Chris Mays

Partner, Armanino Advisory LLC

Everything not prohibited by the laws of physics is possible.

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Bio

Meet Chris

Chris is a partner on the Family Office Services team, where he provides high net worth individuals and families a variety of outsourced family office solutions. Prior to joining Armanino, he was president of CCM Management Group for more than six years. He has also held senior positions with Citigroup Alternative Investments, Nextera and the Department of Energy.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA in finance from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

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Experience

Professional History

Experience

  • CCM Managment Group
  • Citigroup Alternative Investments
  • Nextera
  • U.S. Department of Energy
  • UC San Diego - Fusion Energy Research Program
  • UCLA - Fusion Energy Research Program

Education

  • University of California, Santa Barbara
  • University of Southern California

Q&A

Q. What was it that drew you to Armanino?
I had no plans to work for an accounting firm until I learned about Armanino’s purpose to be the most innovative accounting and consulting firm. When I met Andy and Matt (Armanino), they explained their vision and where this industry is headed in terms of technology, and I aligned with that purpose.
Q. What is the toughest decision you have ever made?
I gave up a Wall Street career to sail around the world. Letting go of that opportunity and embracing the unknown of my bucket list pursuit was a hard decision.
Q. Without naming names, tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoyed working with them.
I like all of my clients; one is a top 100 venture capitalist with a team who constantly let the vibrancy of the idea flow and are willing to embrace new ideas. The team challenges my thinking in that they push me to step back and ask, “is there another way to think about this?” and I love it. Another client I enjoy working with is a very successful tech entrepreneur who values my advice.
Q. Describe your work style.
My work style is energetic, team-oriented, and spread across a small number of clients so we can really focus on the individual client issues with a lot of thought, analytical rigor and time investment.
Q. What’s your proudest moment?
I’m a proud father of three and husband of 15 years; those are obvious proud moments. Another was finally sailing around the world, achieving something that very few people have accomplished.
Q. If you could pass on a nugget of wisdom to aspiring accountants or consultants, what would that be?
READ, READ, READ. Accountants in particular (although everyone should read more) should read about business, history and materials that educate them about the economy at large as the accounting industry continues to evolve.
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