Industry Spotlight: Q&A With Withum’s Dale Tuttle

Withum is recognized in the tri-state area as a leading public accounting and advisory firm serving the Real Estate, Construction, and Architecture & Engineering industries.  Withum empowers clients with innovative tools and solutions to address their accounting, tax and advisory needs. Commercial Observer’s Partner Insights team sat down with Dale Tuttle, Partner, Lead, Digital and Technology Transformation at Withum to discuss the importance of technology in the CRE industry as well as his career in digital and technology services.

Commercial Observer Partner Insights: What made you decide to focus on the niche market of digital and technology services specifically within your accounting career?

Dale Tuttle: I’m not an accountant but have focused on technology consulting for about 20 years now. Fun fact: I used to be a college professor back in the day, teaching international relations and political science. But, back to the question. We joined our business to Withum over three years ago to take advantage of the natural synergies between accounting services and technology consulting. Technology advisory services are growing strongly here at Withum, as well as in the public accounting industry at-large. I have always been interested in the convergence between finance, accounting, and the technology sector.

What’s the number one thing you make sure to tell a new client about yourself and Withum?

Tuttle: The biggest thing is that Withum is more than tax and audit. Our advisory services are mature and growing, and this provides both existing and prospective clients a truly comprehensive partnership with our firm. I almost hate to say it, but Withum really does do it all … it’s not hyperbole. Within just a few years, advisory has become an important part of the firm, and it’s been fun to be part of that.

Are there any new technologies and/or tools being used to enhance cybersecurity in shared office spaces?

Tuttle: I would say the biggest enhancement has been to the capabilities of Office 365 over the past year or two. It now comes with very advanced cybersecurity capabilities that make securing data, content, and devices easier and more effective than ever before. Right now, I’m a big believer in adopting data loss prevention tools and policies to protect critical information and prevent it from “escaping” the business (both intentionally and unintentionally). Picking the right subscription plan can be tricky, but that’s what we do … help clients figure out what they need and how to use it.

What are the key benefits that every firm should know about information technology and cybersecurity?

Tuttle: The biggest benefit is there are now very advanced tools available to help secure your business (like data loss prevention). Unfortunately, the biggest problem is still “us,” I am afraid to say. By that, I mean, the usual vector for successful intrusion is still someone clicking on something they shouldn’t have. Every now and again, something gets through and bad things happen. That’s why it’s important to have your security systems up-to-date, and you need to know how to configure the cyber tools you have. Finally, you need to have contingency plans for when things go wrong. We help our clients with these things every day here at Withum.