Accounting degree was the foundation for alumnus’ stellar business success

David Gutierrez

Business alumnus Dave Gutierrez ’76, has practiced all facets of tax law. From his first year of college at University of Detroit, he found that he had a passion for accounting. That foundation paved the way for him to become a tax expert.

While at U of D, he worked as an intern at the IRS, which gave him a tax collector’s view. He further advanced his tax knowledge with a law degree from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. His education there taught him how to write opinions and briefs about tax matters as well as client letters and memos.

“It’s not easy to communicate with someone who’s not a tax person,” Gutierrez said. “You’re faced with opposing views and you have to think it through and come up with a recommendation.”

He then joined the largest “Big 5” accounting firm at that time: Arthur Anderson, which was headquartered in Chicago. During his tenure there, he spent one year each in Sao Palo, Brazil and Toronto, Canada, dealing with tax matters. He said, “That experience broadened my base for international tax and for other cultures. If you are too U.S.-centric, then you don’t understand the nuances of international tax.”

When he returned to the U.S., he made another move – this time to Denver. For someone who was born in Cleveland, went to college in Detroit, and began his career in Chicago – all infamous for long winters and overcast skies – a move to Denver with its 333 days of sunshine was a welcome change. It was a city and resort area that Gutierrez, his wife Trish and their daughter Alexis all embraced.

As a CPA, Gutierrez thrived at Arthur Anderson. “I liked the culture and the camaraderie,” he said. “It was very client-focused.” He was tax managing partner at the Denver office. Because Arthur Anderson was the auditing firm for Enron, its association with the energy company also led to the accounting firm’s demise in 2002.

When KPMG bought out the accounting firm, Gutierrez kept his role. He later became the lead partner for the Communications, Technology and Media Industry Group. He was recruited to join one of his clients, Newmont Mining, in 2005, as vice president of Tax and later became V.P. of Accounting and Tax. The company mines gold (and copper as a byproduct) in continents around the world.

“The good side of being a consultant was seeing a broad number of clients and a variety of ways to address business issues without going deep into the details,” Gutierrez said.

At Newmont, he sees more of the details. “It’s like peeling back the layers of an onion,” he noted. He travels extensively – typically to mining operations in Peru, Australia, Nevada, Mexico and Canada.

As a Fortune 500 firm, Newmont Mining is often one of the top five taxpayer companies in each of its regions.

What he enjoys the most about his current position as V.P. of Planning and Tax is “solving issues for the company in a way that creates value for shareholders. Mining gold is a difficult process. It requires a long lead time and there are many community issues, which we take seriously.

“We have a ‘social license to operate.’ I enjoy bringing my skill set to balance the constituencies and come up with the right business model,” he said, regarding the company’s sustainability practices.

His education at U of D has taught him that giving back is a lifelong process. He has served on the board of the United Way in Denver and stays active in the community.

While he has skied at Denver’s world-famous resorts and plays golf, he prefers the simpler pursuit of running. “It helps me think things through,” he said, of his 30-year running routine.