“We need to look forward to tomorrow as much as we need to deal with today.”

Darcy graduated from Fulton Place Kindergarten in 1960, where he learned to share, and play well with others. He then attended the University of Alberta, where he earned his B.A. After graduation he started a career in banking with CIBC but returned to his family’s mechanical contracting business to work, and eventually manage operations. During this time, he was one of the industry representatives for the sector, and together with CLR-A, negotiated several contracts with the union.

He received his accounting designation in 2004 and worked as a sole practitioner until partnering with Dara Schaaf. Having been a business owner and operator, Darcy understands the challenges of running a business, and the need for superior accounting services.   

Using his many years of experience, and knowledge of business operations, Darcy also provides guidance about business operations to clients. His specialty is assisting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with:

• Year-end financial reporting
• Tax planning, the preparation of tax returns and other taxation matters, with the understanding that business owners’ personal and corporate taxes are intrinsically combined and have to be considered together.
• Offering planning expertise and advice through the “business life cycle”: Start Up; Growth; Operations; Succession Planning and Exit Strategies.

Darcy also works with not-for-profit organizations and provides audits, reviews, and year-end services as required.

Darcy is a mentor for CGA Alberta and has served on several non-profit boards including the Strathcona County Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, and the Community Futures Elk Island board.

In 2005, he was a member of a group that received the Sherwood Park & District Chamber of Commerce Business Award for Community Service and Involvement. Darcy was fortunate to be appointed chairperson of the Communities in Bloom Committee the year that Strathcona County won its first Communities in Bloom Championship. On centenary of the Certified General Accounts designation in 2010, Darcy was listed as one of the Top 100 CGA’s Who Have Made a Difference for his election monitoring work in Ukraine. And, in 2017 Darcy was nominated by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and received a National Philanthropy Day, 2017 Arts and Culture Award (along with his wife, Barbara).

Dara received her accounting honour’s diploma from Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in 1997. During this two-year program she was on the Dean’s List for four consecutive semesters.

After working as a corporate accountant for five years, her personal life became very busy with three kids under three. (Twins will do that to a person!) Returning to the work force in 2006, she connected with her now business partner, Darcy Koshman, who mentored her on her journey to master public accounting. She obtained her degree in Business Administration and completed the prescribed program with the Certified General Accountant’s Association and was accepted into the association in 2011.

Dara’s focus at Koshman & Schaaf LLP is assisting owners and employees with the operations of small to medium size enterprises and of course, personal income taxes. Dara feels working in public practice, as opposed to corporate accounting, comes with the opportunity to meet new people on a continual basis, help businesses flourish, and provides the opportunity to teach owners the ins and outs of accounting and bookkeeping. Dara enjoys the challenges that come with public practice and solving “accounting puzzles”.

One of Dara’s main goals is to provide owners, employees and shareholders the opportunity to focus on their own core competencies. No matter the type of profession, she helps navigate the various stages of operating a business. Whether your goal is tax minimization, incorporating your small business, preparation of your corporate financial statements and tax returns, communicating with the CRA, or offering personal tax advice on the disability tax credit (because she sometimes has to put her doctor hat on) she will provide guidance and expertise throughout the process.

Alison attended the University of Stirling in Scotland, graduating with a B.Sc.(Hons) in Environmental Science and Biology, in 1987. She then earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accountancy, winning the Milnes- Holden Business Law prize.

Alison trained with a mid-sized Scottish accountancy practice, Scott Oswald, qualifying as a CA in November 1990, and becoming a fully-fledged member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).

In the nearly 27 years since qualifying, Alison has held a variety of roles within the profession, both as a Management Accountant in industry, before moving into public sector accounting as a Principal Accountant. She then moved into a training role for two years with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, before accepting a position with the Accounts Commission for Scotland where she ran their Finance Department.

Alison moved to Canada nine years ago and has recently joined Koshman & Schaaf LLP as an accountant after an extended maternity leave. She looks forward to the challenges of working in a different country and has received her CPA under the reciprocal agreement that exists between CPA Alberta and ICAS.

As an accountant who has held a variety of roles in different sectors, she likes to think of herself as a “jack of all trades”. She endeavours to help clients by simplifying financial language for them, in turn helping them to focus on what they do best, running their businesses and maximizing bottom lines.

When she is not hard at work, Alison spends her time looking after three children, a husband, and a variety of pets.