
“When you work for these accounting firms, a ton of opportunities come your way,” he said. “Take a risk. Get out of your comfort zone. Learn new skills. Expand your network. You’ll come out a better person and a more valuable professional.”
Troy is one of many LMU alumni who have had successful careers at Deloitte, and the company maintains a long and productive relationship with LMU. In the last two years alone, Deloitte has hired 55 LMU students. “There has never been a greater demand for accounting services and talent, and an accounting degree from LMU has a lot of value in the industry,” he said.
Two years ago, Troy was instrumental in bringing the Deloitte Tax Diversity Scholarship to LMU, covering the full cost of tuition for underrepresented students in the M.S. in Taxation program.
“The career accomplishment I’m most proud of is Deloitte’s partnership with LMU,” said Troy. “There was a need to increase diversity in the profession and it aligned perfectly with the launch of LMU’s M.S. in Taxation program.”
The three inaugural scholarship recipients – Rodonna Flowers ’22, M.S. ’23, Dezmin Hemmans ’22, M.S. ’23, and Robert Zepeda, M.S. ’23 – now work at Deloitte as tax consultants. Read more about their experience here.
This year, Troy once again helped usher LMU into the Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholars Program, and the college is now offering a total of 10 full-tuition scholarships for students in both the M.S. in Accounting and M.S. in Taxation programs.
Troy’s illustrious career at Deloitte has given him so much more than he ever imagined it would. It’s taken him to almost every major U.S. city, skiing in Utah with Olympians, a short stint in London, cruising around the Greek Islands, and deep-sea fishing – and these are just business trips with clients.
Global travel perks aside, Troy says one of the most rewarding parts of his career is the opportunity to help others succeed. “I love being a mentor and coach to younger professionals and watching them grow,” he said. “If you invest in the relationships around you and help others succeed, you will succeed too. Now that’s business for good.”
To learn more about the Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholars Program, including eligibility criteria and how to apply for fall 2024, visit cba.lmu.edu/deloitte.
