Rich Asiodche(he/him)

Rich Asiodche is an Audit Partner at Armanino LLP, one of the largest accounting firms in the United States, where he leads the Pacific Northwest audit practice covering Seattle, Washington State, Oregon, and neighboring states. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Rich came to the U.S. in the mid-2000s when the Sarbanes-Oxley Act created a surge in demand for auditors — and he seized that opportunity by being bold enough to reach out directly to a recruiter even when he didn't fully meet the requirements. His story is a powerful reminder that persistence and self-advocacy can open doors that credentials alone cannot. As an audit partner, Rich's day is all about communication — with clients, with his audit teams, and with firm leadership. He manages five to ten audit engagements at once, checking in on each team, reviewing audit strategies, and helping clients understand their own financial health. He describes auditing as a mix of math, English, and puzzle-solving: you're organizing information, finding problems, and communicating your findings clearly. If you like breaking things apart to understand how they work, auditing might be for you. On the money side, Rich gets refreshingly specific. Starting salaries at public accounting firms in the Pacific Northwest run roughly $65,000–$75,000 a year, with raises of 10–20% annually. By the time you hit manager level (around five years in), you're easily in the low six figures. Senior managers can earn $150,000–$200,000, and partners can earn $200,000 and up — plus significant flexibility in how and when you work. Rich even drops a fun stat: over a lifetime, people in public accounting typically out-earn the average NFL player. For students of color, Rich's story carries extra weight. He speaks openly about the accounting profession's active push to bring more people of color into the field through AICPA diversity initiatives, and he credits both EY and Armanino for their genuine commitment to inclusion. He hasn't personally experienced racial discrimination directed at him, and he believes the industry's diversity efforts create real upward mobility for minority professionals. He also describes his role at Armanino as entrepreneurial — he built the Seattle office from scratch, hired his own team, and grew the practice — which makes it feel less like a corporate ladder and more like building something of your own. Rich's biggest advice: talk to people who are already doing the job. Reach out, ask questions, and don't disqualify yourself before someone else does. He got his start in the U.S. by sprinting to a 5:15 PM interview slot he wasn't supposed to have. That kind of hustle, combined with integrity and follow-through, is what he says sets the best accounting professionals apart.