JOSEPH A. BRUCE CPA

Joe has more than 28 years of public accounting experience since joining the firm in 1996. His background includes serving a variety of clients—both public and private—from a diverse group of industries, including technology, construction, manufacturing, retail and natural resources.

Joe assists clients with financial reporting and operational matters and is responsible for the overall management and supervision of audit engagements. Such responsibilities require significant planning and administrative skills and extensive knowledge of financial reporting requirements, key technical issues and understanding the operating concerns of the entities served. Joe regularly attends local and national conferences for various industries, and he has significant involvement in the firm’s industry groups.

Professional and Community Involvement

Member—American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants

Member—Business School Advisory Board, Waynesburg University

Member—Schneider Downs Construction Services Industry Group

Past Board Member—Master Builders Association Young Contractors and YouthWorks, Inc.

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Do you have a hobby or personal passion?
Golf and baseball

What was the best advice you’ve ever received?
Paraphrasing the Andrew Carnegie line, “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.

Who was your role model?
My Dad

What was your childhood dream?
I always wanted to play centerfield for the Pirates

People would be surprised to know that I…….
….was in the emergency room at least once a year until I reached my mid-twenties

What is the best or most interesting thing about your career?
I will spend my entire career working for just one company – Schneider Downs.

What was your first job?
Working on a farm

Do you have a “motto?”
Greatness courts failure. If you want to be average, you probably will be.

Do you have advice for young professionals?

Work with passion, energy and a desire to improve every day.

Our Thoughts On

FEATURED

Big Problem: Cybersecurity Defenses Compromised By Employees’ Passwords


Big Thinking: Significant Updates To The Cybersecurity Environment.

Shareholder ERIC WRIGHT has been involved with Information Technology with Schneider Downs since 1983 and oversees the firm’s thriving Technology Consulting and IT Audit & Compliance practices. Through this role, Eric brings extensive experience in assessing IT infrastructure and identifying cybersecurity risk and exposure.
One of our clients felt fairly good about their existing cybersecurity defenses. But they were still afraid of the unknown and newer cyber attack techniques. Through our regular audit procedures, we inquired about their current cyber controls and their confidence in withstanding an attack. We then performed a network penetration test which simulates an external adversary hacking their network. This procedure identified the client's unknown weaknesses in their defenses through a live test. “Within 48 hours, we were able to guess the passwords of close to 10% of their employees, effectively giving us VPN access to their corporate network and certain employee utilities, like email.” Eric said. "We also found that their corporate intranet site was visible over the internet and susceptible to login via the bad passwords. After identifying these issues, we worked with the client to make significant changes to their environment to make it harder for an attacker to break in." Schneider Downs provides Big Thinking and Personal Focus in delivering a variety of services for large and small businesses, both publicly and privately held, as well as nonprofit organizations, government entities and more. Through our commitment to thought leadership and knowledge management, we deliver the solutions our clients need with a personal commitment to service.

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